As Halloween increases in popularity every year, so do the number of events across the city and beyond. Here are a few of the biggest and the best this month:
Kawasaki Halloween Parade 2017
While not technically in Tokyo, Kawasaki is only a quick train ride away and hosts one of the biggest Halloween events in the country. This year, on top of the kids’ and Halloween parades, there’s also a Halloween Pride Parade, guaranteed to draw some amazing people and some fabulous costumes.
Ikebukuro Cosplay Halloween Festival 2017
This monster event grows with every year it’s hosted, and last year drew 10,000 cosplayers from all over the world and about 90,000 visitors to Ikebukuro to watch them. The event is also broadcast live on Niconico Live, garnering the festival an additional 240,000 viewers online.
Roppongi Hills Halloween 2017
Costume parade for kids starting at Roppongi Hills Arena and going on a one-kilometer stretch through Roppongi and Keyazaki Street. Kids joining the parade will receive Halloween treats.
Sea Para Halloween 2017
Get an early start on Halloween at park-meets-aquarium Sea Paradise Hakkejima, where they’re pulling out all the stops for this year’s Halloween festivities. Watch penguins waddle their way around pumpkins, take photos in specially decorated Halloween photo spots, and enjoy the park’s spooky Halloween menu. At night, stick around for light shows and fireworks displays!
Puroland Halloween Party 2017
Hello Kitty and her friends at Puroland celebrate Halloween to its fullest with over a month of Halloween parades, events, and Halloween-themed foods. Daytime fun for the kids, but at night it gets a little bit scarier. Watch out for the Ghost Pierrot (clown), who looks so terrifying he makes the clown from “It” look positively endearing.
Disney’s Halloween 2017
Love it or hate it, Disney knows how to put on a show – and this year’s Halloween celebrations are no exception. With musical parades, themed merchandise, and a haunted house featuring Tim Burton’s A Nightmare Before Christmas, this theme park knows how to create a magical experience for everyone.
Kagurazaka Bakeneko Festival
Not a Halloween event per se, but the Kagurazaka Bakeneko (Supernatural Cat) Festival does bring cosplayers, cat fanciers, and Halloween-hungry people together for a one-of-a-kind parade and dance event in central Tokyo. Dress up as a cat and join in the parade, or better yet, the main Onyadori dance event. Have the time of your nine lives at what may litter-ally be the cat’s pajamas! (Note: This event takes place on October 15)
Halloween’s Fes 2017: Jack-O-Land
Yokohama Arena turns into a Halloween theme park for two days, inviting models, comedians, and singers to create a full-on Halloween event for the whole family. Attractions include a drawing and paper crafts corner organized by Team Labo, dino and princess slides, bouncy castles galore, and face painting. Kids can try their hand at walking the catwalk in their costumes, and there are plenty of delicious treats in the form of Hawaiian food, ice cream, and more.
