渋谷
Shibuyaしぶや
the astringent valley
- 渋shibu — astringent / bitter
- 谷ya — valley
Tokyo's busiest crossing sits at the bottom of a valley — the name says so. The city knows: in 2020 they buried a 4,000-ton flood tank 25 meters under the station.
The 谷 (valley) is literal: Shibuya Station sits at the bottom of a bowl-shaped valley between two hills, with the buried Shibuya River flowing beneath it. The origin of 渋 (astringent) is disputed — theories include a samurai clan name and iron-tinted water.
Modern proof
Shibuya Station East Exit stormwater reservoir (c. 4,000 m³, in service since 2020, managed by the Tokyo Bureau of Sewerage).
sourceThe station sits about 22 m below neighboring Omotesandō. In 1999 a cloudburst flooded the underground mall.