I was lucky enough to visit Shibuya Crossing during Cherry Blossom season no less! Only a couple weeks in and I already checked off several things from my to-do list, but I will be blogging about each event separately as to give each one their due. In my adventure to Shibuya, I had several new American students and a Japanese student in tow so as not to lose my way.

Also known as the Scramble, Shibuya Crossing is one of Japan’s most identifiable landmarks just like Times Square is to New York City. There is a lot of noise, people and lights in every direction imaginable. Shibuya is the downtown part of Tokyo meaning that it is known for nightlife. It has karaoke, restaurants, pachinko, and bars and just about anything else that makes it a trap for tourists and locals alike.

Honestly, when I exited Shibuya Station and onto the streets of Shibuya, if it hadn’t been for the kanji, hiragana and katakana writing on the signs I would have felt like I was in New York City. Although the thing about Japanese cities is that the streets are clean, there are no homeless people, and there is no worrying over if your purse will get stolen. Shibuya has all of the benefits of a US city without any of the drawbacks.

In order to fully understand the essence of Shibuya, check out this video I took of the crossing!