Tokyu Plaza Shibuya shopping complex, closing down on March 22 for renovation! They have put up a “Time Slip Gallery” an exhibition which is simply mind boggling with the transformation of Shibuya in the past 50 years. I have been in Japan only since 1998, so for me it is a very new experience to see the awesome transformation which I captured as below (Sorry, I did not have my SLR around, smartphone quality snaps)
The Shibuya Station in the early days of 1950, we did not know had a cable car in that neighborhood! The cable car (one through the air!!) 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. THIS IS JUST SO AWESOME… it must have been an awesome ride back then
The cable car was very popular but only ran for one and half years in 1951. This time slip image gallery has been put up as a closure to the 50 year history of Shibuya as the store closes door on 22nd March. Secondly we also got this snap of the famous Shibuya square from the “old” days of Shibuya. It was a major crossing then too and still continues to be..
The Tokyuu Plaza from its initial days with the west side bus terminal..
The bus terminal which is in front of the Station has a mini model created from the days of 1950 and we were surprised with the detail of the miniature model. A top down view. The vintage cars of that age, the trams and buses. Awesome.
The reason why we call it detailed is that they also have a Ginza Line Train passing in the background, see the top side of the below photograph. CUTE, ain’t it? Not the present steel color, but ORANGE! EPIC! Wish I was in Japan in 1950, with todays SLR technology
The Tokyu Plaza location is to be redeveloped as a multi-purpose business and commercial complex before the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and such development is happening all across the city, and by 2020 we will see a very different city am sure. One shot which shows how much the neighbourhood has transformed in these past 50 years itself is amazing to watch.
If we were to fast forward 50 years and then reflect what the next generations will look at us to feel “nostalgia” it probably is the “lost in digital” view of the current generation which is lost in smartphones and tablets and oblivious that smart guys pass around them…
We are although sure that even 50 years down the line the Hachiko Square will be around including the Hachiko Statue of the pet dog who waited for his owner every evening at Shibuya Station oblivious to the fact that the owner a professor had passed away
So what is in store for 2018? See the amazing complex which will also have terraces to give an awesome view of the Metropolitan Highway passing by in Shibuya. We cannot wait…
We wait for the significant facelift, a three year wait.