By Fatma Younis
Japanese cities are imposing stricter controls on Halloween celebrations this year as officials brace for larger-than-usual crowds with the festival falling on a Saturday. Authorities in Tokyo’s Shibuya district have launched a “Goodbye Bad Halloween” campaign urging revellers to avoid public drinking, littering and blocking the famous scramble crossing for costume photos.
Shibuya introduces fines and drinking ban
Shibuya mayor Ken Hasebe said the district has deployed additional patrols and imposed a 2,000-yen fine for littering. Public drinking near Shibuya Station has been banned between 6 p.m. and 5 a.m. since 2024, a measure the mayor says has already reduced offences. Billboards carrying the “Goodbye Bad Halloween” message have appeared across the area.
Other districts follow suit
Tokyo’s Shinjuku ward, Nagoya and Fukuoka are also tightening restrictions on alcohol consumption and access to busy public spaces. Nagoya has restricted nighttime entry to parts of a downtown commercial complex since 2021 after reports of fights and thefts, and plans similar measures this year. Mayor Ichiro Hirosawa urged people to refrain from gathering in one place and causing a commotion. In Fukuoka, authorities began limiting access to Kego Park in the Tenjin entertainment district after 5 p.m. on Tuesday.
Safety concerns after past incidents
The crackdown follows a 2018 incident in which revellers overturned a small truck in Shibuya and the deadly 2022 crowd crush in Seoul that killed 159 people. Shibuya officials have also asked more than 60 local shops to stop selling alcohol in the area this weekend. Although Halloween is not a traditional Japanese festival, it has grown into a major urban gathering, drawing hundreds of thousands to Shibuya’s streets in costume.
