Halloween in Japan: Best places to embrace the spooky spirit in 2019

If you’re an expat living in Japan and you're used to celebrating Halloween, you may be looking for places to enjoy the holiday here. Sure, it may not be commonplace to have Halloween events in Japan like door-to-door trick or treating, but there are still plenty of ways to get into the spirit of Halloween in Japan. 

Read on for more about the best Halloween eats, events, and where to get costumes and decorations in Japan in 2019!

Fun Halloween-inspired eats in Japan

Mister Donut

Fast-food chain Mister Donut has marked the approach of Halloween in Japan with a range of Halloween-themed donuts every year that I’ve lived here, and 2019 is no exception. 

Mister Donut stores in Japan have a total of six Halloween donuts on offer, including those in the shape of Jack O' Lanterns and donuts designed to look like mummies. 

You can take a peek at the Halloween offerings at Mister Donut on their website here.

Baskin Robbins (31 Ice)

Nothing seems to say “spooky” in Japan like a Halloween-themed ice cream...and in a country that loves its parfaits this may not come as a surprise. 

Baskin Robbins during Halloween in Japan 2019 then, has a range of cup ice creams with adorable Halloween-style toppings, and their ice cream flavor of the month is called "Orange Slime Time" -- a bright orange ice cream with sour lime flavored "slime" pieces throughout.

You can find a Baskin Robbins/31 Ice store locator on their website here.

Krispy Kreme

Not to be outdone by Mister Donut, Krispy Kreme Japan has also released a range of Halloween inspired donuts for 2019, including a custard-filled pumpkin-shaped variety, a chestnut flavored black cat, and an apple caramel monster donut. 

Prices for individual Halloween donuts from Krispy Kreme Japan range from 190 yen up to 250 yen, or you can “go big or go home” and buy boxes of them if you’re feeding a crowd.

(One of the Krispy Kreme Japan offerings for Halloween this year -- custard filled (and delicious)!)

Halloween supplies and decorations in Japan

100 yen stores - Daiso, Seria, Can-Do

Over recent years, 100 yen stores have been embracing Halloween in Japan more and more. You’ll generally find a decent range of Halloween-themed decorations, a few costumes (witches are almost always a prominent feature) and cheap candy -- great for those situations where you may be bringing a slice of home with you and organizing your own Halloween events in Japan.

LOFT

LOFT has a bunch of year-round cute stuff, but the chain-store is also excellent at embracing holidays and festivities. 

The quality of the decor at LOFT is higher than that which you’ll find at Japan’s 100 yen stores. Naturally this comes with a higher price tag but if you want Halloween items that you can use for a number of years, it’s worth it. 

LOFT also has a great range of Halloween costumes, make up supplies, and even colored contacts if you really want to get into character for a particular look.

A nationwide list of LOFT store locations can be found on their website here.

(Some offerings from LOFT over Halloween in Japan a couple of seasons back. LOST has a pretty impressive range of stuff, including sweets, costumes, make up and colored contacts.)

Don Quijote

A top spot for costumes and props year round, it’s no surprise that “Don-Q” is king for Halloween supplies on our list. 

Prices for Halloween costumes at Don Quijote vary depending on how elaborate they are and their quality, but expect to pay anywhere in the realm of 1,000 - 6,000 yen. 

For anyone stumbling across this post who may be visiting as a tourist during Halloween in Japan, Don Quijote stores also offer tax-free purchases -- be sure to bring your passport!

A full list of Don Quijote store locations can be found on their website here.

Amazon Japan

When all else fails, turning to online options can help if you’re still in need of a Halloween costume. 

Amazon Japan has a number of costume options available to get your suited and booted for those Halloween events in Japan -- perhaps owing to the love for all things cosplay on these shores.  

Prices for most adults’ costumes on Amazon range from around 2,000 - 4,000 yen, so certainly not as cheap as something you could fashion out of 100 yen store supplies -- but if it’s something you may use over multiple years, it could be worth the investment!

(Go with a friend and your theme could be two peas in a pod! One of the offerings on Amazon Japan, priced at 2,600 yen at the time of writing.)

Halloween Events in Japan

Tokyo Disneyland Halloween

Perhaps the place where Japan’s love of Halloween began, Tokyo Disney’s Halloween celebrations for 2019 are “ghost” themed. 

The main Halloween event at Tokyo Disneyland in 2019 is the "Spooky Boo Parade" which takes place twice daily. The park will also be filled with themed decorations and special merchandise available to purchase. There's even a special Halloween menu which draws inspiration from Tim Burton's "Nightmare Before Christmas".

Event period: Sept. 10 - Oct. 31, 2019

More details: Tokyo Disneyland website

Universal Studios Osaka

One of the perks of Universal Studios Japan’s (USJ) Halloween offering in 2019 is that the event runs all the way through to November 4, rather than just stopping abruptly on (or before!) the day itself. 

The Halloween festivities for 2019 at USJ include programs suited to all ages, particularly for the little ones. The Happy Trick or Treat event in particular looks to be perfect for the candy-loving kiddos out there.

Event period: Sept. 6 - Nov. 4, 2019

More Details: Universal Studios Japan website

Sanrio Puroland Halloween (Tokyo)

On the outskirts of Tokyo, Sanrio Puroland is heaven for Hello Kitty lovers, and their take on Halloween is loads of fun. 

This year’s Halloween theme at Sanrio Puroland is “Kawaii Masquerade,” so visitors can expect to see all of their favorite Sanrio characters dressed up in masks. Those same characters will be out and about through the theme park for guests to snap pictures with.

Visitors can also get into the Halloween spirit with the food on offer Sanrio Puroland. There are a host of Halloween-inspired eats, including a Kitty Masquerade parfait (850 yen), a black omurice (1,350 yen), and two different types of ramen (1,200 yen each).

Event period: Sept. 13 - Oct. 31, 2019

More event details can be found on their website here.

Yomiuriland Halloween 2019 (Tokyo)

A spot that's perhaps better known for its winter illuminations, Yomiuriland in southwestern Tokyo also has a themed event to celebrate Halloween in Japan. 

This year's Halloween theme at Yomiuriland is "Crazy Horror Night,” and includes zombie dancers, a haunted house and more. 

Like some of the other theme parks during the Halloween season in Japan, you'll also find a themed menu here at Yomiuriland which includes a zombie curry topped with what appear to be severed fingers (don't worry - they're just mini sausages!), a pumpkin Halloween tsukemen, and juice served up in a faux IV drip bag. Completely gross in all the right ways!

Event period: Saturdays, Sundays, public holidays between Sept. 28 - Oct. 27, 2019 & Oct. 31 (Thurs)

You can get further information about the event here.

Harmonyland Halloween (Oita)

Our Kyushu friends aren’t forgotten during the month of October -- Oita Prefecture’s Harmonyland is celebrating the Halloween season, too!  

Another perfect spot for the kawaii lovers, the park gets a spooky makeover and you'll find plenty of cute and themed merchandise available for purchase. 

It's worth noting that despite the Halloween event at Japan’s Harmonyland running for the entirety of October, the park is actually closed on October 31 (i.e. Halloween) as it falls on a Thursday, the park's scheduled weekly closure day.

Event period: Sept. 13 - Oct. 30, 2019

More details about the event can be found on the Harmonyland website.

Author: genkidesu

What Halloween events in Japan have you got your eyes on for 2019? What Halloween eats or spots to get supplies from in Japan are you aware of this year and are there any recommendations you'd like to add to this list? How do the festivities during Halloween in Japan compare to those back home?