Bringing you yesterday's news from Japan and Asia, today.
halloween (Page 11)
Gearing up for Halloween, we’ve already seen our share of humans dressing up like cats, but how about some costuming felines? Of course, as we’re sure all you cat people out there already know, getting kitty dressed up in a ridiculous outfit is a lot easier said than done.
…Or is it? Turns out the owner of Maru, “the most famous cat on the internet” has devised an easy way to get even the most stubborn of felines to get into the Halloween spirit with these cute animal costumes.
It’s almost Halloween, and even here in Japan, where the holiday is still but a shadow of the American take on the creep fest, an avalanche of orange and black gewgaws and processed sugar confections is pouring off retail shelves.
But if you’re looking for Halloween sweets with a little more culture and class, check out the awesome skulls made from wasanbon, a premium fine-grain sugar from Shikoku!
As we’ve seen, Japan is really psyched about Halloween. The holiday has been steadily growing in popularity for the last decade, and with October 31 falling on a Saturday in 2015, this year’s celebration is likely to be Japan’s liveliest Halloween ever.
But how did Halloween become Japan’s second favorite foreign holiday, right after Christmas? And also, is Japan staying true to the spirit of the holiday, or is forcefully pressing it into its own domestic mold, as the country is wont to do with cultural imports?
October 31 is quickly approaching and for those of us who don’t have our costumes or decorations ready yet, you’d best hurry. Sure there are plenty of last-minute costumes and decorations you can scrounge up, but don’t be surprised if it doesn’t compare to something meticulously planned out.
A carved pumpkin is one decoration you can complete in a few hours, but if you really want to lure the trick-or-treaters, you have to go the extra mile. Check out this amazing pumpkin that shows us the day in the life of lovable Luigi and his haunted mansion. It would look awesome on your front porch, and even more so with a special little addition.
Halloween in Japan keeps getting bigger and better every year, with cosplayers coming out in droves to celebrate the world of costumes and make-believe. This time around, Japanese car manufacturer Nissan is joining the fun with a fleet of taxis dressed up in Halloween costumes, complete with “monster drivers” behind the wheel.
The monsters and their vehicles will be helping fellow ogres and ghouls by offering free rides to people in costume in the Shibuya area on October 29 and 31. What’s more, the unusual vans promise to be so spacious, they’ll accommodate any type of outfit you’re wearing!
In about a week, Halloween, cosplayers‘ favorite holiday, will be upon us. Millions of people — increasingly including Japanese — will take to the streets in costume, and much of it will be cosplay. But some of this activity may actually be against Japanese law.
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!
Here in Japan, Halloween may be a relatively new tradition, and we haven’t gotten to the point of dressing in costume at school or work (at least not at normal jobs), but there’s no denying we’re quickly embracing the seasonal event, especially with special sweets and beverages. With Halloween-themed parades and parties becoming more and more common, finding an attractive and appropriately playful costume is something an increasing number of people are thinking about this time of year.
Well, if you want something original and eye-catching, then how about renting a Japanese kimono as a Halloween costume? Of corse, you won’t be wearing it like a regular kimono, though!
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.
With Halloween just around the corner, we seem to be virtually surrounded by pumpkins here in Japan. Not surprisingly, in addition to the usual pumpkin ornaments and decorations on display, we’re seeing a sudden increase in pumpkin flavored foods and sweets as well.
Japan has gotten into the Halloween spirit to such an extent this year that you can buy limited edition pumpkin-flavored tea in a bottle at supermarkets and convenience stores. And when a beverage involves not only pumpkin but tea from Lipton and a cute Halloween label to boot, well, let’s just say it gives us a lot to be happy about!
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.
With Japan’s growing love of Halloween, and it’s long-held affection for seasonal sweets, the country now gets a bumper crop of special desserts for the year’s spookiest holiday. So far, most of these have been Japanese brands of Western-style candies and cookies with a Halloween-themed package, or maybe with a limited-time pumpkin flavor, but one traditional Kawasaki-based confectionary chain is looking to change that with a lineup of edible eyeballs, zombie fingers, and other Japanese sweets that look bone-chilling and sound mouth-watering.
Among brands who like to get adventurous with the flavors in Japan such as Kit Kat or Häagen- Dazs, Pepsi is certainly one of the most prolific. Past Pepsi flavors have included cucumber, strawberry milk, and salty watermelon.
This time, everyone’s favorite alternative to Coke has unleashed a new flavor called Pepsi Ghost, especially for the Halloween season. They’ve really outdone themselves too, because for this limited-edition outing the special flavor is unknown.
So unknown, in fact, that even after drinking about a litre of the stuff I still can’t quite put my finger on it.
With Halloween becoming an increasingly recognized event in Japan, we’re sure to be seeing plenty of products featuring pumpkins, black cats, ghosts and witches in shops across Japan as we enter the month of October. And the instant food market is no exception to the trend, as Nissin Foods, known around the world for their Cup Noodles, come out this month with four unique Halloween-themed instant food products.
That’s right, you can be sure to get a taste of Halloween this year, even if you have no time to cook!
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.
As a kid, I loved Halloween. My brother and I would go all out decorating the house with tombstones, cobwebs, and corpses made out of old clothes stuffed with newspapers. Plus, how can you not like a holiday that gives you not only free candy, but an excuse to stay up past your bedtime eating it too?
So I’ve been happy to see how whole-heartedly Japan has been embracing Halloween, which each year seems to get bigger and bigger here. Some neighborhood shopping arcades have started inviting trick-or-treaters and passing out candy, and there are now multiple costume parades in the Tokyo area. As a matter of fact, Japan is so psyched for Halloween this year that stores started selling decorations in August.
We’ve got the info on an upcoming event in Nakano, to be held on Saturday October 31; in other words, Halloween. The event will turn the area around Nakano Station, which includes Nakano Broadway, and Nakano Sun Plaza shopping areas, into anime heaven for the day. You’ll be able to get into the spirit of the holiday by dressing up in cosplay, snap some great photos of other people’s intricate cosplay creations, or just be content with watching the various costume parades and shows on offer.
Every year for Halloween I carve a pumpkin for myself and for the trick-or-treaters to enjoy, usually based on a popular Hollywood movie with costume potential. To commemorate my post at RocketNews24, however, for this year’s jack-o’-lantern I chose my first ever anime theme! I went with one of my favorites from this fall’s line-up, Gugure! Kokkuri-san (繰繰れ！コックリさん), available on Crunchyroll.
Both heartwarming and twisted (for the non-anime-initiated), the series is an outrageously wacky, slice-of-life comedy adapted from a four-panel comic strip by Midori Endō. The large cast is led by Kokkuri-san and the young girl Kohina; the former is a motherly, lonely fox spirit (originally from Japanese folklore) with both human and animal forms, and the latter is a hardcore bocchi (loner) with a cup noodle addiction who claims to be an emotionless doll.
Read on to learn a little more about the show and the design process, as well as to get a nicer view of the lit-up pumpkin. There’s also a time lapse video that condenses 30 hours of carving into just over 11 minutes!
How can anyone not love Kyary Pamyu Pamyu? She’s cute, kooky, and occasionally ooky – and she recently dressed up as Tim Burton’s Corpse Bride! Kyary shared several snaps on her official Twitter account of herself getting made up as the Corpse Bride, hitting the streets for some spooky fun, and even meeting the great man himself!
Osaka man arrested for running little pet shop of horrors with dangerous crocodile
Starbucks Japan releases new Halloween Frappuccino for 2026, inspired by a cat in a mystery forest
Make-your-own-Totoro plushie workshop event coming to Ghibli Park park this fall
Wendy’s Japan goes big with new limited-edition Mega Wendy’s, but is it worth the calories?
Starbucks Japan unveils new Halloween goods with secret glow-in-the-dark details
Family Mart releases 47 convenience store socks and stickers, one for every prefecture in Japan
Krispy Kreme Japan gets extra-local with adorable new Hokkaido snow fairy donuts
Tokyo no-map-app walk! Getting lost with Mr. Sato on the way to Kishimojin
Japan now has facial-recognition ticket gates, but why aren’t people using them?
Yogurt and Japanese koji fungus is Japan’s latest food trend, but how does it taste? [Taste test]
Japan announces new permanent residency guidelines, foreigners must earn more than average Japanese person
Studio Ghibli’s Calcifer is ready to light up your home as a magical-looking candle lamp [Photos]
Japan’s first-ever conveyor-belt Sushi Bus announces Tokyo tour start date, reservations now openFamily Mart releases 47 convenience store socks and stickers, one for every prefecture in Japan
Foreign tourists get free Shinkansen tickets in Japan, and here’s how to claim them
Starbucks Japan says sayonara to the Filone for new sandwiches and a Pumpkin Soupuccino
Toys R Us is leaving Japan after 35 years in the country
Casio collaborates with a Kyoto foil master for a luxurious one million yen G-SHOCKMake-your-own-Totoro plushie workshop event coming to Ghibli Park park this fall
Foreign tourist numbers drop in Osaka, despite record-setting highs from U.S. and KoreaJapan announces new permanent residency guidelines, foreigners must earn more than average Japanese personFamily Mart releases 47 convenience store socks and stickers, one for every prefecture in Japan
Starbucks Japan unveils new Pokémon collaboration with Pikachu Latte and exclusive goodsStudio Ghibli’s Calcifer is ready to light up your home as a magical-looking candle lamp [Photos]
Lady Gaga and Family Mart team up for a Japanese convenience store work video [Video]
New Gundam Base superstores coming soon in the U.S., with one opening this month
Studio Ghibli releases new plush mascot character collection with a focus on friendship
Studio Ghibli releases new onigiri rice ball-shaped lunch bag for Kiki’s Delivery Service fans
Do Japan’s new single-minded convenience store bento show depressing poverty or satisfying focus?
How to watch Studio Ghibli’s new anime in Japan, with a special after-dark outdoor screening for Halloween
Japan announces sudden 400-percent increase in visa fees for foreigners entering the country
Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo
Studio Ghibli has a new anime out, and there’s only one place in the world where you can see it
Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
Japan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]
Tokyo subway installing new ticket gates that don’t accept payment through Suica or other IC cards
Japanese ninja certification exam attracts 131 candidates from Japan and abroad
Salomon releases Japan-exclusive Mt. Fuji hiking gear that doubles as an amazing souvenir
Japan reportedly adding Japanese language skill requirement to most common foreigner work visa
Family Mart releases 47 convenience store socks and stickers, one for every prefecture in Japan
Krispy Kreme Japan gets extra-local with adorable new Hokkaido snow fairy donuts
Tokyo no-map-app walk! Getting lost with Mr. Sato on the way to Kishimojin
Japan now has facial-recognition ticket gates, but why aren’t people using them?
Yogurt and Japanese koji fungus is Japan’s latest food trend, but how does it taste? [Taste test]
Tokyo government announces removal of all public phones from city’s Toei subway stations
Japan announces new permanent residency guidelines, foreigners must earn more than average Japanese person
Sendai Bank gifts babies their weight at birth in money upon opening a new bank account
One of Japan’s best convenience store egg sandwiches is one you won’t find at the big three chains
My Neighbor Totoro calendar for next year can be yours right now at Donguri Kyowakoku
Starbucks Japan releases new seasonal chilled cup tea latte with surprising accents in flavour
Nissin takes the lid off its first-ever Cup Noodle Point Program for you to win fun prizes
Viral Yokohama cafe tops teas with mini teapots with a clever smoldering secret [Photos]
Foreign tourist numbers drop in Osaka, despite record-setting highs from U.S. and Korea