Jack-o-lantern
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!
As we’ve discussed earlier, Japan has been really getting into the Halloween spirit as the years go on. However, there are still a few Halloween traditions that aren’t easy to carry out. While Japan loves any excuse to cosplay, you still won’t find many, if any, children going door-to-door in their neighborhood begging for candy come October 31. You can, of course, find good ole orange pumpkins in Japan for some Japanese-style Jack o’ lantern carving, but they aren’t available everywhere and can be quite expensive. Japanese pumpkins (kabocha), on the other hand, are too meaty and tough to elegantly cut designs out of. So what’s a Halloween-loving resident of Japan to do? Decorate persimmons, of course!
There are still two weeks to go until Halloween, but pumpkin-carving in Japan is already in full swing! And it looks like it’s the new kid on the anime block, Yo-kai Watch, that’s getting all the jack-o-lantern attention this year.
When I used to teach kids in Japan, there were some elementary students who, upon being given a worksheet, would immediately turn any circle on the page into Doraemon’s face. Now, it seems, the face of choice to draw (or indeed carve) into any empty circular space is Jibanyan’s!
MOST POPULAR
Now
Japan’s awesomely beautiful Alpen Route snow corridor is now open
Brand-new Pokémon manhole covers coming to help the recovery of a disaster-stricken part of Japan
Move aside, convenience store egg sando – there’s a better version of the iconic sandwich in Japan
Almost all Japanese women say they dislike random gacha/blind-box toys in survey
Pokémon hot spring footbath opening in Japan this spring
We take a cat yoga class at a Japanese rescue cat cafe
Japanese trains in Sapporo might be better than those in Tokyo, thanks to one special feature
McDonald’s Japan has free smiles on its delivery menu, but does asking for one make a difference?
Lawson convenience store at popular tourist site is one of the most unusual in Japan
Underwater Knee High Girls appear in new exhibition celebrating soft thighs and kaiju monsters
Weekly
Wisteria season starts early with blooming of Japan’s Great Wisteria in its beautiful garden
Japan’s best conveyor belt sushi restaurant of seven years ago has now, finally, come to Tokyo
Injuries on stairs in Tokyo highlight an overlooked design flaw- Lawson convenience store at popular tourist site is one of the most unusual in Japan
- Japanese trains in Sapporo might be better than those in Tokyo, thanks to one special feature
Japanese government wants overseas anime market to roughly triple in 10 years, but are they crazy?
Starbucks Japan releases FIVE new Frappuccinos in a day, and we try them all in 90 minutes
Japanese bento shop sells croquettes for 13 cents, but are they any good?
Final version of Sanrio: Beginning of Kawaii exhibition opens in Tokyo[Photos]
Japan’s popular bead bonsai kit is as beautiful as it is gruelling to make
Monthly
Japan reportedly adding Japanese language skill requirement to most common foreigner work visa
Pokémon and Ikea Japan cross over into each other’s worlds with collaboration events- Wisteria season starts early with blooming of Japan’s Great Wisteria in its beautiful garden
Japan now has a special desk for people who work at home with a pet cat[Photos]- Japan’s best conveyor belt sushi restaurant of seven years ago has now, finally, come to Tokyo
Famous Tokyo cherry blossom spot installs view-blocking screens to fight overcrowding[Video]
Uniqlo announces new T-shirts for One Piece, Naruto and more for manga publisher’s 100th birthday
Krispy Kreme releases Super Mario doughnuts in Japan for a limited time- Injuries on stairs in Tokyo highlight an overlooked design flaw
Mt. Fuji decorated with a 500,000-flower pink carpet is Japan’s ultimate spring view
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
Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
We deeply regret going into this tunnel on our walk in the mountains of Japan
Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
Studio Ghibli releases Kodama forest spirits from Princess Mononoke to light up your home
Japan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]
Major Japanese hotel chain says reservations via overseas booking sites may not be valid
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
RECOMMENDED STORIES
We take a cat yoga class at a Japanese rescue cat cafe
Japanese trains in Sapporo might be better than those in Tokyo, thanks to one special feature
McDonald’s Japan has free smiles on its delivery menu, but does asking for one make a difference?
Lawson convenience store at popular tourist site is one of the most unusual in Japan
Underwater Knee High Girls appear in new exhibition celebrating soft thighs and kaiju monsters
Hana Komon: Japan’s beautiful, samurai-style floral birthday crests
Japan’s Top 10 Scenic Train Trips–according to two “densha otaku” train guides
Starbucks Japan releases the new Soupuccino, but is it everything it’s cracked up to be?
Police in Japan warn of scam artists posing as cops to collect fines for breaking new bike rules
Daiso opens massive new 25,392-square foot Tokyo flagship store with its two sub-brands included
Full cast of live-action Final Fantasy X play appears in costume for the first time【Pics】
McDonald’s Japan now has Hello Kitty and Pompompurin drinks on the menu
7-Eleven Japan releases a crazy new viral sandwich: Chocolate Sprinkles and Whipped Cream
Mysterious “The Color of That Sky” bath bombs selling at Don Quijote
-
