As of January 1, 2024, Shibuya Ward has an estimatedpopulation of 230,609 in 142,443 households[2] and apopulation density of 15,262.01 people per square kilometre (39,528.4 people/sq mi). The total area is 15.11 km2 (5.83 sq mi). Notable neighborhoods and districts of Shibuya includeHarajuku,Ebisu,Omotesandō,Yoyogi andSendagaya.
Shibuya came into the possession of the Shibuya clan in the early 1160s, after which the area was named. The branch of the clan that ruled this area was defeated by theLater Hōjō clan on 13 January 1524, during theSengoku period, and the area then came under their control.[3] During theEdo period, Shibuya, particularlyMaruyamachō onDōgenzaka, prospered as a town on Oyama Road (present-dayRoute 246), and in theMeiji era, as aHanamachi. Shibuya emerged as a railway terminus during the expansion of the railway network beginning in the 19th century, and was incorporated as a ward in theCity of Tokyo on 1 October 1932.[4]
Shibuya, once a mediocre area developed around the railway terminus, overtookShinjuku as a hub for youth culture in the 1970s. The coinciding competition betweenSeibu (whose most notable development projects include ShibuyaParco) andTokyu (Tokyu Hands,Shibuya 109) to develop the area as a commercial center added to its appeal to young people, which in turn spread to other neighborhoods in the ward, such asHarajuku.[5][6]
Maruyamachō was the commercial center of the area in the Edo period.
Shibuya came into the possession of the Shibuya clan in the early 1160s, after which the area was named. The clan was a cadet branch of the Taira clan descended fromTaira no Yoshifumi. The clan built a fortress near the present-day Konnō Hachimangu Shrine. The branch of the clan that ruled this area was defeated by theLater Hōjō clan on 13 January 1524, during theSengoku period, and the area then came under their control.[3] During theEdo period, Shibuya, particularlyMaruyamachō onDōgenzaka, prospered as a town on Oyama Road (present-dayRoute 246), and in theMeiji era, as aHanamachi.
Thevillage of Shibuya was incorporated in 1889 by the merger of the villages of Kami-Shibuya, Naka-Shibuya and Shimo-Shibuya withinMinami-Toshima County (Toyotama County from 1896). The village covered the territory of modern-day Shibuya Station area as well as theHiroo,Daikanyama,Aoyama, andEbisu areas. Shibuya became atown in 1909. The town of Shibuya merged with the neighboring towns of Sendagaya (which included the modernSenda,Harajuku andJingumae areas) andYoyohata (which included the modernYoyogi andHata areas) to form Shibuya-kusuburban ward upon being absorbed intoTokyo City in 1932. Shibuya became an urban special ward under theLocal Autonomy Act in 1947.
TheTokyu Toyoko Line opened in 1932, making Shibuya a key terminal between Tokyo andYokohama, and was joined by the forerunner of theKeio Inokashira Line in 1933 and the forerunner of theTokyo Metro Ginza Line in 1938. The story ofHachikō, a dog who waited for his deceased master at Shibuya Station every day from 1923 to 1935, created a national sensation due to his unwavering loyalty. Astatue of Hachikō was built adjacent to the station, and the surrounding Hachikō Square is now one of the most popular meeting points in the area.
During theoccupation of Japan,Yoyogi Park was used as a housing compound for U.S. personnel known as "Washington Heights". The U.S. military left in 1964, and much of the park was repurposed as venues for the1964 Summer Olympics. The ward itself served as part of theathletics 50 km walk and marathon course during the 1964 games.[7]
In the mid-1990s,Shibuya-kei, amicrogenre of pop music, became mainstream in Japan. Distinguished by a "cut-and-paste" approach, it peaked in the late 1990s and declined after its principal players began moving onto other music styles.
Shibuya Stream, a skyscraper and retail complex, was completed in 2018. The East Wing of a mixed-used skyscraper,Shibuya Scramble Square, was completed in August 2019. A shopping mall, Shibuya Fukuras, was completed in October 2019.
Miyashita Park closed in 2017 and reopened in July 2020 as a shopping complex with a rooftop park.
In 2015, as the council passed "Ordinance for Promoting Respect of Gender Equality and Diversity in the Ward",[9] Shibuya Ward became the first Japanese municipality that issuessame-sex partnership certificates.[10] According to this ordinance, same-sex couples who live in Shibuya are allowed "to rent apartments together, and have gained hospital visitation rights as family members".[10] The ordinance was intended to bring three benefits to same-sex couples: "(1) rental housing within the ward (co-signing of tenancy agreements for municipal/public housing), (2) medical institutions within the ward (hospital visitation and medical decision-making rights as family members), and (3) employment conditions within the ward (e.g. family benefits, congratulations and condolence leave)".[9] In order to apply for the certificate, couples must be 20-years-old or older residents of Shibuya Ward and have to state that "their relationship is based on love and mutual trust" in a notarized document.[11] Koyuki Higashi (a former member of theTakarazuka Revue) and Hiroko Masuhara (an entrepreneur), a lesbian couple, were the first to receive this certification.[11] Since the Shibuya Ward passed the ordinance, seven other municipalities in Japan have begun offering similar certificates.[12]
TheBBC notes that in practice, the ordinance is not binding, though their names will be posted on the ward's website if they violate the ordinance.[13] Shimizu says the system "is not equivalent to marriage, as it does not accord same-sex couples the same rights as heterosexual couples when it comes to inheritance, joint filing of taxes, or social welfare".[9] As it requires at least a hundred thousand yen to apply for the certificate, it can be restrictive to some couples.[14] Shimizu argues that Shibuya Ward has been criticized forpinkwashing as "while passing this ordinance, the administration also moved to expel the homeless inMiyashita Park and other parks in the ward".[9] Pointing out that the mayor of Shibuya Ward in an interview stated that this is not a matter of human rights, but of diversity, Yuri Horie claimed that the term of diversity seems to be used to divide citizens into the good and the bad; it raises only the ones who contribute to the consumeristic society as representer of "diversity of sexuality" while excluding the useless ones.[15] Yuki Tsuchiya, a lesbian activist, also argues that LGBT individuals are used to promote the ward.[16]
Shibuya's scramble crossing from Shibuya Sky observation deck
Shibuya is famous for itsscramble crossing, calledShibuya Crossing.[17] It is located in front of theShibuya Station Hachikō exit and stops vehicles in all directions to allow pedestrians to inundate the entire intersection. Shibuya Crossing is the "world's busiest pedestrian crossing", with upwards of 3,000 people at a time.[18][19][20]A statue of the dogHachikō, remembered for his unwavering loyalty to his deceased owner, is installed outside Shibuya Station. The statue and its surrounding Hachikō Square are a common meeting place and are almost always crowded. On the southwest side of Shibuya Station, there is aMoyai statue, given to Shibuya by the people ofNiijima Island in 1980.
Dōgen-zaka [ja], a road in central Shibuya famous for its surrounding nightclubs andlove hotels
Komazawa Dōri [ja] – running pastDaikanyama, down the hill to Ebisu, crossingMeiji Dōri and up the hill throughHigashi andHiroo. The road stops at theShuto Expressway in Minami Aoyama. Famed for its beautiful trees that turn bright yellow in autumn, cafes, restaurants, and a large replica ofMichelangelo'sDavid outside of the Papas building.Prince Hitachi andPrincess Hitachi have their official residence in a palace in large gardens off Komazawadori in Higashi.[21]
Shibuya Sky, a 360-degree open-air observatory onShibuya Scramble Square, the highest point in the district of Shibuya overlooking Shibuya and the greater Tokyo skyline
The Imperial Platform, used by theJapanese Imperial Family on rare occasions, is located along the Yamanote Line, a few minutes walk from Harajuku Station in Sendagaya 3-chome.
At one timeSmilesoft had its headquarters in the CT Sasazuka Building in Shibuya.[31] In May 1985 the headquarters ofBandai Visual moved to Shibuya. In March 1990 the headquarters moved toShinjuku.[32]
A.D. Vision - Tokyo, Y.K., the Japanese subsidiary ofA.D. Vision, was in Shibuya.[33]Acclaim Entertainment once had its Tokyo office in the Nomora Building.[34] The Japanese subsidiary ofTitus Interactive, Titus Japan K.K., had its head office on the eighth floor of the Kotubuki Dogenzaka Building inDōgenzaka.[35] The former animation studio;Group TAC was also located here.
Square Enix headquarters were located in Yoyogi before moving to Shinjuku in 2012.[36]
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.[51]
^"Company OverviewArchived September 14, 2017, at theWayback Machine."Mixi. Retrieved on April 3, 2012. "Headquarter address Sumitomo Fudosan Shibuya First Tower 7F, 1-2-20 Higashi, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, 150-0011, Japan"
^"Facilities and Location." British School in Tokyo. Retrieved on 8 March 2015. "BST Shibuya Campus – (Nursery to Year 3) Address: 1-21-18 Shibuya Shibuya-ku Tokyo 150-0002" (Map) and "BST Showa Campus – (Year 4 to Year 13) Address: Showa Women’s University 5th Bldg. 1-7-57 Taishido Setagaya-ku Tokyo 154-8533"
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