Halloween In Japan

[Ceewan]

Eat your eyeballs! Japanese traditional confectioner offers line of eye-grabbing Halloween sweets

With Japan’s growing love of Halloween, and it’s long-held affection for seasonal sweets, the country now gets a bumper crop of special desserts for the year’s spookiest holiday. So far, most of these have been Japanese brands of Western-style candies and cookies with a Halloween-themed package, or maybe with a limited-time pumpkin flavor, but one traditional Kawasaki-based confectionary chain is looking to change that with a lineup of edible eyeballs, zombie fingers, and other Japanese sweets that look bone-chilling and sound mouth-watering.


It’s fitting that Suehiroan’s original branch is in Kawasaki. While it’s only in the last few years that Halloween has really started to catch on in Japan, Kawasaki has been holding Halloween costume parades and other events for roughly a decade and a half now. As a matter of fact, the local festivities have gotten so big that even Suehiroan, which has been serving elegant classical Japanese confectionaries since its founding in 1964, has gotten in on the fun with some playful new creations.

The most eye-catching of the bunch are these quivery suimanju dumplings, called Watching the Ghost Party (Obake no Party wo Mitsumeteru in Japanese). Made with smooth koshian sweet bean paste and milk from Hokkaido-raised cows, they come two to a pack for 292 yen (US$2.50) and are sure to please the taste buds of anyone with the stomach to try them.

Just about as disturbing are these shortbread cookies shaped like long fingers scratching their way out from a grave. Let’s Be Friends (Boku mo Nakama in Ireteokure) feature tasty zombie fingernails (which appear to be chipped peanuts). One 680-yen box contains 17 fingers, which makes us wonder what happened to the other three from a round set of four hands.

▼ Zombieism or leprosy…either way it’s deeelicious!

Of course, Japan can only go so long without adding a dash of cuteness to any proceedings, which is where the 270-yen Halloween is Coming (Halloween ga Hajimaru yo) comes in. The smiling little ghost is made from nerikiri, a traditional Japanese confectionary of white beans, rice flour, and sugar.

Most people who celebrate Halloween in Japan do so by having a party with friends. You’re sure to be appreciated at any gathering with the 864-yen Midnight Haunted House Party (Obake no Yakata de Mayonaka no Party), which plays into the Japanese belief that it’s customary to eat pumpkin-flavored sweets at Halloween with its pumpkin cream filling.

And finally, the name of the Playful Jack-o’-Lanterns (Jack-o’-Lantern ga Sawagidasu), which come five to a box for 394 yen, is a little misleading, seeing as how they lack the facial features that separate Jack-o’-Lanterns from ordinary pumpkins. They do have a dollop of pumpkin-flavored bean jam at the center of their bite-sized morsel of moist pie, though, and the questionable nomenclature shouldn’t hurt the taste any.

Customers who buy all five before October 25 can enter a drawing to win one of 30 special Halloween cakes Suehiroan will be whipping up.

So don’t wait for October 31 and trick-or-treating, start gathering your Halloween sweets today! The entire range of sweets will be available at all seven Suehiro branches in Kawasaki and Yokohama, just a short train ride from central Tokyo.

Selected shop information (closest branch to central Tokyo)
Suehiroan Kawasaki La Zona branch / 末広庵 ラゾーナ店
Adress: Kanagawa-ken, Kawasaki-shi, Saiwai-ku, Horikawacho 72-1, La Zona Kawasaki Plaza 1st floor
神奈川県川崎市幸区堀川町72-1 ラゾーナ川崎プラザ1F

 

[Ceewan]

Why Do Japanese People Love Halloween So Much?
Observations from a marketing perspective

Michiaki Tanaka ：Professor at Rikkyo University Graduate School of Business

A Taiwanese student in my class once asked “what is making Japanese people so excited about Halloween?” The student, I-Chen Hsieh, is in her 20’s and she is currently studying in Rikkyo University Graduate School of Business where I teach marketing.

Many foreigners like her seem to get quite startled when they come to Japan and find shopping areas selling orange and black-colored Halloween goods from even the summertime. They must have felt the same if they had seen the bustling districts in Tokyo like Shibuya Center-gai filled with people last fall going wild parading though the streets in fancy costumes and make-up.

In the eyes of a person like me who spent some time living in the U.S., Singapore and Hong Kong, the Halloween events held in Japan appear to be highly localized in mainly three aspects.


The first point is that in Japan, Halloween is not simply an end-of October event primarily for children going trick-or-treating around the neighborhood decorated with jack-o’-lanterns, like in the U.S.

Rather, it is celebrated more in the form of masquerade parties and parades for adults.



This is probably the most distinct difference that makes the Japanese version of Halloween look so peculiar to foreigners.

Secondly, Halloween season in Japan runs for quite a long time. In amusement parks like Disneyland, Halloween-themed performances start from early September. In schools and offices, Halloween parties and related events fill up their calendars for two months.

Thirdly, Halloween is still a growing market in Japan, unlike in the U.S. where this market has already matured. Recent market size estimates show that American consumers spend approximately 6 billion dollars on Halloween-related goods and events every season.

But in Japan, confectionery and stationery makers, among various other lines of business, are yet hoping to boost their sales more during this season. The business students from abroad are also curious about knowing in which commercial areas Halloween will help expand the Japanese consumer market more, going forward.

 

[Ceewan]

Halloween as a "moving" event

Why has Japanese people become so infatuated with Halloween in the first place? Let’s see if we can understand this phenomenon better through some observations made from the standpoint of marketing and behavioral science.

To begin with, Halloween in Japan is “highly event-oriented”. Japan is a developed economy where the people are content on the overall with what they eat and wear.

In such a mature society, the consumers tend to be more motivated to “do” something, rather than “have” something simply for the sake of possession.


To tap into their real needs, wants, and interests, it is important to propose them the opportunity to do something different or special.

The goods and services that could offer such experience are the ones that would evoke their willingness to buy them.

One type of want that is particularly strong among these consumers is their desire to “gain a higher sense of fulfilment and happiness” if they are going to spend their precious time and money anyway.

Many of them are now finding more value in using their time participating in activities that will enable them to “feel deeply moved” with all their senses together with their friends or loved ones.

To the Japanese, Halloween provides an excellent opportunity to share such emotional experience among like-minded people.

Various Christianized events that find their origin in the western culture have long been favorably received by the Japanese. Among them, Christmas is the most widely accepted tradition, followed by St. Valentine’s Day. But these two are considered to be relatively more personal and intimate occasions.

On the other hand, Halloween has been recognized by the Japanese as a more group-oriented occasion where “everybody can enjoy together”. One of the reasons why Halloween has become so popular so fast in Japan seems to be hidden in this higher chance of socializing offered during its season compared to other Christianized events.

Another point that we should not dismiss is the fact that Halloween in Japan is largely supported by the younger generations born between 1987 and 1995. Some scientific reports suggest that these generations place more importance on acquiring empathy from the same gender rather than being adored by the opposite sex.

In this country, Halloween has provided the same-sex peers a chance to get together and share the joyful experience openly with one another in a big social setting, if not the biggest already.

“For the ladies too, it is becoming an event that stirs their feminine desire to transform” analyzes Chiyomi Sakuma, the brand manager of Sadamatsu, a jewelry retailer operating 80 stores nationwide.

Based on her rich experience abroad, she views that “The Japanese have been taught intensively in school to be like others and also to be liked by them.”

“This is why their potential desire to express their individuality and show a different side of themselves is actually stronger than the westerners.”

Japanese women are apparently also beginning to find Halloween as a safe and precious occasion to have a blast with their friends, enjoying watching each other’s momentary metamorphoses.



Another factor lending to the rise of popularity of Halloween among the female consumers in this country is the widespread use of SNS. They can easily gain attention and empathy from other SNS users by uploading funny photos of them disguised together with their friends.

Halloween costume and makeup have become one of the most definite ways for them to create and spread their personal “hot topics” instantly. And it would be reasonable to think that these “hot topics” that received a lot of “Like” from the viewers have contributed immensely in increasing the number of Halloween supporters exponentially.

 

[Ceewan]

Halloween has become a matsuri in Japan

Philp Kotler who is renowned as one of the world’s top marketing “gurus” pointed out the importance of cultural factors as broad and deep influencers of consumer behavior. According to his theory, a company or an event must offer activities that are culturally meaningful in order to be supported for a long time and establish itself as a brand. In other words, the offered activities must each have a cultural value that can stimulate and uplift the spirit of those taking part in them.



In Japan, autumn has historically been the busiest season of the year for matsuri or Japanese festivals, which are events that typically symbolize the cultural heritage or tradition of each location where they are held. But in urban areas, there are actually not so many festivals where people can feel easy to participate and enjoy freewheelingly.

Halloween in Japan has grown into a set of festive events held in the form of parties and parades open to literally anybody who just wants to join and have some fun, with or without the disguise kit.

We also should not forget that the “ephemeral” nature of a festival has a special cultural significance to the Japanese. Making the most out of “the moment” has been traditionally considered a positive attitude to take in this country where the people inherently appreciate and respect the transience of life as a virtue.

So in one sense, we can view the Japanese version of Halloween as a period of cultural events that have been founded on the combination of old and new aesthetic principles valued in this country.

In the world of marketing today, we regard the ability to “inspire” the consumers as one of the most important elements of successful marketing. The word “inspire” in Japanese is composed of two kanji characters that stand for “drum” and “dance” respectively.

Dancing to the rhythm of drumbeat is a heat-conductive act that represents the cultural behavior of the people participating in a festival. Halloween in Japan allows the participants to embody that vital energy.

Whether Halloween can flourish further in this country or not depends largely on how effectively the related events, goods and services can continue to inspire the consumers. Without question, this would be the key for anyone interested in exploring new opportunities in Halloween-themed business in the Japanese market.

(Photos by Koichi Imai)

 

[Speeny]

Halloween has become a matsuri in Japan

Philp Kotler who is renowned as one of the world’s top marketing “gurus” pointed out the importance of cultural factors as broad and deep influencers of consumer behavior. According to his theory, a company or an event must offer activities that are culturally meaningful in order to be supported for a long time and establish itself as a brand. In other words, the offered activities must each have a cultural value that can stimulate and uplift the spirit of those taking part in them.

View attachment 502191

In Japan, autumn has historically been the busiest season of the year for matsuri or Japanese festivals, which are events that typically symbolize the cultural heritage or tradition of each location where they are held. But in urban areas, there are actually not so many festivals where people can feel easy to participate and enjoy freewheelingly.

Halloween in Japan has grown into a set of festive events held in the form of parties and parades open to literally anybody who just wants to join and have some fun, with or without the disguise kit.

We also should not forget that the “ephemeral” nature of a festival has a special cultural significance to the Japanese. Making the most out of “the moment” has been traditionally considered a positive attitude to take in this country where the people inherently appreciate and respect the transience of life as a virtue.

So in one sense, we can view the Japanese version of Halloween as a period of cultural events that have been founded on the combination of old and new aesthetic principles valued in this country.

In the world of marketing today, we regard the ability to “inspire” the consumers as one of the most important elements of successful marketing. The word “inspire” in Japanese is composed of two kanji characters that stand for “drum” and “dance” respectively.

Dancing to the rhythm of drumbeat is a heat-conductive act that represents the cultural behavior of the people participating in a festival. Halloween in Japan allows the participants to embody that vital energy.

Whether Halloween can flourish further in this country or not depends largely on how effectively the related events, goods and services can continue to inspire the consumers. Without question, this would be the key for anyone interested in exploring new opportunities in Halloween-themed business in the Japanese market.

(Photos by Koichi Imai)

Thanks Ceewan! Awesome content.

 

[Ceewan]

Tokyo to give away 300,000 Halloween garbage bags

National Oct. 17, 2015 - 06:09AM JST ( 18 )

TOKYO —

As Tokyo braces for Halloween weekends when its streets will be thronged by partygoers wearing all kinds of costumes, the metropolitan government has prepared 300,000 orange garbage bags with a ghost pumpkin motif to give away in an effort to keep the capital’s streets clean amid the fun.

Naming the campaign “HALLOWEEN&TOKYO,” Gov. Yoichi Masuzoe said he hopes costume-clad people will use the bags to bring garbage home. The governor told a press conference he wants Tokyo to be known as a “clean and comfortable” city.

The plastic bags will be given away for free this month at locations including Shibuya, Roppongi, Shinjuku and Akihabara—popular destinations for Halloween costume street parties.

The Halloween garbage bags are part of the “&TOKYO” strategy announced by the metropolitan government earlier this month.

It allows individuals and companies to use the catchphrase and its logo free of charge in a bid to spread the Tokyo brand and establish its position as a city of international tourism ahead of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics.

 

[Ceewan]

Join the zombie horde for Halloween this year

by Sarina Clarke


Last Halloween I showed up at a nightclub in Shibuya wearing a pair of fangs and a sexy dress and expected to get the costume discount. The doorman laughed in my face.

The Japanese don’t mess around when it comes to costumes. Last year, the ghouls in Shibuya stepped up their game and I saw some pretty incredible outfits and makeup — one girl looked as if her face had been ripped off (I might have had nightmares from that one). In the land that created cosplay (dressing up as your favorite anime or manga character), cutting two holes in a sheet and saying you’re a ghost isn’t going to cut it.

Having said that, it isn’t hard to win at Halloween in Japan. First thing I’d suggest is give yourself some time to think about who — or what — you want to be. One trend that kept coming up last year was groups of friends who dress alike or according to one theme. I saw the bloody nurses of the “Silent Hill” game series, Disney princesses and small hordes of salaryman zombies. So if your friends are up for it, go out together, you’re more likely to get noticed.

Once you’ve decided on an outfit then it’s time to make the costume. If you want to rent a costume there are a few rental shops available online, including Big Kids and Tokyo Isho. The products can be pricey and come with detailed rental agreements, but both places mail anywhere in the country. Shopping site DMM also rents out costumes, but head to your local 100 yen shop to see what’s on offer first. There could be enough material to build your own outfit.

When it comes to costumes, though, you’re more than likely to end up at Don Quixote. Donki, as it’s known in Japanese slang, has stores across the country and sells costumes all year round. The branch in Akihabara is fantastic, with everything from fake blood to prop chain saws, but then again that tech-filled neighborhood is cosplay central. A few of the other great cosplay shops in Akihabara include Cospa Gee, ACOS and Mitsubado.

Tokyu Hands and Loft are also good for makeup, material and accessories, so they’re great to check out. Buying a costume can cost between ¥3,000 to ¥10,000, so imagination might be the key to preventing the real scare when you get your credit card bill.

Another tip is to search for makeup and hair tutorials on YouTube. A lot of these artists are industry professionals and get commercial sponsors for their videos. YouTubers Bonnie Corban SFX, MadeYewLook and Dope2111 are worth checking out even if you’re not planning on doing anything for Halloween, they might actually inspire you.

With the costume ready and your makeup tutorial cued up, you should be set to hit the town. While Shibuya and Roppongi in Tokyo, and America-mura in Osaka have been getting more into Halloween lately, remember that the night is still largely not celebrated in most of the country. Don’t be surprised if you get some stares — maybe even some screams.

 

[EzikialRage]

Of course Himuro Mansion is considered an urban legend and most people even doubt its' existence (good ghost story though). Here is one that is about as real as it gets:

Ghost Island
View attachment 258344

More commonly referred to as Battleship Island it is one of the worlds largest ghost towns. The island got famous because of his unbelievable appearance: surrounded by a sea wall, you will find an entire abandoned city with huge concrete buildings. The original name of the island is actually Hashima, but it is also called the Battleship Island (translation of Gunkanjima) or the Ghost Island. This island is one among 505 uninhabited islands in the Nagasaki Prefecture of Japan about 15 kilometers from Nagasaki itself.
View attachment 258348
It began in 1890 when a company called Mitsubishi bought the island and began a project to retrieve coal from the bottom of the sea. This attracted much attention, and in 1916 they were forced to build Japan’s first large concrete building on the island. A block of apartments that would both accommodate the seas of workers and protect them from hurricanes.

In 1959, population had swelled, and boasted a density of 835 people per hectare for the whole island (1,391 per hectare for the residential district) - one of the highest population densities ever recorded worldwide. As petroleum replaced coal in Japan in the 1960’s, coal mines began shutting down all over the country, and Hashima’s mines were no exception. In 1974 Mitsubishi officially announced the closing of the mine, and today it is empty and bare, with travel currently prohibited. (A small portion of the island was re-opened for tourism on April 22, 2009.)
View attachment 258346

The island was the location for the 2003 film ‘Battle Royale II’ and inspired the final level of popular Asian videogame "Killer7". It appeared recently in the 2012 James Bond movie Skyfall and got even more famous.

A deserted island of concrete ruins slowly crumbling away off the West coast of Japan. Gunkanjima only measures 1.2km in circumference. Less than half a kilometre lengthways.
View attachment 258357
Now if I was a ghost, (and who is to say I'm not?), this would be a perfect place to haunt.

If you enjoy looking at abandoned buildings and places that are in Japan then you might like this website. They update it every now and then.It seems kind of strange that they would just leave equipement, furnishings and other things in those buildings instead of just selling them.Some of the places do look kind of creepy.
http://wordpress.tokyotimes.org/category/haikyo/

 

[Ceewan]

Taxis with monster drivers to offer free rides to cosplayers in Shibuya this Halloween
By Oona McGee, RocketNews24
Oct. 27, 2015 - 05:58AM JST

TOKYO —

Halloween in Japan keeps getting bigger and better every year, with cosplayers coming out in droves to celebrate the world of costumes and make-believe. This time around, Japanese car manufacturer Nissan is joining the fun with a fleet of taxis dressed up in Halloween costumes, complete with “monster drivers” behind the wheel.

The monsters and their vehicles will be helping fellow ogres and ghouls by offering free rides to people in costume in the Shibuya area on Oct 29 and 31. What’s more, the unusual vans promise to be so spacious, they’ll accommodate any type of outfit you’re wearing.

The event, called “Ride on Halloween by Nissan”, will feature three “costumed” vehicles: an orange Jack-o-Lantern, a purple-and-green Frankenstein (‘Frankenstein’s Monster’ for the purists), and a pale-brown, bandaged Mummy.

The promotion is designed to showcase the spacious nature of Nissan’s NV200 taxi, which has been ferrying people around New York and London for several years and will finally be making its debut in Japan as part of the preparations for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

In Japan, they’re using Halloween to highlight the roomy interior of the new taxis, by offering the free rides to cosplayers to show how a van ride can be superior to a sedan ride, especially when you and your clothes take up a extra space. The driver of each vehicle will also take part in the dress-up! You can catch a ride at three as-yet-unannounced designated pick-up and drop-off points in the Shibuya area, which is one of the main hubs for Halloween celebrations every year.

The taxis will run between 6 p.m. and 11 p.m. on Oct 29 and 31. The organisers have pointed out that free rides are limited only to those in costume and rides cannot be guaranteed, so if you really want to step inside the cosplaying vehicles, you might want to try your luck before the night of Halloween, when there’s less chance of monsters lurking about.

The pick-up and drop-off points will be announced soon, so be sure to check out the official campaign website for updates!

 

[Ceewan]

Police to be out in force in Tokyo for Halloween on Friday, Saturday nights

TOKYO —

The Tokyo metropolitan police will be out in force on Friday and Saturday nights to prevent any trouble from Halloween revelers.

Hundreds of police will patrol Shibuya and Roppongi, Fuji TV reported.

Last year, on Oct 31, Shibuya’s scramble crossing was the scene of a massive gathering of thousands of Halloween revelers who weren’t going anywhere in particular and police had their hands full trying to control the crowds. The sidewalks were so jammed with people that it was almost impossible to move between 10 p.m. and midnight. Reveleres were still there at 5 a.m. the next morning.

Such crowds in Shibuya are usually only seen on New Year’s Eve or when Japan plays a major soccer game that is televised by local sports bars.

Halloween has exploded in popularity in Japan in the last few years and police said they are expecting greater numbers this year because Oct 31 falls on a Saturday. In addition, Halloween parties have been held in Tokyo almost every night for the past week.

On Saturday night, about 800 riot and other police will be mobilized at Shibuya. Police are requesting revelers not to go crazy, observe good manners and not leave trash on the streets.

The “DJ” police officer, who became famous for his handling of the crowd during the 2014 soccer World Cup, will also be on hand on Saturday night. The officer, who urged the fans not to get carried away, become a “star” on YouTube because of his eloquent and humorous speaking style.

 

[CodeGeek]

Would be nice to see a video clip of that "DJ" police officer.

 

[Ceewan]

Would be nice to see a video clip of that "DJ" police officer.

Demanding bastard! Its' offtopic but for you? certainly:

Now for ontopic Utubing:

 

[CodeGeek]

Demanding bastard! Its' offtopic but for you? [...]