JR Shibuya Station is undergoing major changes to the flow of people at the station's ticket gates and entrances and exits between the beginning of 2025 and spring. The "Hachiko ticket gate" was relocated on January 26, and the passageway and entrances at the "Shibuya Station West Exit" were moved on March 30. These moves are part of the foundation-building for two east-west free passageways that are planned for construction in the future, and indicate that the reconstruction of the entire station is steadily progressing.

Left: Hachiko ticket gate on the Hachiko statue side (photographed January 14, 2025) Right: Hachiko ticket gate closed and temporary fencing installed (photographed April 9, 2025)

Ceramic plaque of Hachiko's family (photographed on January 14, 2025). The plaque has already been removed and a temporary fence has been installed.

Left: JR Shibuya Station before the Hachiko ticket gate was relocated (photographed January 14, 2025). Right: The station's exterior has changed dramatically as demolition work progresses (photographed April 9, 2025).

First, in January, the Hachiko ticket gate, an iconic feature of Shibuya Station, was relocated. Previously, there were two entrances, one on the Hachiko Square side and the other on the police box side, but these were abolished during the renovation, and a new Hachiko ticket gate was installed about 60 meters away on the Miyamasuzaka side. As a result, the underground stairs (leading to Shibuchika and TOKYU DEN-EN-TOSHI LINE Line) that were located right next to the ticket gate near the Hachiko statue were also closed.

Left: The "Hachiko Exit" which separates the flow of people into "entrance" and "exit" sections to ease congestion (photographed April 9, 2025). Right: The entrance/exit on the Miyamasuzaka side (photographed April 9, 2025). The "Hachiko ticket gate" has been moved about 60 meters toward Miyamasuzaka. Proceed through the entrance-only section on the left to find the new "Hachiko ticket gate."

A partition has been installed in the center of the passage in front of the new Hachiko ticket gate, and one-way traffic lines have been introduced for "entrance" and "exit." This clearly separates the flow of people heading toward Hachiko Square from that toward Miyamasuzaka, helping to ease congestion inside the station. When entering the ticket gate, users must first exit toward the Miyamasuzaka side (the east exit) and then make a U-turn. In addition, pedestrians who are not using the train will travel along the underpass along the old Oyama Kaido road.

An image of "JR Shibuya Station after redevelopment" displayed at Hachiko Square. The red arrows indicate the two east-west free passages that will be completed in the future. A = Hachiko Square B = Miyamasuzaka side entrance C = Shibuya Station West Exit D = In front of the escalator in the east building of SHIBUYA SCRAMBLE SQUARE Square (near the JR South ticket gate)

The relocation of the Hachiko ticket gate is part of the Shibuya Station improvement work that has been underway since 2015, aiming to improve convenience and reorganize the station premises in the future. In the future, a 22-meter-wide east-west free passage (connecting A and B) is planned to be completed at the same location.

Then, on March 30th of last month, the flow of people around the "West Exit" passage and the "South Ticket Gate" was also significantly changed. The "West Exit" entrance, which previously faced the West Exit rotary, was moved about 50 meters north, closer to Hachiko Square, and a new West Exit entrance was built near the old Moai statue and smoking area. As redevelopment work is still ongoing, a temporary passage surrounded by temporary fencing has been set up on the flow of people from this new entrance to the Shibuya Fukuras side.

The west exit of JR Shibuya Station will be relocated approximately 50 meters closer to Hachiko Square (photographed on April 9, 2025)

March 30th, the newly opened passage leading to the West Exit of JR Shibuya Station (Map C)

After passing through the new Shibuya Station West Exit passage, you will come out in front of the escalators on the first floor of the East Tower of SHIBUYA SCRAMBLE SQUARE Square (Map D, photo taken on April 9, 2025). In the future, the passage will become a 23-meter-wide east-west free passage (connecting C and D).

The background to this change in the passage is the demolition of the old Tokyu Department Store Toyoko Branch and the old JR Shibuya Station West Exit Station Building, as well as the progress of construction work on SHIBUYA SCRAMBLE SQUARE Central and West Buildings. In addition, similar to the Hachiko Exit East-West Free Passage, a 23-meter-wide East-West Free Passage is planned to connect the East Building of SHIBUYA SCRAMBLE SQUARE with the West Exit of Shibuya Fukuras. This passage relocation will serve as the foundation for that.

As a result of the relocation of the passageway, the old passageway and entrances around the south ticket gate will be closed, and in the future, the former Toyoko department store site and the group of buildings that functioned as part of the station building will be demolished, resulting in a major transformation of the landscape around the station. In addition, the old taxi stand in front of Shibuya Fukuras will be closed, and a new taxi stand is scheduled to open on the third basement floor of the same facility in early May 2025.

It is true that these changes in traffic flow have temporarily caused inconvenience to commuters and students who use JR Shibuya Station on a daily basis, forcing them to take a longer detour. However, this is an "evolutionary process" to make travel between the east and west sides of the station smoother in the future, so patience is required for the time being.

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.