SHIBUYA109

In short

SHIBUYA109 is a fashion building standing on a triangular plot of land sandwiched between Dogenzaka and Bunkamura-dori, about a 3-minute walk from the Hachiko Exit of Shibuya Station. Since its opening in 1979, it has been embraced as a hub for youth trends, and after a renovation in 1995, it gained massive popularity as a "mecca for gyaru culture."

• ​A Cylinder Facing the Station​​: A cylindrical tower bearing the "109" logo at its top is positioned facing toward Shibuya Station.
• ​The Site of Koibumi Yokocho​​: The triangular plot where the building stands was once known as "Koibumi Yokocho" (Love Letter Alley).
• ​Browsing Current Trends​​: Focusing mainly on cutting-edge youth fashion, along with cosmetics and food shops, it allows visitors to explore the latest Shibuya trends.

History and Highlights

SHIBUYA109 is a fashion building known as a landmark of Shibuya, housing shops for fashion, cosmetics, and food. Since opening in 1979, it has long been embraced as a source of youth trends.

The building stands on a triangular plot between Dogenzaka and Bunkamura-dori. This area once strongly retained remnants of a postwar black market, packed like a labyrinth with bars, eateries, and second-hand clothing shops. Among them was a shop that ghostwrote and translated love letters exchanged with American occupation soldiers. This shop was featured in Niwa Fumio's novel Koibumi (Love Letter), and the surrounding area came to be called Koibumi Yokocho.

Later, after Shibuya PARCO opened in 1973, pedestrian traffic in Shibuya began to shift toward Koen-dori. Tokyu turned its attention to the redevelopment of this triangular zone. Developed jointly with local landowners, the new building opened in April 1979 as "Fashion Community 109." In 1989, the name of the facility was changed to the current SHIBUYA109. In 1995, it was renovated to target high school girls, gaining huge popularity as a "mecca for gyaru culture."

Viewing and Experiencing Points

• ​A Cylinder Facing the Station​​: The building features a cylindrical tower with a metallic sheen. Bearing the "109" logo at the very top, it was designed facing toward Shibuya Station as a symbol to guide people toward Dogenzaka. This cylinder is an elevator tower, and when the facility's name was changed in 1989, it was aligned with the cylinder's symbol mark, "SHIBUYA109."
• ​A Triangular Building​​: The building has 8 floors above ground and 2 basement floors. Fitting the plot sandwiched between Dogenzaka and Bunkamura-dori, it forms a triangular shape. It connects to Shibuya Station underground. Its slender cylindrical profile has appeared in many movies and artworks over the years.
• ​Browsing Current Trends​​: Inside, you can enjoy cutting-edge youth fashion, as well as cosmetics and food shops. It is a great place to walk around and see the latest Shibuya trends.

Tips for Exploring

It is about a 3-minute walk from the Hachiko Exit of JR Shibuya Station. From the Hachiko Statue in front of the station, it is about 190 meters to the west. It can be reached by crossing Shibuya Scramble Crossing and continuing west for about 170 meters. Take a look at the cylindrical tower facing toward the station as you walk. Facing Shibuya Scramble Crossing stands MAGNET by SHIBUYA109, a building that opened in 1987 as "109-②" and is now operated by the same company. Heading north for about 260 meters will bring you to Shibuya PARCO.