Subtitles section Play video Print subtitles the nation of Japan is a little smaller than the U. S. State of California, but with 125 million people, the Asian country has more than three times the population of the American state, and millions of them are concentrated in the capital city of Tokyo. It is here that you will find what's believed to be the world's busiest crosswalk, a place that as many as 3000 people cross at one time, at least when there's not a pandemic. And that's where CNN 10 contributor Chris James is visiting today. Chris Carl. With so many of us unable to travel right now due to coronavirus restrictions, my list of dream cities to travel to is getting longer and longer by the day. Today, I want to tell you about one of the city's on my list, specifically the legendary crosswalk that has come to symbolize the chaotic vibrancy of urban life. Welcome to Tokyo, Japan. You're looking at Shibuya Crossing, often referred to as the world's busiest crosswalk. It can often look to be a dizzying site, thousands of people walking in different directions. Commuters, tourists and locals alike, just trying to get to where they're going. But for many people, the controlled chaos of Shibuya scramble is a visual representation of the efficient madness of this cutting edge city. Here, 10 lanes of traffic and five major crosswalks converge with the backdrop of cascading neon skyscrapers eliminating the sky above. Although making your way through this crosswalk can feel like a whirlwind, there's one landmark that serves as a loyal, stabilizing force. The statue of Hachiko, the dog Hachiko was in fact a real dog, the most famous dog in all of Tokyo, who would meet its owner at the Shibuya station after he got out of work every day in the 19 twenties after his owner died unexpectedly. The dog continued to visit the station every day for nearly a decade, his loyalty now commemorated by the statue and legions of visitors taking Selfies every single day. The crossing has been made famous around the globe in photographs and movies like the Fast and the Furious Tokyo Drift. I still remember watching that movie in theaters and hearing the crowd gasp during that iconic scene of the car, drifting through the throngs of people crossing the road. In recent years, the area has seen some significant development, especially in advance of the Tokyo Olympics, which has been rescheduled for July 2021. But with Cove in 19 still a very real threat, the jury is still out on whether or not the games will actually take place as planned.
B1 CNN10 crosswalk tokyo shibuya busiest crossing World's Busiest Crosswalk 40 6 林宜悉 posted on 2021/01/19 More Share Save Report Video vocabulary