Feature ICONS OF

Entertainment City

SHIBUYA SCRAMBLE SQUARE SKY rooftop observation space “SKY Shibuya STAGE” and Shibuya scramble crossing

Shibuya, symbolized by its scramble crossing, fea- Highlighting JAPAN November 2017), was built here, tures many popular shopping and entertainment as well as theaters, cinemas, department stores, and spots and is often used as a setting for movies, TV more. In the 1970s and 80s, commercial facilities for shows and music videos. This lively area of Tokyo, fashion were opened one by one, and shops to attract which has long been a hub for youthful fashion, young people appeared, featuring unique fash- art and culture, is currently undergoing another ion from up and coming designers, interior design, transformation. music, and more. This trend wasn’t limited to just the area around , but has expanded to the SATO KUMIKO Harajuku, Omotesando and Daikanyama areas, too, which are located one station away from Shibuya on hroughout the year, Tokyo’s Shibuya is various train lines. And so, young people looking for an area bustling with people. When busy, something new gather in Shibuya, and from them, around 3,000 pedestrians cross Shibuya’s new trends emerge. The area has developed as a hub scramble crossing, right in front of Shibuya for trends, bursting with energy where the culture, TStation, during a single green light. The statue of an society, and economy move around young people. Akita dog called Hachiko, a popular spot to meet up Shibuya is now in the midst of a once-in-a-century with others near the crossing, is now known interna- large-scale redevelopment. tionally through the movie, Hachi. Hamamoto Rie from ’s Devel- Development around the train station in Shibuya opment Planning Group of Shibuya Development began at the beginning of the twentieth century. Headquarters, states, “Our future vision for Shibuya Despite a majority of the area being destroyed by fire at the Tokyu Group is ‘Entertainment City Shibuya’. in the Second World War, the National Stadium, one Utilizing the characteristics of Shibuya, an area of the main venues for the 1964 Tokyo Olympics (see which has continued to create new trends, we are All photos: Courtesy of SHIBUYA SCRAMBLE SQUARE

10 | highlighting japan SHIBUYA SKY view from the rooftop (Fuji area)

SHIBUYA SKY rooftop observation space “SKY STAGE” overlooking fireworks in the city center moving forward with our efforts to make it a place this vision aims to gather a variety of entertainment full of a variety of content where anyone can enjoy facilities, including domestic and foreign companies, themselves.” event halls, theaters, and more, centered around the Shibuya Station features nine train lines from creative content industry. It also aims to create a way four companies, and sees around 3.3 million pas- to continue to showcase Shibuya’s unique culture to sengers on average each day. As the station has been the world and to generate a new flow of people into extended and renovated multiple times, the flow of Shibuya and the surrounding areas. Starting with pedestrians within the station is complicated and it , which opened in 2012, six projects is difficult to navigate, and this has been identified have so far been completed, and commercial facili- as a problem. The area has also dealt with the prob- ties, hotels, event halls, offices, and other facilities lems of aging station facilities built around the 1964 have been further enhanced. Pedestrian decks con- Tokyo Olympics and a shortage of space for hotels necting the station with buildings as well as eleva- and offices. tors and escalators connecting underground areas to To solve these problems, multifaceted studies on above ground areas have been newly built, making convenience, the environment, disaster prevention, the flow of traffic simpler and smoother. and more have been carried out since the begin- “The station area redevelopment is expected to be ning of this century for large-scale redevelopment completed by 2027,” says Hamamoto. “But thereaf- centered around Shibuya Station. Local residents ter, the development of Shibuya will surely continue, also participated in these studies, in addition to as it is a central area adjacent to such charming areas the Shibuya City local government and other gov- as Harajuku, Omotesando and Daikanyama.” ernmental organizations, related businesses, and The bold redevelopment of the Shibuya area feels experts and scientists in fields such as architecture like a living organism that is continuing to evolve. and urban planning. Have a look for yourself from SHIBUYA SKY, the Tokyu Group’s “Entertainment City Shibuya” is approximately 230-meter-high rooftop observation one of the visions born out of these studies. Through deck at the top of Shibuya Scramble Square, com- the nine redevelopment projects around the station, pleted in 2019.

From left, SHIBUYA SKY CLOUD HAMMOCK, SHIBUYA SKY CROSSING LIGHT, SHIBUYA QWS “PROJECT BASE”

JULY 2020 | 11