12 best Halloween events and parties in Tokyo

Tokyo Disneyland’s annual Halloween festivities are always highly anticipated. This year, the entire park will be decorated with Mickey Mouse-shaped pumpkins and ghosts.

The Haunted Mansion ride, specifically, is getting a 'Nightmare Before Christmas' revamp as usual, with Jack Skellington featured throughout the journey. During the day, you’ll get to enjoy the Spooky Boo parade featuring floats decked out in cobwebs and pumpkins, and steered by characters dressed in ghost costumes.

Over at the restaurants and shops, expect seasonal souvenirs featuring ghost Mickey and a selection of Halloween-inspired dishes such as maple pumpkin churros and pumpkin soft-serve ice cream. And yes, you’re welcome to dress up in full costume as your favourite Disney character this year.

Cosplayers who love dressing up as their beloved anime or game characters – instead of the usual witches, mummies and creepy clowns – will love this massive Halloween party in Ikebukuro on October 29 and 30. Expect more than 20,000 cosplayers parading the streets of Ikebukuro East, an area which is gaining ground as an incubator of subcultures.

If you want to show off your costume, participate in the Cosplayer of The Year competition online and you could become the face of the competition for the following year.

Tokyo Tower’s second-floor main deck will feature Halloween-themed projections until October 31. You’ll get to enjoy beautiful scenery with autumnal trees and calming music – until it gets hijacked by spooky creatures. There will be witches, bats, jack-o’-lanterns and ghosts projected onto the ceiling and windows, complemented by spooky music to get you into the Halloween spirit.

Now in its 39th edition, the annual Hello Halloween Pumpkin Parade will be attended by more than 1,000 children under twelve years old, who dress up to form a parade that spans the length of approximately one kilometre along the zelkova tree-lined avenue in Omotesando. 

What’s more, there’s a special Okashi Rally Map, which lists participating shops in the Omotesando and Harajuku area that are giving away free okashi (sweets) to kids. There are also booths for the little ones to partake in fun activities.

If you’re looking for a meal, many restaurants and cafés in the area are serving special Halloween-themed menus throughout October.

Sanrio character and My Melody rival Kuromi is hosting Sanrio Puroland’s Halloween celebration this year, and she’s painting the theme park in her signature colours, black and purple. She’ll be leading a 20-minute Halloween parade featuring other Sanrio characters in adorable costumes. You can catch the spectacle from the first floor or second-floor balcony at Puro Village.

Don’t worry, you’ll also get to meet and greet Halloween versions of Hello Kitty, Cinnamoroll, Pom Pom Purin and friends. Make sure you stick around for the illumination show. It’s a collaboration between Kuromi and popular mobile game The Wizard’s Promise.

Throughout this Halloween season, Sanrio Puroland’s food court is serving some appropriately themed food and drinks. There’s a pitch-black Kuromi croquette curry (¥1,500) and black cheese burger (¥2,100), as well as sweet treats like a purple potato parfait (¥1,200) and colour-changing lemonade soda (¥880).

Roppongi Hills's annual Halloween parade is returning for the first time in four years, so come dressed up in your favourite costume and join the celebration from 11am.

The parade is only open to children 12 years old and under, along with the accompanying parents, of course. Costume is a must and remember to get a participation ticket, which will be handed out for free at the Arena on the day at 10am. You'll be assigned to a group, and together you’ll then strut around the area for a good 25 minutes. Participants will receive a handful of free candy, while grown-ups might want to check out the plentiful festival food and drink on offer.

Throughout the day, you can expect various stage performances, like a magic show by Junya as well as fun science experiments by Einstein Labo. Younger kids can participate in Lego playtime and workshops including paper art.

Japan’s largest eSports park is getting new attractions for the spooky season. From now until October 31, Red Tokyo Tower is hosting Halloween Horror Nights everyday from 5pm, with games and activities for the entire family to enjoy. 

A former haunted house-like attraction that’s been closed is reopening temporarily just for this occasion. As you walk through dark rooms and corridors, be prepared to encounter various tricks and surprises. 

Red Tokyo Tower’s existing attractions like the VR Kat Walk and Var Box are offering scary games that aren’t for the faint of heart. Walk through a virtual haunted house with jump scares that come around every thirty seconds, or immerse yourself in an intense zombie apocalypse shooting game. 

Those who aren’t a fan of sudden spooks can enjoy a game of ‘Red Light, Green Light’. It’s easy: the goal is to reach the finish line without getting caught. There are also designated photo spots with Halloween decorations as well as free treats for those who say ‘trick or treat’ to the staff.

Every Tuesday and Thursday at 7pm, there’s a Halloween party with exclusive Halloween-themed cocktails and buy-one-free-one drink deals.

Get into the Halloween spirit at Yumenoshima Tropical Greenhouse Dome’s annual pumpkin exhibition, where over 100 pumpkins from Ibaraki prefecture are on display all over the garden. These pumpkins are much larger than the average Japanese kabocha, and can weigh up to 100kg each. Feel free to sit on them, take pictures with them, and even roll them around.

On October 28 and 29, you can participate in a Halloween flower arrangement workshop and make your own autumn-themed bouquets. It costs ¥2,500 per person, but there's a limit of 20 people per session, so we recommend booking in advance online.

This year, Veuve Clicquot champagne is celebrating Halloween at The Westin Yokohama. On October 27 and 28, the 23rd-floor lobby lounge will be hosting a Halloween-themed dessert buffet, complete with spooky yet stylish decorations.

DJ Sachipo and Yuri Nakagawa will be spinning upbeat remixes and danceable tunes all evening. The ¥13,000 price tag may seem steep, but considering the unlimited wine and Veuve Clicquot champagne you can enjoy for two hours, it's not a bad deal.

A massive shopping complex in Ikebukuro, Sunshine City is offering plenty of free Halloween activities for both children and adults to enjoy from September 29 to October 31. Primary school students and younger kids can get a free assortment of snacks at the South exit in the first-floor Alpa Specialty Shop section. You need to bring your own candy box, which you can make at home using an empty milk carton. Just make sure you paste on the event’s Halloween candy box illustration, which you can print out online or find on leaflets at Sunshine City.

The Sunshine 60 Observatory Deck Tenbou Park and Ehon-no-Hiroba will be decked out in Halloween decor. While Ehon-no-Hiroba is free, Tembou Park requires a ¥700 entry fee (¥500 for middle school students and younger) on weekdays and ¥900 (¥600) on weekends and holidays.

Make sure to visit on October 31 to catch a free concert by The Crazy Angel Company dressed in their best Halloween costumes.

Futako-Tamagawa shopping centre Rise is celebrating Halloween over the Oct 28-29 weekend with a host of family-friendly events. While there are no parades, you’ll find photobooths, workshops, and plenty of stalls offering Halloween treats.