The operator of a restaurant in Shibuya s Nonbei Yokocho (Drinkers’ alley) area closes her business at 8 p.m. on Jan. 8. (Nobuo Fujiwara)
Across the greater Tokyo metropolitan area, bars and restaurants took decidedly different approaches to closing early to comply with the government s latest state of emergency to fight the novel coronavirus pandemic.
Friday night, traditionally a time for Tokyoites to let their hair down at the end of a busy work week, was the epitome of quiet in the capital s bustling Shibuya district, which normally comes alive from 8 p.m. or so.
On Jan. 8, most bars and restaurants were shutting up by 8 p.m. to ensure compliance, triggering a mass exodus from Shibuya Station as people headed home early instead of the traditional mad crush around midnight for last trains.