Halloween continues to grow in popularity in Japan. It burst onto the scene in 2000 when Tokyo Disneyland hosted its first Halloween event. It was a triumph and other theme parks followed suit. Now Halloween is one of the biggest events on the calendar. In 2026, Halloween falls on Saturday, October 31
However, Halloween in Japan isn’t just an imitation of the American version. First of all, there’s no ‘trick or treating’. Secondly, as it’s a new phenomenon, people don’t care about most of the Halloween traditions that are important elsewhere.
Instead, people focus their creative energy on their Halloween costumes. Japanese people love to dress up and Halloween offers a window of opportunity for cosplay (costume play). Halloween events such as zombie runs, flash mobs, and street parties are typical.
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Halloween costumes in Japan
In nightclubs, theme parks, bars, and street parties throughout Japan, people dress up in all kinds of crazy Halloween outfits. Popular costumes vary between cute and terrifying.
Classic costumes such as witches, wizards, devils, and black cats are typical though people also dress up as their favorite characters from video games, TV shows, and films such as Pikachu, Darth Vader, and Mario.
At Ikebukuro, a major center for Japan’s anime culture, manga, anime, and video game cosplay is especially popular around Halloween. Don Quijote (Donki) and Daiso are two popular discount chain stores where people go shopping for their costumes.
Halloween street parties
Roppongi Hills has hosted major Halloween celebrations in the past, although its program changes from year to year. Visitors should check what events are scheduled for 2026 before making plans.
Note: Shibuya was once famous for large unofficial Halloween gatherings around the Scramble Crossing and Center Gai, but it is no longer promoted as a Halloween party destination. Local authorities have introduced crowd-control measures and prohibit drinking in designated public areas around Shibuya Station from 6 pm to 5 am.
Street parties are a great way of seeing a wide variety of costumes and having fun at Halloween on a budget. They are free and you can bring your own drinks. The only money you need to spend is on your costume!
Halloween treats
Though door-to-door trick-or-treating isn’t a major part of Halloween in Japan, you can still find plenty of sweet things to eat. Pumpkins and jack-o’-lanterns are also a familiar part of Halloween decorations.
There’s also a range of limited-edition products which are brought onto the market at Halloween. Restaurants and bakeries also serve special orange, black, green, and purple desserts which are a huge hit.
Japanese Halloween trains
Halloween parties on trains have an unusual place in Japan’s history. From the late 1980s and into the 1990s and 2000s, groups of costumed revelers held unofficial Halloween gatherings on Tokyo’s Yamanote Line.
Known as the Yamanote Halloween Train, the gatherings became famous for filling regular train cars with people dressed as zombies, vampires, and other characters.
Today, these unofficial train parties are no longer considered a regular part of Halloween celebrations in Japan. Special chartered trains can occasionally host organised events, but visitors looking to celebrate Halloween in 2026 should focus on scheduled festivals, theme parks, and other dedicated events instead.
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Halloween events at theme parks
Theme parks in Japan are some of the most exciting places to be at Halloween. Several of the country’s biggest parks have special events planned for 2026.
Tokyo Disneyland: Disney Halloween runs at Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea from September 16 to October 31, 2026. Tokyo Disneyland features The Villains’ Halloween “Into the Frenzy” parade, Halloween fireworks, and the seasonal Haunted Mansion “Holiday Nightmare”. Tokyo DisneySea also hosts a special Halloween Greeting with Mickey Mouse and friends.
Universal Studios Japan: Halloween Horror Nights runs from September 11 to November 8, 2026. The 15th-anniversary programme includes Street Zombies, Zombie de Dance, Resident Evil and Sadako-themed attractions, as well as several other horror experiences.
Sanrio Puroland: On October 31, 2026, the park hosts Spooky Pumpkin 2026 – Puro All Night Halloween Party. The overnight event runs from 10 pm to 5 am and features live artists and DJs alongside Sanrio characters. Entry is restricted to guests aged 20 and over.