Fall 
has finally fallen on Japan 
, and I personally couldn’t be more excited 
.
Not just because it means the end of summer 
, which admittedly is a big reason to celebrate in and of itself.
It’s also because fall signals the approach of Halloween
, which all fiendish ghouls 
know drops on October 31 every year.
It’s a holiday that most people seem to think is just for kids 
, but it’s actually for the young at heart, regardless of actual age.
That reality is especially evident in Japan , surprisingly enough.
At school 
, children rarely, if ever, participate in any Halloween-related activities in Japan.
(In the U.S.
, it’s the complete opposite, at least in my experience.)
Moreover, the concept of Trick-Or-Treating has yet to permeate Japanese culture the way that it has America.
That’s quite hard to believe, given Japan’s longstanding history and reputation for costuming.
But it does illustrate the point that, in Japan at least, Halloween seems to be for the grownups 
.
Perhaps my experience is a little skewed, but the costuming aspect seems to be enjoyed and performed mostly by the adults 
.
When I was an ALT for three years, Halloween was all but ignored at my elementary and junior high schools .
However, go out to Shibuya on Halloween night 
, and you’ll see an endless sea of adults parading around in a vaiety of intriguing get-ups 
.
I do think there’s room for growth.
I also firmly believe that children should be allowed to get into the Halloween spirit more than they have so far.
Who doesn’t love Halloween
The costumes certainly don’t have to be spooky, and nothing about it has to be scary at all.
It’s all about having fun and expressing 
yourself in a way that most people don’t get to do at any other time during the year.
(Conventions and other such gatherings have changed this over the years, but for most folks, it still holds true.)
Halloween is right around the corner, and I can’t wait 
.
I’m already kicking around various ideas for costumes , but I have made no decisions yet 
.
We’ll see what happens .
It’s all about having fun , and that’s exactly what I intend to do.
I hope you’ll join me 
by Brett
