Does Japan Celebrate Halloween? Here’s What Really Happens

Do they celebrate Halloween in Japan? The answer is yes – but not in the way you might expect!

Halloween is still a fairly new holiday in Japan. It’s generally seen as a party night for young adults.

You won’t see children going door to door for sweets. But you will find huge street parties, elaborate costumes, and plenty of themed snacks in the shops.

Over the last couple of decades, Halloween has grown into an exciting seasonal celebration, especially for young adults and fans of cosplay and especially in the heart of Tokyo! But it isn’t celebrated by everyone.

In this post, we’ll look at how Halloween came to Japan, what makes it unique, and how people celebrate today.

How Halloween came to Japan

Halloween is a fairly recent addition to the Japanese calendar. The first big introduction came from Tokyo Disneyland in the late 1990s, when the park started hosting Halloween parades and events.

Universal Studios Japan soon followed, making Halloween one of the highlights of their yearly programme.

From there, the idea of Halloween spread quickly through pop culture and social media! Shops began selling Halloween-themed snacks and decorations, and bars and clubs started running seasonal parties.

Thanks to clever marketing and Japan’s love of cosplay, Halloween grew into the celebration it is today.

How people celebrate Halloween in Japan

In Japan, Halloween is less about candy and more about costumes and community events.

The biggest celebration happens on the streets of Tokyo, especially in Shibuya, where thousands of people gather in elaborate outfits every October.

It’s become so popular that the city has had to introduce crowd control and anti-drinking measures to keep things safe!

Outside of Shibuya, many towns and neighbourhoods host smaller parades and parties – especially in the main party districts like Namba in Osaka. Theme parks go all out with decorations, while some bars and clubs hold special Halloween nights.

Costumes are the highlight of it all. Cosplay is the most popular option (dressing up as favourite characters from anime, manga or video games), but you will also see Halloween favourites such as spooky ghosts and witches.

Halloween has also found its way into schools and kindergartens. Children might make crafts, play games, or join in small parades organised by teachers. Some international communities also hold trick-or-treat events to introduce kids to the Western side of the holiday.

However, in rural areas, away from the party towns, many people don’t really know or care about Halloween at all.

Is trick-or-treating a thing in Japan?

Trick-or-treating is not common in Japan. You generally won’t see children knocking on doors the way they do in the US or UK (except foreign enclaves such as military bases!)

The idea of trick-or-treating doesn’t fit well with the Japanese values of politeness and trying not to inconvenience other people.

However, some neighbourhoods, international schools, and English language schools sometimes organise small trick-or-treat events for kids. Shopping malls and theme parks may also hand out sweets to children in costume.

For most people though, Halloween in Japan is about costumes, parties, and decorations rather than collecting sweets.

Halloween in Japan

So, does Japan celebrate Halloween? Yes – but with its own unique twist.

Instead of children going door to door for sweets, Japan’s version of Halloween is a celebration of costumes, cosplay, and seasonal activities.

From Shibuya street parties to pumpkin-flavoured Kit Kats, Halloween in Japan is more about fun and community than candy.

It’s just one example of how Japan loves to take an international tradition and make it uniquely Japanese.

If you enjoyed learning about this holiday, check out some of our other guides to Japanese festivals and traditions!

Related posts

• 20 Beautiful Japanese Seasonal Words for Autumn
• Christmas in Japan: How to Celebrate Like a Local
• Spring in Japan: Japanese Spring Festivals and Traditions you Need to Know

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Rebecca Shiraishi-Miles

Rebecca is the founder of Team Japanese. She spent two years teaching English in Ehime, Japan. Now back in the UK, she spends her time blogging, self-studying Japanese and wrangling a very genki toddler.