A Little Information About Shibuya

Shibuya.. yep, you probably fimiliar with the name or maybe the place itself. The name "Shibuya" is often used for the shopping district that surrounds Shibuya Station in Tokyo, Japan. What you probably don't know is that Shibuya wasn't always a shopping district. It has, like any other places, its own history.

Let's talk about Shibuya's history for a sec!

Shibuya was actually the site of a castle for the Shibuya family to reside the member of the family back in 11th century and through the Edo period. In 1885, Shibuya started to emerge as railway terminal for southwestern Tokyo. Shibuya. then, became a town in 1909 and the Shibuya town emerged with the neighboring towns of Sendagaya (that included modern Harajuku) and Yoyohata forming The Shibuya Ward of Tokyo City in 1932. Tokyo City became Tokyo Metropolis in 1943, and the current special ward was established on March 15, 1947.

 

Shibuya station sometime between 1912 and 1926

One of the stories that always comes up when we talk about Shibuya is of course the story of Hachiko, a dog who waited on his late master at Shibuya Station every day from 1923 to 1935, later becoming a celebrity for his loyalty. 

Shibuya in 1952

Shibuya also became known as the center for IT industry in Japan in 1990s. At that time, Shibuya was often called "Bit Valley" because the word "Shibuya" literal meaning is "Bitter Valley" as well as Bit, a term that we know refer to computer digits.

Now, Shibuya is known as a popular district for fashion fans and many designers. Fashion and entertainment are the most important industries of the city at this time, making this city full of young people and also as a major nightlife area.

References:

http://markystar.wordpress.com/2013/03/19/why-is-shibuya-called-shibuya/

http://www.dannychoo.com/en/post/25723/History+of+Shibuya.html

http://www.virtualjapan.com/wiki/Shibuya

http://en.wikipedia.org/