Place · Shibuya / Harajuku
Shibuya Crossing渋谷スクランブル交差点
Cross it once, then watch it from above for five minutes; it is a spectacle of timing, best after dark.
Key facts
- Time on site
- 30–45 min
- p95 60 min
- Price
- Free
- Hours
- unknown
- Best time
- unknown
- 28″ bags
- No
- Shibuya / Harajuku: forbidden
- Getting there
- Shibuya (JR Hachikō exit)
- Best after dark
- Watch from above
- Free entry
- Crowded at peak
Highlights come from Voykit's own data and desk notes, not from reviews. Hover a tag to see its source.
Rules in force · 8Avoid moving large bags on trains 07
- East Asia ↗Every border in East Asia is a full international border, Hong Kong and Macau included: an entry permission for one never covers the next.
- East Asia ↗Ferries between Korea, Japan and China cancel in rough seas and typhoons; keep a flight or a spare day behind every sea leg.
- Japan ↗IC cards (ICOCA/Suica) are topped up with cash at station machines.
- Japan ↗Smoking while walking is banned in most city centres; use designated areas.
- Japan ↗Shinkansen bags 160–250 cm (L+W+H) need a seat reserved with the oversized-baggage area.
- Kanto ↗Suica/PASMO is the default IC card; ICOCA also works.
- Kanto ↗Tokyo stands on the left side of escalators.
- Tokyo ↗Avoid moving large bags on trains 07:30–09:30 and 17:30–19:30; rush-hour cars are packed.
Map & directions
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Plan
What to know before you go, how long it takes, when to be there
Weather here, next 7 days
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Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.
Time on site
Minimum
20min
Worthwhile
30min
Typical
45min
p95
60min
Public crossing, open at all hours.
On the ground
Getting in, crowds, and where to go if it does not work
Getting in
- Stop
- Shibuya (JR Hachikō exit)
- Exit
- —
- Ticket
- free · official site
- Stairs
- note: none of note
- Shoes
- Shoes on.
Crowds and switching
- Crowd clock
- Peaks on Friday and Saturday nights.
- Sensory load
- 5/5
- Exposure
- high
Bailouts
rain
Shibuya station concourse
crowd
Miyashita Park
Nearest rescue anchor: E — Shibuya station concourse
Combine in the same cluster
- Harajuku (one JR stop)
Red lines
- Do not stop mid-crossing for photos.
More on the groundPrices · Closures · Rules on site · Access and kids · Next door
Tickets and prices
| Ticket | Price | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Crossing it | Free | — |
| Shibuya Sky rooftop (Scramble Square) | about ¥2,500–3,500 (≈ US$17–25) online (2026 estimate) | Timed tickets; sunset slots sell out days ahead. |
| Café window seat above the crossing | Price of a drink, about ¥500–800 (≈ US$4–6) (2026 estimate) | Busy at peak hours; do not linger when there is a queue. |
Closed days and closures
| When | Status | What it means for you |
|---|---|---|
| Weekly | none | Public road, always open. |
| Halloween (around 31 Oct) and New Year's Eve | check before you go | Police crowd control, street-drinking bans and some station exits closed; many visitors now skip it. |
| Big match nights and events | check before you go | Celebrations fill the crossing; police close lanes. |
“Check” means the date moves year to year or is not published far ahead: confirm on the official page for your date.
Rules on site
- crossing
- Cross on the green light only and do not stop in the middle for photos or video.
- drinking
- Street drinking around the station is banned at night on Halloween and New Year's Eve; the area also restricts it on other nights (check).
- tripods
- Tripods and filming crews on the crossing are stopped by police.
Access and kids
- steps
- Level at street level; underground routes from the station have lifts but long walks.
- wheelchair
- Signalled and level; the green phase is short for the width, so start at the beginning of it.
- stroller
- Fine outside peaks; on Friday and Saturday nights the crowd makes it hard.
- with kids
- Exciting to watch from above; at street level at peak times hold small children in your arms.
Next door, in walking order
- +1′Hachikō statue — The meeting point outside the station.
- +6′Miyashita Park — Rooftop park over shops; seats and toilets.
- +4′Nonbei Yokochō — Tiny bars along the tracks, evenings.
- +2′Center-gai — Shopping street straight off the crossing.
Deep dive
Questions, what is nearby, photos and sources
Questions and answers
Where is the best view?
The station's upper walkways and the café windows above the crossing; paid rooftop decks need timed tickets.
Checked 2026-09-28 · Voykit desk
Nearby
Straight-line distance; walk time adds 30% for streets.
- ClusterShibuya / Harajukunearest point: Jingū-mae west (Yoyogi Park gate) benches190 m · 3 min walk
- ClusterShinjuku (east)nearest point: South exit / Busta (WC, seats)2.3 km · 37 min walk
- Sleep areaShinjuku (south/west)2.3 km · 38 min walk
- ClusterMarunouchi / Ginzanearest point: Yūrakuchō station area5.6 km · ride, not a walk
- Sleep areaUeno8.3 km · ride, not a walk
- ClusterAsakusa9.6 km · ride, not a walk
Sources
- officialGO TOKYO (official tourism)