Happy Halloween!!

Hi, guys.

It was Halloween night yesterday. I haven't been in Japan during this time of last few years, so I have no idea how crazy people in Japan are about Halloween. However, I remember that it wasn't such a huge event until few years ago, but the truth is, Halloween is a very recent development in Japanese culture. Just10 years ago, Halloween was viewed as the day when scary foreigners would randomly roam the streets in outrageous costumes, haphazardly drink on public transportation, and perhaps accidentally summon satan along the way. Nowadays, however, it’s not abnormal to see people on the streets decked out in their Halloween swag a week before the 31st. 

There are many ways in which Japanese culture nicely meshes with the concept of Halloween, making it easy for the Japanese to adopt it as their own. One of the most obvious points is the appreciation of costuming.

I mean, just think about it. We’re talking about the country that gave the world the gift of cosplay. So, it’s only natural that a tradition involving costuming would catch on eventually. This might be playing into stereotypes too much, but seriously, can you imagine Japan turning down any excuse to run around the streets in a pikachu suit. I can’t.

Another reason is, a lot of social medias such as Facebook, instagram and twitter are definitely helping to spread it out all over Japan. People of course can easily touch and appreciate the western culture and what's going on every year on Halloween night.

But unfortunately the weather over this weekend was absolutely horrible that made me feel in the dump!! I'm just wondering how I could adapt myself to this dodgy climate...

  ども。

　昨日はハロウィーンでしたね。日本でもFBなどが流行りだして、海外の文化が身近に感じるようになってから急激にハロウィーン市場がバレンタイン市場に近づくほどに成長したそうで・・。なんでも浅く広く騒ぎたがる国民性が色濃くでていますね。

　こちらでは、街に出てコスプレで騒ぐというのもありますが、家族と過ごすのが一般的。Trick and TreatやMischief Nightなどの行事もありますし、今朝もサッカースクールの子ども達から昨日ご近所さんから大量にもらったであろうチョコレートやお菓子をわけてくれました。嬉しいですね。

　そんなこんなであわただしく終わった週末でしたが、雨、雨、雨。幸い、サッカースクール時は弱めでしたが、それ以外は結構降っていて、予定していたことがあまりできなかったです。これから本格的に冬になりますし、サマータイムも終わりました。寒い、そして雨ばかりで冷たい季節がやってくるようです。耐えれるかな・・・。春よ早く来い！