I can't believe that I've been here a month without even posting a single picture of Shibuya (she-boo-ya, no emphasis). It's not the only place in town to see, but for foreigners, this ward (or at least the main intersection of the ward, is one of the highlights).
Even more so for those of us from St. Louis...
Shibuya is famous for its scramble crossing which is reportedly the world's busiest. It is located in front of the Shibuya Station Hachiko exit and stops vehicles in all directions to allow pedestrians to inundate the entire intersection. Three large TV screens mounted on nearby buildings overlook the crossing.
The Starbucks store overlooking the crossing is also one of the busiest in the world. You wouldn't think that a 6-story coffee shop would be packed 18 hours a day, but it is. Trust me, I've seen it.
Lost in Translation featured a scene at the crossing.
On the NorthWest side of Shibuya station, there is a popular meeting place with a statue of Hachiko the dog. In 1924, Hachikō was brought to Tokyo by his owner, Hidesamuroh Ueno. During his owner's life, Hachikō saw him off from the front door and greeted him at the end of the day at the nearby Shibuya Station.
Even after Ueno's death in May 1925, Hachikō returned every day to the station to wait for him, and did so for the next 10 years.
Hachikō's devotion to his lost master moved those around him, who nicknamed him "faithful dog". Others at the station initially thought it was waiting for something else or roaming around but later realized it was waiting for its dead owner. So the vendors there used to give some bits of food and water, and it appeared only in the evening time, precisely when the train was due at the station.
That same year, another of Ueno's former students (who had become something of an expert on Akitas) saw the dog at the station and followed him to the Kobayashi home where he learned the history of Hachikō's life. Shortly after this meeting, the former student published a documented census of Akitas in Japan. His research found only 30 purebred Akitas remaining, including Hachikō from Shibuya Station.
That same year, another of Ueno's former students (who had become something of an expert on Akitas) saw the dog at the station and followed him to the Kobayashi home where he learned the history of Hachikō's life. Shortly after this meeting, the former student published a documented census of Akitas in Japan. His research found only 30 purebred Akitas remaining, including Hachikō from Shibuya Station.
Ueno's former student returned frequently to visit the dog and over the years published several articles about Hachikō's remarkable loyalty. In 1932 one of these articles, published in Tokyo's largest newspaper, threw the dog into the national spotlight.
Hachikō became a national sensation. His faithfulness to his master's memory impressed the people of Japan as a spirit of family loyalty all should strive to achieve. Teachers and parents used Hachikō's vigil as an example for children to follow.
But what's more important than the story of Hachiko, is knowing that now, hundreds of Japanese meet at his statue every day, and on this particular Friday night, he was given a sausage as a gift from a few drunk Japanese guys.
They were special since they knew some English, and weren't afraid to introduce themselves: When we spotted them...."straddling" the statue...they cried out to us, "Americans!!!". They jumped off and started beating their chests, yelling "I AM A MOTHERFUCKER!!!". Clearly being drunk in Tokyo isn't all that different than what happens 4,000 miles away in the U.S. They ran around in circles, giving us high-fives, and posed for a few pictures.
Yeah, I'm pretty sure we were all making fun of each other at that point, but the language barrier and the booze put it past us. I mean, you look at these people, and ask: "How do you not love this city?"
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