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Shibuya Crossing

Coordinates: 35°39′34″N 139°42′02″E / 35.65950°N 139.70056°E / 35.65950; 139.70056
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For the television episode, see Shibuya Crossing (Sugar episode).
Shibuya Crossing
Pedestrian scramble crossing
The crossing in 2023
The crossing in 2023
LocationShibuya, Tokyo, Japan
Shibuya Crossing is located in Japan
Shibuya Crossing
Shibuya Crossing
Coordinates: 35°39′34″N 139°42′02″E / 35.65950°N 139.70056°E / 35.65950; 139.70056

Shibuya Scramble Crossing (渋谷スクランブル交差点, Shibuya sukuranburu kōsaten), commonly known as Shibuya Crossing, is a popular pedestrian scramble crossing in Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan.[1] It is located in front of the Shibuya Station Hachikō exit and stops vehicles in all directions to allow pedestrians to inundate the entire intersection. The statue of Hachikō, between the station and the intersection, is a common meeting place, which is almost always crowded.

Three large video screens mounted on nearby buildings overlook the crossing such as the landmark QFRONT, as well as many static advertising signs. Given its heavy traffic and amount of advertising, it is compared to Times Square in New York City.

Shibuya Crossing is the world’s busiest pedestrian crossing, with as many as 3,000 people crossing at a time.[2][3][4] Tokyo-based architecture professor Shane Flynn has said Shibuya Crossing is "a great example of what Tokyo does best when it's not trying."[5]

Foot traffic

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This intersection is frequently recognized as "the busiest pedestrian intersection in the world"[2][3] with almost no loss of foot traffic at midnight or early morning.[6] Road traffic jams rarely occur here even during rush hours.[3] According to the Shibuya Center Street in 2016, the number of pedestrians crossing the intersection was as much as 3,000[2] per green light (every 2 minutes).[7] A 2014 flow measurement survey by the Shibuya Redevelopment Association estimated 260,000 pedestrians per day on week days, and 390,000 pedestrians on non-working days.[2] Others estimate as much as 500,000 people on the busiest days.[8] The 2012 SOTO Outdoor Media Survey estimated 1.5 million pedestrians per week.[9]

History

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Pedestrians using the crossing in 2008

The crossing was inaugurated in 1973.[10] It was featured in the 2016 Summer Olympics closing ceremony to promote the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo.[11][12]

Since the late 2010s it has become a popular place for young people to gather at Halloween, some in cosplay. Increasingly large and chaotic crowds led to Shibuya Ward adopting an ordinance in 2019 banning public alcohol consumption in the area around during periods at the end of October (Halloween) and December (New Year's Eve).[13]

In 2023, citing issues with litter, altercations, and property damage caused by overtourism and large, unruly crowds (especially after the lifting of COVID-19 pandemic restrictions, and in the wake of the Seoul Halloween crowd crush in 2022), Shibuya Ward officials announced that it would strongly enforce measures to discourage parties on the crossing during the Halloween period, including asking residents and tourists to not gather for Halloween, traffic restrictions, and enhanced security measures to enforce the alcohol ban. Stores in the area were also requested to not sell alcohol, and some businesses closed sooner than usual.[14][15]

Shibuya Crossing has also suspended New Year's Eve celebrations since 2020–21 due to safety and security issues; in 2023, alcohol consumption was restricted from 6 p.m. on 31 December to 5 a.m. on 1 January, and stores were requested to not sell alcohol during this timeframe. In addition, all video billboards were turned off at 11 p.m. rather than 12 a.m. as usual.[16][17]

In June 2024, an ordinance was passed to extend the public drinking ban year-round from 6 p.m. to 5 a.m. nightly.[18]

Cultural depictions and media usage

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The walking dinosaur advertisement visible on the QFRONT (Tsutaya) building that could be seen in the 2003 film Lost in Translation[19]

Shibuya Crossing is often featured in films and television shows which take place in Tokyo, such as Lost in Translation,[20][21] The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift, Alice in Borderland, Jujutsu Kaisen, and Resident Evil: Afterlife, as well as on domestic and international news broadcasts. The iconic video screen featured in the above films, in particular Lost in Translation with its 'walking dinosaur' scene, was taken down for a period of time and replaced with static advertising, although it resumed operation in July 2013.[22]

Welsh rock band Manic Street Preachers featured the area prominently in the music video for the song "Motorcycle Emptiness" from the album 'Generation Terrorists' in 1992. The single peaked at number 17 in the UK singles chart and was later certified silver by the British Phonographic Industry for sales of 200,000 copies.[23][24]

Contemporary British painter Carl Randall (who spent 10 years living in Tokyo as an artist) depicted the area in his large artwork 'Shibuya', exhibited at the National Portrait Gallery in London 2013.[25][26][27]

References

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  1. ^ Murray Buechner, Maryanne. "Tokyo: 10 Things To Do". Time: Travel. Archived from the original on August 19, 2019.
  2. ^ a b c d 井上恵一朗 (2016-04-22). "【東京はてな】 渋谷交差点、1回で3千人横断?". 朝日新聞. p. 29.
  3. ^ a b c "渋谷スクランブル交差点――世界で最もワイルドな交差点にようこそ". CNN.co.jp. 2019-08-25. Archived from the original on September 23, 2020. Retrieved 2019-09-26.
  4. ^ "The World's Busiest Pedestrian Crossing". WorldAtlas. Archived from the original on August 12, 2020. Retrieved 2020-04-13.
  5. ^ Nakagawa, Ulara. "15 sights that make Tokyo so fascinating". CNNGo.com. Archived from the original on 1 November 2012. Retrieved 3 December 2011.
  6. ^ 内山理名. "内山理名のTokyoフォトアルバム File16 (Japanese book)". 東京ウォーカー (2000年10月17日号). 角川マガジンズ: 85.
  7. ^ 伊藤隆太郎 (2016-03-05). "【みちのものがたり】 外国人を引きつける渋谷スクランブル交差点 - 猥雑で混沌とした近未来都市". 朝日新聞 be. p. e2.
  8. ^ "渋谷スクランブル交差点の楽しみ方". JOURNEY of JAPAN. 三井住友カード. 2018-08-02. Retrieved 2019-04-07.[permanent dead link]
  9. ^ "渋谷駅ハチ公口交差点前「QFRONT」ビル壁面の大型ビジョン「Q'S EYE」をリニューアル！" (PDF). 東京急行電鉄. 2013-07-11. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2020-07-22. Retrieved 2019-04-07.
  10. ^ The Asahi Shimbun March 9th 2016 issue
  11. ^ Palazzo, Chiara (August 22, 2016). "Shinzo Abe emerges from a green pipe disguised as Super Mario during Rio Closing Ceremony". Archived from the original on August 22, 2016. Retrieved August 22, 2016.
  12. ^ Samuelson, Kate (August 22, 2016). "Shinzo Abe Dresses as Super Mario for Rio Closing Ceremony". TIME.com. Archived from the original on August 22, 2016. Retrieved August 22, 2016.
  13. ^ "Halloween in Shibuya: Mayhem ensues despite increased security and ban on alcohol". The Japan Times. 2019-11-01. Archived from the original on 2021-01-26. Retrieved 2021-01-26.
  14. ^ Marcus, Lilit (2023-10-06). "Tokyo district urges tourists to stay away on Halloween". CNN. Retrieved 2024-06-25.
  15. ^ "Tokyo's Shibuya district raises alarm against unruly Halloween, even caging landmark statue". AP News. 2023-10-27. Retrieved 2024-06-25.
  16. ^ "Shibuya not in party mood with countdown canceled again". The Asahi Shimbun. 2023-12-27. Retrieved 2024-06-25.
  17. ^ Lee, Elaine (2023-12-19). "Tokyo's Shibuya cancels New Year's celebration for the fourth year in a row". The Straits Times. ISSN 0585-3923. Retrieved 2024-06-25.
  18. ^ Shimbun, The Yomiuri (2024-06-18). "Tokyo's Shibuya Ward Approves Year-round Ban on Street Drinking; Revised Ordinance Imposes No Penalties on Violators". japannews.yomiuri.co.jp. Retrieved 2024-06-25.
  19. ^ "Finding Japan in Lost in Translation".
  20. ^ "Lost in Translation (2003) - Filming & production - IMDb". IMDb.
  21. ^ Glionna, John M. (2011-05-23). "Japan's orderly Shibuya Scramble". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on 2011-06-09. Retrieved 2011-08-28.
  22. ^ 渋谷駅ハチ公口交差点前「ＱＦＲＯＮＴ」ビル壁面の大型ビジョン「Ｑ’Ｓ ＥＹＥ」をリニューアル！(2013/7/11). Tokyu. 2013-11-07. Archived from the original on 2013-09-18. Retrieved 2014-02-07.
  23. ^ "Music Videos Filmed In Japan #4 Manic Street Preachers – 'Motorcycle Emptiness' (1992)". Tokyofox.net. 23 April 2013.
  24. ^ "Manic Street Preachers- Official Charts Company". officialcharts.com. 13 June 1992.
  25. ^ BBC World Service: World Update. 'Carl Randall - Painting the faces in Japan's crowded cities'., BBC, 2016, archived from the original on 2016-12-27, retrieved 2019-12-01
  26. ^ 'Carl Randall's Japan - the best BP Travel Award Exhibition ever!'., Making a Mark, London, 2012, archived from the original on 2017-12-08, retrieved 2019-12-01
  27. ^ 'Shibuya drawing'., Carl Randall artist website, 2012, archived from the original on 2023-07-10, retrieved 2019-12-01
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