No tricks: Japan steps up police patrols, tightens alcohol limits for Halloween

With Halloween approaching, Japanese municipalities are stepping up measures against disruptive celebrations in major entertainment districts as larger crowds are expected this year, with the event falling on a Saturday.

Halloween is not a traditional festivity in Japan, but has evolved into a major urban event in recent years, particularly in Tokyo’s Shibuya district, where revellers in costumes gather for street celebrations.

The festivities have increasingly become associated with public disorder, with party-goers drinking on the streets, littering and causing disturbances. Concerns intensified after crowds overturned a small truck in Shibuya during Halloween celebrations in 2018.

Shibuya, which has introduced restrictions on street drinking and imposed a 2,000 yen (US$13) fine for littering, also plans to deploy additional patrols. Elsewhere, Tokyo’s Shinjuku district as well as Nagoya and Fukuoka are also tightening restrictions such as on alcohol consumption or access to crowded areas.

The peak crowd around Shibuya Centre-Gai, a popular shopping area near Shibuya Station and one of the main gathering spots for revellers, on Halloween fell from about 20,000 in 2024 to about 4,500 in 2025, partly also due to rain.

“I hope Shibuya’s Halloween fever is gradually dying down. This year is an important turning point,” Shibuya Mayor Ken Hasebe said.

Nagoya has blocked access to parts of a downtown commercial complex at night since 2021 after fights and thefts were reported there during Halloween celebrations. The city plans to implement similar measures this year.

“I understand the desire to celebrate, but I want people to refrain from gathering in one place and causing a commotion,” Nagoya Mayor Ichiro Hirosawa said at a news conference last week.

Meanwhile, Fukuoka has restricted entry to Kego Park in the city’s Tenjin entertainment district after 5pm since Tuesday.