Where else should you go to celebrate this crazy event? In recent years, this strange unorganized gathering during the 31st of October has taken a short hiatus because of the covid-19 pandemic. This year, with the opening of the Japan borders and many people who can’t wait to go out and party again, has pushed to jump start this odd tradition.
Known to many but maybe not to some, this Halloween Street Party in Shibuya isn’t really an official thing where you have marketing ads backed up by official sponsors. It somehow happened with a bunch of cosplayers which eventually skyrocketed to an annual thing where strangers gather and walk around, admiring each other’s costumes and get in a crazy mood. I did hear from my friend that the quality of costumes years ago was really top tier, like something you could see in comic conventions. Nowadays, with the commercialization of Halloween, you can now buy cheap costumes in your nearby Don Quijote or wherever and people can easily cosplay and join in the fun.
When you do go on your first Halloween street party experience, don’t be surprised at the number of the police force trying to manage the crowd. I admit, the vibe does come off as apocalyptic. Its just that the Shibuya crossing and other streets in the area are not closed down so you do have cars and buses driving by. So to avoid any traffic accidents, the police heightened the security to protect everyone. It was also hard for me to keep up with my friends when we were making our way through the mass of people. Many of them held their phones or cameras up high, taking videos, live streaming and recording every bit of what was happening. I am grateful that the city police are doing everything they can so that the streets are not clogging up.
Taking a walk and diving deeper in the narrow streets of Shibuya during Halloween can be very entertaining as everyone seems to be in a party mood. You’ll notice immediately that most people are wearing costumes and if you want to immerse yourself and join the party, you probably should do the same too. The Halloween culture in Japan morphed into something of an escape from society. A night where you can become someone else, to be free and let loose as you create a different persona. In a night like this where anything can happen, you can either have the time of your life or maybe not, if you’re not careful.
Recently, the local government has now restricted the bars and restaurants from serving alcohol or drinking in public spaces during that time. Although people normally follow and respect the rules, it doesn’t really stop other problematic people from buying canned beers in convenience stores or being stubborn about it. Just be careful in areas as it gets a bit crazy when that kind of crowd becomes too drunk. Other irresponsible party goers also leave their trash behind which creates a huge problem for the community. There are cleanup activities where you can volunteer and help clear the trash the next day.
Halloween celebration in Shibuya is a fun, chaotic street party which is not really for the faint of heart. You might have to squeeze yourself to get in and out of the crowds, meet random strangers in costumes and you should brace yourself for loud noises from the police crowd control, attention seeker motorbikes and party music.
It would be an awesome thing to experience with your friends but do try to tread the area at your own risk. Don’t forget to follow the rules and be responsible with your own trash.