Shibuya is one of the 23 wards in Tokyo. But when most people talk about Shibuya, they're actually talking about the entertainment and fashion hub around the crossing.
Shibuya is inarguably the best place for young people in love with nightclubbing, shopping, and fashion. Cutting-edge fashion boutiques, word-class nightclubs, and over a dozen sophisticated shops characterize this great Tokyo city-ward.
In fact, Shibuya is regarded as the center for youth fashion and culture, with its streets birthing several global fashion trends. It's a pace-setter!
But Shibuya is especially famous for its crossing, the large prominent intersection in front of the station's Hachiko Exit. If you want to get a picturesque photograph of Shibuya, the crossing is where you want to be.
Heavily decorated by neon ads and giant video screens, the place gets flooded by lots, lots, of pedestrians each time the traffic light turns green. My, the crowd! And oh, the beauty!
Over 2 million people pass this crossing daily, that it becomes difficult to frame your shot from above. But, thanks (and no thanks) to the pandemic, the number of people crossing has dramatically reduced. Now, there are many towers that can give you scenic panoramic views of the Shibuya crossing, such as the famous Shibuya Scramble Square, Shibuya Stream, and Hikarie Tower, among others. You can climb up to any of these and frame your shot to obtain a perfect photograph of Shibuya.
My first experience of Shibuya
Honestly, as a foreigner, I was greatly impressed by how the Japanese people respect the rules for crossing when I first came to the country. They always obeyed the green and red traffic lights.
That’s very much unlike Europe. Over there, we just take the red lights to mean "be careful when you cross" instead of "stop," and we cross anyway without giving a care in the world. (LOL)
Changes going on in Shibuya
Since I came to Japan in 2013, Shibuya has undergone significant changes and will continue to do so for the next decade. Shibuya Station and its surroundings are currently undergoing major redevelopment. Several new buildings have emerged (like the new towers listed above), and more will come up until the project is completed sometime around 2028. The flow of pedestrians around the crossing will also tremendously improve.
Without a doubt, Shibuya will be an epic destination for any photographer during this time and the years to come.
I can't wait to see you and many other foreigners visiting Shibuya for the first time, to witness how mesmerized the crossing will leave you. It would be a shocker, I bet you! It's even more than you'll see in the photos (Check here to have a glance at some).
Well, that was how amazed I was when I first came. But as you know, after seeing it so many times, you just get used to it.
Come witness Shibuya and get your camera firing away.
Map update!
As I explained to you on the last Shinjuku post, I would love to share with you some of my favorite places in Tokyo.
This time I added some location in Shibuya and I can't wait to share next location on future post!
So keep an eye on it and go shooting!
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