What to do for Halloween in Japan—A guide to events and activities throughout the country!
- Published on : 29/10/2025
- by : Joshua
- Youtube
Shibuya Halloween
@Dick Thomas Johnson on Wikimedia, CC BY 2.0
Supernatural legends and folklore have forever been a prominent part of Japan’s traditional storytelling culture. Into the modern day, Japanese horror permeates into its pop culture, and the celebration of Halloween every year on October 31st is the ultimate manifestation of this.
Though the holiday in its contemporary form has Western roots, Japan has fully embraced the holiday and fanfare. The whole month of October is filled with horror-themed events and marketing, and Halloween day itself on the 31st is characterized by a combination of spooky fanfare along with fun-filled nightlife.
Throughout different parts of the country, there are a variety of different events that any lover of anything spooky and creepy will enjoy. Take a look at some of our favorite activities for a great Halloween anywhere in Japan!
Tokyo
Probably the city in Japan that is best known for Halloween festivities, there is no shortage of events to check out in Tokyo. The most well-known is likely the goings-on within Shibuya, where many celebrants will go out dressed up, wander streets, and enjoy the nightlife! In recent years, Tokyo has done its best to control the foot traffic and maintain peace within the area on Halloween day, but that doesn’t mean that festivities have ceased fully.
Just be sure to follow the directions of patrolling police officers and to not act up per the request of Shibuya ward. Within the neighborhood, many clubs and other venues will be hosting themed events as well.
Shibuya Halloween
@Dick Thomas Johnson on Wikimedia, CC BY 2.0
Also in the spirit of dressing up for Halloween is the Ikebukuro Cosplay Festival. This event takes place at the end of October, typically the weekend before Halloween Day. This is one of the biggest cosplay events in all of Japan, with droves of professional and hobbyist cosplayers flocking to the neighborhood with professional and hobbyist photographers in tow. Classic anime, contemporary anime, game franchises, original characters, horror-themed costumes and the like are all represented.
Then, there are the Halloween events at Tokyo Disneyland and DisneySea. With different events and specialty-themed costumes and goods, lovers of amusement parks and anything Disney ought to make their way out! One of the best parts of visiting the park at this time is that from October 16th to October 31st, guests can attend the park while wearing full character costumes, something that is usually not permitted during other times of the year!
Osaka
Though it’s often seen as the “second city” of Japan compared to Tokyo, Osaka boasts a distinct and energetic atmosphere all its own. This goes especially for their Halloween celebrations, with the main spot for scares and spooks being at Universal Studios Japan. Throughout the Halloween season, USJ hosts the Halloween Horror Nights, culminating on Halloween day, when the park is open all night into November 1st. Starting from 10 P.M. rides and attractions are operating until daybreak with staff dressed as spooky ghouls and creepy characters.
There is even a special horror-themed show put on for park attendees during this time, held at the WaterWorld attraction. The number of guests for the show is limited and will be chosen by lottery.
While the Halloween Horror Nights: All Night event is exclusively for guests who are 18 and older, the HAHAHA! Halloween Party is held during the day and is targeted towards younger guests and families. The festivities are held from September 8th up to November 3rd, 2025, and feature Halloween events centered around beloved franchises like Minions, Pokemon, and Sanrio! There is also trick-or-treating held throughout the park, in which children wearing costumes can ask for candy from park staff!
For something more within the city center, Dotombori and Shinsaibashi become the main Halloween stage, much like Shibuya in Tokyo. People wearing costumes go through the streets, enjoying the nightlife with a lively atmosphere. Just like in Shibuya, the area gets quite crowded on Halloween night, so be sure to come early and be safe while also making sure you’re having a good time!
USJ Halloween, Osaka
Name @Hideya Hamano on Flickr, CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
Kyoto
Kyoto, as the historic capital of Japan up until the Meiji Restoration, is a city that fully embraces its traditions and history. This goes for its Halloween celebrations as well, as many of the Halloween events center around traditional folklore and mythology.
One of the most popular events for Halloween takes place at the Toei Kyoto Studio Park with the KaiKai Yokai Festival. Yokai are best described as supernatural beings of Japanese folklore. At the festival, different events and activities revolving around them take place against the backdrop of a reconstructed Edo period town. There is also a parade that goes through the grounds featuring actors dressed in costumes! The event takes place from September 13th up to November 30th in 2025!
Another unique event that is a distinctly Japanese way of celebrating Halloween would be ASOBIYUKU, held at Kyoto Rurikei Onsen. An onsen is a type of public bath in Japan with showers and multiple pools to bathe in. They are a staple pastime in Japan, especially during the cooler months. Combining the season with the spooky festivities of late October, the onsen and its facilities are decorated with a Halloween theme and specialty dishes and desserts are served! From October 26th to November 2nd, 2025, a special, after-hours “test of courage” haunted house event will take place, starting at 10 P.M. The ASOBIYUKU event spans from September 8th to November 2nd, 2025, and a series of events for children and families will also be held.
Being as ancient of a city as it is, Kyoto is said to be host to a medley of supernatural activity. For those looking to see the paranormal side of the ancient capital, a ghost tour showing spots said to be haunted throughout the city may be in order! During fall, there are a number of tours in the Arashiyama area that focus specifically on these kinds of activities, while other tours take you to notably spooky parts of central Kyoto.
Arashiyama
@Richard Lee on Flickr, CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
Explore Kyoto with a local guide!
Other events for Halloween throughout Japan
While these three cities see the most activity for Halloween, there are great events in different parts of the country. Here are a few more options to look into:
Fuji-Q Highland (Yamanashi)
Likely the most iconic amusement park in Japan, Fuji-Q Highland is located within the view of the iconic Mount Fuji. The park is already host to two famous haunted house attractions, with the “Labyrinth of Fear” being an especially noteworthy one.
The park hosts the Fuji-Q Highland Halloween Fair with special events, attractions, and specialty foods with a Halloween theme.
Fuji Q Highland
©Autopilot on Wikimedia CC BY-SA 3.0
Travel around Japan with rail passes and tickets!
Ohori Park Halloween Market (Fukuoka)
Fukuoka is a city lauded for its food culture, with its yatai food stalls being especially popular. In this spirit, dozens of food stalls are set up at Ohori Park in Fukuoka City.
Appealing to families, children, and demographics of all ages, the fair and activities promote community in this Kyushu city!
Shiroi Koibito Park “Nya Halloween” (Sapporo)
“Nya” is the sound a cat makes in Japanese, and this event in the capital of Hokkaido has a theme centered around black cats and witches!
Most events are held throughout October before Halloween day itself, and children 15 and under wearing costumes get in free of charge!
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