Shibuya Halloween 2016 Captured in Spooktacular Photographs
Halloween 2016 in Shibuya was Wow!! That is all I can say. There were a lot of people at the famous crossing that night. Talk about a “people overload experience” experience. Some looked cute and sexy, and some looked downright scary. Then there was everyone else. There were some great costumes. I even saw a few guys wearing underwear on their heads! Bizarre but true.
I didn’t even know about it. Shibuya Halloween? I’d never heard of it! Luckily, one of my students knew I liked photography. She mentioned it. It piqued my curiosity. As my Ricoh GR II compact camera was in my bag, I went. It was a good thing I had it.
I bolted to Shibuya when work finished. The train got there around 10 p.m. Once out of the station, I was shocked at the size of the crowd. I had never seen so many people. From the Hachiko Statue to Starbucks and beyond it was packed.
Considering how packed it was, it wasn’t out of control nor overly noisy. It was mainly people walking around, looking at other people looking at them. Everyone was looking at the famous Shibuya Crossing. They wanted to see how many bodies could cram onto it until the lights changed to green. Near the Hachiko statue, a few asked others to take photos together, but that was about it.
The event wasn’t wild. There was no crazy partying, which I guess is a good thing. If I had to sum it up, I’d say it was like having quiet fun in a very crowded place. But, I honestly had no idea how big Halloween 2016 would be.
In retrospect, I wish I had had my DSLR. It had the far better low-light capability. But I had to work with what I had. The photos were good enough.
One thing surprised me. I was nervous about asking strangers if I could photograph them. It was my first time. But, everyone was so friendly and accommodating. They left me feeling good.
Halloween wasn’t my thing when I was younger. But I’m glad I went that first time. I’ve definitely become more interested in it. There have been changes since then, but it is always fun. And I’m still thinking about joining in! When will I make the jump and find a good outfit? That is a mystery.
What camera did I use for Shibuya Halloween 2016?
- Ricoh GR II
Rohan Gillett
Rohan has lived in Tokyo for 30+ years. He loves photography and okonomiyaki. His camera will capture the entire city one day.
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