Just a short walk under the tracks from Shibuya Station's iconic scramble crossing is the long and narrow Miyashita Park, which runs alongside the Yamanote loop line. In recent years the Shibuya Ward government has grown increasingly determined to redevelop this space, which in turn has sparked criticism from advocates for the homeless and others wary of the direction the ward's plans have taken.

The site, one of the few public green spots in Shibuya Ward's business district, has a history stretching back to 1930, but it was developed into its current form — a ground-level parking garage with an "airborne park" on top — in 1964, the year of the first Tokyo Olympics.

There is a distinct sports theme running through today's Miyashita Park, with its futsal field, climbing wall and skate park, all of which are available for rental. At the same time, the park is undeniably rather shabby in some respects, too. There are large patches of brown dirt where green grass should be, and in many corners of the park you will find down-on-their-luck homeless people sleeping or milling about quietly.