Tokyo: Shibuya and the crazy street crossing

After our visit to the Yoyogi Park we walked past Harajuku Station and towards the Shibuya district, which is known as ‘sakariba’ (party town) for Tokyo’s youth.

Shibuya is a center for youth fashion and culture, and its streets are the birthplace to many of Japan’s fashion and entertainment trends. Over a dozen major department store branches can be found around the area catering to all types of shoppers.

The area, which lies to the northwest of Shibuya station and south of Yoyogi park, is a mix of trendy boutiques, fashionable department stores and record shops. But we did not go there because of all the shops…

… it would be a shame to come to Tokyo and not take a walk across the famous intersection outside Shibuya Station. On sunny afternoons or clear evenings, the surrounding area is packed with shoppers, students, young couples and commuters.

When the lights turn red at this busy junction, they all turn red at the same time in every direction. Traffic stops completely and pedestrians surge into the intersection from all sides, like marbles spilling out of a box.

We observed this moment of organized chaos from the second-story window of the Starbucks in the Tsutaya building on the crossing’s north side.

Useful info:

• Shibuya Station is one of Tokyo’s busiest stations
• It is served by the JR Yamanote Line, JR Saikyo Line, JR Shonan Shinjuku Line, Hanzomon Subway Line, Ginza Subway Line, Fukutoshin Subway Line, Tokyu Toyoko Line, Tokyu Den-Entoshi Line, Keio Inokashira Line and the Narita Express