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Shibuya Halloween: Between Festivity and Safety

At this time of year, Halloween usually brings to mind the charming sight of children dressed in costumes, going door to door and collecting candy from neighbors—a scene familiar across the U.S. and Europe. In Japan, however, things are a bit different. Halloween here has occasionally turned into a social issue, and today, October 31st, Tokyo’s Shibuya district is on high alert.

Halloween in Japan: A Relatively New Tradition

Halloween only started gaining widespread recognition in Japan in the late 1990s and early 2000s. It was first introduced through events at Tokyo Disneyland and shopping centers, mainly as a costume party for children. From my own experience, it wasn’t very well known around 20 years ago.

These days, as the season approaches, streets are decorated with familiar pumpkins, ghost plushies, and Halloween-themed colors. The imagery is firmly established in popular knowledge.

But in the 2010s, Halloween in Japan began to take on a new character. Young people and adults joined in, turning the event into a city-wide spectacle. What began as a children’s celebration gradually became an adult night party. Looking back, it’s kind of amusing—but it also revealed public safety and etiquette issues.

The Shibuya Phenomenon

Shibuya has become the symbolic heart of Halloween in Japan. Famous spots like the scramble crossing and Center-gai street, already staples for Tokyo tourists, have become gathering points for costumed crowds. Social media helped fuel this urban-style Halloween, where adults often outnumber children, staying out late into the night.

In recent years, public drinking and smoking, loud noise, and occasional scuffles have become common, prompting complaints from residents and shop owners. Hearing “Shibuya Halloween” now makes many locals wince. People can’t help but think, “Wasn’t this supposed to be a cute, kid-friendly event?”



In response, Shibuya Ward has been actively promoting a “No Nuisance Halloween” campaign. Photos taken about a week before Halloween show signs everywhere, saying things like “No drinking on the streets” or “Please avoid disruptive behavior.” Notices appear in multiple languages, including English, Chinese, and Korean. It’s a scene that makes you pause and wonder how it came to this.

On the day itself, police and security personnel are deployed in large numbers around Shibuya Station. Traffic restrictions are in place, and even the famous Hachiko statue is temporarily fenced off for protection. Interestingly, a few years ago, officers standing on high platforms, calling for self-restraint in playful ways, became a local sensation known as “DJ Police.”

This Year’s Halloween: A Rainy Twist

This year, however, things took an unexpected turn: heavy rain. Despite thorough security measures, the usual crowds stayed away. Most people hurried home to avoid getting soaked. A few costumed visitors did venture out, but the night passed quietly without incidents. While many were relieved, some admitted they felt a little anticlimactic. Television crews had even set up live cameras, hoping to capture the usual chaos—but the rain had other plans.

Exploring an Urban Halloween

Japan has a history of taking foreign celebrations like Christmas and Valentine’s Day and turning them into uniquely Japanese cultural events. Halloween here is still relatively new, and the country is still figuring out the best way to enjoy it. This year’s unexpectedly quiet Shibuya Halloween shows that the event can be celebrated in a safer environment. At the same time, it raises curiosity and excitement about how Halloween will settle into Japan’s urban culture as a uniquely Japanese version of the holiday.


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