Sunshine City

Ikebukuro’s massive shopping complex, Sunshine City, is hosting plenty of Halloween fun for kids and adults alike from October 1 to 31. Primary school students and younger children can join a trick-or-treat event on weekends from October 17 to 31, as well as on Friday October 30. There’s just one catch: the little'uns will need to craft their own candy box to collect their goodies. Trick-or-treaters can make one at a workshop at Sunshine City, or make the box at home with a printout template available online. Snacks are distributed outside the south entrance on the first floor of the Alpa shopping centre. (Hint: It's beside the Maison Kayser café and Muji) Traditional matsuri game booths will be set up there too, like shateki shooting and doll scooping. The Tembo Park Sunshine 60 Observatory and Ehon-no-Hiroba will be decked out in Halloween decor. While Ehon-no-Hiroba is free, Tembou Park requires a ¥700 entry fee (¥500 for junior high school students and younger) on weekdays and ¥900 (¥600) on weekends and holidays. Make sure to visit on October 31 to catch a free concert by The Crazy Angel Company dressed in their best Halloween costumes, happening at the basement floor fountain square from 11.30am, 2pm, 3.30pm and 4pm.

Cosplayers who love dressing up as their beloved anime or game characters – instead of the usual witches, mummies and creepy clowns – will love this massive Halloween party in Ikebukuro on October 31 and November 1. Expect more than 20,000 cosplayers parading the streets on the eastern side of Ikebukuro, which is gaining ground as an incubator of subcultures. This year, a special night event will also be held on October 30 for those over 18 years old at Sunshine City. While anyone is free to see the cosplayers in their creative outfits, dressing up and participating in the event requires a special ticket. Registration for the cosplay event starts from ¥2,980 for a single-day ticket, while three-day passes start from ¥10,000. The special Ikehalo night event will set you back ¥3,480. (Listed prices are advance sale prices and exclusive of the 10 percent handling fee) Participants are required to change back into casual clothes in the provided changing rooms before leaving, as arriving and leaving the venue in cosplay is prohibited.  Check the event website for more details and ticket information.