On Nov. 1, the latest gem in an ambitious multiphase plan to redevelop the Shibuya area — Shibuya Scramble Square — opened its doors to the millions of people who pass through the neighborhood every day. The 229-meter-high Shibuya Sky rooftop observatory on the building's 47th floor is sure to be the structure's biggest draw, but its foodstuffs and dining options — 85 in total — are no slouches, either.

Altogether, five of the building's seven new-to-Japan businesses are dedicated to food; of the 39 entirely new businesses opening in Scramble Square, 33 are food-related. Clearly the developers are pulling out all the stops to reinvigorate the often tired-feeling offerings in the typical depachika (department store basement where foodstuffs are usually sold).

Bun in the oven: Thierry Marx La Boulangerie bakes its brioche with Hokkaido wheat. | CLAIRE WILLIAMSON
Bun in the oven: Thierry Marx La Boulangerie bakes its brioche with Hokkaido wheat. | CLAIRE WILLIAMSON