Halloween in Japan

An Unforgettable Night of Costumed Fun

Truth be told, few things are scarier than the morning commute in Tokyo. But Halloween in Tokyo is finally stepping up as a true challenger to the throne! A decade ago, Halloween was still relatively obscure in Japan. Large-scale Tokyo celebrations were limited to foreign favorites like Roppongi, a now-banned Yamanote Line train party, and a handful of nightclubs.

Over the past several years though, a significant shift has emerged. Young Japanese adults are wholly embracing the grown-up version of Halloween celebrations. As you might imagine, in the land that gave us cosplay, you can expect to see some amazing, high-quality costumes out there!

As more Japanese adopt Halloween, the Tokyo base has shifted away from Roppongi to Shibuya over the past several years. While both of these areas continue to host enormous street gatherings, Shibuya is the prized pumpkin here. If you’re not afraid of the crowds, the famous Shibuya scramble crossing is truly a sight to behold.

Ultimately, the Halloween festivities vary depending on which day of the week Halloween falls on. This year, in 2017, Halloween will fall on a Tuesday. Because of this, you can expect at least three major days of celebrations in Tokyo. Halloween night certainly holds first place yet the preceding Friday and…