is a railway station in Shibuya, Tokyo

Shibuya, Tokyo

is one of the 23 special wards of Tokyo, Japan. As of 2008, it has an estimated population of 208,371 and a population density of 13,540 persons per km². The total area is 15.11 km²....

, Japan, operated by East Japan Railway Company

East Japan Railway Company

is the largest passenger railway company in the world and one of the seven Japan Railways Group companies. The company name is officially abbreviated as JR East in English, and as in Japanese. The company's headquarters are in Yoyogi, Shibuya, Tokyo....

 (JR East). The station takes its name from the area on its eastern side, Harajuku

Harajuku

Harajuku is the common name for the area around Harajuku Station on the Yamanote Line in the Shibuya ward of Tokyo, Japan....

.

Lines

This station is served by the Yamanote Line

Yamanote Line

The is commuter rail loop line in Tokyo, Japan, operated by East Japan Railway Company . It is one of Tokyo's busiest and most important lines, connecting most of Tokyo's major stations and urban centres, including the Yūrakuchō/Ginza area, Shibuya, Shinjuku, and Ikebukuro, with all but two of its...

. It is also close to Meiji-Jingumae Station

Meiji-Jingumae Station

is a railway station located in Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan. It is a part of the Tokyo Metro network and is served by the Chiyoda Line and the Fukutoshin Line...

 on the Tokyo Metro Chiyoda Line, and is marked as an interchange on most route maps, although there is no physical connection between the two stations.

Station layout

The station consists of a single island platform serving two tracks. An additional temporary platform is located on the west side of the station usable by trains traveling towards Shinjuku

Shinjuku Station

is a train station located in Shinjuku and Shibuya wards in Tokyo, Japan.Serving as the main connecting hub for rail traffic between central Tokyo and its western suburbs on inter-city rail, commuter rail and metro lines, the station was used by an average of 3.64 million people per day in 2007,...

 which is used when major events occur in the area, especially around New Year when many people visit Meiji Shrine

Meiji Shrine

', located in Shibuya, Tokyo, is the Shinto shrine that is dedicated to the deified spirits of Emperor Meiji and his wife, Empress Shōken.-History:...

.

The main entrance is at the southern end of the station. A smaller entrance leading to the centre of the platform is convenient for Takeshita Street

Takeshita Street

is a pedestrian-only street lined with fashion boutiques, cafes and restaurants in Harajuku in Tokyo, Japan. Stores on Takeshita Street include major chains such as The Body Shop, McDonald's and 7-Eleven, but most of the businesses are small independent shops that carry an array of styles...

, a famous area in Harajuku. Takeshita Street is a popular shopping street and the Takeshita Street entrance to Harajuku Station is often very crowded. This congestion creates a bottleneck on weekends when scores of tourists and locals arrive and leave the shopping areas in and around Takeshita Street.

To the north of the station there is a separate platform serving a loop on the east side of the freight line for use by the Imperial train.35.674234°N 139.703807°W

Adjacent stations

External links

• Harajuku Station (JR East)