Shibuya Crossing, recognized globally as the busiest and most iconic intersection, serves as a daily transit point for over 500,000 pedestrians, skateboarders, and dancers. While many regions worldwide might covet such a high-profile, must-visit destination, the residents of Tokyo’s Shibuya district are increasingly expressing reservations about the neighborhood’s status as a major tourist hub. Amid growing tensions over public behavior and overtourism, local government officials have launched a concerted effort to reshape the area’s reputation, transitioning away from its role as a festive magnet. More than 500,000 people march, walk, skateboard and dance across Shibuya Crossing every day. Many places around the world would love to have a “must visit” destination of this cachet. But Shibuya, one of the city’s most popular neighborhoods, is not so sure it wants to be one of them. Too, but adults wanted to get in on the fun. Or wards, each with its own leaders, rules and regulations, tokyo is made up of 23 smaller cities. Mount Fuji ’s hiking trails, Niseko ’s ski slopes, and Nara’s deer park all began to sag under the weight of overtourism. Cultural clashes and misunderstandings have grown more common, amid the increased number of travelers. But not everyone paid heed, the city put up signage in multiple languages asking tourists to behave themselves around the women. Including a handful of arrests, it seemed like Shibuya City’s polite requests might work to balance a love of dressing up and having fun with a respect for one’s neighbors, although there were hiccups along the way. Then, tragedy struck — as more and more revelers tried to cram into a popular alleyway, it became a pressure point.
The transformation of the district’s Halloween identity began in the early 2010s, initially attracting young families who enjoyed dressing their children in costumes. By 2017, the neighborhood actively promoted “ShibuHallo” as an organized community event. However, the area’s central location and extensive hospitality infrastructure, which includes over 1,000 registered lodging facilities, facilitated an exponential rise in attendance. A decade later, many residents are attempting to reverse this trend, as the festivities have evolved from a neighborhood gathering into a source of public disorder, including noise complaints, littering, property damage, and public urination. Shibuya’s central location and popularity with foreigners — it has more than 1,000 registered hotels and other accommodations — meant the party got bigger every year.
This shift occurs against the backdrop of Japan’s broader struggle with post-pandemic tourism, which saw a surge to over 40 million foreign visitors in 2025, compared to approximately 8 million in 2012. Tourism surged — and hasn’t stopped, after Japan reopened post-pandemic.
Other locations, such as Kyoto’s Gion district, have similarly faced cultural friction, with locals labeling aggressive tourist behavior as “geisha paparazzi” and taking measures to protect their privacy. In Shibuya, the threat of crowd control issues became a top priority for Mayor Ken Hasebe following the 2022 Itaewon tragedy in Seoul, where 154 people died in a fatal crowd crush. The incident prompted city officials to fear that a similar disaster could occur within the dense, narrow streets surrounding Shibuya Station. But on October 29, 2022, the stakes became much higher. Celebrations were in full swing in Itaewon, the hipster-filled neighborhood in Seoul, South Korea, two days before Halloween 2022. For example, visitors to Kyoto’s historic Gion neighborhood were so often seen chasing, harassing, and photographing the city’s famous geishas that locals coined the term “ geisha paparazzi. Some 100,000 people descended on the neighborhood, causing human traffic jams in the narrow streets. In all, 154 people — mostly Koreans in their 20s and 30s – died that night.
Consequently, the administration has pivoted from promoting the event to implementing deterrents. This year, the city has adopted the slogan “Goodbye Bad Halloween” to discourage public disturbances. Mayor Hasebe has publicly urged people to avoid the area during the holiday, with his estimates suggesting that 70% to 80% of the participants are international travelers. While attendance dropped from roughly 60,000 in peak years to 20,000 in 2024, the city continues to implement security measures, including fencing off the Hachiko statue and requesting that local shops restrict alcohol sales. And Halloween celebrations have become a bête noire of his administration, ken Hasebe has been the mayor of Shibuya since 2015. In 2018, Hasebe welcomed visitors to the area but urged them to enjoy Halloween without causing inconvenience to others. While about 15,000 people still showed up in 2023, it was significantly lower than the crowds of 60,000 or so in previous years. Though, it’s Halloween, a holiday associated with all things spooky and scary, that has become a real-life nightmare, in the capital. With extra security guards set to be stationed at 10 locations around Shibuya during the Halloween weekend, this year is no exception.
The impact of these measures on local businesses has been mixed. Some owners argue that the heavy presence of law enforcement, which includes numerous police vehicles, complicates daily logistics and hinders delivery operations. One anonymous izakaya owner noted that the police presence is often more visible than the costumed crowd, noting that her regulars now avoid the area entirely to sidestep the chaos. She maintains that her business has never suffered property damage from the event, though she faces significant personal difficulty navigating the crowds to reach the train station. She asked that her name not be used because she feared repercussions against her business.
Others believe the current enforcement is insufficient. Tatsuji Suzuki, chairman of the Center Gai shopping street, pointed out that while regulations exist—such as a 2,000 yen ($13) fine for littering—they lack meaningful penalties to deter bad behavior. Suzuki and fellow members of the shopping association have formed a united front to manage the area, initiating daily street cleaning and maintaining public order to ensure the commercial district remains functional. For residents like Suzuki, the ultimate objective is to return October 31 to a standard, non-eventful day on the calendar, noting that the atmosphere has become so contentious that many people now feel embarrassed to participate in costumes.
