Shibuya, a section of Tokyo, is the perfect place to spend an afternoon shopping and people watching. Shibuya is often shown in tourist materials in the same way that Times Square is shown for New York City – it is home to multiple large buildings that are covered in electric signs and jumbo-screen televisions. It is an extremely busy and sometimes crazy part of town, but it offers plenty of good shopping and a spectacular view at night.
Getting to Shibuya
Shibuya is easily accessed by the subway on either the Yamanote, Ginza, or Hanzomon lines. The station name is 'Shibuya', and is one of the busiest stations in Tokyo. Follow the paw prints on the floor to the 'Hachiko' exit. Outside of this station is the famous statue of Hachiko, the faithful dog. According to the legend, Hachiko waited for his master outside of Shibuya Station every day. Eventually, the master died, but Hachiko continued to wait every day until he died. The statue is now used as a popular meeting spot for friends.
Shibuya Crossing
Shibuya Crossing is nothing more than the multiple intersections that lead from Shibuya Station and Hachiko over to the shopping areas. However, the crosswalks are massive, and hundreds of people often cross at a time. It is often referred to as a "scramble crossing."
Shibuya 109
One of the most popular department stores in Japan for young women is Shibuya 109 (2-29-1 Dogenzaka Shibuya-ku, Tokyo). The tower-shaped building is directly across the street from the station, and is easily identifiable by the red neon sign on top of it. Inside are eight floors of retail space that are divided by brand into small boutiques. There are no menswear shops in Shibuya 109, but a small selection of menswear is available in Shibuya 109-2, another large glass building just down the street.
Tokyu Hands
Tokyu Hands (12-18 Udagawacho, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo) is a quirky Japanese department store built in the 1970s. There are many locations throughout Japan, but the Shibuya location is the flagship store. It is located on a side street behind Shibuya 109, and can be recognized by its green electric sign that depicts two hands. There are seven floors of merchandise, ranging from crazy kitchen gadgets to stationery to toys.
BEAM and J-Pop Cafe
BEAM (31-2 Udagawacho, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo) is a multi-level entertainment center that is between Shibuya 109 and Tokyu Hands. The outside of the building is very futuristic-looking with large pipes and clocks decorating it. The building houses a video game arcade, a large music store, and a famous manga and anime store (Mandarake), amongst other shops. On the top floor of the building is the J-Pop Cafe, a restaurant and live music venue. The decoration is very modern and fun, and the main room is topped with a glass dome covered in vines. Stop in for lunch or check the schedule on their website for performances.
Visit Odaiba for quirky, futuristic fun!
Visit Harajuku, Japan's sub-culture haven.
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