I saw today that Shibuya decided to ban public drinking year-round, which goes against Japan’s general acceptance of it. In Japan, people drink alcohol outside convenience stores, in parks, and sometimes even on the train. But drinking during Halloween in Shibuya supposedly has become a “problem.”
For some reason, Shibuya doesn’t like Halloween and actively tries to discourage . They rent ad space to post warnings telling people not to come to Shibuya for Halloween.
However, this is a little weird given Japan’s numerous local festivals that occur annually in cities around the country. Streets are often closed off for yatai (small shops), the procession of mikoshi (portable shrines), and yeah, drinking.
These festivals are absolutely noisy and lively, but everyone likes them! Even if the streets are closed off, they’re like… a thing! Everyone just accepts it.
Yet Halloween is treated differently, despite becoming its own tradition here. And I just wonder why Shibuya sees it as a problem. (I should also note that Shinjuku is now also banning public drinking around Halloween, but not year-round like Shibuya.)
Shibuya and Shinjuku think street drinking makes an unsafe environment. However, if this were a Japanese festival, the streets would be closed, trash cans provided, and the area contained to ensure everyone’s safety and enjoyment.
So, just do that?? It’s just one night. The streets can be closed for one day, even the busiest intersection on the planet can cope with being closed for just one night.
Besides, attempts to suppress it only intensifies the desire to do it. Ads discouraging Halloween parties are treated like invitations. So just embrace it as a regular festival. Treat it as an opportunity. Figure out how to make it work instead of expending effort trying to make it not work. I’d bet they spend more money, more time, and more effort trying to shut it down than they would if they just tried to make it nice for everyone.
The problem is not public drinking. The problem is not the trash a party creates. The problem is not people in the streets blocking traffic.
The only problem is not trying to make it work.

Side note: You can buy this Shibuya t-shirt I designed! Available in fun yellow and less-fun gray.

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