How to Navigate Shibuya Station

Slow down

Shibuya Station doesn’t quite match Shinjuku Station or Ikebukuro Station for inducing complete disorientation, but it has one added factor that those stations mostly lack: constant change. The station has been under construction for most of the last decade, so even if you visited last year, the exit and entrances you used may now have been removed, moved, or renovated. Tread carefully and take your time. Carve some extra time out of your schedule, and know that you may have to make a major detour to get where you need to go. And, while you’re at it, why not catch your breath under Taro Okamoto’s Myth of Tomorrow. The mural, often compared to Picasso’s Guernica, depicts the atomic bombing of Japanese cities at the close of the Second World War.

Know before you go

As the saying goes, by failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail. Shibuya Station, like the other Tokyo mega-stations, serves several transportation companies. Be sure you know before you arrive whether your train is operated by JR East, Keio, Tokyu, or Tokyo Metro. This information is invaluable when navigating the station, as each area of the station has been colonized by a different operator.

Let your fingers do the walking

Shibuya Station is one of the major stations that have done a good job in recent years of updating woefully inadequate signage and information kiosks. The multilingual, straightforward touch screens provided by the transportation companies using the station are a fine feature. Before getting hopelessly lost in the bowels of the station, plot your course with the help of these electronic wayfinding services.

Fuel up

There are certainly more dystopian urban landscapes to be marooned in than a Tokyo mega-station. Take advantage of the many shops and kiosks, like the branch of Roasted Coffee Laboratory and its shots of strong espresso. The station connects to food courts in the surrounding department stores, making a last-minute meal convenient.

Know your exits

Shibuya Station has—for the time being—three major exits: Central Exit, the South Exit, and the Hachiko Exit. Most people go via the Hachiko Exit, which leads to the scramble, Shibuya 109, and Dogenzaka, but depending on where you’re going, it can be far more convenient to leave from an alternative exit. Know before you go, and find the most convenient way out of the station. Finding the right exit will set you on the right path and hopefully help you avoid a lengthy detour or having to turn around in the city.

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Update date：2024/04/24

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