There’s no other way to put it: Shibuya is crowded. After all, it is home to the namesake Shibuya Crossing, the world’s busiest intersection. But we also can’t deny that there’s a liveliness to Shibuya that’s alluring, especially since it has everything we look for in a cosmopolitan city: world-famous bars, diverse restaurants and vibrant izakaya, plus an endless myriad of shops.
Just as this September 13 through 16 is shaping up to be Tokyo’s most jam-packed weekend yet, Shibuya is about to get a whole lot more exciting, too – with two Japanese festivals happening at the same time. So if you’re looking to partake in some late-summer merriment, and take photos of some of the city’s unique festivals, this is the best time to visit Shibuya.
Shibuya Nebuta Festival
September 12-14
Shibuya’s very own Nebuta Festival, which was revived last year after a nine-year hiatus, is taking over Inokashira and Center-gai shopping streets.
For the duration of the festival, a large float handcrafted in Aomori by Nebuta artist Rika Tsukamoto will be exhibited on Inokashira-dori near Ikea Shibuya. However, the main highlight is the Nebuta float parade along Center-gai (‘basketball street’) at 5.30pm on Saturday September 14.
The elaborate float will be lit up and carried around by local volunteers, accompanied by a large procession of dancers and musicians.
Shibuya Matsuri
September 14-15
Shibuya’s biggest festival is happening at Konno Hachimangu shrine and surrounding neighbourhoods. The event, which has been celebrated annually for several hundred years, is a Shinto tradition praying for good harvest, prosperity and the health of the shrine parishioners.
This year, expect to see a variety of cultural performances at the shrine’s Kagura Stage from noon on Saturday, such as Indian Odissi dance, Japanese folk dance and French Chanson singing, just to name a few. The shrine will also host food trucks selling the usual Shibuya snacks such as kebab and takoyaki.
The main highlight of the festival, however, is the gigantic mikoshi (portable shrine) parade on Sunday starting at noon. This procession of 14 portable shrines from various neighbourhoods in Shibuya will kick off in Aoyama and slowly make its way through Shibuya Scramble Crossing before arriving at the square in front of Shibuya 109 at roughly 2pm.
The convergence of many mikoshi in such a tight space is surely challenging, especially as pious groups become competitive and start jostling to carry the portable shrines through the crowds.
For more things to do, see our curated list of Tokyo weekend events.
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