Halloween revelers gather in the Shibuya area of Tokyo on Oct. 31 while police officers try to maintain order. (Video footage by Nobuo Fujiwara)
Pouring rain and a heavy police presence could not scare away Halloween revelers at two popular Tokyo entertainment areas on Oct. 31.
Halloween this year fell on a Friday, which likely led to a larger number of costumed young people congregating in Shibuya and Shinjuku.
Many held up umbrellas at around 6:30 p.m., about 90 minutes after sundown, in Shibuya’s scramble crossing.
Local officials covered the statue of faithful dog Hachiko, one of the most popular meeting spots in Tokyo, on Oct. 30 to prevent visitors from loitering in the area.
Banners displayed on lamp posts announced bans on troublesome Halloween antics.
The Shibuya Ward government called on visitors not to drink, smoke or litter on the streets. The ward also asked liquor shops in Shibuya Center Gai, a popular shopping street, to refrain from selling alcohol.
The area around Shibuya Station was closed to vehicle traffic, and police cars directed pedestrians on the crossing.
In past Halloweens, rowdy revelers in Shibuya overturned a mini-truck, littered the streets and got into fights.
But a police source said the number of such incidents has decreased in recent years, especially with the announcements made by the Shibuya Ward government.
A 48-year-old American who gave his name as Steve was dressed in a cape and walking in Shinjuku’s Kabukicho area. He said while the entertainment district drew a Halloween crowd, it was not as congested as Shibuya.
(This article was written by Isamu Nikaido and Kaho Matsuda.)
AloJapan.com