I’m sure the answer to this is obvious.. but not to me – hence the question 🙂
Found myself in Shibuya yesterday (around 7pm), and nearing the station I thought it was like a zombie movie – thousands of people streaming down and into the area. Few minutes later, another train and thousands more. And on and on..
My question is – where are they all going? Why is it \*so\* busy? They can’t all live there, they can’t all be going to restaurants / bars, they can’t all be heading into Pachinko parlours. Clearly it’s always been that way but as a destination can it really soak all of those people up?
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Restaurants and bars, plus other shopping. A lot more people fit in those buildings than you might think.
> They can’t all live there, they can’t all be going to restaurants / bars, they can’t all be heading into Pachinko parlours.
You’re right, they *all* can’t.
Some live there, some are going to restaurants / bars, and some are heading into Pachinko parlours. Some are doing other things, like shopping or taking a short break in a longer commute.
Is… is this your first time in a city?
Shibuya is a massive commercial area. It’s one of the biggest commercial districts in the biggest metropolitan area in the world. Every one of the hundreds/thousands of stores and shops gets packed with people.
19:00 is the middle of the work day in Shibuya. Many are probably also transferring to local trains on the commute home.
It’s a massive commercial area anyway, but plenty of people go to work and school there too. It’s a nearby station for Aogaku and other major universities. Also, it’s a huge hub station, a lot of people get off and walk around the station to change trains.
They are going to, or returning from, Love Hotel Hill.
All of them.
Without exception.
“I’m the protagonist of this story, where are all those NPCs disappearing into?”
this screams tourist and first time visitor in shibuya. jfc lol
Shibuya is 4th in day/night population ratio and doesn’t hold a candle to chiyoda-ku.
[https://www.stat.go.jp/english/data/kokusei/2000/jutsu1/00/img/zu1-2.gif](https://www.stat.go.jp/english/data/kokusei/2000/jutsu1/00/img/zu1-2.gif)
100 is the base line, so under 100, more people leave than come during the day.
Sigh, okay:
1. Transferring between JR lines, Metro, Tokyu, Keio lines and busses.
2. Going to any of the many restaurants, izakayas, bars, etc.
3. Going shopping/entertainment/pachinko, etc..
4. Going to some event (there are many event spaces in Shibuya).
5. Going to work in any of these places. Many nightlife establishments, so many workers arrive at night.
6. Other like going to dance practice, gym, yoga, whatever. Many of these establishments too.
7. Non-locals going to stay in one of the hotels in the area.
Because I personally find Shibuya’s ambiance the best for trudging around in line for no reason. /s
It’s 7pm; we’re going home from work.
everybody is going to your moms house to bang your mom