Shoto 2-ChoMe Residence

About Shibuya-Ku

Shibuya (渋谷 Shibuya-ku) is a special ward in Tokyo. A major commercial and business centre, it houses the two busiest railway stations in the world, Shinjuku Station (southern half) and Shibuya Station.

As of May 1, 2016, it has an estimated population of 221,801 and a population density of 14,679.09 people per km² (38,018.7/sq mi). The total area is 15.11 km² (5.83 sq mi).

The name “Shibuya” is also used to refer to the shopping district which surrounds Shibuya Station. This area is known as one of the fashion centers of Japan, particularly for young people, and as a major nightlife area.

Shibuya is famous for its scramble crossing, called Shibuya 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. The statue of Hachikō, a dog, between the station and the intersection, is a common meeting place and almost always crowded.

On the southwest 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.

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 Gyo-en (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.