Rules and restrictions to know

Tokyo’s Shibuya Ward has once again announced a series of strict measures during the Halloween season, focusing on public safety and order. The borough has taken a firm stance under the banner of “Nasty Halloween”, citing ongoing issues with public decorum, street drinking and rising numbers of tourists, including foreign tourists.

Visitors planning to visit near Shibuya Station must be aware of several major restrictions this year.

Permanent night-time street drinking ban

The most important provision is a permanent year-round ban on night-time public drinking in key areas. The ban will initially only apply to Halloween, unanimously expand The District Council met on June 17, 2024, to quell unrest such as violence and vandalism that had been rising throughout the year.

The ban is now in effect from 6pm to 5am every day, including major hotspots around Shibuya Station, Scramble intersection, Center Street, near Shibuya Ward Office and Miyashita Park.

The borough now strictly enforces this year-round rule during Halloween and has asked some convenience stores near Shibuya Station not to sell alcohol.

Temporary scooter ban and crowd control

Another restriction to be aware of this year is the ban on ride-sharing services. Luup, which operates electric scooters and e-bikes, will suspend services at 15 stations near Shibuya Station. Vehicles cannot be loaned out or returned between 5 pm on October 30 and 5 am on November 1. This is to prevent vehicles from causing safety hazards when driving in crowded crowds.

To manage traffic flow, the ward deployed 125 private security guards and 90 ward staff during this period. These officers will focus on controlling crowd flow, preventing loitering and ensuring strict compliance with street drinking and smoking bans. Police will also enforce traffic controls.

Why are the rules so strict?

Shibuya Ward Takeru Hasebe emphasized that the focus is on protecting local communities. At the press conference, he explained The word ‘Ming Chung Halloween’ was chosen deliberately: “People who work and live here are troubled. We wanted to use the word ‘nuisance’ to make a clear and strong appeal to the public to convey the seriousness of the problem.”

According to Shibuya City, the number of people on the streets of Shibuya Center Street peaked at about 18,000 around 10 p.m. last year. That’s down from a peak of about 40,000 in 2019 before the COVID-19 pandemic. “We don’t assume a decline [in visitors]but these measures ensure that we can handle similar or greater numbers than last year,” Hasebe said.

Numbers increase in Tokyo in response to new restrictions Alternative Halloween Activitieslast year, Shibuya even hosted a “Virtual Halloween”despite mixed reactions. “I don’t reject Halloween itself,” Hasebe continued. “But I hope that by distinguishing good Halloween from bad Halloween, good Halloween will spread.”

Related posts