A Tokyo district cracks down on Halloween
Japan’s ageing society is limiting youthful pleasures
SHIBUYA, A DISTRICT in Tokyo known for its zesty pop culture, is a place to find strange clothes and youthful frolics most days. Yet on Halloween the capital’s top tourist attraction traditionally takes it up a gear. For years crowds of partygoers in fancy dress have filled Shibuya’s neon-lit streets and celebrated Scramble Crossing. In 2019 around 40,000 flocked to the district on Halloween. But this October 31st the mood was much less joyous. The killjoys of Shibuya’s local government had banned Halloween festivities in the ward.
Explore more
This article appeared in the Asia section of the print edition under the headline “Dog days for Halloween”
From the November 4th 2023 edition
Discover stories from this section and more in the list of contents
Explore the editionMore from Asia
By resisting arrest, South Korea’s president challenges democracy
His attempt to impose martial law failed. But Yoon Suk Yeol is still causing trouble
How 1.4bn Indians are adapting to climate change
As heat, floods and drought get worse, people are getting creative
Economic bright spots are getting harder to find in Thailand
Falling car production is a sign of a deeper malaise
Another accidental aircraft shootdown is a matter of when, not if
The spread of conflict in Asia threatens the safety of air travellers
Why you’re not on holiday in India right now
A fabulous destination for foreign tourists does little to lure them
Singapore’s government is determined to keep hawker centres alive
Why is the city-state’s bare-bones government running a bureaucracy of stir-fries?