In the 1990s, Shibuya was the epicenter of "gal culture." High school girls striding across the scramble crossing, wearing loose socks and miniskirts, making full use of photo booths and flip phones, created a unique culture distinct from that of Harajuku and Shinjuku. These girls were at the forefront of consumption, and Shibuya was always at the center of trends in both fashion and music.

Two charismatic figures who led gal culture from the 1990s to the early 2000s (Left: Namie Amuro advertisement posted on the SHIBUYA109 cylinder; Right: Ayumi Hamasaki advertisement)

Around the year 2000, Shibuya was known as "Bit Valley" and transformed into a major IT venture capital hub. In 1999, just before the millennium, "Q-FRONT" opened at Shibuya Scramble Crossing. This cutting-edge multimedia facility brought together Tsutaya, the internet studio "e-style," and the movie theater "Cinefront." At the same time, a massive street LED screen, "Q's EYE," was installed on the wall. Synchronized broadcasting became possible with large screens around the intersection, such as "Shibuya Station Vision" and "109 Forum Vision," and impactful advertising displays taking over the scramble crossing became a common sight. Shibuya was thus reborn as a futuristic urban space where the real and digital intersect.

"Shibuya Jack" utilizes synchronized street vision around Shibuya Scramble Crossing

Now, in the Reiwa era, Shibuya is once again evolving as a cultural hub centered around intellectual property (IP). A symbol of this is Shibuya PARCO, which reopened after a renovation in 2019. PARCO, which has been reborn after a three-year, three-month closure, now houses on the sixth floor official stores for Japan's world-famous games and anime, including the official Pokémon shop "Pokémon Center Shibuya," the official Nintendo store "Nintendo TOKYO," Shueisha's official store "JUMP SHOP," and the official Capcom store "CAPCOM STORE TOKYO." Each store is designed not just for "seeing" and "buying," but also for "experiencing," creating spaces where customers can immerse themselves deeply in the world of the IP.

Shibuya Parco reopened in November 2019 after a three-year and three-month hiatus.

Pokémon Center Shibuya (left) and Nintendo Tokyo (right) opened on the 6th floor of Shibuya Parco.

At the Pokémon Center Shibuya, visitors are greeted by a life-size Mewtwo floating in a black space. Using animatronic technology, even the character's breathing is reproduced, and the fusion of technology and character has been highly praised by foreign visitors to Japan. The Pokémon Design Lab, a T-shirt design experience exclusive to the facility, allows visitors to freely combine over hundreds of Pokémon to create their own unique "favorite" item.

"THE★JOJO WORLD (left)" and "SEGA STORE TOKYO (right)" opened on the 6th floor of Shibuya Parco in July 2025.

Five years after its reopening, the entire facility is undergoing a major renovation this year (2025), and the momentum is accelerating. The sixth floor will house the official Godzilla shop, "Godzilla Store Shibuya" (April 2025), Japan's first Sega flagship store, "SEGA STORE TOKYO" (July 2025), the official "JoJo's Bizarre Adventure" shop, "THE★JOJO WORLD" (July 2025), and the fifth floor is also scheduled to open "THE DORAEMON STORE" (September 2025), which will focus on "Doraemon" fashion items and interior goods. Shibuya PARCO is truly becoming a "Hall of Fame for Character IP." IP flagship stores are opening one after another.

SHIBUYA TSUTAYA reopened in April 2024 as a base for IP experiences.

Meanwhile, Q-FRONT, once a leading figure in the IT industry, was renovated and renamed SHIBUYA TSUTAYA in April 2024. Now, its focus is not IT but IP. The entire facility has been transformed into a hub for experiencing pop culture and subculture, with a dedicated Pokémon card battle space, AR/VR content, an IP bookstore, a collaboration cafe, and more, all embodying the new philosophy of "Create a world with what you love."

Left) "Shibuya IP Square A," an event space on the first floor of "SHIBUYA TSUTAYA." Equipped with three indoor LED screens and an outdoor entrance LED screen, this floor allows visitors to visually experience the world of IP content. Pop-up events featuring various anime and characters are held for a limited time. Right) "IP Bookstore" on the sixth floor. Comprised of three areas, "POP UP SHOP," "IP100," and "Gallery," it mainly sells comics, figures, and merchandise.

In July 2024, "404 Not Found," a hub for indie game creators, will open on the fourth floor of the Shibuya Sakura Stage Shibuya side. Through exhibitions, live performances, demos, and more, minor IPs and original IPs will be nurtured as the seeds of the next generation of culture. In December of the same year, "Square Enix Garden," an official Square Enix merchandise shop, will open on the third floor of the Shibuya side, further strengthening the ties with gaming culture.

Left) "404 Not Found," a hub for indie game creators on the 4th floor. Right) "Square Enix Garden," the official Square Enix merchandise shop on the 3rd floor.

Furthermore, on August 1st of this year, Bandai Namco's experiential retail facility, "Bandai Namco Cross Store MAGNET by SHIBUYA109," opened on the basement floor of "MAGNET by SHIBUYA109." Bandai Namco opened "THE★JOJO WORLD" at Shibuya Parco in July, and is also planning to open "Shibuya LOVEZ," a multi-purpose hall with a capacity of approximately 2,000 people, in Udagawacho next summer. The company is positioning Shibuya as a base for creating new IP and is actively promoting its development.

A perspective image of the multipurpose hall "Shibuya LOVEZ," scheduled to open next summer.

Shibuya is no longer just a town for young people. From a town of gyaru culture to a town of the IT revolution, it has now become a "city of IP" and a "holy land" for people who love content such as anime, games, and characters. There is a new urban value here, where people can express their "oshi" (favorite things), share their "oshi" (favorite things), and connect with others through their "oshi" (favorite things). This is also being strongly supported by the increase in inbound tourism after the COVID-19 pandemic subsided.

From "JK (gal)" to "IT (Bit Valley)" and now to "IP (characters)" -- trends have changed with the times, but the overwhelming attraction of the city of Shibuya remains unchanged. It will continue to attract many people in the future.

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.