Costumes, Street Parties, Escape Games: Unlock Japan’s Halloween Festivities

Streets filled with partying people, big parades, and a huge costume hype.
Have you ever wondered how Japan celebrates Halloween?

BY SCRAP Global Team

Today, we’ll delve into the intriguing origins of Halloween in Japan and uncover how it differs from Halloween in other countries. Plus, stay tuned for our recommendations on the best Escape Games to enjoy during the Halloween season.

Halloween in Japan is a vibrant celebration that has gained immense popularity over the years. The roots can be traced back to Harajuku, a bustling area in Tokyo, where the country’s first recorded Halloween Parade was hosted in 1983. Since then, the fascination with Halloween has grown rapidly. Especially after major theme parks like Disneyland, DisneySea, and Universal Studios incorporated Halloween parades into their autumn program in the late ’90s and early 2000s, transforming it into a mass event. This led Halloween to be celebrated not only in Tokyo but also spreading to other cities like Osaka and Kawasaki.

However, Halloween in Japan is mostly a commercial event. Starting as early as September, businesses across Japan start selling seasonal items and food, like Halloween-themed macarons or pumpkin drinks.

On the day itself, the streets come alive with enormous street parties, especially in the district of Shibuya. The Shibuya Scramble Square is even closed to cars for the occasion. People attend these street parties in a variety of costumes, from classic Halloween figures, like witches and black cats, to cosplay outfits portraying their favorite pop culture characters.

One huge difference in Japan’s Halloween celebration was the absence of the tradition of “trick or treating”, but in recent years it’s actually getting more and more popular, so you might see it in more residential areas! Other customs like carving pumpkins into Jack-o’-Lanterns are also occasionally observed. In general, Halloween in Japan caters especially to people who enjoy dressing up and having a good time.

Do you want to do an exciting activity to get into the Halloween spirit in Tokyo? We’ve got you!

If you are looking for an especially heart-throbbing escape game experience, then you might consider playing “Escape from the Haunted Manor”, our collaboration with the Haunted House Founder Hirofumi Gomi! 

Investigate as a detective and look into the rumors of a haunted mansion. Apparently every person who enters it never returns. Your job is to verify the theory that the suspect occupies this house. But things don’t go your way and suddenly you find yourself in a deadly game of hide and seek. Will you make it out alive?
Website: https://realescapegame.jp/events/haunted-manor.html 

Of course we also have something “in store” for our horror movies enthusiasts! Our event “SADAKO and the Cursed Video” is a collaboration featuring the world-famous horror icon Sakado!

You know how they say “curiosity killed the cat”? After hearing rumors about a cursed video, you find yourself in a run-down house, searching for it. But things get weird and incredibly dangerous. Unexplainable phenomena. A dark shadow following your every move. Is it really Sadako? Summon all the courage you have and investigate the house for a way to evade death. Will you survive?
Website: https://realescapegame.jp/events/sadako-and-the-cursed-video.html

We talked about “Escape from the Haunted Manor” & “ Sadako and the Cursed video” in a previous blog post, make sure to check it out for more detailed information!
https://realescapegame.com/blog-post-10/

Horror just doesn’t do it for you? No worries- how about our game “The Magical Cauldron: The Culinary Academy’s Final Exam”, where you take on the role of a young mage, who through a magical flower forgets everything they’ve studied for their final exam. Be prepared to use your wand and cauldron! Will you pass? 
Website: https://realescapegame.jp/events/the-magical-cauldron-the-culinary-academys-final-exam.html 

We can’t wait for you to experience Halloween in Japan firsthand and celebrate it in an original way with our games. After all, what’s more spine-chilling than becoming the main character in your very own horror story?