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July 05, 2026
 

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SHIBUYA

Shibuya's local government has mounted a campaign to dissuade revelers from visiting the neighborhood for Halloween celebrations and has banned drinking in the streets.
COMMENTARY / Japan
Oct 30, 2023
Shibuya wants to cancel Halloween. That’s a mistake.
This year, Shibuya isn’t dressing up for Halloween. The neighborhood is turning revelers away, ignoring its role as a youth culture hub.
People visit Tokyo’s Shibuya Ward on Saturday, including a handful of costumed revelers gathering in the trendy area to celebrate the weekend before Halloween.
JAPAN / Society
Oct 29, 2023
Security tight for Halloween in Shibuya as costumed crowds fail to show
Measures to deter costumed revelers from gathering in the trendy area — including a ban on street drinking — appeared to be relatively effective.
A banner at the entrance to Shibuya’s Center Street makes it clear this is no place for a party.
PODCAST / deep dive
Oct 26, 2023
The specter of Itaewon has Shibuya spooked
One year on, Elizabeth Beattie joins us to discuss where Itaewon stands after its Halloween disaster, and what its legacy means for celebrations in Japan.
Shibuya Mayor Ken Hasebe speaks during an interview at his office on Oct. 19.
JAPAN / Society
Oct 26, 2023
Can Shibuya’s mayor turn his ward into a global icon?
For Mayor Ken Hasebe, reining in Halloween revelers is just one step on the way to transforming Shibuya.
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
Oct 8, 2023
Two seriously hurt in accident near Tokyo’s Shibuya crossing
Local media reports said Sunday that one of the men hit in the incident had suffered a fractured pelvis and another a fractured skull.
Police officers work to control a crowd gathering to celebrate Halloween in the Shibuya district of Tokyo on Oct. 31, 2022.
JAPAN / Society
Oct 5, 2023
Shibuya mayor vows to keep things civil as Halloween nears
The mayor made headlines last month when he told would-be partiers to stay away from the Tokyo ward this year for the occasion, citing safety concerns.
JAPAN / Society
Sep 12, 2023
Shibuya’s mayor has a message for Halloween revelers: Don’t come
Shibuya’s scramble crossing has become the go-to spot for younger generations, but past incidents have fueled concern among officials.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / TOKYO FOOD FILE
Apr 2, 2023
Shizen: Firewood, ferments and finesse in backstreet Shibuya
Chef Yu Kunisue’s dual passions of wood-fired cooking and fermented exploration come to delightful fruition.
JAPAN
Dec 2, 2022
Samurai spirit: Japan explodes with World Cup joy
Dressed in their team’s blue jersey, the revelers mingled with commuters in suits on their way to work.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Oct 30, 2022
Celebrations relatively restrained as Halloween returns to Tokyo
After waves of COVID-19 and memories of a costumed assailant last year, Shibuya’s Halloween partygoers were met with alcohol bans and more security.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
Oct 29, 2022
Tokyo’s Shibuya Ward boosts police patrols ahead of Halloween
Police are being extra vigilant this year after a man who wore a Joker costume attacked 17 people with a knife on a Tokyo train on Halloween last year.
Japan Times
JAPAN / FOCUS
Oct 8, 2022
More robots, less cash and new Shibuya await tourists back to Japan
Japan is opening up again after closing its borders due to the COVID-19 pandemic for almost three years — and boy have things changed. Here’s a quick rundown of what to expect.
Japan Times
LIFE / Style & Design
Oct 31, 2021
Lifting the lid on Shibuya’s designer toilets
The Tokyo Toilet Project has received considerable media coverage for its upscale public facilities. But how do these stylish porcelain thrones actually stack up?
JAPAN / Media / Japan Pulse
Oct 29, 2021
Shibuya could be the ideal first stop in a new virtual world
Shibuya Ward is once again putting on a virtual Halloween. However, the municipality’s experiments in the digital sphere could lead to something more interesting than ghosts and pumpkins.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Aug 27, 2021
Shibuya youth vaccine site overwhelmed on opening day
With Tokyo officials underestimating demand for shots, all the available slots were filled hours before registration was supposed to begin.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / TOKYO FOOD FILE
May 1, 2021
This laid-back tea specialist has flown under Tokyo’s radar — until now
The latest state of emergency in the capital means it’s more important than ever to stay safe, which means outdoor dining. Cue the calm, secluded Sakuu.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Mar 19, 2021
Japanese businesses face a future Olympics without overseas visitors
In the years leading up to the games, developers have poured hundreds of billions of yen into shopping and dining complexes to serve an influx of overseas visitors.
LIFE / Lifestyle
Dec 5, 2020
Spaces for living: How Tokyo’s urban landscape deals with change
Exploring the city’s constant flux — and the cost to its heritage.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Art
Nov 14, 2020
Art or vandalism? Japan tries to find the right balance with street graffiti.
Tokyo looks to find the right balance between encouraging creative expression and protecting buildings from vandalism.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Nov 1, 2020
Photo essay: This is Halloween ... in Tokyo 2020
Despite officials’ pleas to stay home, crowds of revelers — with and without masks — converge for a costume street party in Shibuya.
‘My dream is broken’: Japan visa rules push out foreign residents
A man orders from a kebab shop in the Okubo district in Tokyo.
Japan plans to sharply raise fees for residence permits from October
Foreign tourists walk on the path leading to the Kiyomizu Temple in Kyoto in May.
Japan’s princesses face life-altering legal revisions
Princess Aiko, the daughter of Emperor Naruhito, said in a 2022 news conference upon coming of age that she hopes to “spend a long time together” with her parents.
Japanese police arrest nine over Sierra Leone-based special fraud
Japanese police have arrested nine individuals for their alleged involvement in a special fraud case using Sierra Leone as a base.
Japanese-language education is at a turning point
The country is gradually transforming Japanese-language education from a volunteer-driven system into a professional, government-supported network to better serve its growing foreign population. 
Iran war exposed, but hasn’t changed, Japan’s reliance on imported oil
Wind turbines generate energy from strong easterly winds on the Shonai Plain in Yamagata Prefecture. Despite the oil crisis caused by conflict near the Strait of Hormuz, and concerns instability in the region could continue to impact supply and the price of imports, the administration of Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi does not seem to be drawing on the war as a pretext to hasten progress toward Japan's renewable goals.
Six of the best: rikishi of note in each sumo division
Kazuma (right) faces off against future <i>yokozuna</i> Onosato during the All Japan Amateur Sumo Championships at the Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo in December 2020.
Some startups see opportunity in an aging Japan
Yasmin Baba, CTO of Amilis, wins the Grand Prize at the Pitch2Tokyo Grand Final on Feb. 19.
Japan’s fertility system offers few safe paths for same-sex couples
A Tokyo Pride parade participant holds a sign that says "we want to be a married couple, not a couple."
Life inside Japan’s largest prison for women
Western-style rooms spanning the size of four tatami mats with hardwood floors, a toilet and soft mattresses on bed frames are designated for foreign nationals and those with health conditions at Tochigi Prison.

Podcast

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