Halloween in Japan: How is it Different?
Western holidays like Christmas have become more and more popular in Japan every year, and Halloween is no exception. As soon as October starts you'll find department stores and shop windows filled with black cats, witches, and Jack-o-lanterns, to the point where you would think that Halloween in Japan is no different than any other country that celebrates the holiday.
However, the reality is that since Halloween has been adopted by Japan, the country doesn't quite celebrate it in the same way you might be used to. So to help you enjoy and make the most of Halloween in Japan, let's take a look at how it became popular in this country, some big differences between Halloween in Japan versus other countries, and how this holiday is celebrated in some uniquely Japanese ways.
How Did Halloween Become So Popular in Japan?
Halloween in Japan started gaining traction way back in the 1970s when a popular children's toy store called Kiddy Land started selling Halloween merchandise. Then in the 1980s, the company began to organize a Halloween parade for kids, and slowly more and more people in Japan became aware of Halloween.
This parade, called the Hello Halloween Pumpkin Parade, still takes place every year, and is scheduled to take place this year on October 29th. Children 12 and under, along with their parents, will dress up in costumes and parade around the Harajuku and Omotesando areas of Tokyo. You can learn more about it by clicking here.
But the biggest factors by far in making Halloween explode with popularity in Japan have to be Japan's two most popular theme parks, Tokyo Disneyland and Universal Studios Japan in Osaka. In 1997, Tokyo Disneyland began to host various Halloween events, and Universal Studios followed suit in 2002. With these two major theme parks now actively promoting Halloween, the holiday exploded in popularity in Japan, escaping the confines of theme parks and toy stores and becoming a mainstream holiday in Japan, at least in terms of how well-known it is.
Differences between Japanese and Western Halloween
Even though Halloween is mainstream now in Japan, it isn't celebrated in exactly the same way as in countries like the United States. Here are a couple of differences you should know about.
・There's (Almost) No Trick-or-Treating
The biggest and most noticeable difference about Halloween in Japan is that Trick-or-Treating, despite being a highlight of Halloween in the West, is not really practiced in Japan. Perhaps it Is because Japanese people tend to not want to inconvenience others, especially their neighbors, but this tradition never caught on in Japan. This means that generally speaking, you won't be dressing up your children to take them around town collecting candy from strangers.
However, there are often structured Halloween events that kids can participate in that may include Trick-or-Treating. Sometimes schools or neighborhoods with large international communities (especially some neighborhoods in Tokyo) will organize Halloween parties or events that include Trick-or-Treating along with other fun activities.
・Adult Costume Parties are Extremely Popular
Adults in Western countries do dress up in costumes and go to Halloween parties, but Halloween is often thought of as a holiday more for kids in the West. In Japan, where cosplay is already extremely popular, going out to large gatherings of other people in costumes is one of the most popular ways to celebrate Halloween. If you do some searching you will be able to find Halloween-themed costume parties in major cities at clubs and other places that serve alcohol. Also, many cities in Japan have big unofficial gatherings in city centers, such as Shibuya Scramble in Tokyo or Dotonbori in Osaka, where adults will dress up in costumes to party and have a good time on Halloween or the weekend before. It can be a great opportunity to see amazing costumes that people put a ton of effort into putting together, especially if you want to see lots of anime, TV, or movie characters.
But in recent years, these unofficial giant costume parties have gotten out of hand, with far too many people coming and far too much drunken and disorderly conduct. And with the tragic crowd crush in Korea in 2022 and the massive influx of tourists coming to Japan since COVID restrictions were lifted, local governments have become much more concerned about keeping citizens safe and have imposed strict rules on these events, including banning alcohol at night in the areas where people gather in costumes. Because of all of this, it may be that this Japanese Halloween tradition will become less significant in the coming years.
Special Halloween Events in Japan
As Halloween has been embraced by Japan, events unique to the country have begun to spring up. These events take Halloween and blend it with traditional Japanese beliefs, creating fun and uniquely Japanese events. Here are a couple of Halloween events that you can check out if you find yourself in Japan during this spooky season.
・Kagurazaka Bakeneko Festival
This big event in the Kagurazaka district of Shinjuku, Tokyo is truly unique. The bakeneko is a Japanese yokai (supernatural being) that takes the form of a cat. During this festival, people celebrate these spooky beings by dressing up as cats. Anyone can participate in the festival, the only prerequisite being that you must dress up as a cat. There's a parade that strolls through the town, different activities to do, and there's even a "Bakeneko Makeup Service" where professional makeup artists will paint your face to make you look even more like a cat. If you are interested in seeing a truly unique take on Halloween in Japan, or just really like cats, be sure to check out this event!
This year, the festival is taking place on October 15th. If you are interested in the makeup service, the makeup fee is 1000¥ for adults and 500¥ for children, and only 100 tickets for adult makeup services will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis.
To learn more about this festival, click here! (Japanese only).
・Okitsune Halloween
This event takes place from mid-September until the end of November from 9 am-5 pm at Toei Uzumasa Eigamura, a theme park and film set that is made to look like Kyoto during the Edo Era, in Kyoto Prefecture. Kitsune means fox in Japanese, and fox spirits in particular are known to be very mischievous. This event sees Toei Uzumasa Eigamura filled with kitsune-themed activities, decorations, and food that you can enjoy. This includes the "Fox Mask Wall," a wall covered in 500 fox masks along Shirakawa Street. This is a very popular photo spot where people will pose with their kitsune-tail churros or kitsune masks.
If you're interested in immersing yourself in Japanese culture, this is a great Halloween event to check out.
For more information about the Halloween event, click here (Japanese only).
For more information about Toei Uzumasa Eigamura, click here.
Enjoy Halloween in Japan!
While Halloween in Japan may seem a bit different from what you are used to in your home country, there are still many ways to enjoy it if you find yourself here in October. If you are interested in more Western-style celebrations, head to Universal Studios Japan or Disneyland. But if you're looking for more uniquely Japanese ways to celebrate Halloween, check out the events that we talked about above.
We hope you'll have a fun, spooky time in Japan this Halloween season!
