Japan's 'Simple Halloween' Trend... Shibuya Also Sees Sharp Decline in Halloween Crowds

Common Everyday Disguise
SNS Buzz Leads to Decrease in Offline Crowds

“I disguised myself as someone who fell asleep on their desk during lunch break and left marks.”

In Japan, unlike the flashy characters appearing in animated cartoons, a 'plain Halloween (Jimi Halloween·地味ハロウィン)' that mimics everyday clothing has recently gained popularity. Japanese media reported that as Jimi Halloween became popular, the crowds in Tokyo's Shibuya?where concerns about congestion accidents arose every Halloween?actually decreased sharply.

A person posing as someone who just woke up after lying down during lunch break. (Photo by NHK)

On the 31st, NHK reported that the crowd in Shibuya Ward on the weekend just before Halloween decreased by 16% compared to 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic. It analyzed that this was likely influenced by the popularity of 'Jimi Halloween,' which spread mainly through social networking services (SNS).

Jimi Halloween is a Halloween culture that started in 2014 and became a trend, meaning 'disguising as someone who seems to be nearby.' It becomes a hot topic on SNS every year, and this Halloween, the 'No-look handrail challenge fail' gained popularity. NHK also mentioned, "The concept of dressing up as someone who tries to grab a handrail on a train or bus while looking at their smartphone but fails became a hot topic."

Besides this, people who painted their foreheads and wrists red to imitate 'someone who was sleeping face down during lunch break,' and 'cashiers who can cosplay something at every supermarket event' were popular. As disguising as ordinary daily scenes became a hot topic online, it is analyzed that this may have helped alleviate offline crowd density.

Halloween cosplay event held in Ikebukuro. (Photo by NHK)

Shibuya has long struggled with the crowds gathering every Halloween. On this day, NHK reported, "Near Shibuya Center Street, there had been repeated damage such as store shutters being broken during Halloween, but this weekend no such incidents were confirmed."

Although the number of visitors decreased, Tokyo Metropolitan Government remains alert to crowd concentration on Halloween day. As a result, events managed directly by ward offices have appeared. In Ikebukuro, with administrative support from Toshima Ward, a Halloween cosplay event is underway. NHK reported that 140,000 people gathered in just one day. Toshima Ward has set rules to prevent accidents, such as prohibiting visiting other locations while in cosplay, suggesting areas where movement and photography are allowed, and restricting drinking on the streets.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.