Tokyo’s Shibuya Ward has officially announced its security roadmap and safety strategy for the upcoming 2026 Halloween season. Following last year’s stern pushback against “nuisance Halloween,” local authorities are shifting their focus toward fostering responsible celebrations under a fresh banner.
At a press conference on September 30, Shibuya City mayor Ken Hasebe laid out the ward’s official stance for October 30 and 31. This year, the district is focusing on steering visitors toward controlled indoor events, designated venues and local businesses.
Here is everything you need to know if you plan to visit Shibuya this Halloween.
The ‘Goodbye Bad Halloween’ Campaign
This year, Shibuya City has launched its newly minted slogan: “Goodbye Bad Halloween.”
Mayor Hasebe emphasized that troublesome behavior is fundamentally at odds with the spirit of the holiday. “We chose this slogan to send a message that it is time to put an end to troublesome Halloween behavior,” he said during the press conference. “We hope people will enjoy Halloween while observing good manners at events and facilities in the area.”
To back the campaign, Shibuya Ward has allocated approximately ¥58 million for station-area safety measures, ¥2 million for litter management and ¥14 million for public awareness banners and signage.
Multilingual public service announcements in Japanese, English, Chinese and Korean will blanket the station perimeter. Additionally, Future Design Shibuya will run street cleanups and civic initiatives under the Shibuya Good Manners Project, alongside interactive digital awareness content hosted on Roblox (yes, the online gaming platform).
New Regulations to Watch Out For
While several baseline rules are recycled from last year, Shibuya has introduced new protocols for Halloween 2026:
- 24/7 littering penalties: Building on the ward’s newly introduced littering penalty system implemented in June, dedicated patrol teams will conduct round-the-clock monitoring throughout the Halloween period. To handle excess waste, three designated garbage stations will be erected across key zones.
- Expanded obstruction rules (photo-taking): For the first time, city officials are explicitly targeting obstructive photo-taking. Stopping to pose in mid-crosswalk, blocking narrow alleys or setting up equipment that disrupts pedestrian flow are all prohibited; any attempt to do so will be actively broken up by security personnel.
- Temporary public smoking area closures: To prevent secondary crowding and littering, all three major public smoking facilities around Shibuya station will be completely shut down from the morning of October 30 through the morning of November 1.
- Hachiko enclosure: The iconic Hachiko statue will be completely enclosed in a temporary barrier from October 30 to November 1 to prevent crowd congestion. Security presence will peak with roughly 60 private guards deployed on the night of October 30, scaling up to 125 guards on October 31 across 10 strategic locations. They will be joined by 70 public awareness staff members.
- Mobility & alcohol sales restrictions: Traffic diversions will be in effect around Shibuya station from the evening of October 30 until early morning on November 1. E-scooter operators will temporarily deactivate ports near the station, while 62 nearby alcohol retailers have been formally asked to halt alcohol sales on the night of October 31.
Why Shibuya Is Cracking Down on Halloween
The ward’s strict measures are the result of years of escalation. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, peak Halloween crowds in Center-Gai topped 40,000 people, leading to severe overcrowding, vandalism, property damage and widespread littering.
While crowd numbers fell to approximately 18,000 in recent years, local residents and business owners continue to face disruption during the end-of-month festivities. Rather than attempting an outright ban on the holiday itself, Shibuya’s administration aims to decouple Halloween from street chaos.
By strictly enforcing the permanent year-round street drinking ban (in place every night from 6 p.m. to 5 a.m.) alongside temporary crowd controls, the city hopes to redirect the energy of Halloween into private venues and official events, while ensuring Shibuya’s public streets remain safe and accessible for everyone.
