From July 24th to 26th, Tokyu conducted a test run of a new service called "(tentative name) Shibuya Scramble Crossing Photo," which projects photos of tourists' faces onto the outdoor screen "Q'S EYE" on the wall of "QFRONT," a commercial facility located in Udagawa-cho, Shibuya-ku, facing the Shibuya Scramble Crossing.

According to the "2025 Survey on the Behavioral Characteristics of Foreign Tourists by Country/Region" released by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government on June 30, Shibuya was the most popular destination for foreign tourists visiting Tokyo, accounting for 60.3% of visits, making it the top choice for the fourth consecutive year since 2022. Among the activities during their visit, "enjoying skyscrapers, modern cityscapes, scenery, and architecture" accounted for 51.1%. The Shibuya scramble crossing in front of Shibuya Station, where many people come and go from all directions and surrounded by large street-side screens, is a popular urban landscape symbolizing Tokyo and attracts many foreign tourists. This initiative is an attempt to commercialize this intersection, which has become a world-famous tourist spot, as a new tourist experience.

日本を代表する観光スポットとなった「渋谷駅前スクランブル交差点」

A 15-second screening of a photo of a foreign tourist with a cutout for their face.

The test screenings were held over three days, at 10:00, 13:00, 16:00, and 19:00 each day. Each screening featured 15 seconds of photos of four people, for a total of one minute. 48 foreign tourists from a wide range of countries and regions, including Germany, Italy, the United States, Vietnam, South Korea, and India, participated as free monitors.

The projected images featured frames with illustrations inspired by the area around Shibuya Station and Hachiko, the loyal dog. Participants' photos were superimposed onto the dog's face and displayed on the large screen of "Q'S EYE." Participants were instructed to watch the project near Hachiko Square at the scheduled time.

大型ビジョンに上映された「自分の顔ハメ」を撮影する参加者

When their faces appeared on screen, participants took photos and videos with their smartphones, posting them on social media or sending them to family and friends back home. There was even an instance where another foreign tourist watching the screening inquired about where they could sign up. Tokyu Corporation stated that many foreigners found value in the opportunity to take photos with the Shibuya Scramble Crossing, and that the event reaffirmed the high level of international recognition of the intersection.

Encouraging people to wander from the intersection into the streets of Shibuya.

Alex (22), who came to Japan alone from Germany, said he participated because he "wanted to show it to his friends in Germany." Regarding the on-screen presentation, he said, "It would be nice to have some sparkling animations," and "It would be cool if we could choose an illustration of Hachiko or have a ninja frame."

左＝日本代表のユニフォームを着用するドイツから来たアレックスさん　右＝アレックスさんの顔ハメ画像

Phu Thet Wei Si (22), a student from Myanmar attending a university in Japan, smiled and said, "It's a little embarrassing but fun to see my picture on a big screen in a famous place in Japan."

ミャンマー出身のプウ・テッイ・ウェイ・シイさん

Regarding the background of the project, a representative from Tokyu, which is working to revitalize the Shibuya area, explained, "We felt that a problem was that many tourists in Shibuya would move on to other areas after seeing the Shibuya Scramble Crossing and the Hachiko statue." "The Shibuya Scramble Crossing is world-famous, and the number of foreign tourists visiting Japan has increased since the COVID-19 pandemic. Many of them visit Shibuya, so there is still room for growth in tourism services," he said. By adding appearances on large screens as one of the tourist attractions, the aim is to extend the time spent in the city and encourage visitors to explore surrounding areas. In the future, they hope that not only foreign tourists but also domestic tourists will use the service.

There are challenges such as time slots, size limitations, and the need to shorten work time.

The demonstration experiment also verified safety aspects, such as whether participants entered the roadway at a red light or set up tripods in the middle of an intersection. As a result of providing a video with safety precautions beforehand, no major problems were found. In the future, the implementation method will be carefully examined, including whether it can be operated safely without the constant presence of security guards.

On the other hand, differences in how the images appear depending on the time of day also became apparent. At night, the images on the large screen are clearly visible, but when participants try to take pictures of themselves with their smartphones with the screen as the background, the people tend to appear dark. Conversely, during the day, it is easier to take pictures of people, but sunlight and other factors can make the images on the screen difficult to see. When commercializing the product, it is necessary to guide users on how to choose the time of day according to their purpose, such as "If you want to take a picture of yourself with the screen, do it during the day" or "If you want to see the images on the screen clearly, do it at night." In addition, there were suggestions such as "I want the face size to be larger" and "It would be nice to be able to choose from animations, background music, and multiple frames," so enhancing the sense of exclusivity will be a topic for future consideration.

Currently, it takes approximately six business days from application to screening. Since travelers often move to other cities in short periods, the goal is to create a system that allows for same-day applications and screenings. The official service is envisioned to involve users selecting an available time slot online and uploading a photo of their face. Screenings will be conducted after a pre-screening to ensure that the content does not violate political views or public order and morals.

Pricing is expected to be around 5,000 to 10,000 yen, based on similar services offered in Times Square, New York. In the future, the pricing, production details, and application methods will be finalized based on surveys of participants, and other features such as providing digital copies of the screening images, creating commemorative goods, and adding messages will also be considered.

Tokyu will analyze the feedback and challenges received this time and aims to launch a service in March 2027 that will offer a tourist experience where people not only "see," "cross," and "photograph" the Shibuya Scramble Crossing, but also become part of the city's landscape.

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Interviews and writing

Editorial Department: Takashi Fujii

Shibuya registrar. In addition to Shibuya of Culture information, seasonal news and topics, it will spell write that feel every day.