From costumes to makeup, hair, props, and poses, these cosplayers know how to bring characters to life.
Halloween in Japan
These delicious-looking, chocolate-covered truffles come in some seriously cute Halloween-themed Tsum Tsum wrappers.
Ah Halloween. After Christmas, it’s easily the best time of the year to be a kid. You get to dress up, scare people with your friends, and then best of all… go to your local organized crime branch to get a giant bag of candy.
Such has been the annual tradition on Halloween for children who visit the headquarters of the Japanese yakuza group Yamaguchi-gumi in Kobe. But this year, Halloween has had an “unfortunate accident” and been cancelled, meaning the mob will be handing out no candy.
Wait… what? Japanese mafia? Halloween candy? What do these things have in common? Read on to find out!
For most of the western world, October is a month of ghastly ghouls and Halloween hijinx. But in Japan, Halloween wasn’t really celebrated up until fairly recently, and even now trick-or-treating at random houses is still a pretty uncommon occurrence.
This year however, Halloween has exploded in popularity. Retailers have been getting ready for the big night several months in advance, and even Pepsi Japan has released a spooky new flavor to celebrate. The pagan festival has become so popular that even some of the characters from Dragon Ball Z are joining in on the fun.
Halloween just keeps getting bigger in Japan. While stores are full of all sorts of cute paraphernalia to mark the celebration and a number of Halloween activities are marked on the calendar, there’s one very special event that’s bigger and more unusual than any other in Tokyo. In fact, it’s so popular the organisers sold all 2,000 tickets in one evening and are now offering an extra three hundred tickets to those who get in quick by applying online.
It’s the Zombie Party Village, which comes alive once a year with thousands of walking dead—all of whom are free to dance to their unbeating heart’s content without being bothered by angry mobs and cross-bearing priests. If you’d like to be a part of the 2,300-strong zombie dance collective, read on to find out all the details after the break.
Japan has been gearing up for Halloween since the end of August, but now that we’re actually into the correct month, we feel it’s acceptable to start posting Halloween-related articles. Today we’re introducing the Halloween festivities going on at Universal Studies in Osaka, Japan.
For the past two years AKB48 has asked fans and company staff to submit their own music videos to their newly released singles, and their latest track, “Halloween Night”, is no exception. While the song and official video are fairly typical AKB fare, the fan videos of it are really something to see.
And perhaps the best submitted music video so far belongs to the lovely employees at the Japanese internet advertising firm Cyber Agent. Men and women from every department shake and strut to the AKB Halloween beat, and watching it may cause you to suddenly want to work somewhere else.
Just like in many Western countries right now, in Japan ’tis the season to be spooky. Halls in Tokyo are decked with orange; cute pumpkins, witches and ghosts wink from shop windows; and you might even find a special seasonal pastry in your local bakery or supermarket.
Now firmly established in the annual Japanese calendar, not so long ago hardly anyone even knew that such a thing as Halloween existed. How could this day, which has become more like a month-long festival in Japan, go from zero to hero so quickly? What brought this on, and why is it so big in Japan? Japan’s Madame Riri looks at four different reasons.
Earlier this week, we heard the confessions of a crossdressing man in Tokyo (the beauty in the middle of the above photo). As it turns out, this one-night crossdresser works with our next costume-wearing confessor (and they all work at our Japanese sister site, Pouch).
Snow White, pictured above, was hesitant to walk the streets of Japan in costume on a weekday. However, she swallowed her fear and spent the entire day as a Disney princess. The following is her account of a day as Snow White in Tokyo on a weekday.
MOST POPULAR
Now
Majority of Japanese women in survey regret marrying their husband, but that’s only half the story
Japan’s kid-friendly ski program is now selling Pikachu snowboards for a limited time only
Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
Massive manga collaboration bringing 100 years of Shueisha manga to Uniqlo T-shirts【Photos】
Totoro cream puffs and Catbus cookies are finally available in downtown Tokyo
Almost exactly half of the new adults in Tokyo’s Shinjuku Ward are foreigners
Japan’s Poképark Kanto Pokémon theme park area shows first attraction photos
Japan’s Hello Kitty Airport theming gets extension, avoids autumn end
Mister Donut and Godiva continue their sweet sweets relationship with new treats on sale now in Japan
All-you-can-eat Häagen Dazs among 200 other frozen foods at Osaka’s Chin! Suru Restaurant【Pics】
Weekly
- Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
Starbucks Japan releases new Frappuccino and latte for Valentine’s Day
Our 52-year-old pole dancing reporter shares his tips for achieving your New Year’s exercise goal
10 times to avoid traveling in Japan in 2026
Ramen restaurant’s English menu prices are nearly double its Japanese ones, denies discriminating
Princess Mononoke magnets return just in time to treat yourself to awesome anime decorations
Giant hotel rooms in Osaka reflect the new non-niche face of travel in Japan.
Japanese women showing rebounding interest in giving Valentine’s Day chocolate【Survey】
Umamusume anime girl plushie recalled for having parts she absolutely should not have【Pics】
What’s inside Starbucks Japan’s fukubukuro lucky bag for 2026?
Monthly
- Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
- 10 times to avoid traveling in Japan in 2026
Starbucks Japan ready to get Year of the Horse started with adorable drinkware and plushies【Pics】
7-Eleven Japan starts new temporary luggage storage service in over 300 branches- Starbucks Japan releases new Frappuccino and latte for Valentine’s Day
- Our 52-year-old pole dancing reporter shares his tips for achieving your New Year’s exercise goal
Disillusionment at Tsukiji’s tourist-target prices led us to a great ramen restaurant in Tokyo
Starbucks teams up with 166-year-old Kyoto doll maker for Year of the Horse decorations【Photos】
Tokyo’s Tsukiji sushi neighborhood asks tour groups to stay away for the rest of the month- Ramen restaurant’s English menu prices are nearly double its Japanese ones, denies discriminating
Yearly
Survey asks foreign tourists what bothered them in Japan, more than half gave same answer
Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo
We deeply regret going into this tunnel on our walk in the mountains of Japan
Studio Ghibli releases Kodama forest spirits from Princess Mononoke to light up your home
Major Japanese hotel chain says reservations via overseas booking sites may not be valid- Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
Put sesame oil in your coffee? Japanese maker says it’s the best way to start your day【Taste test】
No more using real katana for tourism activities, Japan’s National Police Agency says
Starbucks Japan reveals new sakura drinkware collection, inspired by evening cherry blossoms
Updated cherry blossom forecast shows extra-long sakura season for Japan this year
RECOMMENDED STORIES
Almost exactly half of the new adults in Tokyo’s Shinjuku Ward are foreigners
Japan’s Poképark Kanto Pokémon theme park area shows first attraction photos
Japan’s Hello Kitty Airport theming gets extension, avoids autumn end
Mister Donut and Godiva continue their sweet sweets relationship with new treats on sale now in Japan
All-you-can-eat Häagen Dazs among 200 other frozen foods at Osaka’s Chin! Suru Restaurant【Pics】
We try an unusual buffet of dishes made from wild game at a roadside stop in Chiba
Hokkaido has an Ice Festival that’s less famous than the Snow one, but beautiful in its own way
Second episode of Sailor Moon Crystal brings its second accessories with Usagi’s earrings
What’s inside Starbucks Japan’s fukubukuro lucky bag for 2026?
New adults go wild at Seijinshiki Coming-of-Age ceremony in Kitakyushu, Japan 【Photos】
Japanese Mom’s son makes Mario Maker course just for her, easy to clear, impossible to forget【Vid】
Internet survey sheds light on how Japanese women deal with the hair ‘down there’
Beautiful 16-Year-Old Ukrainian Girl with Disproportionately Long Neck Teaches Internet About Marfan Syndrome
-
