Shibuya Crossing, Tokyo

Shibuya Crossing is the pulse of modern Tokyo and the most famous pedestrian scramble in the world, where at each change of the lights a surge of hundreds, even thousands, of people flood across the intersection from every direction at once. Beneath a blaze of giant video screens and neon, framed by the department stores and the loyal dog statue Hachiko, it is the iconic image of the electric, restless city.

What's there

• The scramble crossing - the surge of crowds flooding across at once.
• The neon and screens - the blaze of giant video screens above.
• Hachiko statue - the famous loyal-dog statue and meeting point.
• The views from above - the overlooks from surrounding cafes and buildings.

When to go

Year-round; it is busiest and most dramatic after dark, when the neon and screens blaze, and at rush hour and weekends when the crowds peak. A cafe or viewing deck overlooking the crossing gives the best vantage.

Before you go

It is a free spectacle rather than a sight to spend long at, best watched from an overlooking cafe or deck for the full effect. It is genuinely crowded, which is the point. The surrounding Shibuya is a hub of shopping, dining and nightlife to fill more time.

Nearby

The Meiji Shrine, Harajuku and the shops of Shibuya and Shinjuku are nearby.