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Old Shibuya Photos

By Shibuya246 · · 2 min read · 14 photos · 13 comments

Old Shibuya PhotosPhoto dataCameraNikon D700Focal length70mmAperturef/4.5Shutter1/30sISO200Taken17 Jul 2009, 15:14
Shibuya Station back when the trams ran through the streetsPhoto dataCameraNikon D700Focal length70mmAperturef/4.5Shutter1/30sISO200Taken17 Jul 2009, 15:14
Shibuya Station back when the trams ran through the streets

The area around Shibuya station is well known to the millions of people who flow through the train station. What is not so well known by all those people is how the area used to look just 50 years ago.

There is a photo exhibition on at the moment presented by the Shibuya City Ward Office displaying some fantastic old photos of Shibuya including the Station area.

The Photo Exhibition posterPhoto dataCameraNikon D700Focal length70mmAperturef/4.5Shutter1/25sISO200Taken17 Jul 2009, 15:14
The Photo Exhibition poster
Photo Exhibition, @ Shibuya Mark CityPhoto dataCameraCanon PowerShot G10Focal length6mmAperturef/2.8Shutter1/50sISO200Taken17 Jul 2009, 15:09
Photo Exhibition, @ Shibuya Mark City

The Exhibition is running from June 30 to September 1, 2009. It is located in the Mark City West Mall's Creation Square space. Entry is free, and the staff are very helpful and friendly.

It is interesting to see which buildings still exist now and which areas of land look totally different to the landscape back then.

Did you know that there used to be a cable car (not the street version, but one through the air), that used to operate from the Tokyu Department Store. They only allowed children to go on it and the adjacent building had not way to get down, so they had to ride back in the car again to Tokyu.

The cable car was very popular but only ran for one and half years in 1951.

The Hibarigo cable car for kids onlyPhoto dataCameraNikon D700Focal length80mmAperturef/4.5Shutter1/25sISO200Taken17 Jul 2009, 15:12
The Hibari-go cable car for kids only
This area surprisingly looks quite similar to 50 years agoPhoto dataCameraNikon D700Focal length95mmAperturef/6.3Shutter1/160sISO1000Taken17 Jul 2009, 15:12
This area surprisingly looks quite similar to 50 years ago
You aren't likely to see one of these running between Shibuya and Ebisu todayPhoto dataCameraNikon D700Focal length70mmAperturef/4.5Shutter1/30sISO200Taken17 Jul 2009, 15:12
You aren't likely to see one of these running between Shibuya and Ebisu today
You can see the Ginza line on the right and the hill which is Miyamasuzaka with tram lines herePhoto dataCameraNikon D700Focal length78mmAperturef/4.5Shutter1/15sISO200Taken17 Jul 2009, 15:11
You can see the Ginza line on the right and the hill which is Miyamasuzaka with tram lines here
Shibuya Station area today with Tokyu Dept in backgroundPhoto dataCameraNikon D700Focal length58mmAperturef/9Shutter1/320sISO200Taken29 Jun 2009, 14:30
Shibuya Station area today with Tokyu Dept in background
More Exhibition photosPhoto dataCameraNikon D700Focal length70mmAperturef/4.5Shutter1/50sISO200Taken17 Jul 2009, 15:13
More Exhibition photos

There are some books on sale at the exhibition showing the "Now and Then" photos of Shibuya. I picked up these two books for YEN 1,000 each. They are a great reminder of the progress this area has seen in the past 50 years and make you think about what areas are coming up for redevelopment soon.

2 classic books showing the 'Then and Now' of ShibuyaPhoto dataCameraCanon PowerShot G10Focal length6mmAperturef/2.8Shutter1/30sISO200Taken18 Jul 2009, 14:56
2 classic books showing the 'Then and Now' of Shibuya
A phto from Vol.1 showing the construction of the Expressway in time for the 1964 OlympicsPhoto dataCameraCanon PowerShot G10Focal length6mmAperturef/2.8Shutter1/30sISO200Taken18 Jul 2009, 14:56
A phto from Vol.1 showing the construciton of the Expressway in time for the 1964 Olympics
The veiw back up Route 246 towards Roppongi. Quite a difference herePhoto dataCameraCanon PowerShot G10Focal length6mmAperturef/2.8Shutter1/25sISO200Taken18 Jul 2009, 14:57
The veiw back up Route 246 towards Roppongi. Quite a difference here

There are also some Hachiko Goods on sale and books telling the real story of the Hachiko legend.

Hachiko GoodsPhoto dataCameraNikon D700Focal length70mmAperturef/4.5Shutter1/40sISO200Taken17 Jul 2009, 15:14
Hachiko Goods

More Information


  • Shibuya Photo Exhibition is being held at Mark City, West Mall (Creation Square Space) from June 30 to September 1, 2009.

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13 comments

Comments are closed. These are from readers when the post was first published.

  1. whipcracker

    Looking at those photos of Shibuya then and now makes me wish to go back to a simpler time. But we can't stand in the way of progress. It's facinating to see some areas haven't changed ,where sometimes you don't even reconize the area. I always enjoyed going to the museum back home in Green Bay,Wi and look at all the old photos. Every place no matter where is changing and you don't even realize it. Looking at your great photos makes me long to be there even more.__Why was that cable car for children only? Also in the last photo of Hachiko,I can't remember where i read it, but Richard Gere is going to make a film about Hachiko. Every time I read about the loyalty of that dog it brings tears to my eyes. Do they sell those goods? Wouldn't mind a stuffed Hachiko, but don't worry Rilakkuma is still #1. Later

  2. peter payne

    Nice post desu!

  3. Billy

    I love looking at old pics of jamming cities... especially Shibuya and Shinjuku.

  4. Shibuya246

    Thanks. much appreciated :)

  5. suicchi

    nice post! will remember to visit there next month. ^_^ i wonder why they remove the cable car... it'd be awesome if they have it now.

  6. Shibuya246

    Yes, it would be great to see the cable car in operation. I wonder how safe it was, since they only let children in it must not have been very big.

  7. Shibuya246

    It would be nice to find a time machine and travel back.

  8. Shibuya246

    Yeah, Shibuya and Shinjuku, also Ginza are great areas to look at old photos.

  9. whipcracker

    If you find one let me know,okay?

  10. Luiz Carlos Munhoz

    Hachi a dog teaching us about fidelity and love.

  11. Greet Rijntjes

    Hello, where can i buy the photos from the photo HAchiko goods?

  12. Greet Rijntjes

    Thank you very much for your answer.

  13. Norma Palacios

    MUY LINDA HISTORIA ME HISO LLORAR DEBERIAN HACER MAS MUVIS COMO ESTA