Shibuya Pedestrian Crossing: The “Times Square” of Tokyo Place guide

Possibly the most famous and the busiest intersection in the world, the Shibuya Crossing (or the Shibuya Scramble) sends a couple of thousand people in several directions each time the light goes green. This Tokyo X-ing sits atop the junction of the rivers Shibuya-gawa and Uda-gawa, which were rerouted underground in the 60s.  

This sight, the location for the last scene in Lost in Translation, is definitely one of the top 5 sights in Tokyo not only because of the movie scenes you’ll remember, but also because of the famous Hachikō statue (Hachikō Plaza; JR Yamanote line to Shibuya, Hachikō exit) — a dog that waited for his owner to return from work everyday at Shibuya Tokyo Station even 10 years after his death.

Areas to visit around Shibuya crossing:

• Myth of Tomorrow: Myth of Tomorrow is a 30-meter long mural by Okamoto Tarō which was commissioned by a Mexican luxury hotel and went missing for decades. It turned up mysteriously in Mexico in 2003 and was installed on the second floor of the Shibuya Station.
• Dōgenzaka: This area is a labyrinth of small streets, famous for love hotels; hence its alternative name, Love Hotel Hill. Although it’s a sketchy place, some of the hotels have interesting old exteriors.