Halloween in Tokyo 2014

Halloween has come a long way from its origins in Christian festivals for the dead and ancient harvest festivals marking the end of summer. These days it's more about looking as silly as possible (no, even that Scream costume is not scary), a custom that was popularised in the US in the early 1900s. In Japan, too, there is none of the doom and gloom of the holiday's historical association with death, which may have something to do with the fact the celebration first made waves at Tokyo Disneyland. If you're not planning an all-nighter on the last weekend of October, it's still worth heading down to Shibuya or Shinjuku just to laugh at the outlandish costumes on show. And if you're one of those donning an outlandish costume, check out our event guide for both All Hallows' Eve and the previous weekend (which is when most of the family fun takes place).

Parades and festivals

Kawasaki Halloween

Oct 18-31 | La Cittadella
Kawasaki's annual costume parade gets powered up for the occasion, with DJs Daishi Dance and Marc Panther rocking the crowd with dance tunes. The rest of the program ranges from costumed bar-hopping to The Rocky Horror Show.
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Roppongi Hills Halloween Parade

Oct 25 | Roppongi Hills
Movies are the 2014 theme for Roppongi's yearly Halloween parade, so come dressed up as your favourite hero/heroine and join the celebration from 10.30am. Younger participants will receive a handful of free candy, while grown-ups might want to check out the festival food and drink on offer.
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Tamagawa Halloween Festival

Oct 25-31 | Tamagawa Takashimaya Shopping Centre
Elmo, Kermit and friends invade the Tamagawa Takashimaya shopping centre for Sesame Street-themed Halloween fun, including a kids-only costume parade on October 26 and some paw-shaking with the furry fellows.
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Yamate Seiyokan Halloween Week

Oct 26 | Yokohama Doll Museum and other venues
Pull on your costume, bring the kids and stroll around Yokohama for this confusingly named one-day event taking place at a total of 13 locations in the city. Loads of free candy will be handed out.
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Shimokita Halloween

Oct 26 | Around Shimokitazawa Station
Shimokitazawa welcomes Halloween with festivities including dance performances, acoustic gigs, a parade and one of the most competitive costume contests in the city. Area stores will be open throughout the night, so feel free to creep around until early morning.
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Roppongi Halloween

Oct 26 | Roppongi area
Apparently one Halloween parade isn't enough for Roppongi residents – this twin costume march takes place on the day after the above-mentioned Roppongi Hills version and includes appearances by the super-popular 'Yokai Watch' characters.
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Harajuku-Omotesando Hello Halloween Pumpkin Parade

Oct 26 | Omotesando
Over 1,000 children under twelve dress up to form a parade that spans the 700m long zelkova tree-lined section of Omotesando, while the 'Okashi Rally' campaign provides sweet surprises for tired marchers.
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Kichijoji Halloween Festa

Oct 29-31 | Kichijoji Station and surroundings
More than a local celebration, Kichijoji's pumpkin parade attracts families from all over western Tokyo. Everyone from toddlers to ten-year-olds (and their parents) are welcome to participate in the costume procession.
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Parties

Pixiv x Mado Lounge Halloween Party

Oct 25 | Mado Lounge
Artist community Pixiv teams up with Mado Lounge at Roppongi Hills for an all-night Halloween bash featuring comedy duo Nippon Elekitel Rengo and an eclectic lineup of party acts, including mix master De De Mouse.
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Womb Halloween Party

Oct 25 & 31 | Womb
Womb's Halloween party takes place over two weekends this year, with the action kicked off by smashing French-American DJ duo Benoit & Sergio on October 25 and closed out by Satoshi Otsuki and crew a week later.
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Asobinite Halloween

Oct 31 | AgeHa
AgeHa's Halloween party usually boasts the largest scale in town, and this year is no exception. The lineup includes superstar producer Yasutaka Nakata, hip-hop supremo Verbal, Rip Slyme's Su (aka DJ Usus) and up-and-coming songbird Una.
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Air Halloween Party

Oct 31 | Air
Halloween at Air is traditionally a rowdy and fun-filled affair, and this year's party promises to faithfully stick to the script: hard-hitting techno beats, a generous costume discount and top-shelf guest appearances.
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2chome Halloween Night

Oct 31 | Aisotope Lounge
Shinjuku's 2-chome may look rather Halloweeny throughout the year, but it's still safe to expect something even more eye-popping when the scary celebration actually rolls along. This all-nighter features everything from corset fitting to a fab zombie parade.
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Halloween Masquerade Party

Oct 31 | Unit
Wear a head-to-toe costume and, if the drag queen at the door approves, you'll get free entrance into this 'Masquerade'-themed party for your fancy dress efforts. The funky beats will be provided by alt-hip hop producer Prefuse 73.
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Electrick Halloween

Oct 31-Nov 1 | Seibuen Yuenchi
The Seibuen Yuenchi amusement park plays host to the first edition of Electrick Halloween, a two-day bonanza of light, sound and costumes. The main event is on October 31, when comedy duo Nippon Elekitel Rengo take the stage.
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Scream!! Halloween Party

Nov 1 | WWW
If you prefer your Halloween chills and thrills to be accompanied by disco, house and electro, then this party should probably be top of your list. This year, Scream!! moves to Shibuya's WWW and welcomes DJs Force of Nature, Gonno and MXRLX.
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W Big Halloween Party

Nov 2 | Womb
A little late, but who cares: Womb's post-Halloween Halloween party is a luxurious combo of Taku Takahashi's 'Intergalactic' bash and 'Fantastic Dance', regularly run by Sapporo's pride Daishi Dance. Get ready to shake that furry booty.
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Miscellaneous fun

Orbi Yokohama Halloween

Until Oct 31 | Orbi Yokohama
Haven't been to the 'supercharged nature experience' at Orbi Yokohama yet? Pull on a full animal costume and get in for free during the month of October – you can even take a computer-enhanced selfie at one of the 'stations'.
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Tokyo Skytree Halloween

Until Oct 31 | Tokyo Sky Tree
The Skytree welcomes Halloween with a lengthy lineup of events, including merchandise presents for anyone visiting the observatory in costume, a costume parade for kids, and meet-and-greets with Sorakara-chan, the tower's official mascot.
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One-Day Zombie Café

Oct 24 | Hands Café
If you see a group of staggering corpses making their way through a shopping centre in October, fear not: Tokyo's living dead are just taking over Tokyu Hands for one horrifically fun day of revelry and brain-hunting.
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Nakameguro Blue Halloween

Oct 25 | Area around Nakameguro Station
If you're looking to dress up and have a good time without having to put up with a bunch of noisy kids, head over to Nakameguro for a spooky blue illumination, jazz on the streets and one of Tokyo's most lucrative costume contests.
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