Shibuya Crossing

The crossing in front of Shibuya Station is a landmark of the area. On weekends, 3000 people cross it at once.

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Shibuya is the neighborhood where fashion buildings are built in close distance and advertisements are shown on giant LCD screens. The main intersection has groups of 3000 people crossing simultaneously on the weekends.
Address
2 Chome-2 Dōgenzaka Shibuya-ku, Tōkyō-to 150-0043 Japan

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The starting line for a tour of Shibuya

Shibuya is the youth mecca. And there is a scramble crossing right in front of the entrance that is Shibuya Station. In front of your eyes, a huge LCD screen soars on which ads endlessly get shown. Surrounding you are fashion buildings, CD shops and other structures that symbolize youth culture, along with the many garish signboards standing about, and the pop songs or commercials that keep getting played; all of these make up a vista that is characteristic of Shibuya.

Shibuya Crossing in front of Shibuya Station, which is the starting line for a tour of the area, can have as many as 3000 pedestrians walking on one green light. With the wave of humanity, the storm of ads and all of the hustle and bustle, Shibuya never goes quiet, day or night.

The streets that span out in all directions in front of Shibuya Station are connected to the area’s shopping avenues which include Center Gai, Fashion Building 109 and the Seibu Department Store. On weekends, there is a massive jumble of young people which can be seen crossing on the green light en masse all throughout the day.

The legendary Hachiko

However, just before that crossing, there is a small but important Shibuya landmark tucked into a corner of the plaza in front of the station. It’s the statue of the legendary dog, Hachiko. In 1925, without knowing of the passing of his master, Hachiko always waited for him to come home at the station. His appearance touched the hearts of the people, and after Hachiko’s own burial, a bronze statue of the dog was erected in 1948. It’s said that in the same year, Helen Keller came to Japan and also visited the statue. And then, his story was dramatized in Japan in 1987 and in the United States in 2008 as a figure who has become loved beyond borders.

Nowadays, many young people gather around the statue of Hachiko as a waiting area. It’s easy to lose sight of the dog since he is always buried in the sea of people. However, Hachiko is still a beloved landmark standing in the same spot and keeping watch over the ever-changing streets of Shibuya.

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Access

From Shibuya Station, take the Hachiko Exit which leads directly outside Shibuya Crossing.

From Shinjuku Station to Shibuya Station:
Take the Yamanote Line direct to Shibuya Station (11 minutes, ¥160)

From Tokyo Station to Shibuya Station:
Take the Yamanote Line direct to Shibuya Station (24 minutes, ¥200)

Plan your trip to tokyo

Chat with a local tour guide who can help organize your trip.

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Reviews

7 years ago
an icon
I don't know how Tokyo can make a crossing road iconic. Lots of people. Lots. Something's quite missing if you go to Tokyo and cross this road.
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7 years ago
One of the cool place
Lots of people and crazy. You probably saw this crossing somewhere, but you must try to walk there and feel in real. It's a really cool place.
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8 years ago
So many faces!
It always amazes me how many people you can find on that crossing, taking pictures, videos or just crossing! When i first saw it i was very surprised at how many people where in that area! I've never seen so many people together in one place before Shibuya crossing!
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8 years ago
Impressive!!
You might have seen this on TV, but in real life you will stand there and just keep on watching. I have no idea what is so fascinating about this crossing, but no matter during day or night, I love stopping here and just let the scenery get to me.
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9 years ago
Bussyyyy
It's just a crossing. There are plenty more crossings just as busy in Tokyo, but for some reason, this one is super famous. It's kind of cool though when you first see it. Though after the first viewing it just becomes a very busy crossing (At least in my experience). It is quite cool to see all the "Cool" kids gather on all sides of this crossing, where model agencies send people to scope out potential models. Though having a plethora of tourists constantly stopping and taking photos gets very, very, annoying. If you want to take photos, don't stand in the way of everyone, people have things to do yo! Though at the end of the day the crossing is pretty cool. Perhaps I just take it for granted.
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9 years ago
Flashing Lights (Kanye song)
Listen to the song at night here while walking the street. Flashing burning flights that suck the life out of your eyes. It feels so good. So many things that are going on and I for one love it. This place with adverts and promos on giant TV screens plastered to the giant buildings. Vans that roll down the street blasting music of the time. Music from stores playing everywhere getting you to shop. The famous meeting spot Hachiko the dog. Has wifi. Just one of those places you have to go.
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9 years ago
Nice bit of road
Shibuya Crossing is famous. Everyone visiting Japan has seen Shibuya Crossing somewhere. On television, in the movies, in a documentary, during an advertising commercial. Even if you haven't seen Shibuya Crossing, I guarantee that you have; somewhere deep in your subconscious. That said, when I arrived in Japan I couldn't get my head around the popularity of a crossing. But, after visiting Shibuya again and again, the very fact that people are photographing a piece of road, or filming people crossing a street, has somehow won me over. I still keep my camera in my pocket though.
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