Hachiko is celebrating his 100th anniversary this year and Shibuya is honouring that in a big way with the Shibuya Art Scramble festival. This week-long event happening from November 6 to 12 features several free exhibitions and workshops scattered across Shibuya and Harajuku, all with a different theme inspired by the district's dynamic culture and the loyal pup’s centennial.
Dog lovers should make a beeline for Seibu department store’s event space (October 31 to November 13) and Kinko’s Shibuya (November 3 to 30) for pop art-style paintings of Hachiko and dogs in general by Japanese painter Eiji Tamura. And for one day only on November 12, don’t miss the Hachiko Art Museum pop-up right outside Shibuya Station. It’ll have a Hachiko-inspired installation by Japanese artist Tatzu Nishi.
Another exhibition to check out is the Shibuya Photo Archive (Seibu Shibuya November 6-12; Shibuya Station East and West exits November 2-12), which showcases historical photographs of Shibuya streets from the ’60’s to the ’90’s. The Shibuya Art Awards (November 6-December 25), on the other hand, features selected works by up-and-coming artists.
While most events are free, the Nogaku (Japanese theatre) performance with Japanese singer Ryosuke Itamiya is ticketed (¥5,000). You can get tickets in advance online.
If you’re going to hit up most of the events under the Shibuya Art Scramble, make sure you participate in the digital stamp rally. You get to collect 100 Hachiko stamps and stand a chance to win cash prizes and exclusive merchandise.