Municipal governments of Tokyo's central wards are taking a variety of measures to encourage foreign visitors to keep the yen flowing after the sun sets.

The Tokyo metropolitan government is the largest promoter of the “nighttime economy” for the sake of revitalizing business. 

In February 2024, the metropolitan government invested 1.65 billion yen ($11.2 million) to use the facade of its own building in the west Shinjuku business district for a nightly projection mapping show, complete with ads. 

According to the metropolitan government, a total of 520,000 people came to see the show in the first year since the show's launch. Guinness World Records also recognized it as the world's largest permanent projection mapping display on a building.

In fiscal 2024, the metropolitan government unveiled a new program to subsidize up to 30 million yen for events such as night markets with local restaurants, Bon odori dance festivals and yoga events.

Plans were made to target 12 events in Tokyo, and 558 million yen was also included in the proposed budget for fiscal 2025.

Some criticized these allocations as a waste of taxpayer money.

However, Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike spoke of the significance of promoting the nighttime economy, saying, “How to enhance the nighttime hours is very important because it will lead to higher tourist satisfaction and increased consumption.”

Some wards are also following suit.

In 2023, Shinagawa Ward launched the Shinagawa Cruise sightseeing program with houseboats and sightseeing boats; it is facilitated in cooperation with Tokyo Sea Trip, a general incorporated association.

In the winter of 2023, the cruise offered a route featuring the Megurogawa river illumination and Rainbow Bridge after nightfall.

A ward official said, “There is still potential demand, including nighttime tourism possibilities."

Minato Ward has also been subsidizing events held after sunset since fiscal 2022.

The proposed budget for the new fiscal year included 6.1 million yen.

The ward has some of Tokyo's most famous tourist spots, such as Roppongi and Tokyo Tower.

However, the ward office has provided subsidies to summer festivals and other events held in office districts where there are fewer people at night.

A ward official said the office hopes the program will lead to a circular flow of people during the night in the ward.

NO SATISFACTION WITH TOKYO NIGHTLIFE

Compared to other major cities in the world, Tokyo's nighttime economy efforts are weak.

The Mori Memorial Foundation’s Institute for Urban Strategies, a think tank, has placed Tokyo in third since 2016, behind London and New York, in its overall ranking of the world’s cities.

However, in 2023, Tokyo ranked 30th in terms of nightlife satisfaction.

Hiroo Ichikawa, professor emeritus of urban policy at Meiji University, said, “Tokyo is not fully utilizing its nighttime potential. It is necessary to create a system and rules that will allow each districts in Tokyo to cooperate with each other.”

London, which ranked first in the “nightlife satisfaction” ranking, operates its subway system 24 hours on weekends.

In addition, subsidies are being offered to areas that promote nighttime attractions, with the aim of, among other things, raising workers' wages.

In light of this situation, the metropolitan government began full-fledged measures to increase the attractiveness of Tokyo's nightlife districts as the number of foreign visitors to Japan increases.

In 2024, the metropolitan government established a nighttime tourism subcommittee and began discussions with outside experts.

The results appear to be starting to bear fruit.

In 2024, Tokyo's “nightlife satisfaction” ranking rose to eighth place.

A metropolitan government official said, “We believe that the measures we have taken so far have had a certain effect.”

However, it is clear not all nighttime activities are welcome.

In 2024, Shinjuku Ward enacted an ordinance prohibiting alcohol consumption on the streets of its downtown area on Halloween.

Shibuya Ward, too, revised its ordinance in response to increased littering and obstruction of traffic around JR Shibuya Station, and public drinking is now banned year-round.

Officials of both wards are concerned about preventing the deterioration of public safety at night.

Some members of the metropolitan government’s subcommittee have expressed concern that these business opportunities will occur in "places and during times when residents rest and relax, and this will increase the risk of problems.”

A metropolitan government official said, “We hope that the nighttime economy will spread across the entire metropolitan area, rather than concentrating the number of visitors in a single area.”

(This article was written by Kaho Matsuda, Eriko Noda and Eiichiro Nakamura.)