Shibuya Fashion Week 2026 Spring (SFW), an urban fashion event held in the streets of Shibuya, opened on March 13th. This is the 25th edition of the event, which is now in its 13th year since its inception in March 2014. Large commercial and cultural facilities around Shibuya Station are participating across boundaries, offering a 10-day experience where visitors can enjoy the multifaceted charm of Shibuya through strolling through the streets, shopping, and viewing exhibitions.

Ken Yorimoto, Director of the Shibuya Fashion Week Organizing Committee

At a media roundtable held on the opening day, Secretary-General Ken Yorimoto reflected, "Shibuya Fashion Week is an event that started 13 years ago with the aim of 'letting people enjoy the city through fashion.' As the city has changed dramatically, we have evolved its format each time, thinking about it together with many members." He then called on people to come to the city, saying, "We want people to not only enjoy fashion itself, but also experience the entire city of Shibuya through shopping and events."

Towards a "global culture festival": Shibuya will once again create trends.

Creative director Hiro Tanaka positions the current SFW as "entering a new phase." Since last year, they have been working on what they call the "third phase," aiming to create a global cultural festival that will take the entire city as its stage.

As the secondhand clothing and vintage culture spreads, and the center of fashion shifts beyond Shibuya to areas like Shimokitazawa and Koenji, Tanaka expresses his ambition to "make Shibuya a fashion mecca once again."

Hiro Tanaka, Creative Director of Shibuya Fashion Week

This year's concept, following last year's, is "CULTIVATE." A word sharing the same etymology as "culture," it encompasses meanings such as "to cultivate," "to nurture," and "to connect." Regarding the reason for continuing with the same concept, Tanaka explained, "For a new culture to emerge from the mixing of people, things, and events, the soil needs to be prepared. I don't think one year was enough. That's why we've adopted 'CULTIVATE' again this year." This demonstrates a focus on building a cultural foundation rooted in the community rather than immediate results.

Face Oka's key visuals adorn the city.

The key visual was created by Face Oka, an artist who works both in Japan and internationally. During the event, the newly created artwork will be displayed in various locations throughout Shibuya, including flags, large advertisements, and digital signage, transforming the city itself into a vibrant medium.

Streetlights, digital signage, and public spaces will be decorated with key visuals, transforming the entire Shibuya area into a SFW-themed spectacle.

During a cross-talk at the opening event, Face Oka said, "Shibuya is a city that is constantly being reborn and the number of people is increasing. I like that chaotic aspect as well," but added, "I didn't want to create the image of 'Shibuya with lots of buildings lined up.'" He continued, "I prefer subtraction to addition, so I tried to strip away as many elements as possible and focused on creating a simple, personal design."

On the other hand, the artwork also features subtle touches of "Shibuya-ness," such as a head reminiscent of Hachiko and hands visible from under the desk. Furthermore, regarding the future of the city, he said, "I hope that Shibuya will not become too neatly organized, but rather remain a place where various people, things, and events mingle," expressing his desire for the city, which is undergoing redevelopment, to inherit not only order but also the "Shibuya-ness" that goes beyond mere order.

A talk event featuring Hiro Tanaka and Face Oka was held to commemorate the opening of SFW.

This spring's new focus is "Market," a place where communities can mingle.

One of the highlights of this spring is "THE CULTIVATE MARKET by SFW," which will be held for the first time on March 20th and 21st at Shibuya Sakura Stage. The venue is "BLOOM GATE," an event space on the 3rd floor of SHIBUYA Tower, which is directly connected to the JR Shibuya Station New South Exit. A diverse range of vendors, including fashion designers, influencers, stylists, brands, and student groups, will gather, aiming to create a "crossroads of relationships" that goes beyond mere sales.

Exhibitors include "Tokyo New Age," a group of up-and-coming designers who were involved in the SFW runway shows in 2014 and 2015; "CFD TOKYO," Japan's only fashion designers' group; "elite Japan," which features models and influencers; "atmos pink," a select shop for women's sneakers; "RAGTAG," a select shop for used clothing; "TSUMUGI," an upcycling project; "Uni-share," a student group; and "Aoyama Fashion Association," a club at Aoyama Gakuin University.

Regarding the new project, Tanaka explained, "Many of the items for sale are things that are not available in the general market, such as the vendors' personal belongings or brand samples—things that you can't get in a regular shop." He added, "Actually, the main purpose isn't just to sell things. It's about creating a space where vendors can mingle with each other and conversations can be born with the people who come there. I want to try to create a place that generates a chemical reaction of such interactions and mixes up communities."

Commercial facilities, art, designers, students, and visitors—none of them are isolated; rather, they gently blend together within the city of Shibuya. Visualizing this landscape seems to be the core of what SFW aims to achieve.

A view of the venue for the "Photographer Yuriko Takagi's Photo Exhibition" currently being held at Bunkamura The Museum.

Furthermore, the collaboration with cultural facilities is also noteworthy. Bunkamura The Museum is currently hosting a photo exhibition by photographer Yuriko Takagi, "Threads of Beauty 1995-2025 - Clothed in Time, Clothed in Wind" (March 10th - March 29th). This exhibition focuses on her representative series, in which she has been photographing the daily lives of people wearing traditional clothing for 30 years, and will also be the last exhibition in the current exhibition space.

A digital stamp rally touring the city is also available.

During the event, a shopping discount campaign called "THE SHOPPING" will also be held, with approximately 120 stores participating. By showing that you follow the official Instagram account, you can receive special benefits, and the scale of the campaign will be larger than last year. In addition, by scanning QR codes placed throughout Shibuya and collecting digital stamps, you can receive limited edition goods such as postcards and stickers featuring Face Oka's key visual.

The exhibition period is until March 22.

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.