Japaneesy Halloweeny, or "You had me at 'costumes'," said all the Japanese people.

Like other Western traditions that have been "imported", Halloween in Japan is the same...but different.

Halloween bouquet, anyone?

...or perhaps a beverage?

For example, it's clear to everyone that October is the right month, but very few people are aware that Halloween itself is only the 31st, rather than a season that lasts from October 1st until the end of the month. "Halloween is almost over, you know," a woman said to me.  On the 29th.  She, of course, was talking about the entire month of Halloween decorations and costume wearing, but by the time the real thing actually arrives most Japanese people are already shifting into Christmas mode. (Another tradition that has undergone similar treatment...but we'll wait a few more weeks before addressing that here.)

The bakery made "Ghost cream bread"...

...and "Black cat chocolate cream bread".
I think the raisin eyes are the creepiest part.

Despite the fact that Halloween falls on a day of the week that is convenient for parties this year, the big celebrations actually took place last weekend. "But why?" I asked.  "Because if the party went until after midnight on Halloween, then it would be November," said my Japanese friend.  That's right, folks, we time our celebrations down to the minute in this part of the world, because never does a celebration feel more right than when you know that you're going to finish on time.  (Just for kicks, you can read more about how Japanese people enjoy doing everything at exactly the right time here.  It's pretty spot-on.)

I can't quite nail down the project that one of the train companies
is advertising here, but there's our trusty Hachiko in his "wizard" (?) costume.

And one of the department stores joins in on the fun.
At least they know what day it is...

Today is the 31st.  By the time I wake up and go out tomorrow, it will be as if Halloween never existed. All those cute little jack-o-lanterns, twenty-somethings roaming the streets dressed like zombies, and ghost-shaped pastries will have gone up in a puff of smoke, replaced by tiny little Santas, Christmas lights, and reminders to place orders for our strawberry Christmas cakes and o-sechi boxes (traditional New Year foods).

How do we make black hamburger buns with black burger
sauce in Japan?  Why, with squid ink, of course!

And for dessert, jack-o-lantern Mont Blanc pastries or Casper the Friendly Ghost cakes.

But never fear, Halloween lovers.  Celebrations will resume again next year at exactly 12:01am, October 1st, 2015.

「１８時３０分、ちょっと早いじゃない？」 or "A nap in Japan, part 3"

Let's return to an old photo series of mine: A nap in Japan

Here's a little goodie from my commute home tonight.  Isn't 6:30 a little too early to be unconscious (read: drunk) on a train?

I snapped this just minutes before we pulled up at a station and employees from the train company rushed on and literally lifted him up off the seat and walked him off the train.  My favorite part of the whole experience was watching passengers give him the evil eye for inconveniencing others.  One of the worst crimes of etiquette to be committed in this country...


See other installments of the series here:
Part 1
Part 2

Actually...

So my previous post was spent reflecting on how it's pretty rare for Tokyo folks to pause just to admire the sky...twice in one week, no less.

But that wasn't the last of it, in the end.  Monday was the typhoon.  Wednesday was the eclipse.  And Friday...well, that was one of the most spectacular sunsets we've seen in a while.  I'm lucky I happened to look out my window at just the right time.  Grabbed my camera and headed up to the roof of my building to capture these shots:

We almost never see colors like this without some explanation (like a typhoon)...and the next day at work, it was a hot topic: "Did you see that sunset?!"

And then, the very next Monday evening, another typhoon.  (To paraphrase a local weather reporter: typhoon season sure started quietly, but decided to go out with a bang.)  I wanted some daytime shots, so took my camera with me to work the next morning and got these shots from the window of the train:

Pretty blue...and even the moon was visible

Now here's where we get to test your powers of observation.  Take a look at just one last picture below.  Doesn't look like much does it?  Can you figure out why it's special?  Look closely!  (I was very excited to get this shot.)

See it yet?

Need a hint?  Take a very careful look at the background.

I'll give you a few more seconds.

You got it, right?


 ......


It's Mt. Fuji!  The mountain that has for so long refused to allow me to photograph it.  It took an actual act of God--a typhoon--to make that mountain visible on a day I had my camera with me.  Seriously, I've seen the mountain lots of times.  But never, ever, with camera in hand.  And when I'm prepared, it's usually hidden behind clouds.

Me: 1, Fuji-san: 251.  But I'll take my wins whenever I can get them.

Breaking news: Tokyo residents appreciate sky twice in one week

People in Tokyo don't spend enough time looking at the sky--it's usually obscured by a building.  Unless you work on the nth floor of some skyscraper, it's likely one of those things you might forget exists.

Except for this week.

We had a typhoon on Monday morning.  Typhoons--destructive while they're happening--disperse all the smog, and skies afterwords are truly beautiful.  I've learned that if one is headed our way I can expect my newsfeed to be chock full of everyone's snapshots for a day or two following.

I took my camera to work with me intentionally.  Took my break a little too late to catch the best colors of the sunset, though, so it's hard to tell that it's a post-storm photo.  Guess I'll have to have better timing next time.

And then came the eclipse, just two days later.  In Japan it happened after sunset, so it was really nice to be able to catch it.  I took this picture just outside the train station on my way home from work tonight.  Just a sliver!