is a special ward in

Tokyo Tokyo, officially the Tokyo Metropolis, is the capital of Japan, capital and List of cities in Japan, most populous city in Japan. With a population of over 14 million in the city proper in 2023, it is List of largest cities, one of the most ...

Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...

. A major commercial center, Shibuya houses one of the busiest railway stations in the world,

Shibuya Station is a major railway station in Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan, operated by East Japan Railway Company (JR East), Keio Corporation, Tokyu Corporation, and Tokyo Metro. It serves as a terminal for six railway lines, five of which are operated by Tokyo Metro ...

. As of January 1, 2024, Shibuya Ward has an estimated

population Population is a set of humans or other organisms in a given region or area. Governments conduct a census to quantify the resident population size within a given jurisdiction. The term is also applied to non-human animals, microorganisms, and pl ...

of 230,609 in 142,443 households and a

population density Population density (in agriculture: Standing stock (disambiguation), standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geog ...

of . The total area is . Notable neighborhoods and districts of Shibuya include

Harajuku is a district in Shibuya, Tokyo. Harajuku is the common name given to a geographic area spreading from Harajuku Station to Omotesandō, Tokyo, Omotesando, corresponding on official maps of Shibuya, Tokyo, Shibuya ward as Jingūmae 1 Japanese a ...

, Ebisu,

Omotesandō is a Zelkova serrata, zelkova tree-lined avenue located in Shibuya, Tokyo, Shibuya and Minato, Tokyo, Minato, Tokyo, stretching from the Meiji Shrine entrance to Aoyama-dōri (Aoyama Street), where Omotesandō Station can be found. History Omot ...

Yoyogi is a neighbourhood in the northern part of Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan. Geography The area encompassed by Yoyogi is typically defined two ways: * Only the five Yoyogi . * The former , corresponding roughly to the area south of Japan National Route ...

and

Sendagaya is an area within Shibuya ward, one of the 23 special wards of Tokyo. Introduction Sendagaya is nestled in an urban green area in Shibuya ward between Shinjuku ward and Shinjuku Gyo-en (Shinjuku Imperial Gardens) to the north (an area in Send ...

. Shibuya came into the possession of the Shibuya clan in the early 1160s, after which the area was named. The branch of the clan that ruled this area was defeated by the

Later Hōjō clan The was one of the most powerful samurai families in Japan in the Sengoku period and held domains primarily in the Kantō region. Their last name was simply , but were called "Later Hōjō" to differentiate between the earlier Hōjō clan who h ...

on January 13, 1524, during the

Sengoku period The was the period in History of Japan, Japanese history in which civil wars and social upheavals took place almost continuously in the 15th and 16th centuries. The Kyōtoku incident (1454), Ōnin War (1467), or (1493) are generally chosen as th ...

, and the area then came under their control. During the

Edo period The , also known as the , is the period between 1600 or 1603 and 1868 in the history of Japan, when the country was under the rule of the Tokugawa shogunate and some 300 regional ''daimyo'', or feudal lords. Emerging from the chaos of the Sengok ...

, Shibuya, particularly Maruyamachō on

Dōgenzaka is a district of Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan. As of October 2020, the population of this district is 591. The postal code for Dōgenzaka is 150–0043. Local landmarks here include Shibuya 109, Bunkamura and the Statue of Hachikō. Geography Dō ...

, prospered as a town on Oyama Road (present-day Route 246), and in the

Meiji era The was an Japanese era name, era of History of Japan, Japanese history that extended from October 23, 1868, to July 30, 1912. The Meiji era was the first half of the Empire of Japan, when the Japanese people moved from being an isolated feu ...

, as a

Hanamachi A is a district where geisha live and work in Japan. Each typically has its own name, crest, and distinct geisha population, with geisha not typically working outside of their own district. usually contain (geisha houses) and (teahouses wh ...

. Shibuya emerged as a railway terminus during the expansion of the railway network beginning in the 19th century, and was incorporated as a ward in the City of Tokyo on October 1, 1932. Shibuya, once a mediocre area developed around the railway terminus, overtook

Shinjuku , officially called Shinjuku City, is a special ward of Tokyo, Japan. It is a major commercial and administrative center, housing the northern half of the busiest railway station in the world ( Shinjuku Station) as well as the Tokyo Metropol ...

as a hub for youth culture in the 1970s. The coinciding competition between Seibu (whose most notable development projects include Shibuya Parco) and Tokyu ( Tokyu Hands, Shibuya 109) to develop the area as a commercial center added to its appeal to young people, which in turn spread to other neighborhoods in the ward, such as

. The Shibuya Scramble Crossing, known as the busiest

pedestrian crossing A pedestrian crossing (or crosswalk in American and Canadian English) is a place designated for pedestrians to cross a road, street or Avenue (landscape), avenue. The term "pedestrian crossing" is also used in the Vienna Convention on Road Sign ...

in the world, the panoramic view of the city from the rooftop of

Shibuya Scramble Square Shibuya Scramble Square (Japanese language, Japanese: 渋谷スクランブルスクエア Shibuya Sukuranburu Sukuea) is a Mixed-use development, mixed-use skyscraper connected to Shibuya Station in Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan. It is part of a rede ...

, and the statue of Hachikō are internationally recognized tourist attractions. The area surrounding Shibuya Station has been undergoing large-scale redevelopment since 2010, with the entire project scheduled for completion in fiscal year 2034 (April 2034 to March 2035).

History

Shibuya came into the possession of the Shibuya clan in the early 1160s, after which the area was named. The clan was a cadet branch of the Taira clan descended from Taira no Yoshifumi. The clan built a fortress near the present-day Konnō Hachimangu Shrine. The branch of the clan that ruled this area was defeated by the

on January 13, 1524, during the

, and the area then came under their control. During the

, Shibuya, particularly Maruyamachō on

, prospered as a town on Oyama Road (present-day Route 246), and in the

, as a

. The

village A village is a human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet but smaller than a town with a population typically ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand. Although villages are often located in rural areas, the term urban v ...

of Shibuya was incorporated in 1889 by the merger of the villages of Kami-Shibuya, Naka-Shibuya and Shimo-Shibuya within Minami-Toshima County (Toyotama County from 1896). The village covered the territory of modern-day Shibuya Station area as well as the Hiroo, Daikanyama, Aoyama, and Ebisu areas. Shibuya became a

town A town is a type of a human settlement, generally larger than a village but smaller than a city. The criteria for distinguishing a town vary globally, often depending on factors such as population size, economic character, administrative stat ...

in 1909. The town of Shibuya merged with the neighboring towns of Sendagaya (which included the modern Senda,

and Jingumae areas) and Yoyohata (which included the modern

and Hata areas) to form Shibuya-ku suburban ward upon being absorbed into

Tokyo City was a Cities of Japan, municipality in Japan and capital of Tokyo Prefecture (1868–1943), Tokyo Prefecture (or ''Tokyo-fu'') which existed from 1 May 1889 until the establishment of Tokyo Metropolis on 1 July 1943. The historical boundari ...

in 1932. Shibuya became an urban special ward under the

Local Autonomy Act The , passed by the House of Representatives (Japan), House of Representatives and the House of Peers (Japan), House of Peers on March 28, 1947 and promulgated as Law No. 67 of 1947 on April 17,Ministry of Justice (Japan), Ministry of Justice, Jap ...

in 1947. The Tokyu Toyoko Line opened in 1932, making Shibuya a key terminal between Tokyo and

Yokohama is the List of cities in Japan, second-largest city in Japan by population as well as by area, and the country's most populous Municipalities of Japan, municipality. It is the capital and most populous city in Kanagawa Prefecture, with a popu ...

, and was joined by the forerunner of the

Keio Inokashira Line The is a railway line operated by the Japanese private railway operator Keio Corporation in the western suburbs of Edo, connecting in Tokyo with in Musashino, Tokyo, Musashino City. It is not physically connected to the Keiō Line, Keio Main ...

in 1933 and the forerunner of the

Tokyo Metro Ginza Line The is a subway line in Tokyo, Japan, operated by Tokyo Metro. The official name is . It is long and serves the wards of Shibuya, Minato, Tokyo, Minato, Chūō, Tokyo, Chūō, Chiyoda, Tokyo, Chiyoda, and Taitō, Tokyo, Taitō. It is the old ...

in 1938. The story of Hachikō, a dog who waited for his deceased master at Shibuya Station every day from 1923 to 1935, created a national sensation due to his unwavering loyalty. A statue of Hachikō was built adjacent to the station, and the surrounding Hachikō Square is now one of the most popular meeting points in the area. View of Shibuya circa 1960

During the

occupation of Japan Japan was occupied and administered by the Allies of World War II from the surrender of the Empire of Japan on September 2, 1945, at the war's end until the Treaty of San Francisco took effect on April 28, 1952. The occupation, led by the ...

, Yoyogi Park was used as a housing compound for U.S. personnel known as "Washington Heights". The U.S. military left in 1964, and much of the park was repurposed as venues for the

1964 Summer Olympics The , officially the and commonly known as Tokyo 1964 (), were an international multi-sport event held from 10 to 24 October 1964 in Tokyo, Japan. Tokyo had been awarded the organization of the 1940 Summer Olympics, but this honor was subseq ...

. The ward itself served as part of the athletics 50 km walk and marathon course during the 1964 games. In the mid-1990s,

Shibuya-kei is a microgenre of pop music or a general aesthetic that flourished in Japan in the mid-to-late 1990s. The music genre is distinguished by a "cut-and-paste" approach that was inspired by the kitsch, fusion, and artifice from certain music styl ...

, a microgenre of pop music, became mainstream in Japan. Distinguished by a "cut-and-paste" approach, it peaked in the late 1990s and declined after its principal players began moving onto other music styles. Since the beginning of the 21st century, large-scale redevelopment has been underway in the area surrounding

. The scale of the project has been described as something that happens once in a hundred years. In 2005, the

Japanese government The Government of Japan is the central government of Japan. It consists of legislative, executive and judiciary branches and functions under the framework established by the Constitution of Japan. Japan is a unitary state, containing forty- ...

designated the district as an Urban Renewal Area. Following discussions among scholars, the

Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism The , abbreviated MLIT, is a ministry of the Japanese government.国土交通省設置法

, the

Tokyo Metropolitan Government The is the government of the Tokyo, Tokyo Metropolis. One of the 47 Prefectures of Japan, prefectures of Japan, the government consists of a popularly elected governor and assembly. The Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building, headquarters build ...

, Shibuya City Office, and railway operators such as Tokyu Corporation,

JR East The is a major passenger railway company in Japan and the largest of the seven Japan Railways Group companies. The company name is officially abbreviated as JR-EAST or JR East in English, and as in Japanese. The company's headquarters are in ...

, and

Tokyo Metro The Tokyo Metro () is a major rapid transit system in Tokyo, Japan, operated by the #Organization, Tokyo Metro Co. With an average daily ridership of 6.52 million passengers (as of 2023), the Tokyo Metro is the larger of the Tokyo subway, two s ...

, a master plan was announced in 2008. In 2010, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government approved the implementation of the redevelopment plan, and full-scale construction officially began. As part of the redevelopment, the existing station facilities were demolished. The Tōyoko Line was moved underground, the Ginza Line platform was relocated, and the Saikyō Line platform was placed parallel to the

Yamanote Line The Yamanote Line () is a railway Circle route, loop service in Tokyo, Japan, operated by the East Japan Railway Company (JR East). It is one of Tokyo's busiest and most important lines, connecting most of Tokyo's major stations and urban centres ...

platform. Several existing commercial buildings were also demolished and replaced by high-rise complexes such as Shibuya Hikarie, Shibuya Stream, Shibuya Fukuras ( ja), Shibuya Sakura Stage ( ja), and

. Because railway operations had to continue during construction, and because the pedestrian network plan around the station was revised during the process, the overall completion of the redevelopment is now scheduled for fiscal year 2034, which is seven years later than originally planned. Miyashita Park closed in 2017 and reopened in July 2020 as a shopping complex with a rooftop park.

Geography

Shibuya includes many well-known commercial and residential districts such as Daikanyama, Ebisu,

, Hiroo, Higashi,

, and

Districts

* Hatagaya Area: **

Sasazuka is a district of Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan. As of October 2020, the population of this district is 16,763. The postal code for Sasazuka is 151-0073. Geography Sasazuka borders Minamidai in the north, Hatagaya to the east, Shimokitazawa to the so ...

, Hatagaya, Honmachi * Yoyogi Area: ** Uehara, Ōyamachō, Nishihara, Hatsudai, Motoyoyogichō, Tomigaya, Yoyogikamizonochō * Sendagaya Area: **

Jingūmae is a district of Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan. As of October 2020, the population of this district is 12,446. The postal code for Jingūmae is 150–0001. Places of interest Cultural Shrines * Tōgō Shrine * Aoyama Kumano Shrine (青山熊野神� ...

* Ebisu-Ōmukai Area: ** Kamiyamachō, Jinnan, Udagawachō, Shōtō, Shinsenchō, Maruyamachō,

, Nanpeidaichō, Sakuragaokachō,

Hachiyamachō is a district of Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan. As of October 2020, the population of this district is 1,197. The postal code for Hachiyamachō is 150–0035. Geography Hachiyamachō borders Nanpeidaichō, Shibuya, Nanpeidaichō in the north, Uguisuda ...

, Uguisudanichō, Sarugakuchō, Daikan'yamachō, Ebisunishi, Ebisuminami * Hikawa-Shimbashi Area: **

Shibuya is a Special wards of Tokyo, special ward in Tokyo, Japan. A major commercial center, Shibuya houses one of the busiest railway stations in the world, Shibuya Station. As of January 1, 2024, Shibuya Ward has an estimated population of 230,60 ...

, Higashi, Ebisu, Hiroo Shibuya seen from Roppongi Hills Mori Tower on a clear winter day 2

Demographics

Per Japanese census data, the population is rising again after decline between 1960 and 2000.

Politics and government

Shibuya is run by a city assembly of 34 elected members. The mayor is Ken Hasebe, an

independent Independent or Independents may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Artist groups * Independents (artist group), a group of modernist painters based in Pennsylvania, United States * Independentes (English: Independents), a Portuguese artist ...

Elections

* 2003 Shibuya mayoral election

Same-sex partnership certificate

In 2015, as the council passed "Ordinance for Promoting Respect of Gender Equality and Diversity in the Ward", Shibuya Ward became the first Japanese municipality that issues same-sex partnership certificates.. According to this ordinance, same-sex couples who live in Shibuya are allowed "to rent apartments together, and have gained hospital visitation rights as family members". The ordinance was intended to bring three benefits to same-sex couples: "(1) rental housing within the ward (co-signing of tenancy agreements for municipal/public housing), (2) medical institutions within the ward (hospital visitation and medical decision-making rights as family members), and (3) employment conditions within the ward (e.g. family benefits, congratulations and condolence leave)". In order to apply for the certificate, couples must be 20-years-old or older residents of Shibuya Ward and have to state that "their relationship is based on love and mutual trust" in a notarized document. Koyuki Higashi (a former member of the

Takarazuka Revue The is a Japanese all-female musical theatre troupe based in Takarazuka, Hyōgo, Takarazuka, Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan. Women play all roles in lavish, Broadway theatre, Broadway-style productions of musicals and stories adapted from films, nov ...

) and Hiroko Masuhara (an entrepreneur), a lesbian couple, were the first to receive this certification. Since the Shibuya Ward passed the ordinance, seven other municipalities in Japan have begun offering similar certificates. The

BBC The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is a British public service broadcaster headquartered at Broadcasting House in London, England. Originally established in 1922 as the British Broadcasting Company, it evolved into its current sta ...

notes that in practice, the ordinance is not binding, though their names will be posted on the ward's website if they violate the ordinance. Shimizu says the system "is not equivalent to marriage, as it does not accord same-sex couples the same rights as heterosexual couples when it comes to inheritance, joint filing of taxes, or social welfare". As it requires at least a hundred thousand yen to apply for the certificate, it can be restrictive to some couples. Shimizu argues that Shibuya Ward has been criticized for pinkwashing as "while passing this ordinance, the administration also moved to expel the homeless in Miyashita Park and other parks in the ward". Pointing out that the mayor of Shibuya Ward in an interview stated that this is not a matter of human rights, but of diversity, Yuri Horie claimed that the term of diversity seems to be used to divide citizens into the good and the bad; it raises only the ones who contribute to the consumeristic society as representer of "diversity of sexuality" while excluding the useless ones. Yuki Tsuchiya, a lesbian activist, also argues that LGBT individuals are used to promote the ward.

Sightseeing and local landmarks

Shibuya is famous for its scramble crossing, called

Shibuya Crossing , commonly known as Shibuya Crossing, is a popular pedestrian scramble crossing in Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan. It is located in front of the Shibuya Station Hachikō exit and stops vehicles in all directions to allow pedestrians to inundate the enti ...

. It is located in front of the

Hachikō exit and stops vehicles in all directions to allow pedestrians to inundate the entire intersection. Shibuya Crossing is the "world's busiest pedestrian crossing", with upwards of 3,000 people at a time. A statue of the dog Hachikō, remembered for his unwavering loyalty to his deceased owner, is installed outside Shibuya Station. The statue and its surrounding Hachikō Square are a common meeting place and are almost always crowded. On the southwest side of Shibuya Station, there is a Moyai statue, given to Shibuya by the people of Niijima Island in 1980.

Green areas

* Shinjuku Gyo-en, former Imperial gardens now open to the public as a park * Yoyogi Park, once a training base for the

Imperial Japanese Army The Imperial Japanese Army (IJA; , ''Dai-Nippon Teikoku Rikugun'', "Army of the Greater Japanese Empire") was the principal ground force of the Empire of Japan from 1871 to 1945. It played a central role in Japan’s rapid modernization during th ...

, later the Washington Heights housing area for the

Occupation of Japan Japan was occupied and administered by the Allies of World War II from the surrender of the Empire of Japan on September 2, 1945, at the war's end until the Treaty of San Francisco took effect on April 28, 1952. The occupation, led by the ...

, then the lodgings for contestants in the 1964 Tokyo Olympics

Commercial complexes

* Cerulean Tower, formerly the tallest building in the Shibuya Station area * Omotesandō Hills, a shopping mall completed in 2006 * Shibuya 109, a popular and trendy place for mostly Japanese young women to shop * * Shibuya Hikarie * Shibuya Mark City *

* Shibuya Stream * Shinjuku Southern Terrace *

Takashimaya is a Japanese multinational corporation operating a department store chain selling a wide array of products, ranging from wedding dresses and other apparel to electronics and flatware. It has more than 12 branches in Japan located in 2 region ...

Times Square, one of the largest department stores in Japan * Yebisu Garden Place, site of the former

Sapporo Brewery is a Japanese brewery, beer brewing company founded in 1876. Sapporo, the oldest brand of beer in Japan, was first brewed in Sapporo, Hokkaido, in 1876 by Seibei Nakagawa. The world headquarters of Sapporo Breweries is in Ebisu, Shibuya, Ebisu, ...

, now featuring restaurants and shopping, along with the Westin Hotel

Cultural institutions

* Bunka Gakuen Costume Museum * Bunkamura, a cultural center and concert hall complex * Kawamoto Kihachirō Puppet Gallery * Koga Masao Museum of Music * , a museum of Japanese archaeology and

Shintō , also called Shintoism, is a religion originating in Japan. Classified as an East Asian religion by scholars of religion, it is often regarded by its practitioners as Japan's indigenous religion and as a nature religion. Scholars sometimes ...

culture at Kokugakuin University * Meiji Jingū Museum *

National Noh Theatre The National Noh Theatre (国立能楽堂, ''Kokuritsu Nōgaku Dō'') opened in Sendagaya, Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan, in September 1983. The auditorium seats 591 for performances of Noh and Kyōgen is a form of traditional Japanese comic the ...

* New National Theatre, site of opera, ballet, and other performances * , a public cultural complex including lifelong learning center, planetarium and halls * , a public museum of Shibuya's local history and literary * * * Ukiyo-e Ōta Memorial Museum of Art * Watari Museum of Contemporary Art * Yamatane Museum

Religious institutions

* , a Shintō shrine on ruins, the setting for the film '' Tenchi: The Samurai Astronomer'' *

Meiji Shrine is a Shinto shrine in Shibuya, Tokyo, that is dedicated to the deified spirits of Emperor Meiji and his wife, Empress Shōken. The shrine does not contain the emperor's grave, which is located at Fushimi-ku, Kyoto#Sights, Fushimi-momoyama, south ...

, a Shintō shrine dedicated to the souls of

Emperor Meiji , posthumously honored as , was the 122nd emperor of Japan according to the List of emperors of Japan, traditional order of succession, reigning from 1867 until his death in 1912. His reign is associated with the Meiji Restoration of 1868, which ...

and Empress Shōken, surrounded by a 70-hectare forest *

Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...

Shibuya Church, Hatsudai Church * Tōgō Shrine, a Shintō shrine dedicated to Admiral Tōgō Heihachirō, with naval cenotaphs * Tokyo Baptist Church * Tokyo Mosque (Tokyo Camii), the largest

mosque A mosque ( ), also called a masjid ( ), is a place of worship for Muslims. The term usually refers to a covered building, but can be any place where Salah, Islamic prayers are performed; such as an outdoor courtyard. Originally, mosques were si ...

in Japan * Tokyo Yamate Church, part of the Protestant United Church of Christ in Japan

Streets

* , a major east–west thoroughfare * Cat Street, a promenade in

Ura-Harajuku is the nickname of an area in Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan. Ura-Harajuku, or Ura-Hara, is the common name given to the network of smaller Harajuku backstreets spreading perpendicular to Omotesandō, corresponding on official maps of Shibuya ward as ...

area, famous for its roadside clothing stores * Center Gai * , a road in central Shibuya famous for its surrounding nightclubs and

love hotel A love hotel is a type of short-stay hotel found around the world operated primarily for the purpose of allowing guests privacy for sex. The name originates from "Hotel Love" in Osaka, Japan. Although love hotels exist all over the world, the ...

s * – running past Daikanyama, down the hill to Ebisu, crossing Meiji Dōri and up the hill through Higashi and Hiroo. The road stops at the

Shuto Expressway The is a network of Toll road, tolled expressways in the Greater Tokyo Area of Japan. It is operated and maintained by the . Most routes are Grade separation, grade separated and have many sharp curves and multi-lane merges that require cauti ...

in Minami Aoyama. Famed for its beautiful trees that turn bright yellow in autumn, cafes, restaurants, and a large replica of

Michelangelo Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni (6March 147518February 1564), known mononymously as Michelangelo, was an Italian sculptor, painter, architect, and poet of the High Renaissance. Born in the Republic of Florence, his work was inspir ...

David David (; , "beloved one") was a king of ancient Israel and Judah and the third king of the United Monarchy, according to the Hebrew Bible and Old Testament. The Tel Dan stele, an Aramaic-inscribed stone erected by a king of Aram-Dam ...

outside of the Papas building. Prince Hitachi and Princess Hitachi have their official residence in a palace in large gardens off Komazawadori in Higashi. * , in central Shibuya between Shibuya Station and Yoyogi Park * , a major north–south thoroughfare parallel to the

* * Shibuya Nonbei-Yokochō, an alley by the railroad tracks famous for its small bars and old Tokyo feel *

, an avenue leading up to the Meiji Shrine with a number of famous-brand boutiques * * Takeshita Street, a shopping street through Harajuku *

Others

* NHK Broadcasting Center, headquarters of the

NHK , also known by its Romanization of Japanese, romanized initialism NHK, is a Japanese public broadcasting, public broadcaster. It is a statutory corporation funded by viewers' payments of a television licence, television license fee. NHK ope ...

radio, television, and satellite broadcasting system *

NTT Docomo Yoyogi Building The is a skyscraper located in the Sendagaya district of Shibuya, Tokyo Tokyo, officially the Tokyo Metropolis, is the capital of Japan, capital and List of cities in Japan, most populous city in Japan. With a population of over 14 millio ...

, the fourth-tallest building in Tokyo, patterned after the

Empire State Building The Empire State Building is a 102-story, Art Deco-style supertall skyscraper in the Midtown South neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City, United States. The building was designed by Shreve, Lamb & Harmon and built from 1930 to 1931. Its n ...

* Shibuya Sky, a 360-degree open-air observatory on

, the highest point in the district of Shibuya overlooking Shibuya and the greater Tokyo skyline *

Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium is a sporting complex in Sendagaya, Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan. Built in 1954 for the World Amateur wrestling, Wrestling Championship, it was also used as the venue for Gymnastics at the 1964 Summer Olympics, gymnastics at the 1964 Summer Olympics ...

, a major indoor arena complex *

United Nations University The is the think tank and academic arm of the United Nations. Headquartered in Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan, with diplomatic status as a UN institution, its mission is to help resolve list of global issues, global issues related to Human development ...

Yoyogi National Gymnasium Yoyogi National Gymnasium, officially is an indoor arena located at Yoyogi Park in Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan, which is famous for its Suspended structure, suspension roof design. The arena holds 13,291 people (9,079 stand seats, 4,124 arena sea ...

, designed for the 1964 Tokyo Olympics by Kenzo Tange

Transportation

Rail

The main station in Shibuya is

. The southern half of

Shinjuku Station is a major railway station in Tokyo, Japan, that serves as the main connecting hub for rail traffic between central/eastern Tokyo (the Special wards of Tokyo, special wards) and Western Tokyo on the inter-city rail, commuter rail, and rapid tr ...

, including the New South Entrance, is located in Shibuya. *

, Shibuya, Ebisu stations ** Chūō Line (Rapid), Chūō-Sōbu Line: Shinjuku, Yoyogi,

stations ** Saikyō Line, Shōnan-Shinjuku Line: Shinjuku, Shibuya, Ebisu stations *

** Ginza Line: Shibuya station ** Marunouchi Line: Shinjuku station ** Hibiya Line: Ebisu station ** Chiyoda Line: Meiji Jingūmae, Yoyogi Kōen, Yoyogi Uehara stations ** Hanzōmon Line: Shibuya station **

Fukutoshin Line The , formally the , is a subway line operated by Tokyo Metro in west-central Tokyo and Wako, Saitama, Japan. The newest line in the Tokyo subway network, it opened in stages between 1994 and 2008. On average, the Fukutoshin Line carried 362,654 ...

: Shibuya, Meiji Jingūmae, Kitasandō stations *

Tokyo Metropolitan Bureau of Transportation The , also known as Toei Transportation, Toei Transport, or simply , is a bureau of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government which operates public transport services in Tokyo. Among its services, the Toei Subway is one of two rapid transit systems wh ...

** Toei Shinjuku Line: Shinjuku station **

Toei Ōedo Line The is a rapid transit railway line of the municipal Toei Subway network in Tokyo, Japan. It commenced full operations on December 12, 2000; using the Japanese calendar this reads "12/12/12" as the year 2000 equals Heisei 12. The line is comple ...

: Shinjuku, Yoyogi, Kokuritsu Kyogi-jo stations * Tokyu Corporation ** Tōyoko Line: Shibuya, Daikanyama stations **

Den-en-toshi Line The is a major commuter line operated by the private railway operator Tokyu Corporation and connecting south-western suburbs of Tokyo and neighbouring Kanagawa Prefecture, with its western terminus of , to a major railway junction of western dow ...

: Shibuya, Ikejiri Ohashi stations *

Keio Corporation is a private railway operator in Tokyo, Japan and the central firm of the that is involved in transport, retailer, retail, real estate and other industries. The Keio railway network connects western suburbs of Tokyo (Chōfu, Tokyo, Chōfu, Fuc ...

** Inokashira Line:Shinjuku, Shibuya, Shinsen stations ** Keiō Line: Shinjuku,

stations ** Keiō New Line: Shinjuku, Hatsudai, Hatagaya, Sasazuka stations * Odakyu Electric Railway Odawara Line: Shinjuku, Minami Shinjuku, Sangubashi, Yoyogi Hachiman, Yoyogi Uehara stations * The Imperial Platform, used by the Japanese Imperial Family on rare occasions, is located along the Yamanote Line, a few minutes walk from Harajuku Station in Sendagaya 3-chome.

Highway

**No.3 Shibuya Route (Tanimachi JCT – Yoga) **No.4 Shinjuku Route (Miyakezaka JCT – Takaido) *

National highways National Highways (NH), formerly Highways England and before that the Highways Agency, is a State-owned enterprise, government-owned company charged with operating, maintaining and improving Roads in England, motorways and major A roads in Eng ...

** Route 20, the Kōshū Kaidō ** Route 246, with the local names Aoyama-dōri and Tamagawa-dōri

Economy

Several companies are headquartered in Shibuya. Calpis,

Casio is a Japanese multinational electronics manufacturing corporation headquartered in Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan. Its products include calculators, mobile phones, digital cameras, electronic musical instruments, and analogue and digital watches. It ...

,Corporate
" ''

''. Retrieved on February 25, 2009

Mixi is an online Japanese social networking service. It was founded in 1999 and is owned by Mixi, Inc. (). As of September 2012, Mixi had about 14 million monthly active users, with about 8.6 million of those on smartphones. Mixi, Inc. was founded ...

, Niwango, Nihon Dempa Kogyo, and Tokyu Corporation have their headquarters in Shibuya.

East Japan Railway Company The is a major passenger railway company in Japan and the largest of the seven Japan Railways Group companies. The company name is officially abbreviated as JR-EAST or JR East in English, and as in Japanese. The company's headquarters are in ...

have their headquarters in

, Shibuya. 81 Produce has its headquarters in Tomigaya, Shibuya.

Former operations

At one time

Smilesoft was a Japanese company that published video games. Its headquarters were in the in Shibuya, Tokyo.

had its headquarters in the CT Sasazuka Building in Shibuya.会社概要
" Smilesoft. February 12, 2002. Retrieved on February 11, 2010. In May 1985 the headquarters of

Bandai Visual was a Japanese anime, film production, and distribution company, established by Bandai and a subsidiary of Bandai Namco Holdings. They focused mainly in international distribution of anime properties in North America. Most of the anime and ...

moved to Shibuya. In March 1990 the headquarters moved to

. A.D. Vision - Tokyo, Y.K., the Japanese subsidiary of

A.D. Vision A.D. Vision Holdings, Inc. (known simply as ADV and also referred to as ADV Films) was an American multimedia entertainment distributor headquartered in Houston, Texas, and founded in 1992 by video game fan John Ledford and anime fans Matt Gr ...

, was in Shibuya.

Acclaim Entertainment Acclaim Entertainment, Inc. was an American video game publisher based in Glen Cove, New York. Originally founded by Greg Fischbach, Robert Holmes, and Jim Scoroposki from a storefront in Oyster Bay in 1987, the company built a global develop ...

once had its Tokyo office in the Nomora Building. The Japanese subsidiary of Titus Interactive, Titus Japan K.K., had its head office on the eighth floor of the Kotubuki Dogenzaka Building in

.Contact
" Titus Interactive. 3 June 2004. Retrieved on 4 September 2012. The former animation studio; Group TAC was also located here.

Square Enix is a Japanese Multinational corporation, multinational holding company, video game publisher and entertainment conglomerate. It releases role-playing video game, role-playing game franchises, such as ''Final Fantasy'', ''Dragon Quest'', and '' ...

headquarters were located in Yoyogi before moving to Shinjuku in 2012.

Companies

Amway Amway Corp. (short for "American Way") is an American multi-level marketing (MLM) company that sells health, beauty, and home care products. The company was founded in 1959 by Jay Van Andel and Richard DeVos and is based in Ada Township, Michi ...

Japan: Japan headquarters, a

multi-level marketing Multi-level marketing (MLM), also called network marketing or pyramid selling, is a controversial and sometimes illegal marketing strategy for the sale of products or services in which the revenue of the MLM company is derived from a non-salarie ...

company *

Coca-Cola Coca-Cola, or Coke, is a cola soft drink manufactured by the Coca-Cola Company. In 2013, Coke products were sold in over 200 countries and territories worldwide, with consumers drinking more than 1.8 billion company beverage servings ...

* Campbells Soup's Japan division is headquartered in Shibuya, on the 10th floor of the Tokyo Tatemono Hiroo Building. *

CyberAgent is a Japanese digital advertising company, which was founded in 1998 by Susumu Fujita and headquartered in Shibuya, Tokyo. It is owned by Susumu Fujita with 20.50% interest; Fujita is the representative director, while Yusuke Hidaka is the execut ...

: Internet advertising agency *

(JR East) *

Gap Inc The Gap, Inc., commonly known as Gap Inc., is an American multinational clothing and accessories retailer. Gap was founded in 1969 by Donald Fisher and Doris F. Fisher and is headquartered in San Francisco, California. The company operates four ...

* Ito En: bottler of tea, coffee, vegetable drinks, and other beverages * NHK (Nippon Hoso Kyokai) ( NHK Broadcasting Center) *Papas: clothing, cafe, and bakery company * Sapporo Breweries Limited *

Trend Micro is an American-Japanese cyber security software company. The company has globally dispersed R&D in 16 locations across every continent excluding Antarctica. The company develops enterprise security software for servers, containers, and cloud ...

Japan: security software company

Education

Colleges and universities

Aoyama Gakuin University is a private Christian university in Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan. Originally established in 1874 by missionaries from the Methodist Episcopal Church, it was reconfigured in its current form in 1949 as tertiary component of the Aoyama Gakuin. The u ...

Bunka Gakuen University is a private university in Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan. The predecessor of the school, a women's vocational school, was founded 1923. In 1952 it was chartered as a junior women's college. In 1964 it became a four-year college and it was named . In 2 ...

(Yoyogi) * Jissen Women's University * Kokugakuin University ( Higashi) * Shibuya University Network *

Tokai University is a private non-sectarian higher education institution located in Tokyo, Japan. It was founded by Dr. Shigeyoshi Matsumae. It was accredited under Japan's old educational system in 1946 and under the new system in 1950. In 2008, Tokai Uni ...

* University of the Sacred Heart (Hiroo)

Primary and secondary schools

The operates public elementary and junior high schools, while Tokyo Metropolitan Government Board of Education operates public senior high schools. Public combined elementary and junior high schools * Shibuya Honmachi Gakuen ( 渋谷本町学園) Junior high schools: * Hachiyama Junior High School ( 鉢山中学校) * Harajuku Gaien Junior High School ( 原宿外苑中学校) * Hiroo Junior High School ( 広尾中学校) * Sasazuka Junior High School ( 笹塚中学校) * Shoto Junior High School ( 松濤中学校) * Uehara Junior High School ( 上原中学校) * Yoyogi Junior High School ( 代々木中学校) Elementary schools: * Hatashiro Elementary School ( 幡代小学校) * Hatomori Elementary School ( 鳩森小学校) * Hiroo Elementary School ( 広尾小学校) * Jingumae Elementary School ( 神宮前小学校) * Jinnan Elementary School ( 神南小学校) * Kakezuka Elementary School ( 加計塚小学校) * Nagayato Elementary School ( 長谷戸小学校) * Nakahata Elementary School ( 中幡小学校) * Nishihara Elementary School ( 西原小学校) * Rinsen Elementary School ( 臨川小学校) * Sarugaku Elementary School ( 猿楽小学校) * Sasazuka Elementary School ( 笹塚小学校) * Sendagaya Elementary School ( 千駄谷小学校) * Tokiwamatsu Elementary School ( 常磐松小学校) * Tomigaya Elementary School ( 富谷小学校) * Uehara Elementary School ( 上原小学校) * Yoyogisanya Elementary School ( 代々木山谷小学校) Private schools include: * Aoyama Gakuin Elementary, Junior and Senior High School—private co-ed school, in Shibuya, affiliated with

* —public co-ed school, in Jingūmae * First Commercial High School—public co-ed school, in Daikanyama * Fujimigaoka Junior and Senior High School—private girls' school, in Sasazuka * Hiroo Gakuen Junior and Senior High School—private co-ed school, in Hiroo * Hiroo High School—public co-ed school, in Higashi * International School of Sacred Heart, in Hiroo * Jingūmae International Exchange School (JIES), within the Shibuya Ward Jingūmae Elementary School in Omotesando * Jissen Joshi-Gakuen Elementary, Junior and Senior High School—private girls' school, in Higashi, affiliated with Jissen Women's University * Kantō International Senior High School—private co-ed school, in Honchō * Kokugakuin Senior High School—private co-ed school, in Jingūmae The British School in Tokyo Shibuya Campus was previously in operation.

Public libraries

Shibuya operates several public libraries, including the Central Library, the Nishihara Library, the Shibuya Library, the Tomigaya Library, the Sasazuka Library, the Honmachi Library, and the Rinsen Library. In addition, the Yoyogi Youth Hall houses the Yoyogi Library Room.

In popular culture

Shibuya has appeared in the manga '' Alice in Borderland'', ''

Jujutsu Kaisen is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Gege Akutami. It was serialized in Shueisha's Shōnen manga, manga magazine ''Weekly Shōnen Jump'' from March 2018 to September 2024, with its chapters collected in 30 volumes. The ...

'' with its 'Shibuya Incident' arc, '' Super GALS! Kotobuki Ran'', '' Tokyo Revengers'' and '' Ya Boy Kongming!''. It has featured in the television series '' Jellyfish Can't Swim in the Night''. It featured in the film '' The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift'' It has also appeared in the videogames '' Chaos;Head'', '' Ghostwire: Tokyo'', '' Hatsune Miku: Colorful Stage!'', '' Persona 5'', '' The World Ends With You'', '' Neo: The World Ends with You'', ''

Tokyo Mirage Sessions ♯FE ''Tokyo Mirage Sessions ♯FE'' is a 2015 role-playing video game developed by Atlus and published by Nintendo for the Wii U. The game is a gaming crossover, crossover that combines gameplay, narrative, and aesthetic elements from Atlus's ''Megam ...

'', '' Reynatis.'' In Kingdom hearts 4 The city of Quadratum is based on Shibuya, and in '' Project Gotham Racing, '' Race Driver: Grid'', '' Colin McRae: Dirt 2'', '' Dirt 3'', '' Dirt Showdown'' as a race track

International relations

Friendship city

Üsküdar Üsküdar () is a municipality and district of Istanbul Province, Turkey. Its area is 35 km2, and its population is 524,452 (2022). It is a large and densely populated district on the Anatolian (Asian) shore of the Bosphorus. It is border ...

District,

Istanbul Istanbul is the List of largest cities and towns in Turkey, largest city in Turkey, constituting the country's economic, cultural, and historical heart. With Demographics of Istanbul, a population over , it is home to 18% of the Demographics ...

Province,

Turkey Turkey, officially the Republic of Türkiye, is a country mainly located in Anatolia in West Asia, with a relatively small part called East Thrace in Southeast Europe. It borders the Black Sea to the north; Georgia (country), Georgia, Armen ...

(since 2005)

Sister cities

* Miraflores District,

Lima Lima ( ; ), founded in 1535 as the Ciudad de los Reyes (, Spanish for "City of Biblical Magi, Kings"), is the capital and largest city of Peru. It is located in the valleys of the Chillón River, Chillón, Rímac River, Rímac and Lurín Rive ...

Peru Peru, officially the Republic of Peru, is a country in western South America. It is bordered in the north by Ecuador and Colombia, in the east by Brazil, in the southeast by Bolivia, in the south by Chile, and in the south and west by the Pac ...

(since 2024) *

Honolulu Honolulu ( ; ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Hawaii, located in the Pacific Ocean. It is the county seat of the Consolidated city-county, consolidated City and County of Honol ...

, State of

Hawaii Hawaii ( ; ) is an island U.S. state, state of the United States, in the Pacific Ocean about southwest of the U.S. mainland. One of the two Non-contiguous United States, non-contiguous U.S. states (along with Alaska), it is the only sta ...

, the

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

of America (since 2024)

International organization offices in Shibuya

There are following offices at the

Headquarters Building in

, Shibuya. * ILO (

International Labour Organization The International Labour Organization (ILO) is a United Nations agency whose mandate is to advance social and economic justice by setting international labour standards. Founded in October 1919 under the League of Nations, it is one of the firs ...

) Office for Japan * UNDP (

United Nations Development Programme The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is a United Nations agency tasked with helping countries eliminate poverty and achieve sustainable economic growth and human development. The UNDP emphasizes on developing local capacity towar ...

) Representation Office in Tokyo * UNFPA (

United Nations Population Fund The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) is a United Nations System, UN agency aimed at improving reproductive health, reproductive and maternal health worldwide. Its work includes developing national healthcare strategies and protocols, incr ...

) Representation Office in Japan * UNIC Tokyo ( United Nations Information CentreTokyo) *

UNICEF UNICEF ( ), originally the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund, officially United Nations Children's Fund since 1953, is an agency of the United Nations responsible for providing Humanitarianism, humanitarian and Development a ...

Tokyo Office * UNIDO ITPO (

United Nations Industrial Development Organization The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) (French: Organisation des Nations unies pour le développement industriel; French/Spanish acronym: ONUDI) is a specialized agency of the United Nations that assists countries in e ...

Investment and Technology Promotion Office), Tokyo * UNOPS（

United Nations Office for Project Services The United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) is a United Nations agency dedicated to implementing humanitarian and development projects for the United Nations System, international financial institutions, governments and other partners ...

）Tokyo Liaison Office * UNU-IAS (Institute of the Advanced Study of Sustainability)

Diplomatic missions in Shibuya

Following countries operate their embassies in Shibuya. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Gallery

File:2018 Shibuya Crossing.jpg, Shibuya crossing at ground level File:Shibuya scramble square sky view of crossing wide (48994670573).jpg, View from the Sky View observation deck File:Scramble from above, SHIBUYA SKY (49367161357).jpg, Shibuya crossing at night File:Shibuya at night 03 (15120002334).jpg, Streets of Shibuya at night File:Facade of the polyhedral glass building The Iceberg, Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan.jpg, "''The Iceberg''", building in Shibuya

References

External links

Shibuya City Official Website
{{Authority control

Articles containing video clips Entertainment districts in Japan Olympic athletics venues Venues of the 1964 Summer Olympics Wards of Tokyo