Japan’s impressive 4-0 victory against Tunisia, which guaranteed the team’s first triumph in the international tournament hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, generated great euphoria among fans. In Tokyo, the Japanese capital, one of the epicenters of the celebration was the iconic Shibuya crossing, world famous and the scene of demonstrations that reflect the typical behavior of Japanese citizens.
This five-way meeting point, located in front of one of the busiest metro stations in the metropolis with almost 14 million inhabitants, has already become a traditional place for fans. It is the second time in this edition of the World Cup that fans have gathered there to celebrate achievements by coach Hajime Moriyasu’s team, including the draw in the opening round.
The party, organized and under the supervision of security agents, allowed those present to occupy the pedestrian crossings only during the red light for vehicles. In addition, police officers used yellow ribbons to delimit the space from pedestrians, ensuring that the celebration took place in an orderly manner, a hallmark of Japanese culture.
On ordinary days, the intersection is crossed by around 1,000 to 2,500 people every two minutes during peak hours, according to estimates linked to Japanese tourism. The place is globally known as “Shibuya Scramble Crossing”, a name that alludes to the “mixing” or “shuffling” movement of people that occurs with each traffic light.
The Japanese sense of organization and respect is also evident in the World Cup stadiums. In both the opening game against the Netherlands and the victory over Tunisia, fans remained in the stands after the final whistle to collect rubbish, a cleaning tradition that is also followed by the players themselves in their dressing rooms.
In addition to the good performance in the second round, Japan’s possible opposition to the Brazilian team in the first knockout phase stirred up discussions on social media. Considering the current panorama of the World Cup, Brazil, which leads Group C, would face the second-placed team in Group F. At the moment, that position belongs to Japan, which added four points after the victory in Monterrey and continues to compete for the lead in the group with the Netherlands. The Japanese team will end its participation in the group stage next Thursday (25), facing Sweden.