In a bid to thwart the more rambunctious revelers who gather in Shibuya Crossing on Halloween night, the green train car and information center in front Shibuya Station has been dressed up to look like Sanrio's popular character Pom Pom Purin.
The move was taken because the information center, dubbed Aogaeru (the green frog), has recently become a target for graffiti and other vandalism on the fun-fueled night, said Kyoko Hori, spokeswoman for the Shibuya City Tourism Association.
According to Hori, officials are betting that dressing the car up to look like the golden retriever character, celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, will give it enough of a cute factor to offer some protection.