Halloween in Japan

Ever since the year 2000, Halloween as a holiday has continued to grow in popularity as a special time of year in Japan. Popularized by Halloween-themed events, such as that hosted in 2000 by Tokyo Disneyland, Japan has made Halloween their own. There are many differences in the ways in which the spooky holiday is celebrated compared to the traditions of the United States, many aspects taking on a new life and many traditions being left in the dust. Here are a few of the noticeable differences and commonalities in the way that Japan celebrates Halloween.

Halloween is Mostly for Adults

Party-going adults, that is. While the US does have its share of halloween parties, the main focus seems to surround children trick-or-treating and dressing up. In Japan, trick-or-treating is not practiced. In fact it is not culturally normalized to disturb people at home and ask for anything like candy, so it’s not surprising this tradition wasn’t picked up. Instead, Halloween in Japan is focused on adults dressing up in costumes and partying hard. There are huge street parties, such as those in Roppongi Hills, Ikebujuro, and Shibuya in Tokyo. In fact, the drunk crowd at Shibuya, with a predicted 70,000 drunk participants yearly, grew out of control in 2018, resulting in a ban on the Halloween party in 2019.

Costumes, but also Cosplay

While classic costumes you would typically see in the US are still popular in Japan, such as witches, devils, black cats, wizards, etc., cosplay is a Halloween trend that contributed heavily to the excitement causing Halloween’s increased popularity in Japan. Many will use Halloween as an opportunity to cosplay as their favorite anime or manga characters. Many costumes are also more “kawaii” (meaning cute) than scary, which is a very popular style in Japanese pop culture. Many people will get their costumes from popular discount chain stores such as Daiso and Donki.

Treats, No Tricks

Even though there isn’t any trick-or-treating in Japanese Halloween, they of course still embrace the holiday as an opportunity to make delicious sweets! People make halloween inspired treats and ornaments throughout the season, embracing the halloween color pallet and the spooky theme. Pumpkin carving is also popular, as well as many pumpkin flavored dishes and candies.

Commercialism, of Course

Just like in the United States, companies in Japan use Halloween as the perfect opportunity to push themed products, halloween costumes, and limited addition items. Specifically candy companies embrace this time of year, creating Halloween limited edition flavors. Bars and Restaurants host Halloween events, encouraging the festivities as way to make money. Amusement parks use the Halloween theme to bring in more customers who are seeking an experience only available once a year.