People brave rain to visit Tokyo’s Shibuya on Halloween under crowd control
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Around 125 security personnel were deployed across 10 locations in Shibuya under the slogan “Stop troublesome Halloween” from 7pm on Oct 31.
PHOTO: UNAGITRAVEL/X
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TOKYO - A crowd of people with umbrellas filled the streets of Tokyo’s Shibuya district in the drizzling rain on Oct 31 as police directed them through microphones to avoid overcrowding during Halloween, though a softer crowd control approach was taken than in previous years.
With the goal of managing large numbers of visitors, around 125 security personnel were deployed across 10 locations in Shibuya under the slogan “Stop troublesome Halloween” from 7pm on Oct 31 to 5am on Nov 1.
The controlled areas included the popular meeting place of the Hachiko dog statue, which has been cordoned off with barriers.
Shibuya Ward’s municipal government also continued to enforce a ban on public alcohol consumption, effective daily from 6pm to 5am, in the areas surrounding JR and Keio Shibuya stations, including the district’s iconic scramble crossing.
However, the rhetoric aimed at preventing overcrowding has noticeably softened this year compared to the last two years, when the mayor of Shibuya explicitly urged people not to visit.
“We are not trying to stop Halloween,” Shibuya Mayor Ken Hasebe said in a recent press conference, adding that it is important to distinguish between a “good Halloween” and a “bad Halloween.”
Mr Draeden Griffiths, a second time visitor to Japan from Utah in the United States, came to Shibuya to celebrate Halloween dressed as the character Monkey D. Luffy from Japanese manga series One Piece.
“I heard it was the spot to be,” he said, referring to his visit to Shibuya at this time of year. As for the restrictions on public drinking, he said he thought it was a good idea.
“Personally, I think it helps – keeps it less chaotic, helps the police... not as many problems.”
Similar sentiments have been heard in Shinjuku Ward, which has been enforcing the same restrictions, banning public alcohol consumption around the Kabukicho area from 5pm on Oct 31 to 5am on Nov 1, a measure that began last year for Halloween.
Mr Nathan Grugeon and Mr Shaun Thompson, first-time visitors to Japan from Australia, said they had no issues with the public drinking ban in Shinjuku.
“We don’t plan on drinking on the street anyway,” Mr Grugeon said, adding that it was good to see security enforcing the rules.
Neither of the drinking bans carry any form of penalty.
Two visitors from Atlanta, Georgia, said the rain was not a problem, though not ideal. “As long as it doesn’t start storming, it’ll be fine,” said one of them.
Shibuya has also implemented traffic control measures from 4pm on Oct 31, restricting vehicle entry in areas around the station. In addition, all parking meters near Shibuya Station are suspended for the entire day and cannot be used. KYODO NEWS
