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Shibuya
Shibuya; 渋谷
	— Special ward —
渋谷区 · Shibuya City
	Shibuya 109 at dusk
	; Flag
	; Flag
	Location of Shibuya in Tokyo
	; Shibuya
	Coordinates: 35°39′N 139°41′E / 35.65°N 139.683°E
Country	Japan
Region	Kantō
Prefecture	Tokyo
	Government
- Mayor	Toshitake Kuwahara
	Area
- Total	15.11 km2 (5.8 sq mi)
Population; (2008)	208,371
- Density	13,540/km2 (35,068.4/sq mi)
Website	Shibuya

For other uses, see Shibuya.

Shibuya (渋谷区, Shibuya-ku^?) is one of the 23 special wards of Tokyo, Japan. As of 2008, it had an estimated population of 208,371 and a density of 13,540 persons per km². The total area is 15.11 km².

The name "Shibuya" is also used to refer to the central business district of Shibuya Ward, which surrounds Shibuya Station, one of Tokyo's busiest railway stations. Shibuya is known as one of the fashion centers of Japan, particularly for young people, and as a major nightlife area.

[edit] History

Hachikō, an Akita dog, was a Shibuya fixture during the late 1920s and early 1930s; his statue near Shibuya Station is a popular meeting spot.

Following the opening of the Yamanote Line in 1885, Shibuya began to emerge as a railway terminal for southwestern Tokyo and eventually as a major commercial and entertainment center. It was incorporated as a village in 1889, as a town in 1909, as a ward of Tokyo City in 1932, and as a ward of Tokyo Metropolis in 1943. The present-day special ward was established on March 15, 1947.

One of the most well-known stories concerning Shibuya is the story of Hachikō, a dog who waited on his late master at Shibuya Station every day from 1923 to 1935, eventually becoming a national celebrity for his loyalty. A statue of Hachikō was built adjacent to the station, and the surrounding Hachikō Square is now the most popular meeting point in the area.

Yoyogi Park in Shibuya was one of the main venues for the 1964 Summer Olympics.

In 1965, 18-year-old Misao Katagiri, who had already shot and killed a policeman, went on a shooting rampage, and injured 16 more people. He was sentenced to death and was executed by hanging in 1972.

Shibuya has achieved great popularity among young people in the last 30 years. There are several famous fashion department stores in Shibuya. Shibuya 109 is a major shopping center near Shibuya Station, particularly famous as the origin of the kogal subculture. Called "Ichi-Maru-kyū," which translates as 1–0–9 in Japanese, the name is actually a pun on that of the corporation that owns it — Tokyu (which sounds like 10–9 in Japanese). The contemporary fashion scene in Shibuya extends northward from Shibuya Station to Harajuku, where youth culture reigns; Omotesandō, the zelkova tree- and fashion brand-lined street; and Sendagaya, Tokyo's apparel design district.

During the late 1990s, Shibuya also became known as the center of the IT industry in Japan. It was often called "Bit Valley" in English, a pun on "Bitter Valley," the literal translation of "Shibuya."

[edit] Geography

Shibuya includes many well-known commercial and residential districts such as Daikanyama, Ebisu, Harajuku, Hiroo, Higashi, Omotesandō, Sendagaya, and Yoyogi.

[edit] Districts

Hatagaya Area

Sasazuka, Hatagaya, Honmachi

Yoyogi Area

Uehara, Ōyamachō, Nishihara, Hatsudai, Motoyoyogichō, Tomigaya, Yoyogikamizonochō

Sendagaya

Sendagaya, Jingūmae

Ebisu-Ōmukai Area

Kamiyamachō, Jinnan, Udagawachō, Shōtō, Shinsenchō, Maruyamachō, Dōgenzaka, Nanpeidaichō, Sakuragaokachō, Hachiyamachō, Uguisudanichō, Sarugakuchō, Daikanyamachō, Ebisunishi, Ebisuminami

Hikawa-Shinbashi Area

Shibuya, Higashi, Ebisu, Hiroo

[edit] Politics and government

Shibuya is run by a city assembly of 34 elected members. The current mayor is Toshitake Kuwahara, an independent backed by the Liberal Democratic Party and Komeito.

[edit] Elections

Shibuya mayoral election, 2003

[edit] Sightseeing and historic sites

A torii at Meiji Shrine

Shibuya Mark City

Omotesandō in winter

[edit] Green areas

Meiji Shrine, Shinto shrine dedicated to the souls of Emperor Meiji and Empress Shōken, surrounded by a 700,000-square-meter forest.
Shinjuku Gyoen (Sendagaya), former Imperial gardens now open to the public as a park.
Yoyogi Park, once a training base for the Imperial Japanese Army, later the Washington Heights housing area for the Occupation of Japan, then the lodgings for contestants in the Tokyo Olympics.

[edit] Buildings

Shibuya 109, a popular and trendy place for mostly Japanese young women to shop.
Bunkamura, theatre and concert hall complex
Cerulean Tower, the tallest building in the Shibuya Station area
Yebisu Garden Place (Ebisu), site of the former Sapporo Brewery, now featuring restaurants and shopping, along with the Westin Hotel
National Noh Theatre (Sendagaya)
New National Theatre (Hatsudai), site of opera, ballet, and other performances
NHK Broadcasting Center, headquarters of the NHK radio, television, and satellite broadcasting system
NTT Docomo Yoyogi Building, the third-tallest building in Tokyo, patterned after the Empire State Building
Omotesandō Hills, a shopping mall completed in 2006
Southern Terrace (Sendagaya)
Takashimaya Times Square (Sendagaya), one of the largest department stores in Japan
Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium (Sendagaya), a major indoor arena complex
Tokyo Baptist Church
Yoyogi National Gymnasium, designed for the 1964 Olympics by Kenzo Tange.

[edit] Streets and places

Aoyama Dōri, a major east-west thoroughfare
Center Gai
Dōgen-zaka, a road in central Shibuya famous for its surrounding nightclubs and love hotels
Komazawa Dōri – running past Daikanyama, down the hill to Ebisu, crossing Meiji Dōri and up the hill through Higashi, Tokyo and Hiroo . The road stops at the Shuto expressway in Minami Aoyama. Famed for its beautiful trees that turn bright yellow in autumn, cafes, restaurants and large replica of Michelangelo's David outside of the Papas building. Prince Hitachi and Princess Hitachi have their official residence in a palace in large gardens off Komazawadori in Higashi ^[1]
Kōen Street, in central Shibuya between Shibuya Station and Yoyogi Park
Meiji Dōri, a major north-south thoroughfare parallel to the Yamanote Line
Miyamasu-zaka
Omotesandō, an avenue leading up to the Meiji Shrine with a number of famous-brand boutiques
Spain-zaka
Takeshita Street, a shopping street through Harajuku
Yamanote Street
Shibuya
Ebisu
Harajuku
Hiroo
Sendagaya
Yoyogi

[edit] Other

Top view of the Shibuya Crossing

Center Gai at dusk

Street view of the Shibuya Crossing

Shibuya is famous for its scramble crossing. 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. Three large TV screens mounted on nearby buildings overlook the crossing. The Starbucks store overlooking the crossing is also one of the busiest in the world.
On the northwest side of Shibuya station, there is a popular meeting place with a statue of Hachikō, while on the northeast side of Shibuya station there is another popular meeting place with a statue called "Moyai". The statue resembles a Moai statue, and it was given to Shibuya by the people of Niijima Island in 1980.
The 2003 American movie Lost in Translation featured a scene at the crossing, as did the third installment of The Fast and the Furious.
Shibuya is the setting for the Nintendo DS games, The World Ends with You and Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor, as well as the Sega game series Jet Set Radio.
Shibuya features prominently in the visual novel, Chaos;Head.
Eighteen embassies are located in Shibuya.

[edit] Transportation

[edit] Rail

The main station in Shibuya is Shibuya Station.

JR East
- Yamanote Line: Yoyogi, Harajuku, Shibuya, Ebisu stations
- Chūō Line: Yoyogi, Sendagaya stations
- Saikyō Line, Shōnan-Shinjuku Line: Shinjuku (the part south of Kōshū Kaidō, including the New South Entrance, is in Shibuya), Shibuya, Ebisu
Tokyo Metro
- Ginza Line: Shibuya Station
- Hibiya Line: Ebisu Station
- Chiyoda Line: Meiji Jingūmae, Yoyogi Kōen, Yoyogi Uehara stations
- Hanzōmon Line: Shibuya Station
- Fukutoshin Line: Shibuya, Meiji Jingūmae, Kitasandō stations
Tokyo Metropolitan Bureau of Transportation Toei Ōedo Line: Shinjuku (in Yoyogi), Yoyogi, Kokuritsu Kyogi-jo stations
Tokyu Corporation (Tōkyū)
- Tōyōko Line: Shibuya, Daikanyama stations
- Den-en-toshi Line: Shibuya, Ikejiri Ohashi stations
Keiō
- Inokashira Line: Shibuya, Shinsen
- Keiō Line: Sasazuka Station
- Keiō New Line: Hatsudai, Hatagaya, Sasazuka stations
Odakyū Odawara Line: Minami Shinjuku, Sangubashi, Yoyogi Hachiman, Yoyogi Uehara stations
The Royal Platform (kyūtei hōmu), used by the Japanese Imperial Family on rare occasions, is located along the Yamanote Line, a few minutes walk from Harajuku Station in Sendagaya 3-chome.

[edit] Highway

Shuto Expressway
- No.3 Shibuya Route (Tanimachi JCT – Yoga)
- No.4 Shinjuku Route (Miyakezaka JCT – Takaido)
National highways
- Route 20, the Kōshū Kaidō
- Route 246, with the local names Aoyama-dōri and Tamagawa-dōri

[edit] Economy

Several companies are headquartered in Shibuya. Casio maintains its headquarters in Shibuya.^[2] Google's Japan headquarters are in Shibuya.^[3]

Campbells Soup's Japan division is headquartered in Shibuya.^[4] The ABB Group's Japan headquarters are located in Shibuya.^[5]^[6] A.D. Vision - Tokyo, Y.K., the Japanese subsidiary of A.D. Vision, is in Shibuya.^[7]

[edit] Companies

Amway Japan: Japan headquarters for Amway a multi-level marketing company
Calpis: beverage maker
Casio: electronics company
Coca-Cola Japan
Cyber Agent Ltd.: Internet advertising agency
East Japan Railway Company (JR East) (Yoyogi)
Gap Japan
GlaxoSmithKline
Ito En Ltd.: Bottler of tea, coffee, vegetable drinks and other beverages
Kentucky Fried Chicken Japan Ltd.
Microsoft Japan
NHK (Nippon Hoso Kyokai) (NHK Broadcasting Center)
Nippon Crown Records Co., Ltd.: a Japanese record label company
PPG: Manufacturer of industrial coatings
Papas: a clothing, cafe and bakery company, headquartered on Komazawadori in the neighbourhood of Higashi
Sapporo Breweries Limited
Square Enix: video game, manga producer
Teichiku Records: record label
Tokyu Corporation
Trend Micro Japan: security software company
Jupiter: video game industry

[edit] Education

[edit] Colleges and universities

Kokugakuin, Higashi, Shibuya campus

[edit] Primary and secondary schools

Shibuya operates public elementary and middle schools, while Tokyo Metropolitan Government Board of Education operates public high schools.

[edit] Public libraries

Shibuya operates several public libraries, including the Central Library, the Nishihara Library, the Shibuya Library, the Tomigaya Library, the Sasazuka Library, the Honmachi Library, and the Rinsen Library. In addition, the Yoyogi Youth Hall houses the Yoyogi Library Room.^[8]

[edit] Culture

Shibuya, which is constantly crowded with young men and women, is known for its leadership in fashion. The crossroad in front of Shibuya Station is known as the “scramble crossroad,” for pedestrians swarm in all directions during a green light. It is a popular place for shopping and just hanging out.

Along with many food chain stores and departments for the young generation, there are karaoke bars and game centers. Many shops target the youth that come to Shibuya.

[edit] Gallery

Shopping district at night

Shopping near Shibuya Station

The Statue of Moyai, a gift from the people of Niijima

[edit] See also

Tokyo portal

[edit] References

^ Kunaicho |The Imperial Palace and other Imperial Household Establishments
^ "Corporate." Casio. Retrieved on February 25, 2009
^ "Google Offices." Google. Retrieved on July 12, 2009.
^ "Profile." Campbells Soup Japan. Retrieved on November 10, 2008.
^ "Addresses in Japan." ABB Group. Retrieved on February 6, 2009.
^ "Tokyo (26-1 Sakuragaoka-cho)." ABB Group. Retrieved on February 6, 2009.
^ "Contact ADV." A.D. Vision. Retrieved on May 8, 2009.
^ http://www.city.shibuya.tokyo.jp/eng/living/library.html

[edit] External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Shibuya, Tokyo

Shibuya official website in English
Wikitravel Tokyo/Shibuya

[0] Kunaicho |The Imperial Palace and other Imperial Household Establishments

[Corpinfo-1] "Corporate." Casio. Retrieved on February 25, 2009

[2] "Google Offices." Google. Retrieved on July 12, 2009.

[3] "Profile." Campbells Soup Japan. Retrieved on November 10, 2008.

[4] "Addresses in Japan." ABB Group. Retrieved on February 6, 2009.

[5] "Tokyo (26-1 Sakuragaoka-cho)." ABB Group. Retrieved on February 6, 2009.

[6] "Contact ADV." A.D. Vision. Retrieved on May 8, 2009.

[7] ttp://www.city.shibuya.tokyo.jp/eng/living/library.html

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