Popular Tokyo neighborhood to ban drinking in public places

By Lilit Marcus, CNN

(CNN) — One of Tokyo’s most popular tourist neighborhoods is making a move to curb bad behavior – by taking alcohol indoors.

The measure, which is expected to take effect in October, will see drinking alcohol forbidden on streets or public places in Shibuya from 6 p.m. to 5 a.m. every day. The legal drinking age in Japan is 20.

Shibuya City, which is a self-governed district within Tokyo, can make its own local regulations.

Mayor Ken Hasebe recently told journalists: “We have been stepping up patrols and other efforts over the last year, but we have had people say, ‘Well, the rules say you can drink, don’t they?’ By establishing the rule, we would like to convey the district’s intentions, including during patrols — we would prefer people to enjoy their drinks inside restaurants.”

This news may not come as a surprise to local residents.

Last fall, Shibuya banned Halloween-related activities in the district, with alcohol cited as a main reason behind the prohibition. That included a ban on drinking alcohol outside of bars and restaurants. Mayor Hasebe says that local businesses supported the regulations in October 2023 and were behind the push to make them permanent.

“The damage caused by overtourism has become serious, resulting in property damage caused by drinking in the street, altercations with local residents, and littering of large amounts of empty cans and bottles,” the city said in a statement last October.

Shibuya is home to some of the capital’s most popular attractions, including the Meiji Shrine, Yoyogi Park and the “Shibuya scramble,” believed to be the world’s busiest intersection.

Japan has struggled to cope with overtourism since fully reopening post-pandemic. More than three million visitors visited the country in both April and May of this year, with the trend likely to continue through the summer.

Educating visitors on the local culture has been a large component of dealing with the influx of international tourists.

In the historic city of Kyoto, where it’s possible to spot geisha and their apprentices (maiko) around the ancient alleyways, locals have tried to find ways to deter foreigners from harassing the women as they make their way to and from work.

Kyoto’s official tourism office has put up posters and distributed pamphlets about different social customs in Japan, from how to use toilets to whether to tip. The advice also extends to geisha, with visitors asked not to touch the women, pull on their kimonos, or take their photos without permission.

Local Gion residents have also taken some measures themselves, such as blocking off private alleys.

Despite those measures, though, “geisha paparazzi” and other nuisance tourists still cause conflict between visitors and locals.

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CNN’s Xiaofei Xu contributed reporting.