Walking Through the Valley of Shibuya / Stories Flowing Beneath the Streets

Shibuya is a valley.

That might sound surprising at first.
But have you ever wondered why the Ginza Line, though a subway, runs above ground here?

The answer lies in the land itself.
Shibuya is a city at the bottom of a valley, where slopes and roads naturally flow inward.

People, movement, and daily life all gather in low places.
And at that intersection stands Shibuya Station.

From this geography, countless streets were born.
Each one carries its own history. Its own culture.

So what are the paths that flow into this valley?

There are three in particular:
The Shibuya River, the Udagawa River, and the Oyama Kaido.

By following these routes, you begin to see how Shibuya’s terrain, its history, and its street culture came to be.

Now, let’s walk through the valley of Shibuya.