A ban on alcohol came into force around Tokyo‘s tourist hotspot Shibuya on Friday in an attempt to prevent wild Halloween gatherings a year after a deadly tragedy in South Korea.
About 160 people were crushed to death in a narrow alleyway in Seoul on October 29, 2022, after tens of thousands of people rushed into the Itaewon neighborhood for holiday festivities.
In Tokyo, tens of thousands of people, Japanese and foreign alike, have gathered in the narrow streets around Shibuya in past years, many dressed up in Instagram-ready zombie costumes.
The crowds have slowed down emergency services trying to reach people in need.
The district’s mayor Ken Hasebe said this month, “We’re extremely concerned accidents similar to the fatal case in Itaewon in Seoul last October could happen anytime.”
A video released by authorities, ahead of this weekend, in Japanese and English focused also on the annoyances caused to locals such as vandalism, litter, and noise.
The video message said, “This Halloween night everyone should stay away from Shibuya. Some people live in Shibuya.”
“Violence. Drinking on the street. Smoking on the street. Traffic violation. You can’t choose how your actions will affect others.”
Billboards have been put up and a prominent statue of Hachiko the loyal dog that is a famous meeting place outside Shibuya Station was also set to be covered up with a temporary enclosure.
