Halloween over here and over there

Wow!!! Halloween has come and gone already...time is flying!!! Initally we didn't think we were going to do anything on the night of the 31st because I didn't want to go buy a costume --- we are still getting used to 1 month pay-cheques....not gonna lie - it sucks! A couple of our friends were heading to Tins, so we decided to go along and quickly thought of something creative to wear. Our pseudonyms for the night were Ping & Pong -- this is what we came up with:

When we got to Tins it was PACKED! I have never seen it that busy. You couldn't even make it to the bar to get a drink....we tried, but after 20 minutes of not moving we gave up. We hung out outside for a bit with a bunch of other people. We started to get thirsty and were contemplating going elsewhere, but didn't want to leave as the vibe was pretty good. We decided to head to 7-11 for some drinks and come back to hang out. We came back with a few bevys to find more people outside. There were tons of cool costumes, the music was awesome, and the 7-11 drinks were much cheaper then getting ones from the bar...tee hee!

Eventually the cops came because the neighbours had complained of a noise disturbance. We crammed outselves into the bar, waited for the police to leave and then went back outside. An hour later we went back to Sev for more drinks! Tonight was a prime example of how convenient it is to be able to buy alcoholic drinks at the local convenience store AND be able to drink them on the street.

**Of course we had to say "Hey...nice costume guys...how original. " Since they didn't understand what we were saying they just smiled and waved us into the bar. Ha ha ha ha! **

**Ironically we ran into Akemi (the one on the far left). She is the owner of our other favourite hang - out Da Sponge. **

**Jason and Buddha -- interesting combo**

**Matt and Jame with their big cans of Asahi from 7-11**

**I saw this lady throughout the night ....so I just had to ask for a pic**

**Jack Sparrow won 3rd prize**

Eventually as the night went on it slowly started to die inside. We made our way in at about 11:30pm, found a table, and ordered some more drinks. We had a blast chatting and dancing. It was a ton of fun!!! At about 1:30am we decided to find a cab to go home because we had to work that day. Ouch!!

**Randall the Power Ranger**

**Eli with his conjoined twin**

**Of course some teacher had to go as the Nova mascot (usagi -- Japanese for rabbit)**

**The 3 beers -- Papa, Mama & Baby beer**

**Tins bt's and dj**

**Group shot**

Once Jame and I left Tins we realized how starving we were. The only thing that was open was McDonald's. We went there to order and then stood on the street chowing down our food. This guy Jason walked by and started talking to us. Jason is an IT guy from Chicago and is on vacation. He was also at Tins....we saw each other there, but never actually met. We talked about Nova and life in Japan. He shared his travelling stories with us....recommending where and where not to go. We talked over some fresh hot fries for an hour or so....then realized we really, really had to get home to bed.

**In this pic Jason is imitating what Ronald McDonald looks like at the McDonald's in Thailand -- Jame on the other hand....I have no idea what he is imitating. Ha ha ha**

We finally hailed a cab (because the trains stop running at midnight) and prayed the cabbie would know where we lived. He didn't really show that he understood our directions, but took us anyway. Jame had the hiccups the WHOLE ride home -- about 25 minutes. It was soooooooo funny....I was dying of laughter. I guess you had to be there.

We made it home at about 3am and woke up at 10am to get ready for work. Thank god 3/4 of the day was training because both Jame and I were not in the mood to teach! November 1st seemed like the longest day ever, but it was worth it because we had a blast on Halloween. Thanks for letting us share our night!

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Here are some pictures of some of our favourite people from back home. Thanks for sharing your hilarious / adorable Halloween pix with us! We really enjoyed them!!

Phyllis & Norman

Iceman & Norman

Aaron the train conductor

Kyle the cow

Abby as Tinkerbell

To look at the rest of the photos we took on Halloween night, please click here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/33808451@N00/sets/72157594356614890/

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It is interesting because Japan totally gets decked out for Halloween .....decorations are everywhere, yet they do not celebrate it, nor do they even know what it is about. I came across this article the day before the 31st. It's interesting if you are interested.

"New Holiday" called Halloween

Mon Oct 30, 8:56 AM By Elaine Lies

TOKYO (Reuters) - Ghosties and ghoulies, princesses and pumpkins took to the streets of Tokyo this weekend as Japan celebrated one of its newest festivals -- Halloween.

Little known two decades ago, Halloween has spread in cities such as Tokyo, where autumn now sees florists selling pumpkins, shopping arcades festooned with paper Jack o'lanterns -- and even black-and-orange costumes for dogs on offer at pet shops.

Halloween, as Japan now knows it, is unabashedly American, and few Japanese know much about its origins.

"It's a time to dress up and have fun," said Yukiko Kobayashi, 34, whose 4-year-old daughter Kao wore a princess costume while watching a Halloween parade at Tokyo Disneyland.

Shunsuke Fujita, a 7-year-old dressed as a ghost at a Sunday Halloween parade, said: "It's a festival for ghosts, and it's fun because we get candy."

The festival's roots in All Hallow's Eve -- the day before All Saint's day, which commemorates the death of Christian martyrs -- resemble a traditional Japanese Buddhist holiday known as Obon.

But the three days in August when Japanese spirits are believed to return to earth are a mostly solemn time when families visit cemeteries to honor their ancestors.

"Halloween, like Christmas here, has no connection to religion," said Takayo Yamamoto at Hakuhodo Inc. Institute of Life and Living.

"It's all promotion for toyshops, florists and candy stores."

Most people trace the start of Halloween in Japan to Tokyo Disneyland, which opened in 1983. The same year, a Tokyo toy store sponsored the first "Harajuku Pumpkin Parade," now an annual event in a Tokyo shopping area popular with youth.

Merchandisers have seized on Halloween as a welcome oasis in a long dry stretch from the summer holidays to Christmas.

"After all, in October there's nothing else to catch anybody's attention," said Masako Asaji, who has filled her restaurant's window with tiny Jack o'lanterns.

Some shops put up Halloween decorations in early September.

"When we first started with Halloween, we only had a one-day event, since people didn't really get the idea," said Hiroshi Suzuki of Oriental Land Co. Ltd, which runs Disneyland.
This year, though, Tokyo Disneyland began its daily Halloween parade on September 12, three days before Disney World in Florida.

"It's a good way to bring in customers," Suzuki said.

Thousands packed the park one recent weekday to scream and shout as skeletons and Disney characters dressed in Halloween costumes cavorted. Vendors sold treats with a Japanese twist: sweets made from pumpkin and sweet red bean paste.

The number of Japanese marking Halloween is still tiny and few engage in the American custom of "trick-or-treating" -- going door to door to collect sweets.

But awareness of the holiday is growing. A recent survey showed some three-fourths of Japanese had heard of the holiday.

For Japanese youth, some of whom already engage in the hobby of "cosplay," dressing up as characters from "manga" comics or "anime" cartoons, Halloween is another chance for fantasy fun.
"Halloween is a time when you can do whatever you want," said Rie Kakuda, 20-year-old florist dressed as a princess in an ankle-length dress with ruffles at Disneyland. "You're free."