Meiji Jingu to Shibuya, Tokyo: free self-guided walking tour

Quick answer. A free self-guided walking tour from Meiji Jingu to Shibuya in Tokyo: 5 stops, about 4.7 km, about 60 minutes of walking plus about 30 minutes of listening. Start at Meiji Jingu, dedicated in 1920 to Emperor Meiji and Empress Shoken, in a forest planted from about 100,000 donated trees. Walk out through Harajuku to Togo Shrine, built with public donations for Admiral Togo Heihachiro after his death in 1934. Follow Omotesando, the zelkova-lined approach to the shrine, now a gallery of buildings by Tadao Ando, SANAA and Toyo Ito. Turn onto Cat Street, laid over the Shibuya River in 1964, and finish at the scramble crossing and Hachiko’s station in Shibuya.

Stops:
5
Distance:
about 4.7 km
Walking:
about 60 min
Listening:
about 30 min

Two ways to do this walk

Tokyo with Mappu

Walk Mode, in the free Mappu app

It knows where you are, tells you about everything you pass between the stops, answers your questions and keeps you on the route. Your phone stays in your pocket.

A 2-hour live walk, €4.99.

50 credits from the Starter pack. One-time purchase, no subscription.

Self-guided audio walk. No guide accompanies you. Not affiliated with the sites.

Free: the audio guides

Listen to each stop’s audio guide in your browser and find your own way between the stops.

Walking directions in Google Maps

Meiji Jingu to Shibuya, Tokyo: how long does the walk take?

About 90 minutes in all: about 60 minutes on foot over about 4.7 km, plus about 30 minutes of audio at the 5 stops. Time inside the sites is extra.

Meiji Jingu to Shibuya, Tokyo: in what order should you visit the stops?

Follow the stops in this order: Meiji Jingu, Togo Shrine, Omotesando, Cat Street, and Shibuya. The longest stretch between two stops is about 1.4 km, about 19 min on foot.

Route and map

Route map: Meiji Jingu to Shibuya, Tokyo5 numbered stops in walking order. Stop 1: Meiji Jingu; Stop 2: Togo Shrine; Stop 3: Omotesando; Stop 4: Cat Street; Stop 5: Shibuya.Stop 1: Meiji Jingu1Stop 2: Togo Shrine2Stop 3: Omotesando3Stop 4: Cat Street4Stop 5: Shibuya5
5 numbered stops in walking order.

Indicative route. While you walk, watch where you're going, mind the traffic and follow local signs and rules. The map is an aid, not a safety guide. Terms

Follow Mappu’s map: the route runs along the streets from stop to stop, and the stories keep playing as you walk.

To get to the first stop, or if you’re far from the route, Google Maps has walking directions through every stop.

  1. Stop 1

    The shrine of Emperor Meiji and Empress Shoken, dedicated in 1920 in a forest planted by hand, entered through a 12-metre cypress torii.

    about 7 min of audio

    Next stop: Togo Shrine · about 1.4 km, about 19 min on foot

  2. Stop 2

    A quiet Harajuku shrine to Admiral Togo Heihachiro, paid for by public donations after his death in 1934, with a letter from Admiral Nimitz.

    about 6 min of audio

    Next stop: Omotesando · about 1.3 km, about 17 min on foot

  3. Stop 3

    The zelkova-lined front approach to Meiji Jingu, laid out in the 1920s, now a street of flagship stores by famous architects.

    about 6 min of audio

    Next stop: Cat Street · about 0.8 km, about 11 min on foot

  4. Stop 4

    A winding pedestrian lane between Harajuku and Shibuya, laid over the covered Shibuya River in 1964 and lined with boutiques and cafes.

    about 6 min of audio

    Next stop: Shibuya · about 1.2 km, about 15 min on foot

  5. Stop 5

    The valley where Tokyo’s railways meet, home of the scramble crossing and the statue of Hachiko, the dog who waited at the station for ten years.

    about 6 min of audio

The stop stories are AI-generated audio guides and can contain mistakes. Check opening hours and tickets on the official sites.

Planning a trip to Tokyo?

Get your plan

Mappu sketches your days free in the chat, no account needed. Then take the full plan with you:

  • Weekend trip, €9.99: Your day-by-day plan plus 2 live walks
  • Save your trip’s free guides on your phone in the Mappu app: they play with no signal
See the trip packs

Already going? The 2-hour live walk in Tokyo is €4.99

Before you go

  • Check opening hours, tickets and access on each site’s official page before you go.
  • Distances and times are estimates: the walking route between stops, from OpenStreetMap, at 4.5 km/h. Your route on the street may differ.

More walking tours in Tokyo

Plan more days in Tokyo

These day-by-day Mappu itineraries include Tokyo. The day links open the days that visit stops on this walk.

Useful for your visit

Tickets, tours and practical extras for this trip, from Mappu's partners.

Partner links (Airalo, Amazon, Booking.com, GetYourGuide, Klook, Tiqets, Trip.com, Viator, Welcome Pickups): if you book or buy through them, Mappu may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you.

Route checked by Mappu on October 31, 2026. Stop descriptions come from each place’s published Mappu audio guide. Mappu is a Fenutech product.