JAPAN: Mothers and children in Tokyo take part in a Halloween parade, and go round to stores instead of homes for trick-or-treat

Record ID: 466697

  • Title: JAPAN: Mothers and children in Tokyo take part in a Halloween parade, and go round to stores instead of homes for trick-or-treat
  • Date: 31st October 2012
  • Summary: (SOUNDBITE) (Japanese) KICHIJOUJI HALLOWEEN FESTA ORGANIZER REIKO SAITO SAYING: "As there's alot of people who get uneasy if they suddenly have someone they don't know come to their house, we decided to instead do this sort of format where we get cooperation from stores and look to revive the area as well. It also shows the mothers that there are various stores around the area when they have to go around to those stores."
  • Embargoed: 15th November 2012 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Japan
  • Country: Japan
  • Topics: Quirky,People,Light / Amusing / Unusual / Quirky
  • Reuters ID: LVA8IA3WFM3LZG077CJGRTY7T27P
  • Story Text: About 200 Japanese mothers and children took part in a Halloween parade on Wednesday (October 31) in Tokyo.
    Little ghouls, goblins and everything from Buzz Lightyear to Batman walked through a residential district of Tokyo accompanied by their parents to celebrate the holiday.
    Participants such as three-year-old Kazuma Kasahara said he enjoyed himself.
    "Walking around was fun!" he said after the march.
    This marks the first time the parade has been held, organized by a group of mothers living in the area.
    "I've never experienced Halloween before, and I thought that it's definitely something that my child would enjoy since she can walk now. I also wanted to have her go around and get candy," 34-year-old Hiromi Kozuma told Reuters as she brought her 2-year-old daughter Sana with her.
    Thirty-four-year-old mother Kana Kudou said she enjoyed the experience immensely.
    "I think I may actually be enjoying it more than my son. Even yesterday, I was really looking forward to it," she said.
    Organisers also came up with a Japanese spin on the traditional trick-or-treating.
    Instead of going around to neighbourhood houses, as is more common in the United States, these trick-or-treaters go around to stores instead to get their candy.
    Parents buy 10 stamps for 1000 yen ($12 USD) before the trick-or-treat, which allows them to get a bag from each store.
    By having the event at stores instead of going to people's houses, organisers said it overcomes the fact that many Japanese are not used to having strangers come round to ask for candy.
    "As there's alot of people who get uneasy if they suddenly have someone they don't know come to their house, we decided to instead do this sort of format where we get cooperation from stores and look to revive the area as well. It also shows the mothers that there are various stores around the area when they have to go around to those stores," organiser, Reiko Saito said.
    This year saw 500 children take part in the trick-or-treating, with nearly 50 stores taking part.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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