Halloween Special

I feel like Halloween is even a bigger deal this year than last. I feel like Japanese netizens are finally finding the spirit of it. I feel like bakers make a better attempt than most with all their Halloween decorations and fall and pumpkin themed treats and breads. Of course it would kind of make sense for them to try new promotional items with the changing of seasons and holidays are just the thing to welcome that. Otherwise, stores also advertised with more decor, the costumes and holiday accessories were front and center and in larger supply. And perhaps most impressively, was that a few stores even ran Halloween commercials, though limited. 

With every intention of going to USJ again this year for Halloween, that alas did not happen. This year, the Universal Studios Japan Halloween Event has actually been extended into November (I think by two weekends even), though by and large, the majority surely appeared the 27th. What is so special, is that this year, Capcom is sponsoring the Halloween event probably in large part due to their release of a new addition to the resident evil series. So everything is again Zombified, but now more money is being thrown at it to make it better. Such a shame I missed it (ok, technically I haven't, but for me Halloween ends Nov. 1st).

Instead, this year I went to the Kitayama Halloween event in Kyoto. They held it both on Saturday and Sunday. Early in the day, they had pumpkin and small gourd carving. For the most part, they are not pumpkins as the great orange squash we all know and love, they are the pebbled green tinted and occasionally orange coloration leaks in squashes that are oddly shaped. Well it mattered not to the patrons. They still had a grand time carving them well into the night. Some were carving little gourds that could be no bigger than an apple! Among the carved, my favorites were a Tottoro and a Mario and a pumpkin within  pumpkin. The pumpkins there that they were selling were incredibly expensive at 300 yen a kilogram and a good sized pumpkin would be about 18 kilograms. I bought my pumpkins for 500 and 600 yen at Costco and a flea market. The Flying Pig is a pretty grand place to find decently priced things from Costco without having the membership. At my school in my handcrafts club, we ordered a few of the smaller ones and carved them up. It was all their first time and I think they did a wonderful job. Pumpkin pies and roasted and spicy seeds to come later!

Throughout the day, there were handcraft stalls and Halloween themed treat stalls at a few places around the venue. Things like artfully designed spooky plants or apple and pumpkin flavored cookies. Metal workers and live glass blowing. Jewelry makers and wood workers. All in all, I probably make it sound like there were more than there actually was; there probably was somewhere around 10 total. And on the lowest level of the outdoor venue was a night time party, complete with hired DJ for the event. That was where the costume even took place. Only the deal was, you had to pay 1000yen to enter. Then you were given a set of stickers and would give your sticker to whomever you thought was best dressed for the evening. And the one with the largest number of the night would win. Last year they announced that their winner wore a Lady Gaga themed costume. I really wonder which one....Anyways, downstairs at the party, is where most of the action happens and it is also where all the food is, albeit not free. 

At the end all, there would be an announced winner to both the carving and costume contests who would then receive prizes, though I would not be able to tell you what exactly they were.

Also I have to hand it to the party goers, there were so many many people who were dressed up and coming to the event and just walking around. It  was almost like a little piece of home. I think the funnier thing about this all, was all the ladies coming wearing kimonos. You know in America, that would be an actual costume, but here in Japan it is more like formal wear. I suspect they were wearing them to be in the spirit of dressing up, though an added bonus is that it would give them an excuse to wear something elaborate, that, let's face it, sees very little time outside the wardrobe. 

Also as Halloween was in fact yesterday, and I was in Osaka, I did not see any loop line goers, though plenty enough of folks dressed up. So possibly the train station staff and police did a better job of shutting down the event this year?