Shibuya Guide: The Crossing, Views, Shopping and Nights

Shibuya is the Tokyo of the photographs: the scramble crossing, giant screens, crowds of young shoppers and, more recently, a cluster of new towers around the station. It is also one of the city's biggest transport hubs, served by the JR Yamanote Line, three subway lines and two private railways. For most visitors, half a day or an evening is enough, and it fits easily with Harajuku next door.

The crossing

Leave the station by the Hachiko exit and the scramble is in front of you. Watch a light cycle from the side, then walk across a couple of times. Dusk and evening are the most dramatic, when the screens are lit. The Hachiko statue, Tokyo's best-known meeting point, is beside the exit. Our Shibuya Crossing guide covers the best places to watch it from.

Views from above

Shibuya Sky, the open-air roof of Shibuya Scramble Square, looks almost straight down on the crossing from about 229 meters. Adult tickets cost ¥2,700 online before 3pm and ¥3,400 from 3pm. Book a sunset slot ahead on a clear day; see our Shibuya Sky guide.

For a closer, cheaper view, the MAG8 rooftop on MAGNET by SHIBUYA109 charges ¥1,800 including a drink.

Shopping

• Shibuya Parco. Its sixth floor has Nintendo Tokyo and the Pokémon Center Shibuya, plus Japanese designer fashion and a floor of restaurants. See our Pokémon Center guide.
• Shibuya 109. The cylindrical tower that defined gyaru fashion, still full of young women's fashion shops.
• Miyashita Park. A long, low building beside the JR tracks with shops below and a public park on the roof.
• Shibuya Hikarie and Shibuya Scramble Square. Department-store fashion and good food halls in the basements.
• Cat Street. A quiet street of independent and streetwear shops that leads north to Harajuku and Omotesando.

Eating

The streets right around the crossing are mostly chains. Better food is a few minutes away:

• The food halls under Shibuya Hikarie and Tokyu Food Show at the station, for bento and sweets.
• Okushibu ("deep Shibuya"), the area around Kamiyama-cho and Tomigaya, 10–15 minutes' walk west, with small cafés, bakeries, bistros and coffee roasters.
• Shibuya Stream, south of the station along the restored Shibuya River, for restaurants with a terrace.

Nights

• Nonbei Yokocho, an alley of tiny bars beside the JR tracks near Miyashita Park. Most seat six to ten; some have a cover charge.
• Dogenzaka, uphill from the crossing, has clubs, bars and live venues.
• Center Gai is loud, young and full of fast food and game centers.

Street drinking is banned around the station every night from 6pm to 5am. At Halloween, the area is heavily policed; see our Shibuya Halloween guide. Mind the last train if you are staying elsewhere.

Combining Shibuya with nearby areas

FAQ

Is Shibuya worth visiting? Yes, for the crossing, the view from above and the shopping. Give it half a day or an evening rather than a five-minute photo stop.

How long do I need? Half a day, or one evening.

Should I stay in Shibuya? It is a good base if nightlife matters to you, with direct trains to much of the city. See where to stay in Tokyo.

When is the best time to see the crossing? From dusk into the evening, when it is busiest and the screens are lit.

Can I drink in the street in Shibuya? No. Drinking on the streets and in parks around the station is banned from 6pm to 5am every night.