Cat Street

The brick walkway of Cat Street follows the path of the former Shibuya River, which was paved over and buried before the nineteen sixty-four Tokyo Olympics. It functions as a narrow, pedestrian-only artery connecting Harajuku and Shibuya. The street earned its name from the stray cats that once frequented the area when it was a quiet residential backwater. Today, the row of low-slung, repurposed houses houses independent fashion boutiques and small cafes, distinct from the sprawling department stores nearby.