Our next adventure will be to take the metro to Shibuya Station. Once we emerge, we will be in the heart of the bustling and famous Shibuya Crossing, one of the busiest pedestrian crossings in the world.
In all my years of living in Tokyo, I never tire of watching - awestruck - the happenings that go on at Shibuya Crossing. It always gives my guests a feel of the true pulse of this magnificent city. Shibuya Crossing is one of the most recognizable sites in all of Japan and has been captured in countless movies, advertisements, and other forms of pop culture. During the busiest times of the day, more than 2000 people are found to be crossing through the intersection every two to three minutes...that's the same number it would take to fill an American football stadium!
Depending on your energy at this point, you have a few different options for how you want to experience this phenomenon. We can stand and watch for a few minutes or join in the organized chaos and experience the crossing ourselves! It's a thrilling experience and one that will leave you feeling like you're part of something bigger than just yourself.
Another option is to watch the excitement transpire from the Starbucks on the second floor of the Tsutaya building. From here, we will have a bird's eye view of the crossings and can sit back and sip our lattes as we watch the crowds rush by. The Starbucks, as you can imagine, is usually packed, but I think it's well worth waiting for a seat as it provides a unique perspective on the crossing and will give us a few minutes to begin to talk about the rest of our day.
And, for those of you who don’t care for Starbucks or aren't in the mood for coffee, there is the Shibuya Hikarie which is a great shopping and entertainment complex that has a free observation deck on the 11th floor…great for viewing the Shibuya Crossing as the night falls and the evening hustle begins.