(しぶや)

しぶや
noun (proper)
Shibuya (Tokyo youth-culture district)
proper-nounplace-nameculture
1. Shibuya; the Tokyo district known for youth fashion and nightlife
A busy commercial district in western Tokyo, centered on Shibuya Station, its scramble crossing, and the Hachiko statue. It is the standard byword for youth culture, street fashion, and trends.
Let's meet up in Shibuya.
渋谷(しぶや)交差点(こうさてん)いつも(ひと)いっぱいだ。
The Shibuya crossing is always packed with people.
A fashion that started catching on in Shibuya had spread nationwide six months later.

Common expressions

  • 渋谷(しぶや)(えき): Shibuya Station
  • スクランブル交差点(こうさてん): the scramble crossing
  • 忠犬(ちゅうけん)ハチ(こう): the Hachiko statue, the standard meeting spot
  • 渋谷(しぶや)(けい): Shibuya-style — used of the 1990s pop-music scene and of trends born there

Cultural note

In conversation the name often stands for a demographic rather than a place: 渋谷(しぶや)若者(わかもの) means trend-conscious young people generally. It is also where Tokyo's New Year and Halloween crowds gather, so news reports use it as shorthand for street crowds.