Halloween in Japan!

Many of us lost interest in the American holiday Halloween long ago (Or were never interested at all, as the case may be) but Halloween has proven to be quite different for some of the students here in Nyuzen. We have taught them the meaning of "trick or treat," shown them how to carve a pumpkin, and even given them candy corn. Some of them said the candy was too sweet but they're wrong.

The festivities began in September when our town held a giant pumpkin festival (どで南瓜 大会) where we had seed spitting contests, pumpkin carving, and a pumpkin dance. In past festivals the opening ceremony included speeches from officials such as the town mayor. In other words, thte festival is taken (somewhat) seriously.

In one of my elementary schools (小学生), the first grade students (一年生） made pumpkin masks and practiced trick or treating to win candy. I also made a box with things inside that felt like eyeballs, brains, and toe nails. They weren't real but the kids were often too scared to smell or taste what they had touched so the illusion prevailed.

I came into the fifth grade class today and found the students dressed in elaborate costumes. One student had constructed a witch's hat, another had borrowed her elder sister's junior high uniform and one boy went so far as to grease his hair, wear a cape, a white shirt and fangs for Dracula. The one student who forgot a costume colored a big red spot on paper, laid down on the ground and told us he was road kill. Such creativity!

Many Japanese have never seen a real Jack-O-Lantern so I carved a pumpkin for our three-year school festival at my junior high. It's ちょっと difficult to find small saws around here so it took me about three hours to complete. I also carved a pumpkin for one of my elementary schools which was much more plain but the kids seemed to enjoy it.

In my eighth grade elective English class I taught the kids how to trick or treat and they had to draw a costume for themselves. At the end I had them make teams and then turn one of their teammates into a mummy using toilet paper. The students really enjoyed dressing their classmates in tissue and even found creative ways to incorporate the brown tube.

Yup, I'd say Halloween hasn't been laid in the coffin yet. It's still alive and well among batty kids here in Japan, even if it is just a skeleton form. gwa haha