I’ve been to Japan, Shibuya Crossroads in Tokya. I would say the area is bigger in Shibuya, but when you compare Changsha to Shibuya during Golden Week, Changsha is definitely more crowded.
You would expect cities like Beijing or Shanghai to have the busiest crossroads. But during one of the most important holidays in China, called Golden Week, a massive relocation event takes place as everyone is going to their family. Mostly national expats live in the bigger cities, but not their family members. So they go to other cities, like Changsha.
The city is a hub for higher education in the Asia-Pacific region and a top research and development hub, with a projected ranking of 34th in the world for scientific research by 2022. It’s the first Chinese city to be selected as a “UNESCO City of Media Arts”.
With a population of nearly 10 million, Changsha ranks as the 17th most populated city in China. But during Golden Week they say the population doubles.
Train and airplane tickets are almost impossible to get during Golden Week, trains are full, taxis are unavailable and probably al those rental bikes as well!
Changsha was where I was when Golden Week holiday began. I had plans to meet some friends for supper, but we couldn’t locate a table anywhere. Eventually, I decided to simply eat at the hotel and stroll to the city’s busiest district to see what it’s like. According to the locals, during golden week, this is the busiest intersection in all of China. I guess they were right!
The crowd extends all the way into the streets, so far that I couldn’t see the end of the massive crowd.
