On January 22nd, a ceremony to unveil the relocation of the Moai Statue was held at the west plaza of Shibuya Fukuras.

The Moai Statue was created by the Niijima Tourism Association in 1980 as part of the 100th anniversary of the transfer of the Izu Islands to Tokyo, with the aim of promoting Niijima Village. It was made from koga stone (fire-resistant stone) mined on Niijima and installed at the west exit of Shibuya Station. For 45 years since then, it has played a role as a symbol of the west exit. As part of the once-in-a-century Shibuya Station Block Land Readjustment Project, which is strengthening the traffic hub, updating and reorganizing the functions of Shibuya Station, and redeveloping the station building, the west and south buildings of Tokyu Toyoko Department Store, where the Moai Statue was installed, will be demolished. As a result, the statue was moved from Shibuya Station to the west side plaza of Shibuya Fukuras over two nights, from November 28th to 29th last year.

The relocation work carried out late at night on November 28th and 29th, 2024

The new location is adjacent to Shibuya Fukuras, about 200 meters from the west exit of Shibuya Station, next to the Chinese restaurant Nagasaki Hanten, and facing National Route 246. The site was a slight slope, but it was leveled and a new square space measuring 3.5 meters in length and 3.2 meters in width was created. Preparations such as the installation of fences and planting have been underway since last year, leading to the holding of this ceremony.

The bond between Shibuya and Niijima: The "Moyai Spirit" in this day and age

The unveiling ceremony was attended by Shibuya Ward Mayor Ken Hasebe, Niijima Village Mayor Koichi Onuma, Shibuya Chuo Street Chairman Makoto Homma, Shibuya Ward Merchants Association Chairman Kenji Onishi, and relatives of the Moyai statue's creator, the late Daigo Yuichi.

At the ceremony, Mayor Hasebe took the stage on behalf of the organizers and said the following:

"I am pleased that the relocation of the Moai Statue has been completed without any problems. The Moai Statue has been in this town for as long as I can remember, and has become a popular meeting spot alongside Hachiko. Local people often met in front of the Moai Statue rather than in front of the crowded Hachiko statue. I hope that this relocation will encourage more people to use this place, and that the Moai Statue will become an even more beloved presence."

Next, Mayor Onuma of Niijima Village took the stage.

"The residents of Niijima village are also very pleased that we have become known nationwide as a meeting place in the heart of the city. Incidentally, 'Moyai' is a word in the island dialect that means mutual help and cooperation. It is a word that is similar to the so-called 'bonds' and is a spirit and culture that is still important to us who live on a remote island, and a source of community. With conflicts constantly occurring all over the world, I feel that the 'Moyai' spirit is needed now more than ever to build a society where people understand, cooperate with each other, and feel happy," he said, expressing his hope that the 'Moyai spirit' would spread further.

The highlight of the ceremony was the unveiling of the Moai statue. When the people involved pulled the red and white strings attached to the statue, which had been covered in white cloth, the Moai statue, which had been hidden for a while after it was relocated, was revealed.

In its new location, the face of the Moai statue faces southwest (towards the Cerulean Tower) across National Route 246, and its home island, Niijima, is said to be about 148 kilometers away.

"Moyai Statue" born from a passion for promoting Niijima

Relatives of Ogo Tomoichi, creator of the Moai statue (left: Uematsu Setsu, right: Uematsu Hajime)

After the ceremony, we spoke with Uematsu Setsu and Uematsu Hajime, who were directors of the Niijima Tourism Association at the time and relatives of the late Daigo Yuichi, the creator of the Moai Statue. Setsu said, "The Moai Statue was made 45 years ago by my father when he was in his 50s. He was an acquaintance of the Shibuya ward mayor at the time, and he wanted to make something extraordinary to promote Niijima." Daigo's grandson Hajime also reminisced, "When I graduated from junior high school (in Niijima) and went on to high school in Tokyo, I would say to most people, 'My grandfather made the Moai Statue,' as a business card, and I was able to become friends with them. I'm very proud of the Moai Statue."

Regarding the relocation, Hajime commented, "Perhaps because the location is slightly inclined, the face of the Moai statue looks sharper than before. I feel that it now gives a brighter, more dignified impression. I am looking forward to many people becoming aware of the new location."

To a new sunny place - Shibuhana activities to decorate the Moyai Statue

The Shibuya Flower Project (Shibuhana) is a volunteer project that plants and grows flowers in the streets of Shibuya. This project was launched on Earth Day Tokyo in 2003, and has been caring for and cleaning the Moyai Statue flowerbed for 22 years since then. We spoke with Shibuhana representative Moritoshi Kojima, who has been replanting the flowerbed since December last year in preparation for the ceremony.

Front left: Shibuya Flower Project representative, Moritoshi Kojima; right: Shibuyahana's official mascot character, Kumokkuru

"Because we repotted it in the middle of winter, the tropical palm plant, Phoenix roebelii, has withered a little, but we have planted it next to the Moyai statue to see if it will regain its vitality. We have also planted some bright yellow and white flowers, such as dwarf snapdragons and cushion mums. We think these will thrive as we head into spring," says Kojima.

Regarding the changes to the environment due to the relocation, he explained, "The flower bed, which was previously circular, has become square in the new location and is about 80% of its previous size. However, at the previous location, there was a deck above the Moai statue, so it was a dark environment. On the other hand, the new location is sunny and provides a good environment for the flowers."

Furthermore, Mr. Kojima said, "I once again realize that I have spent 22 years with the Moai Statue. When I started my activities, I was in my 20s, but now I'm in my 40s (laughs)." He spoke of the passage of time. Shibuhana's regular activities are held on the second Saturday of every month.

It is expected that this relocation will make the Moai Statue even more familiar to local residents and visitors. In addition, as the west side plaza of Shibuya Fukuras is attracting attention, there is also interest in whether it will become a new meeting spot and place of relaxation. As it has not been an image of a place where people gather, it seems that an important issue will be to raise awareness of the Moai Statue and create a lively atmosphere in the surrounding area, such as by holding events in this area.

It has not yet been decided whether the Moai statue will be returned to the west exit of the station after the Shibuya Station redevelopment is complete. "There is a possibility that it will remain installed as a permanent symbol of the central area," and this is left to future negotiations.

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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.