Halloween in Japan

Though this is technically my second Halloween in Japan, it is my first in a decade and my first in Tokyo. Halloween is not a big holiday here–it is probably better known as a day when foreign students get drunk and cause trouble than as a day related to pumpkins, trick or treating, or things lurking under the stairs. This year there is actually quite a bit of Halloween cheer (paper pumpkins in store windows and black and orange color themes are abundant), which I am told is a recent development, but otherwise October 31 is pretty much the same as October 30.

But that does not mean that there is a lack of horror media for us to enjoy. With seven titles released so far 2008 has been great year for horror games. Here’s hoping that you are enjoying this year’s celebration of ghosts, goblins, and other things that go bump in the night.

6 thoughts on “Halloween in Japan

  1. http://ultimeciaffb.deviantart.com
    Here in Brazil we don’t have Halloween either. It’s a very recent thing, thanks to English schools which started to organize costume parties and that’s only it. Kids started to ask for treat or trick just around 4 or 5 years ago, and it’s very uncommon.
    In northern hemisphere it’s about the Fall, the solstice and everything, but here we got Spring. It’s not a awful thing at all.
    The only good thing is the amusement parks got horror-themed stuff

  2. When I was younger, I remember tons of kids, even teenagers trick or treating in my neighbourhood (I’m from Niagara Falls, Canada). This year we hardly had any, which is surprising, because it was much warmer than usual this year. It’s a little disappointing, I think.

  3. Yeah… well where im from,kids have to sing a song r dance r somthin to EARN theyr treats on halloween 😛 Stupid init 😀 anywee… God Damn that Dead space thing is scary in the dark! XO

  4. I recall when I was younger, there’d be a ton of kids knocking on your door, and I lived in a small town… Now, I’m in the city, and even then, there were hardly any trick or treaters at all. What the hell am I gonna do with all this left over candy!?

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