Fall and Halloween in Japan: Cute, Spooky & Delicious Treats!

It’s officially September, and with the changing of the seasons and the cooling of the air comes something snack enthusiasts across Japan wait all year long for: the return of Japan’s fall-seasonal snacks, and more importantly, preparations and goods for the Halloween season! All across the country throughout convenience stores and supermarkets, spooky foods and limited flavors are beginning to pop-up, so let’s take a dive into what to expect and what makes Halloween season in Japan unique!

While many might associate Halloween and Halloween-themed goods to take an angle towards scary and shocking motifs as is common in the west, Japan tends to work their approach of Halloween in a different direction. Instead of the scary, frightening, bold, and sometimes unnerving designs and themes found in the west, Halloween-season goods in Japan focus more on kawaii goods and themes; making sure packaging and designs especially are adorable and fun, often with pastel or neon colors. The traditional symbols are still there, though, with pumpkins, ghosts, bats, and costumes still taking center stage, only with a different, soft and cute approach. These are especially common on snacks from September to November.

When it comes to Halloween and Fall in Japan, the flavors are also slightly different than those found overseas. Many in the west might associate fall with pumpkin spice, hazelnut, and cinnamon, but in Japan the iconic fall flavor lineup is a bit different, focusing heavily instead on yakiimo (roasted sweet potato), chestnut, and pumpkin, although Japan’s pumpkin is more squash-like and less sweet than its western counterpart. Black cocoa and blood-red strawberry are also two unique flavors that often make an appearance around Halloween in Japan, less specifically about their flavors and more about the atmosphere and colors (black for the night and spooky atmosphere, red for blood, etc).

As is common throughout all seasons of Japan, many of these limited-time goods, packaging, and treats are also limited-edition, making them perfect for those looking for exclusive souvenirs or those that simply like collecting treats that might be gone in a month's time. These goods often leave shelves immediately after Halloween is over, so for those looking to secure some adorable Halloween-themed treats or want to enjoy those limited time flavors after the season is over, it’s best to stock up as early as possible so you don’t miss out.

With the fun of dressing in costumes and enjoying some respite from Japan’s rough summer months nearly here, the only way to make it more enjoyable is to get out there and start treating yourself to cute, delicious Halloween treats and fall flavors under the soon-to-appear decorations of fall leaves, kawaii Halloween props, and of course, the energy you get when you can finally taste the Japanese fall flavors again! If you want to set yourself up right before Halloween arrives, we at Oyatsumart have you covered; even if you can’t get to Japan, we’ll ship these exclusive Japanese snacks worldwide, straight from the manufacturers themselves!