Cat Street, Tokyo, Tourist-attraction street in Shibuya, Japan

Cat Street is a mostly car-free walkway behind Meiji Dori that links the Harajuku and Shibuya sides of the district. A mix of low storefronts, old timber houses, and newer glass fronts stands along its way, with small food stands tucked between them.

The route follows an old stream that was covered over in 1964 before the Tokyo Olympics, leaving a wider lane than most nearby alleys. Later, the backstreet filled with small fashion shops and secondhand stores, growing into a shopping corridor without losing its casual feel.

The nickname Cat Street has several proposed origins: the lane being as narrow as a cat's forehead, the many cats along the covered stream, or the band Black Cats having formed in the area. The walkway runs over the culverted Shibuya River, covered in March 1967, and since 1996 it has been a Shibuya ward road.

Start your walk at the Harajuku end where the street is easiest to spot, then head downhill toward Shibuya for a gentle route. Mornings on weekdays are calmer, while afternoons and weekends draw more foot traffic, so allow extra time for browsing in the busier stretches.

The name has several proposed origins: the street being as narrow as a cat's forehead, the many cats along the covered stream, or the music band "Black Cats" that formed in the area. The walkway itself was built over the culverted Shibuya River, covered in stages in 1964 and March 1967.