JAPAN TODAY



 

Last month, administrators announced that Tokyo’s Shibuya Ward would not be holding any New Year’s Eve countdown events this year.

It’s part of a continuing effort to eliminate the drunken, rowdy, ill-mannered crowds that used to congregate in the area around Shibuya Station for Halloween and New Year’s, turning much of the neighborhood into a de-facto street party and resulting in damaged property, injuries, and unsightly amounts of litter.

But though we already knew the neighborhood wasn’t going to have anything extra going on for New Year’s Eve, an update now shows that Shibuya Ward is going to be less welcoming on New Year’s Eve than an average night.

Not only will there be no special events (and the year-round Shibuya public drinking ban still in place), the statue of faithful dog Hachiko, the most famous landmark and meeting place in the district, will be covered up and sealed off on New Year’s Eve, just as it was on Halloween.

▼ Hachiko’s Halloween covering

 

Also mirroring this year’s Halloween protocols, barricades and pedestrian traffic flow-restricting partitions will be put up in the area around Shibuya Station for New Year’s.

Regarding the decision, Shibuya Ward Mayor Ken Hasabe said: “We are collaborating with numerous public institutions in order to strengthen security around Shibuya Station on New Year’s Eve and to prevent accidents and injuries.

Doing so is difficult with large crowds, so we ask for everyone’s understanding and cooperation in preventing overcrowding.”

The Hachiko covering and other barriers are scheduled to go up at 6 p.m. on December 31, and are currently projected to be in place until 1 a.m. the following morning, so if you want a snap a photo with Hachiko, you’ll need to plan your visit for another time.