Harajuku is a district in Shibuya, Tokyo. Harajuku is the common name given to a geographic area spreading from Harajuku Station to Omotesando, corresponding on official maps of Shibuya ward as Jingūmae 1 chōme to 4 chōme. In popular reference, Harajuku also encompasses many smaller backstreets such as Takeshita Street and Cat Street spreading from Sendagaya in the north to Shibuya in the south.
Harajuku Station (left), with Meiji Shrine forest as background
Omotesando Hills, Jingumae
Cat Street, Ura-Harajuku
Watermill at Onden, (tributary of the Shibuya River) by Hokusai, part of the Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji series
Shibuya is a special ward in the Tokyo Metropolis, Japan. A major commercial and finance center, Shibuya houses two of the busiest railway stations in the world, Shibuya Station and Shinjuku Station. As of January 1, 2024, Shibuya Ward has an estimated population of 230,609 in 142,443 households and a population density of 15,262.01 people per km2. The total area is 15.11 km2. Notable neighborhoods and districts of Shibuya include Harajuku, Ebisu, Omotesandō, Yoyogi and Sendagaya. "Shibuya" is also commonly used to refer to the area surrounding Shibuya Station, an area known as a major center for Japanese fashion and youth culture, and one of Tokyo's most popular nightlife areas.
Image: Tokyo Shibuya Scramble Crossing 2018 10 09
Image: Takeshita Street in December 2018
Image: NTT Do Co Mo Yoyogi Building 2009 cropped
Image: Fountain Yoyogipark