Exploring Shibuya in Tokyo

Shibuya Photograph

Shibuya in Tokyo is one of the most visited districts of this massive metropolis. The place is also well known as one of the most exciting shopping places in Japan, and anyone that visits Tokyo will surely pay a visit to this unique district.

The most prominent building here is the Shibuya 109 Building, which you see in the main photo. Overall, there are many skyscrapers and interesting buildings found around Shibuya.

Photos of Shibuya in Tokyo

Junction at Shibuya 109
View of the two main roads at Shibuya 109 junction.

During the last 30 years of travelling, I have visited Shibuya numerous times, the first being in 1990 when I used to work in Tokyo.

To this very day, I never tire of visiting this part of Tokyo, simply due to the vibrant Japanese lifestyle and culture found here.

My last trip to Shibuya was also in March of 2017, and it brought back some perfect and fond memories.

Below are just random photos of Shibuya taken from my many trips here, but I am really sorry that I cannot post my 1990 photos due to them being in 3R prints. You know, back then, there was no digital.

109 Men's Shibuya
The 109 Men's Building in Shibuya.

Shibuya in 1990

While many travellers only recently visited Japan, they would not know of the early days of Shibuya like I did 28 years ago.

I was fortunate to have the luxury of fully exploring the original culture of Shibuya, and so much has changed in three decades.

Back when I worked in Tokyo, Shibuya was my place to find obscure shops selling clothing or vinyl records. And back then, it was film cameras; hence I did take photographs, but they are all in 3R prints.

The most famous part of Shibuya back then, and still is today, is the Shibuya Crossing. The number of people that crossed back then versus now has increased, but imagine 30 years ago, purely Japanese-dominated Shibuya, and I hardly saw foreigners here.

Modi Shibuya
Modi 0101 Building in Shibuya.

I used to hang out at every niche cafe, which doubled as collector stores, visit hidden lanes that housed speciality stores and eat at local restaurants.

Pop culture was already here back then, and there were many obscure and unique pop culture stores with a mix of American-Japanese fashion. But this was a different generation of pop culture.

Disney Building Store Shibuya
One of the unique buildings and the Disney store in Shibuya.

Deep in Shibuya, I remember buying a pair of Dr Martens boots for a reasonable price; it was one of the unique designs specially made for the Japanese market. 

Tower Records was also one of my favourite haunts, as I used to get the latest Japanese rock CDs which were one of the first places to be released. 

Shopping areas in Shibuya
Shibuya today is a vibrant shopping and lifestyle experience in Japan.

Exploring Shibuya

Currently, Shibuya is much talked about due to two main attractions: the Hachiko Dog Statue at the Shibuya Station Hachikō exit.

This is the famous story about the dog that waited for his master's return and attracts dog lovers and commercial tourists to take a photo of the statue.

The other is the famous Shibuya Crossing, where hundreds to thousands of people will cross the main intersection outside the Shibuya Station.

The crossing is unique because people cross from all four directions of the intersection here. The best place to photograph this would be from one of the cafes or coffee joints on a high floor of the buildings facing the Shibuya Crossing.

MariCAR Go Kart Tour Shibuya
The unique and quirky Mario Go-Kart Tour in Shibuya.

Another popular new attraction is the Mario Go Kart Tour or Maricar Shibuya, where participants wear cute costumes related to Mario and company and drive around Shibuya in special Go Karts.

So, if you are walking around the main road area here and suddenly see a bunch of cartoon character go-karts, do not be alarmed; this is the Mario tour.

Other than that, there are many new buildings, department stores, women's and men's fashion outlets, unique cafes and many Japanese restaurants all over Shibuya.

For Muslim travellers, a popular Halal Japanese Curry shop in Shibuya is worth checking out, as they are quite famous here.

Map of Shibuya Subway
A scaled-down version of the Tokyo Subway map showing the Shibuya Station.

How to go to Shibuya?

Without fail, anyone visiting Tokyo will want to visit this amazing place. The best way to get here is by using the Tokyo Metro line, which I well connected throughout Tokyo.

Other train companies also stop here, as the Shibuya Station is one of the largest train stations in Japan. I still remember someone I knew getting lost here in the '90s while trying to transit.

Layout of Shibuya Station
Here is what the Shibuya Station looks like; pretty confusing.

To get to Shibuya, you can take three main subway lines. They are;
  1. Ginza Line (Gold Color)
  2. Hanzomon Line (Purple Color)
  3. Fukutoshin Line (Brown Color)
Depending on which part of Tokyo you are in, you can catch a direct subway there or have to interchange at one of the stations.

After all, Tokyo is well connected by the subway system. I have also written about the Tokyo Metro subway, sharing some of the perks tourists get when using this train service.

Map of Shibuya district
An overview of the Shibuya district, the station is where the Shibuya Crossing is located.

You can also go to Harajuku from Shibuya by taking the Yamanote Line, which is just one station away. If you are visiting on a Sunday, I recommend visiting Harajuku first, then heading back to Shibuya.

This way, you can catch the Sunday morning events at Harajuku's Yoyogi Park, explore that area and then use the rest of the day to explore Shibuya, even at night at the places that come alive with neon lights.

Conclusion

I wrote about one of the recommended travel guides for Tokyo, which is also very handy, especially if you want to find some popular and famous places in Shibuya.

While I am always happy to return here, these are just some of my Shibuya photos taken on my last trip here. I hope you enjoy them and have a great trip to Shibuya in Tokyo if you plan to visit this stunning place.

Malaysia Asia

Blogging since 2007, but writing online since 1997. I belong to the 1st generation of worldwide bloggers, which is of course old-school. Since 2008, I created Malaysia Asia and this travel, flood, gadget and lifestyle blog has won numerous physical awards from tourism boards around Malaysia. (Not those online awards). After 12 years of blogging, I have semi-retired and now blog about things I like, do product reviews and enjoy life. My work has been featured in Lonely Planet, CNN Travel, Yahoo Travel, Wall Street Journal, and many other international publications. Find out more about me and thank you.

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