Shibuya Scramble Crossing

In short

Shibuya Scramble Crossing is an extremely large scramble-style intersection located right in front of Shibuya Station. The sight of over a thousand pedestrians crossing the street at once is known as one of Tokyo's most iconic scenes. Its official name is "Shibuya Ekimae Intersection." You can also look down at the surge of people from the upper floors of buildings surrounding the station.

• ​A Surge of People​​: At peak times, it is said that as many as 3,000 people may cross during a single green light.
• ​Only One Diagonal Crosswalk​​: There is only one diagonal crosswalk, extending from Hachiko Square, so there is no X-shaped crossing.
• ​View from Above​​: You can look down on the crossing from the rooftop of SHIBUYA SKY and the upper floors of surrounding buildings.

History and Highlights

​Shibuya Scramble Crossing​ is an intersection located directly in front of Shibuya Station. Its official name is "Shibuya Ekimae Intersection." A scramble crossing is a traffic signal system that stops all vehicular traffic, allowing pedestrians to walk in every direction, including diagonally. Connecting Shibuya Station with the bustling commercial district, it handles an enormous volume of foot traffic and is known for the sight of over a thousand people crossing the street at once. At peak times, it is said that the number can reach up to 3,000 pedestrians during a single green signal.

This intersection was converted to a scramble system in 1973. A succession of department store openings had been taking place since the late 1960s, and Shibuya PARCO opened that same year, 1973. This marked the period when Shibuya began to emerge as a center of youth culture.

The intersection is an irregularly shaped five-way junction with an exceptionally vast open area inside. There is only one diagonal crosswalk, which extends from Hachiko Square, meaning the crosswalks do not form an X-shape. According to aerial photographs, there appears to have been only one diagonal crosswalk ever since it first became a scramble crossing. Today, following construction work to make the intersection smaller, a wide open space has been created in front of QFRONT, from which a crosswalk extends.

Tips for Viewing and Experiencing

• ​The Moment the Light Changes​​: The surge of pedestrians pouring out each time the light changes, combined with footage playing at high volume across numerous digital billboards, is a defining sight of Shibuya. Join the crowd and try walking across yourself.
• ​Looking Down from Above​​: You can also look down at the crossing from the upper floors of nearby buildings. At SHIBUYA SKY, located approximately 210 meters to the southeast, you can look down on the intersection from "SKY EDGE" at the northwest corner of the rooftop.
• ​Nearby Scramble Crossing​​: The Dogenzaka-shita intersection in front of SHIBUYA109 is also a scramble crossing. This one has featured diagonal crosswalks intersecting in an X-shape ever since it was converted to a scramble system. Comparing the two makes the structural difference easy to see.

Walking Tips

Approximately 50 meters to the south stands the Hachiko Statue. Try crossing the diagonal crosswalk starting from Hachiko Square, where the statue is located. Crossing from the Shibuya Station side brings you to Shibuya Center Gai, lined with numerous shops. Walking about 170 meters to the west will bring you to SHIBUYA109. If you take photos or videos while crossing, be mindful of the flow of people so you can finish crossing before the green light ends.