Shibuya Crossing

Background

Shibuya is the birthplace of Japanese youth culture — the 109 gyaru, street fashion and Halloween revelry all fermented here. There's always a queue for photos with the statue of the loyal dog Hachikō, a legend of loyalty spanning a century. When the neon comes on at night, giant screens and crowds weave a cyberpunk Tokyo nightscape — the heartbeat of Heisei-to-Reiwa Japan.

Local customs

• Keep quiet on trains and in public, and set your phone to silent
• obey the signals when crossing
• observe the street-drinking bans in Shibuya in recent years (no drinking on the streets around Halloween and New Year).

Religion & beliefs

• No particular religious character
• nearby Meiji Jingū is a Shinto sacred site you can visit.

Travel tips

• The lights are most beautiful at night (18:00–22:00). SHIBUYA SKY tickets must be bought in advance on the official website (about JPY 2,000), and sunset slots are most sought after
• the Hachikō statue is at the station's Hachikō exit
• combine with Daikanyama and Harajuku for a half day.