potato_carrot | The Ultimate Hana Yori Dango/Hana Nochi Hare Filming Locations Guide

Hello everyone! I know it's been a long overdue post but I'll be finishing this in batches of locations (Central Tokyo, Western Tokyo and Osaka, Kyoto other prefectures) in consideration of your itinerary planning. I know how hard it is to cram places you want to visit in a single place so I thought it would be just logical to group those filming locations that are at least in the same area within each other or in the same train lines (JR Yamanote/ Tokyo Metro/Toei Subway etc). I'll be adding Google Maps and pictures as well to guide you in your journey. I'll be updating this post once in a while so please stay tune at @_potatocarrot_ twitter acount for additions and changes.

First stop is....

CENTRAL TOKYO (SHIBUYA, HARAJUKU, SETAGAYA, CHUO)

Though some travel guides like Japan Guide consider these areas along the western part of Tokyo, I digress since this is the heart and soul of Tokyo. If I'll be asked which is the western side, then that's the Hachijoi side which is near Mount Takao and nearby one of the most iconic filming location of the Hanadan/Hanahare franchise to which I will talk about soon.

1. EBISU GARDEN PLACE
If you're an avid Hana Yori Dango fan, this place is definitely on your MUST-GO list. Your starting point is Shibuya and you can just ride the JR Yamanote line towards Ebisu which is just one station away, go to the EAST exit (I can't emphasize this well enough) and on your right you'll see the Ebisu Skywalk. Yes, Inoue Mao's Tsukushi went out of the east exit during the last episode of Hana Yori Dango Returns and rushed to the place but we folks are so lucky that years after that, they decided to build a series of walkators straight from the East Exit of JR Ebisu Station to Ebisu Garden Place to make our life easier and our anticipation higher as we wait for the image of the Ebisu Garden Place emerge as we alight from the walkators. A lot of my Hanadan-crazed friends have squealed and shouted their fangirl hearts upon seeing the place for the first time and indeed no matter how many times you go there, it is still a mecca, like a shrine of the fandom you have to pay respect to. lol

Drama: Hana Yori Dango, Hana Nochi Hare
Area: Ebisu, Shibuya
Nearest Train Station: JR Ebisu Station, Tokyo Metro Hibiya Line's Ebisu Station (Just make sure if you're using the Tokyo Metro, look for the JR Ebisu East Exit for the Ebisu Skywalk)
Things to check out: Yebisu Beer Museum where you can sample free beer, that French Chateau building which is actually a Michelin-starred resto and the depachika (department store foodcourt basement) of Mitsukoshi
Trivia: In one episode of Arashi ni Shiyagare with Matsuda Seiko which they filmed at the Westin Tokyo hotel nearby, Matsumoto Jun and Aiba Masaki went to the depachika of Mitsukoshi which is just at the back of the clock tower to look for cakes. I already forgot the name of the shop but if any Arashian in here reads this and have watched that episode, feel free to give me a heads up. Ebisu Garden Place was also featured in one of the scenes in Matsumoto Jun and Ueno Juri's movie Hidamari no Kanojo.

(pictures are mine;; they were taken during my first Japan trip ;~;)

This is where they did the red carpet events for Hanadan Final and Hanahare premiere. Every December up until first week of January, there's always a beautiful Christmas lighting installation here featuring a Baccarat chandelier. Too bad the last time we went in 2017, it was freezingly cold due to the rains. @hitotsu_no_ai and @myaibanana can relate to that

See how wide it is.

2. TSURUYA YOSHINOBU SETAGAYA BRANCH (also known as Tsukushi's part-time workplace)
When I was just researching for this particular filming location, I was so surprised this is a traditional sweets shop that hails from Kyoto and most of their sweets are used during traditional tea ceremonies. They even have an Enlglish website (http://www.turuya.co.jp/en/).
Drama: Hana Yori Dango
Area: Setagaya near Shibuya
Nearest train station: Kamimachi Station of Tokyu Setagaya line. From Shibuya, you have to ride the Tokyu Den-en Toshi Line and transfer trains at Sangenjaya Station for the Tokyu Setagaya Line going to Kamimachi.
Store hours: 9AM-6PM every weekdays (http://www.turuya.co.jp/tenpo/setagayamise.html)

Now, after leaving the train comes the tricky part.

You're supposed to go out of this exit on the left side of the picture and see this. On the other side, there's a MUFJ bank.

You have to cross the road, turn left and walk straight ahead until the footbridge over there.

You start climbing this and...

...go down over there. But you have to take the road opposite to the stairs, not the one facing it. So you have to turn to your left after going down the stairs and walk straight ahead.

After walking from the footbridge, you'll see this first corner.

Go straight that road...

Walk straight ahead until you see this store front.

Welcome to Tsukushi's dango shop errr... Tsuruya Yoshinobu Tokyo branch.

Sorry for the blurry picture but this is all I got after fangirling last year when I came here. We also talked to the store owner and they were always delighted to see Hana Yori Dango fans visiting their store.

My souvenir recommendation from this shop is the Yuu-mochi (Yuzu mochi) housed in a cute lemon packaging. If you're a keen drama observer, you probably saw Tsukushi arranging lots of these in the dango shop scenes.

3.WA KITCHEN KANNA SANGENJAYA BRANCH (和Kitchenかんな）
Drama: Hana Nochi Hare
Nearest Station: Sangenjaya Station of the Tokyu Setagaya Line/Tokyu Den-en Toshi Line
Area: Setagaya/Sangenjaya near Shibuya
This is the infamous kakigori store where Haruto, Oto, Megurin and Tenma ate after their movie date. You can have the choice of visiting this first since it's near Sangenjaya Station which is your transfer station going to Tsuruya Yoshinobu near Kamimachi station.
Website:http://kanna-kakigori.jp/shop/sancha.html
Store hours: 11AM-7PM but might extend during summer season.

Some say that this kakigori store is so famous that the wait for lines go for about six hours during summer. According to some blogs, the Hanahare cast members ordered the following:
Oto - Rich purple yam milk kakigori 濃厚紫いも牛乳
Tenma - Strawberry いちごヨーグルト
Megurin - Tiramisu ティラミス
Haruto - Melon
Every kakigori is priced at 750yen. However, as of this writing, Haruto's melon kakigori is not available in the menu anymore. The closest thing you can get is the matcha kakigori.

4.GOOD TOWN DOUGHNUTS
Now it's time to go back to Shibuya and hop the Yamanote line or better yet get on the Tokyo Metro's Meiji Jingu-mae station (Johnny's fans are very familiar with this cause this is very near the infamous Johnny's Shop). Don't you know that the doughnut shop where Oto and Konoe-san ate is just a walk away from that station. You can also visit Meiji Shrine while you're at it.
Drama: Hana Nochi Hare
Area: Harajuku
Nearest Station: Tokyo Metro's Meiji Jingu-mae station or if you want to walk a bit farther, JR Harajuku Station.

5.GALETTORIA
This is a MUST-GO for all the #TeamHaruto fans out there. After all, this is the French crepe restaurant where Haruto and Oto had their "first date". It is an 11 minute walk from Shibuya Station or if you want to be nearer, just hop the train on the Keio Inokashira Line from Shibuya to Shinsen Station and go out the north exit and just follow the attached Google Map for directions to the restaurant.
Drama: Hana Nochi Hare
Area: Shibuya
Nearest Station: Keio Inokashira Line's Shinshen Station
Website: http://www.many.co.jp/galettoria/
Store Hours: 11:30AM to 9:00PM (Last order is at 8:15PM)