Shibuya Scramble Crossing

Shibuya Scramble Crossing is the large pedestrian intersection directly outside the Hachiko exit of Shibuya Station in Tokyo. When the lights turn red for cars, traffic stops in every direction and pedestrians cross at once, including diagonally. It costs nothing to walk across, and the crossing never closes.

Japan's national tourism organization estimates that 1,000 to 2,500 people cross during each light cycle at the busiest times. The crossing is surrounded by large video screens and shop fronts, including the QFRONT building, Shibuya 109 and the entrance to Center Gai. It has appeared in many films, which is why so many first-time visitors put it on their Tokyo list.

The crossing is one of the Tokyo stops on a 10-day Tokyo route that also covers day trips outside the city.

How to get to Shibuya Crossing

Take any train to Shibuya Station and follow the signs for the Hachiko exit. The crossing is right outside. Shibuya Station is served by these lines:

• JR: Yamanote, Saikyo and Shonan-Shinjuku lines

• Tokyo Metro: Ginza, Hanzomon and Fukutoshin lines

• Private railways: Keio Inokashira Line, Tokyu Toyoko Line and Tokyu Den-en-toshi Line

The Hachiko statue stands just outside the exit. It commemorates the Akita dog that kept waiting at the station for nearly ten years after his owner, a Tokyo University professor, died in 1925. It is the standard meeting point in Shibuya, so expect a crowd around it.

Japan's national tourism organization lists every line and the main exits on its Shibuya Crossing spot page.

Where to see Shibuya Crossing from above

Walking across is half the experience. The other half is watching thousands of people fill the intersection from above.

• Starbucks in the QFRONT building: the window counter on the second floor looks straight down on the crossing. Seats turn over slowly, so be ready to wait.

• Inside Shibuya Station: the passage between the JR lines and the Keio Inokashira Line entrance has windows over the crossing and is less crowded.

• Shibuya Sky: the open-air deck on the roof of Shibuya Scramble Square gives a wide view of the crossing and the whole city. It requires a timed ticket, and the Shibuya Sky ticket and timing tips explain how to book a sunset slot.

For more angles, including rooftops and cafes that most visitors miss, see quieter places to watch the scramble.

Best time to visit Shibuya Crossing

The crossing is busiest on weekday evenings after work and on Friday and Saturday nights. Visit after dark if you want the screens and signs lit up. Early morning is the opposite: you can cross with only a handful of people and take photos without a crowd.

Halloween and New Year's Eve draw very large crowds. Shibuya City bans drinking alcohol on the street around the station every night between 6 p.m. and 5 a.m., a rule that has applied year-round since October 2024. Patrol staff can ask you to stop, so drink inside a bar or restaurant instead.

Walking across Shibuya Crossing

Filming while walking is common, but stopping in the middle of the road is not. The walk signal lasts long enough to cross at a normal pace, so take your photo and keep moving. If you want a video of the full scramble, film from one of the elevated spots instead.

If you would like a local to show you the backstreets around the station, the Shibuya hidden streets walk starts at the crossing and continues into the side lanes.