Shibuya Ward in Tokyo is tightening its Halloween crowd-control measures again this year after repeated congestion and safety problems from the massive crowds that gather every October. Along with restrictions on street drinking and smoking, the ward will ask nearby shops not to sell alcohol and will install temporary barriers at the busiest gathering spots.
Shibuya Ward Mayor Ken Hasebe said at a news conference on Sept. 30 that the ward would step up its crackdown on disruptive behavior around Halloween, the Tokyo Shimbun reported on the 5th. The ward's public awareness slogan this year is "Goodbye Bad Halloween."
Starting the day before Halloween, the ward will deploy its own staff and security guards around Shibuya Station to prevent costumed revelers from blocking pedestrian traffic.
Street drinking and smoking will be banned, along with street vending and soliciting. Temporary barriers will be set up around the statue of Hachiko, the loyal dog that draws large crowds, to keep the site from being used as a meeting point.
The commercial district in front of Shibuya Station is one of Tokyo's signature tourist and shopping areas, and the scramble crossing outside the station is considered the neighborhood's defining landmark. During Halloween, the area draws not only young Japanese but also foreign tourists, making it the country's best-known Halloween destination.
But the sheer size of the crowds has made order difficult to maintain year after year. Drinking in the street, rowdy behavior, litter and noise have added to the burden on local residents and merchants. Safety incidents, including people running into traffic lanes, have also been a recurring problem.
When the Oct. 29 Itaewon crowd crush occurred in Seoul in 2022, concern grew in Japan as well over Halloween crowds and safety management in Shibuya. Shibuya Ward and Shinjuku Ward, another popular Halloween spot, subsequently adopted ordinances restricting late-night street drinking and alcohol sales during certain hours.
This year, the ward will also close electric scooter rental stations around the commercial district during the Halloween period to prevent accidents. Under the existing ordinance, street drinking is banned from 5 p.m. to 5 a.m. the following day during the Halloween period, and the ward plans to ask nearby shops not to sell alcohol.
The ward is also expanding outreach aimed at foreign visitors. It has produced an animated video urging people not to drink in the street or obstruct pedestrian traffic and is distributing it online.
Halloween falls on a Saturday this year. The ward plans to strengthen its on-site response given the possibility that the weekend timing will draw larger crowds than usual.
"Drinking in the street, smoking, littering, making noise and blocking pedestrian traffic are not what Halloween is supposed to be about," Hasebe said, asking people to enjoy the event with good manners in other areas or at other venues.
