Tokyo · ShibuyaNo.136★★★Open in map →
Shibuya Scramble Crossing
The huge, all-directions pedestrian crossing outside Shibuya Station in Tokyo. When the lights turn red, walkers cross from every side at once, including diagonally. It is widely called the busiest pedestrian crossing on earth.
Shibuya Scramble Crossing is a wide road junction just outside Shibuya Station's Hachiko exit. It is a 'scramble' crossing: cars in every direction stop at the same time, and pedestrians then walk across from all sides at once, including diagonally. At the busiest times, roughly three thousand people cross in a single green-light cycle. The crossing sits at the entrance of one of Tokyo's largest train stations, ringed by giant video screens — one of the most recognisable images of the city. The full spectacle of the scramble is best seen in the evening, when the video walls are lit. For a calmer view of its shape and scale, early on a weekend morning — around 6–8 a.m. — the same pavement holds only a handful of people.
Background & history
This crossing switched to the scramble pattern in 1973, allowing pedestrians to cross in every direction during a single all-red phase for cars. Beside the crossing stands the bronze statue of Hachiko, an Akita dog who kept returning to Shibuya Station for years to wait for his owner after the owner died. The current statue dates to 1948, and the nearest station exit is named the Hachiko exit after him. The crossing and the dog statue together have become Tokyo's best-known meeting point.
What to look for — in walking order
- Hachiko statue
- a bronze statue of the loyal Akita dog Hachiko; the city's most famous meeting spot, right beside the crossing
- The all-red scramble
- the moment every traffic light turns red for cars and people cross from all four sides at once, diagonals included
- Free rooftop at SHIBU NIWA
- an open-air terrace on the 17th floor of Tokyu Plaza Shibuya (Shibuya Fukuras), looking down on the crossing; free to enter
- Shibuya Hikarie Sky Lobby
- a free viewpoint on the 11th floor of the Shibuya Hikarie building, with a wide view over the district
How to enjoy it
Come in the evening for the full spectacle: video screens lit, each green light releasing a fresh wave of people. Come early on a weekend morning — around 6–8 a.m. — to see the crossing's shape and layout without the crowds. The free rooftop at SHIBU NIWA in the Tokyu Plaza Shibuya building beside the crossing gives an elevated view at any time.
How to actually get there
- 1. Tokyo Station → Shibuya Station (JR Yamanote Line, ~28 min, no transfer)
- 2. Inside Shibuya Station, follow signs to the Hachiko exit (Hachiko-guchi)
- 3. Hachiko exit → the crossing (walk straight out, under 1 min)
- JR Yamanote Line (or any Shibuya-bound line)
- From Tokyo Station, take the JR Yamanote Line to Shibuya Station (~28 min, no transfer, ¥210 with an IC card). Trains run about every 2-4 minutes in both loop directions. Leave at the Hachiko exit and the crossing is right in front of you, under a 1-minute walk.
- Return any time
- Shibuya is a major hub served by many JR, subway, and private lines, and trains run frequently all day until around midnight. There is no need to plan a return time; just take any line back toward your area.
Before you go
- Cash
- You do not need cash for the trains. A rechargeable IC card (Suica or PASMO) works on every JR and subway line into Shibuya; you just tap in and out.
- Closing days
- The crossing is an open public street with no gate and no hours. Crowds are the real limit: on a Sunday it stays quiet only until about 9 a.m., then fills quickly and by midday matches a weekday rush. Come early, leave early.
- Another way
- For a view from above without paying, go to SHIBU NIWA, the free open-air terrace on the 17th floor of the Tokyu Plaza Shibuya (Shibuya Fukuras) building beside the crossing.
- After you get off
- The Hachiko exit of Shibuya Station opens straight onto the crossing. From the ticket gate it is about a 1-minute walk on flat, covered ground to the kerb.