A clean-up campaign ceremony was held on April 28th at SHIBUYA MARKCITY Event Square, coinciding with the "April 28th Shibuya Ward-wide Clean-up Day" designated by Shibuya Ward. Shibuya Ward Mayor Ken Hasebe, Shibuya District Beautification Promotion Committee Chairman Makoto Honma, Metropolitan Police Department Shibuya Police Chief Isamu Tanaka, and singer Masayuki Suzuki, who has been appointed as an ambassador for the Shibuya Ward Tourism Association, took the stage and called for "beautification of the city."

The day was designated as "Shibuya Day," a regular event in which residents and businesses work together to clean up the area. Approximately 200 people from about 20 organizations, including companies, NPOs, shopping districts, and neighborhood associations based in Shibuya, participated, collecting cans, plastic bottles, and other items that had been discarded on the streets and in the planted areas.

Greetings from Shibuya Ward Mayor Ken Hasebe

At the ceremony, Mayor Hasebe said, "I hope that many people will participate so that we can make this city even cleaner." Referring to the revised "Ordinance for Creating a Clean Shibuya Together," which was amended in April, he said, "We will take a step further and strengthen measures against littering. Fines will be collected starting in June, but I would like you to cooperate so that fines are not incurred as much as possible." He also mentioned the mandatory installation of trash cans in convenience stores and fast food restaurants, and asked for understanding, saying, "We will review the parts that have become meaningless and establish effective rules."

He further stated, "By cleaning up the city together with many people, we hope to contribute to improving civic pride," and introduced an initiative to change the 5 PM time signal during Golden Week to the song "Shibuya de 5-ji" (5 PM in Shibuya). He appealed, "We want people to learn more about the spirit of the ordinance through this campaign."

The famous song "5 o'clock in Shibuya" is used to promote good manners.

Appearing as a special guest, Suzuki appeared in a purple jacket and sunglasses. In reference to his hit song "5 o'clock in Shibuya" from 33 years ago, he performed a live rendition of the song, changing the lyrics of "love" to "beautification," saying, "Yes, the 'beautification' starts now♪," which delighted the audience. He added humorously, "I think I'm the artist who has sung about the word Shibuya the most," and then appealed to the audience, "It's only natural to follow manners and keep the city clean when you're having fun. I want each and every one of you to have that awareness."

Singer Masayuki Suzuki, who has been appointed as an ambassador for the Shibuya Ward Tourism Association, performs a verse.

Furthermore, he touched upon his fond memories of Shibuya since his teens, recalling, "It was like a home ground for me, with band activities and live performances." He added, "Now that it has become a city where people from all over the world gather, it is important to be mindful of manners," and expressed his enthusiasm, saying, "I want to contribute to creating a beautiful city while also promoting the charm of Shibuya through music."

In response to the littering problem around train stations, Shibuya Ward has revised its ordinance. From June 1st, fines will be imposed for littering and for failing to install trash cans, and awareness campaigns will be strengthened through ward broadcasts and street announcements.

In addition, the 5 PM chime played on the disaster prevention radio throughout the ward, which normally uses songs such as "Yuyake Koyake" or "Haru no Ogawa," will use "Shibuya de 5-ji" for a limited time from May 1st to 10th. Furthermore, from April 29th, street announcements by Masayuki Suzuki will be broadcast in Shibuya Center Gai. In addition, at the Shibuya Ward Office main building, every Friday at 5 PM from May 1st to December 25th, a time signal and message in Mr. Suzuki's own voice will be broadcast inside the building, calling for "understanding and cooperation in environmental beautification."

Approximately 50 groups and 200 people participated in a simultaneous cleanup of the area around Shibuya Station.

On the same day, approximately 50 organizations and 200 people, including companies such as Tokyu and Meiji Yasuda, commercial facilities such as Don Quijote, and the Shibuya Station Area Management, participated in a cleanup activity around Shibuya Station, armed with tongs and garbage bags.

Left: Participating groups carefully picking up trash in the city. Right: A trash collection station set up in Hachiko Square.

Separate collection of combustible waste, plastic bottles, empty cans, etc.

At the garbage collection point set up in the Hachiko Square of JR Shibuya Station, collected garbage piled up one after another, and the back of the collection truck was quickly filled with garbage bags.

Large pieces of garbage illegally dumped in the city

The collected waste included not only empty cans, plastic bottles, vinyl umbrellas, and cigarette butts, but also larger items such as small electrical appliances, frying pans, and bicycle wheels.

In Shibuya, and indeed anywhere large crowds gather, the issues of toilets and waste are unavoidable. How smartly these problems are solved may be one indicator of a city's maturity.

With Golden Week approaching and a large influx of visitors expected, the government and private sector will work together to improve Shibuya's litter problem and raise awareness of proper etiquette, ultimately contributing to the realization of a sustainable urban environment.

Interviews and writing

Editorial Department: Takashi Fujii

Shibuya registrar. In addition to Shibuya of Culture information, seasonal news and topics, it will spell write that feel every day.