20 Releases And Events To Look Forward To In October

October Releases and Events - Immerse Yourself in Fall in Japan

Pictures courtesy of Starbucks Japan, Oriental Land, Co., Puroland, and Pablo

October in Japan is one of the best times to be traveling, with plenty of special sweets, products, and events to experience. We've gathered fourteen new releases and six Halloween events to look forward to this month! All of the mentioned products are available for a short time, and most are only available to enjoy in Japan.

1. Halloween Buffet at Sweets Paradise

Picture courtesy Sweets Paradise

Sweets Paradise is a popular, budget-friendly all-you-can-eat restaurant which is mainly sweets. Their Halloween collection will be available from September 13th until October 31st, 2019. 

There are many Halloween buffets in Tokyo but Sweets Paradise is probably the best choice if you want to get into the Halloween spirit without breaking the bank.

Sweets Paradise Official Website: https://www.sweets-paradise.jp/

2. PABLO Chestnut, Sweet Potato and Tapioca Cheese Tarts

Picture courtesy of Pablo

The Chestnut and Blueberry Mont Blanc Cheese Tart (2000 yen for a 15cm tart) offers an unusual combination. The delicious cheese tart base is topped with a layer of fresh blueberry jam, whipped cream, and a thick marron mont blanc cream made from real chestnuts.

Picture courtesy of Pablo

You can also indulge in the Rum Flavored Adult Mont Blanc Mini Cheese Tart (278 yen).

Picture courtesy of Pablo

The Kagoshima Sweet Potato Cheese Tart (278 yen) is topped with sweet potato mont blanc instead of chestnut cream.

Picture courtesy of Pablo

Tapioca Tea, also known as pearl or bubble tea, has recently found its way into many other sweet treats in Japan. Pablo has a Brown Sugar Tapioca Milk Tea Mini Cheese Tart (509 yen) available from September 20th until October 24th, 2019. It contains a mixture of cream cheese, earl grey tea and black tapioca which is freshly baked daily in a flaky pie crust. It is topped with brown sugar jelly.

Pablo Official Website: https://www.pablo3.com/

3. Starbucks Sweet Potato and Halloween Red Night Frappuccino and Macchiato

Picture courtesy of Starbucks Japan

The Starbucks Sweet Potato Gold Frappuccino (Tall 580 yen plus tax) combines a classic creamy frappuccino base with sweet potato and honey. It has the popular Japanese snack Imokenpi, or candied sweet potato, blended into the mixture for extra texture.

The Starbucks Sweet Potato Gold Macchiato (short 440 yen, tall 480 yen, grande 520 yen and venti 560 yen plus tax) consists of steamed milk and espresso laced with the same sweet potato and honey mixture. Both are available at Starbucks Japan shops nationwide from September 20 until October 10, 2019.

Picture courtesy of Starbucks Japan

For Halloween, Starbucks Japan offers the Starbucks Halloween Red Night Frappuccino (tall 590 plus tax). There is also the Starbucks Halloween Masquerade Raspberry Mocha, which is a blend of white chocolate brownie flavor, raspberries, cranberries and strawberries.

Starbucks Japan Official: https://www.starbucks.co.jp/

4. Tully's Salt Caramel Pumpkin Caffè Latte & Caramelized Apple Milk Tea

Picture courtesy of Tully's Japan

Tully's Salt Caramel Pumpkin Caffè Latte features a pumpkin sauce and pumpkin-flavored whip cream made with real pumpkin from Hokkaido.

Picture courtesy of Tully's Japan

TULLY'S&TEA Apple Caramelized Royal Milk Tea offers a rich a sweet caramel apple flavor in a royal milk tea base. Both are available in the sizes short (460 yen) and tall (510 yen) throughout October 2019.

Tully's Japan Official Website: https://www.tullys.co.jp/

5. DEAN&DELUCA's Pumpkin Turmeric Latte

Picture courtesy of DEAN&DELUCA

The DEAN&DELUCA Pumpkin Tumeric Latte has a chai latte base. For a more seasonal flavor, it is mixed with tumeric and pumpkin. It can be ordered as hot or iced latte (S for 520 yen and M for 560 yen). The hot version is decorated with cocoa powder pumpkin faces.

Picture courtesy of DEAN&DELUCA

DEAN&DELUCA bakery also joins the Halloween celebration with seasonal offerings such as the  Sausage Mummy (300 yen).

The Halloween offerings can be enjoyed until October 31st.

DEAN&DELUCA Japan Official Website: https://www.deandeluca.co.jp/

6. Cookie Bar Harajuku - Bloody Berry Freak Shakes And S'mores

Picture courtesy of Cookie Time

Cookie Time Cookie Bar is the only place that sells edible cookie dough in Japan. For Halloween, they offer a Frozen Black Forest Shake (990 yen plus tax) and a Black Forest Smore (495 yen plus tax).

Picture courtesy of Cookie Time

They also offer the Pavlova Shake for the rugby season. The shake is pineapple-flavored and topped with whipped cream, freeze-dried kiwi fruit pieces, a chocolate rugby ball, half a hokey pokey cookie, and two jaffas (New Zealand orange chocolate balls).

Both shakes are on the menu throughout October 2019.

Cookie Time Official Website: https://cookiebar.jp/

7. Godiva Chocolixir Uji Matcha White Chocolate And Tapioca Darjeeling

Picture courtesy of GODIVA Japan

GODIVA is a high-quality chocolate producer from Belgium with high popularity in Japan. GODIVA Japan also offers ice cream and chocolate drinks, known as Chocolixir, made with real chocolate. The Godiva Chocolixir Uji Matcha White Chocolate (Eat-in 650 yen, Take-out 662 yen) is the newest limited edition to the Japanese Godiva Line-up.

Picture courtesy of GODIVA Japan

If you love bubble teas, GODIVA also offers the Godiva Chocolixir Tapioca Darjeeling (621 yen plus tax).

Godiva Chocolixir Uji Matcha White Chocolate is available until November 30th and the Godiva Chocolixir Tapioca Darjeeling until December 31st, 2019.

GODIVA Japan Official Website: https://www.godiva.co.jp/

8. McCafe by Barista Uji Powdered Green Tea Series

Picture courtesy McDonalds Japan

For fall 2019, McDonald's introduced their Uji Powdered Green Tea Series, which is on the menu until mid-October at McCafe by Barista.

Picture courtesy of McDonald's Japan

The McCafe Choco Matcha Frappe (medium 490 yen, large 530 yen) is a new novel beverage that comes with chocolate sauce, chocolate whipped cream and added Belgian chocolate and oreo crumble topping.

McCafe by Barista Official Webite: http://www.mcdonalds.co.jp/shop/barista/

9. Cute Halloween Crepes at Blue Seal

Picture courtesy of Blue Seal

Around Halloween, Blue Seal Okinawan Ice Cream turns their crepes into creepy-cute monsters. This year you can choose between "Sweet Berry Pie" and "Devil's Apple Pie" which each retail for 580 yen.

Blue Seal Official Website: https://www.blueseal.co.jp/

10. Seasonal Chestnut Crepes at Dipper Dan

Picture courtesy of Blue Seal

Dipper Dan CREPE is creperie that has been around since 1972. Focusing on sweet as well as savory Japanese style crepes, they also offer unique seasonal crepes. For autumn 2019 they offer chestnut flavored mont blanc crepes as well as a mont blanc parfait.

Dipper Dan Crepe Official Website: https://dipperdan.jp/

11. Unusual Ice Cream Flavors

Picture courtesy of Morinaga

The Calorie Monster Cherio Creamy Mayonaise Ice Cream by Morigana retails for about 140 yen and has 307 calories. The outer shell and the core are white chocolate. The ice cream itself contains mayonnaise.

Morinaga Official Website: https://www.morinaga.co.jp/

Gari Gari Kun in Tamagoyaki (150 yen) flavor is only something for the brave. Tamagoyaki are Japanese style omelets made with sweetened eggs. They are most commonly eaten at sushi restaurants and in Japanese bento meals.

Gari Gari Kun Official Website: https://akagiice.jp/gari/zukan/

12. KitKat Hojicha "Adult Sweetness" Available Japanwide

Until now, KitKat Hojicha (Roasted Green Tea) has been a Kyoto-Limited flavor. This month, KitKat introduces Hojicha KitKat in its "Adult Sweetness" line. It is a little bit deeper in flavor than the original so hojicha lover will be able to enjoy an even more authentic flavor.

A pack of 12 mini Hojicha KitKat costs about 300 yen plus tax. They are available in supermarkets all over Japan.

KitKat Japan Official Website: https://nestle.jp/brand/kit/

13.Donguri Republic Winter Colection - Ghibli Scarfs, Hats And Gloves

Donguri Republic is Studio Ghiblis official goods store. While having stores in several locations throughout Japan you can also purchase through their online shop Donguri Sora.

For 2019, they have announced a big winter release including everything to keep you warm featuring your favorite Studio Ghibli characters from "My Neighbor Totoro", "Kiki"s Delivery Service" and "Howl's Moving Castle".

Studio Ghibli Online Shop Donguri Sora: https://www.donguri-sora.com/

14. Hello Kitty And Gudetama Reebok Sneakers

Picture courtesy of Reebok and Sanrio

Reebok has released three limited editions of Sanrio Sneakers featuring Gudetama and Hello Kitty, two for adults and one for kids.

The HELLO KITTY INSTAPUMP FURY OG and GUDETAMA INSTAPUMP FURY OG are gender-neutral and available in 23 cm to 30 cm for 21600 yen plus tax. The HELLO KITTY VERSA PUMP for kids is available in 12 cm to 16 cm and retails for 7009 yen plus tax. They are scheduled to be released worldwide in the future.

Reebok Official Website: https://reebok.jp/

Picture courtesy of VANS and Disney

The The Nightmare Before Christmas line is available as well (not Japan-limited). ABC-MARTS and VANS Stores all over Japan will sell this spooky collaboration, including sneakers for all ages as well as shirts, caps and a jacket.

VANS Japan Official Website: https://www.vansjapan.com/

15. Free Hot Kikkoman Soymilk Stand In Omotesando

Picture courtesy of Kikkoman Japan

In summer 2019, Kikkoman started to promote different ways to enjoy their flavored soymilk. They opened a pop-up store in Tokyo that gave out free frozen soy milk in a flavor of your choice to enjoy instead of ice cream. From October 9th until 14th, the pop-up store returns at the same place as the previous. This time they will give out free hot soymilk for the cool fall season.

16. Halloween At Tokyo Disneyland And DisneySea

Picture courtesy of Oriental Land Co., Ltd.

Between September 10 and October 31, 2019, Tokyo Disney Resort is hosting Disney Halloween, a special holiday event at Disneyland and DisneySea. Both theme parks are full of Halloween spirit with spooky decorations, parades, shows, and limited-edition food and souvenirs.

Disney Resort Official Website: https://www.tokyodisneyresort.jp/

17. Universal Studios Japan Surprise Halloween

Picture courtesy of Universal Studios Japan

Universal Studios Japan in Osaka is always worth a visit, but fans of all things creepy swear by the Halloween season. Halloween here is from September 6th to November 4th, 2019. Visitors can experience three different Halloween versions: "Scream Halloween", "Adult Halloween" and "Scary Halloween".

USJ Official Website: https://www.usj.co.jp/

18. Hello Kitty x IT - Sanrio Puroland KAWAII MASQUERADE

Picture courtesy of Sanrio

The annual Halloween celebration at Sanrio Puroland is creepier than usual this year. For the release of the new "IT" film, the popular white feline character has decided to collaborate with the creepy clown.

Picture courtesy of Sanrio

The Puro Halloween Party KAWAII MASQUERADE will not only offer the "IT" collaboration but also many cute attractions, goods, food, and photography opportunities. The event lasts until October 31st, 2019, at Puroland. Tickets range from 2000 yen to 3900 yen.

Puroland Official Website: https://www.puroland.jp/

19. The Kagurazaka Bakeneko Festival

The Kagurazaka Bakeneko Festival in Tokyo. This unique parade is all about cats and parading the street as your own version of a spooky, or cute, feline. In 2019, the Kagurazaka Bakeneko Festival will be held on Sunday, October 13th.

Kagurazaka Bakeneko Festival Official Website: http://bakeneko.oops.jp/

20. Halloween Photo Contest at Hoshino Resorts RISONARE Yatsugadake

Picture courtesy of Hoshino Resorts

RISONARE Yatsugadake hosts fun Halloween-related events for almost three weeks in October. Piment Street and its iconic tower will be decorated with pumpkins and will-o'-the-wisp illuminations.

If you take Halloween photos with your family at RISONARE Yatsugadake, how about taking part in Photo Risonare 2019? It's a photo contest that gives you the chance to win a stay at a RISONARE hotel. Contest period will be from October 12 until 31, 2019

Hoshino Resorts RISONARE Yatsugadake Official Website: https://risonare.com/yatsugatake/en/

Enjoy the Season of Autumn Leaves and Halloween Treats

October means Halloween but it also welcomes the first signs of autumn in Japan. Take advantage of all the fun this month with these special products and events.

We update our news page regularly. Check it out so you won't miss out on anything that's available during your visit!