Telling Shibuya, Tokyo’s story through human-centered data

Enhancing Shibuya’s role as a culture-tech hub

Shibuya has iconic pedestrian volumes, on-par with the busiest places around the world, but roads are prioritized for cars, leaving pedestrians with little space. People are always on the move because there are very few invitations to spend time in the public realm but people crave high quality public spaces and invitations to pause and socialize in Shibuya.

DIG Shibuya, a 4-day festival held in the heart of Shibuya, challenged the status quo by opening its streets to pedestrians. While Shibuya is know as a place for fashion and entertainment, DIG Shibuya celebrates the intersection of art, technology, and innovation. Hosted by the Shibuya Creative Tech Committee, the event brings together global artists to activate public spaces and engage Tokyo’s creative-tech community. Since public spaces are often considered places for people to move through rather than to stay, we wondered how a tech and art festival in the street might change the way people use and feel about these spaces.

Using a mixed-method approach, Gehl, Yomiko Advertising, and academic partners from Kokushikan University and Tokyo City University ran an impact assessment. The evaluation explored the festival’s effects on public space usage, the community’s perception of art and technology, and how the event contributed to Shibuya’s cultural and creative-tech landscape. Through this assessment, the project offered valuable insights into the festival’s role in shaping a human-centered Shibuya.