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International press discovers Yamanote Halloween train

Naked, drinken revelers at last year's event

Looks like somebody told the Associated Press about the Yamanote Halloween Train, because they’ve got an article up about Japanese police posting extra officers at 30 stations on Halloween night in to deal with “naked, drunken revelers:”

Signs have been posted at all stations warning that the network will not tolerate any high jinks.

“WARNING: Any actions that interfere with or endanger the safety of other passengers, including holding parties, in stations or on trains, and all forms of violence are strictly prohibited. Violation will be punished,” the signs say in Japanese and English.

The measures reflect the lessons learned from last year, when inebriated pranksters _ many of them Westerners _ vandalized trains, exposed themselves, caused train delays and triggered complaints from other passengers, a company official said on condition of anonymity, citing department policy.

It may turn out that last Saturday’s sparsely attended “party” was this year’s event, and the Associated Press won’t have any material for follow-up reports about Halloween night. If some people do attempt to hold a drinking party on the train, I hope the police have the guts to enforce the rules advertised on the English language signs they printed.

Samurai Dave, a “journalist” who has posted videos on YouTube for the last couple years defending and advocating participation in the Yamanote Halloween train party, has posted a video showing the few people who attended one of the two train parties reported to have occurred on Saturday night:

Dave admits that few people attended and that the event was low key. Last year’s video contained plenty of footage of drunk and rowdy foreigners shouting, dancing, and harassing old women and salarymen, but the fact that angry 2-channelers and police outnumbered party-goers this year made it impossible for Dave and his friends to engage in that kind of behavior (he calls those who condemn the event on the internet are “overimagitive [sic] puritanic gaijin suck-ups” and “killjoys”). Instead, most of the video is footage of Dave and the dozen other participants bad-mouthing people who don’t approve of drunken parties on public transit and laughing at 2-channelers who stalked them.

Online postings by Dave indicate that there will probably be another party taking place on Friday night and starting at Shinjuku station around 9:00PM.

Those who want to encourage police to crack down on the event can contact the police at:

警視庁　03-3581-4321（代）

新宿警察署　03-3346-0110

渋谷警察署　03-3498-0110（代表）

新宿駅お客様相談室(鉄道警察) 03-3356-7505

[via JapanSoc]

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98 comments - What do you think? Posted by James - October 30, 2008 at 7:44 am

Categories: Foreigners in Japan Tags: halloween train japan

http://www.neilduckett.com Neil Duckett

Bores me watching that video and when i got to “Dick Buttkiss” talking about how it’s a great night for Americans and Japanese to come together i had to stop …. pathetic.
fh

Here’s a thought:

While Dave is out, let’s go over to his place uninvited, get drunk, vandalize the place, and piss off all his neighbors!

LB

Now THAT is a good idea!

The Overthinker

To be true to the Yamanote Spirit, we should do it while he is at home. Otherwise it would be like partying on an empty train.

Eddie

Hahahaha – brilliant.
helical

We should do it twice too. Once on a preceding Saturday and one on the actual Halloween date.
http://amaikoibito.blogspot.com/ Gusuke

This is the best idea ever; I’ll bring the keg!
Dave

and I would be upset with a party in my home especially when someone is bringing a keg? Sheesh! Bring it on!

Eddie

Hahaha – brilliant.
taksan

seriously, thats a good idea!

ponta

Dave, have a party but not on the train.
How about Ueno Park or Yoyogi Park?

Dave

dude, I don’t organize this thing. Never have, never will. I just document what happens. This thing has been going on long before I got here and will continue to do so long after I have shuffled off this mortal coil. So whether I have a party in Ueno Park is immaterial.

DynamiteMilk

What is the song at the beginning of the video?

sod

it says at the end of the vid(i fast forwaded)
superjuice girls
http://www.sgchannel.com
9:37

http://www.chirimotsumoreba.net/ Jordan

Haha! James FOR THE WIN!
Dave

James, you’re making this rather personal against moi. Why is that? Did I piss in your cornflakes or something, sonny? I don’t even know you.

Thanks for posting the link and getting it wrong. The police were there to keep more of an eye on the otaku element. Oh, and I love the quotations on “journalist” – that was a nice little bitchy touch.

And please inform the police. We could use the protection from you zealot puritans and xenophobic otaku. Danferous individuals, you lot.

Steve

Haha. Relax Dave no one is after you. James is just reporting some facts with his opinion spliced in. He even posted your video. It is his site after all. And I wouldn’t be so trusting of the Japanese police if I were you.
http://www.japanprobe.com James

Dave, I’ve got nothing against you personally – you just happen to be the leading advocate of the train party. I put the title “journalist” in quotation marks because you make the ludicrous claim that your videos, which are overflowing in your own personal bias, are serious works of journalism meant to stop people’s opinions and biases from getting in the way of the story. You say that you “just document what happens,” yet you spend most of your video preaching against anyone who thinks the party is bad.

Thanks for posting the link and getting it wrong. The police were there to keep more of an eye on the otaku element.

As police officers, it is their job to prevent any violence or disorder (from you or from passengers angry about people partying on the train). As a mature adult, you should have been able to look at the big PARTYING IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED signs the police put up and realize that the rowdy and annoying behavior you helped glorify on YouTube is the reason why police were deployed.

The Associated Press, has reported the big picture:

“Extra police and security guards will be posted at nearly 30 rail stations in the Japanese capital on Friday in an effort to prevent a repeat of wild and sometimes shocking parties that took place on commuter trains in Tokyo last Halloween, police and major train operator East Japan Railway Co. said Wednesday.”

The Asahi Shimbun also has reported on it:

On the night of Oct. 27 last year, the activities of unruly revelers clad in Halloween costumes, many of them apparently non-Japanese, led to a rash of complaints from other riders on the Yamanote Line. The drunken merrymakers caused delays by jumping on and off trains at many stations, according to JR East. The mayhem last year prompted the railway to issue the warning.

“..you zealot puritans and xenophobic otaku”

Yes, attack anyone who disapproves of your party by calling them names. Great work.

I wonder if you realize that many non-puritan non-xenophobes disapprove of your train party. They might just think that it is rude and annoying for people to get drunk and act rowdy on a public train.

Drinking alcohol and being loud on a train is dickish behavior. It has nothing to do with nationality. Saying that “Japanese do it too” is not an excuse.

-When salarymen or young punks do it on Japanese trains, they are being inconsiderate assholes to other passengers.

-When soccer hooligans do it in on European trains, they are being inconsiderate assholes to other passengers.

-And when foreigners and Japanese in Halloween costumes do it on Japanese trains, they are being inconsiderate assholes to other passengers.

There are many other places one can have an enjoyable drinking party. Ponta has suggested a park, and that’s not a bad idea. As the most vocal advocate of the party on the internet, you could easily call for greater moderation of behavior or even a venue change. Unfortunately, you seem intent on protecting and reinforcing the “tradition” of dickish behavior towards JR passengers, even proudly including scenes of the most rowdy drunken behavior in your videos (with music and narration to make it seem great).

Dave

I’m the leading advocate? That’s rich! No, I just make the better videos and stories on it. The problem is my story and video contradict the notion on Japanprobe that Saturday’s event was a bust. For two or three days the Halloween Train critics were crowing – then my video came out bursting their bubbles. This is why you keep flagging my story on Japan Soc. You can’t handle the truth.

As for advocating it, I’ve never organized it nor publically posted the wheres and when except in message boards when people asked – and only if I knew.

I defend it because more often than not it is highly misunderstood and unfairly demonized by those who have never witnessed themselves but are full of their own assumptions. Plus there’s that whole weird gaijin-hating-gaijin kick here that I have never understood where gaijin go to great lengths to ingratiate themselves with the Japanese while downing other gaijins as uncouth.

If it were not for my videos and stories, the opinion of the event would mainly be coming from these types. I have had quite a number of people listen to the sanctimontious preaching guys like you have put forth then seen my videos/stories and have told me that the event was nothing like the horrors they had come to believe.

What I am defending is a point of view which comes from experience rather than assumption.

And plus this is what I do. If you look at my blog and youtube videos and bother to see past the halloween train stuff, you’ll see I do with this with many things I document. I slammed people who criticized the Ninja performers in one of my other videos for example.

http://www.japanprobe.com James

I’m the leading advocate? That’s rich! No, I just make the better videos and stories on it.

As for advocating it, I’ve never organized it nor publically posted the wheres and when except in message boards when people asked – and only if I knew.

You are the main voice in favor of this event on the internet. You promote your videos, which encourage participation in the event. You promote your articles, which encourage participation in the event. You may not be the main planner of the party, but you still promote it all over the net more than any other person.

The problem is my story and video contradict the notion on Japanprobe that Saturday’s event was a bust. For two or three days the Halloween Train critics were crowing – then my video came out bursting their bubbles. .

It doesn’t contradict anything reported. I posted links to photos of the train party you participated in and concluded that few people attended this year’s party and it was not as rowdy as last year’s party. In your report, you acknowledge that there were only a few people and that it was “toned down” compared to last year. We are not in disagreement over the key facts of the party.

I defend it because more often than not it is highly misunderstood and unfairly demonized by those who have never witnessed themselves but are full of their own assumptions. Plus there’s that whole weird gaijin-hating-gaijin kick here that I have never understood where gaijin go to great lengths to ingratiate themselves with the Japanese while downing other gaijins as uncouth.

As I wrote, being loud and drunk on a train is rude just about everywhere, regardless of race or nationality.

If it were not for my videos and stories, the opinion of the event would mainly be coming from these types. I have had quite a number of people listen to the sanctimontious preaching guys like you have put forth then seen my videos/stories and have told me that the event was nothing like the horrors they had come to believe.

I have formed my opinion of the event based on your very informative videos, Dave, and so have many of your critics. They don’t need to make unrealistic assumptions because the　”fun” clips of you guys being loud and obnoxious to normal passengers provides more than enough rope to hang yourselves with.
dave

James,

I also promote my videos and stories on Geisha Dances in Kyoto. I also promote Seijin-no-Hi. I also promote Sumo. I also promote a dozen different festivals. The Halloween Train is just one other thing I promote because its a multi-cultural event that newsworthy. Yeah, I like it – so what? Is that a crime?

Right now it’s halloween so I’m pushing it. Next month I’ll be pushing the upcoming 47 Ronin, Chichibu Matsuri, and the Emperor’s Birthday.

Anyway, you’re an obsessive puritanical twit who is out to sink the Goodship Halloween Train thinking I’m its captain or rather you’re a modern Captain Ahab going after the white whale of gaijin tomfoolery. I imagine the chief reason that you don’t like the event because you think it makes foriegners like you look bad in comparison.

Look, you don’t like the event – fine. But why spend all this time on something you don’t like? And urging people to call the cops? That’s just being a narc and a tattletell. And i’m sure they are well aware of it without a bunch of suck-up gaijins tying up their phone lines telling them the same thing.

And I think it disgraceful to take my conversation with a member on another site and put in your little “journalistic” attempt here.

“Online postings by Dave indicate that there will probably be another party taking place on Friday night and starting at Shinjuku station around 9:00PM.”

You ought to be ashamed.
B

“Plus there’s that whole weird gaijin-hating-gaijin kick here that I have never understood where gaijin go to great lengths to ingratiate themselves with the Japanese while downing other gaijins as uncouth.”

Fuck you. Being a ‘gaijin’ in Japan is not like being a freemason. Nor is there some sort of ethnic obligation to ‘help out a brother’ because he happens to share my skin colour. Trust me buddy, if you came to my country and behaved on public transportation the way you behave in Japan, I (and the police) would probably take more action than the 2-channellers. The reason there are no laws about drinking or partying on the trains in Japan is that most people in Japan don’t need them. They know that trains are not places to hold drunken parties. So when I see a bunch of people acting like dicks, I say they are dicks, regardless of skin colour or nationality.
fh

Geisha, matsuri, ronin; those I will accept as (multi-)cultural.

Getting drunk and engaging in behavior that makes a substantial amount of others feel uncomfortable, not so cultural.

There’s a time and place for being crazy and reckless, and it’s called “college”. The Yamanote is not “college”.

You can still have the party, just have the sensibility and maturity to do it in (at least) a semi-private locale.

And lest you shed all responsibility because “you are not the main organizer”, you as a participant still have a voice (and one prominent on the internet) with which you can influence others’ opinions.

God forbid the police start targeting innocent bystanders every year because of the behavior of an irresponsible few.
nigelboy

“I promote because its a multi-cultural event that newsworthy”

No $hit it’s “newsworthy” Sherlock. Acting like a-holes in public on an annual basis tend to make it newsworthy in every part of the world.
http://www.victorymanual.com Alex

Dave. You say a lot of interesting things, but not because they are good points.

It’s hard not to form opinions of people based on first impressions, but here’s what hit me about you initially:

I just make the better videos and stories on it.

You’re satisfied with YOU, and that’s all that matters.

As for advocating it, I’ve never…
I defend it because…

You need to look up the definition of ‘advocate’. You do advocate it, whether you promote it or not.

gaijin-hating-gaijin

Gaijin A dislikes gaijin B’s actions, therefore gaijin A hates all gaijin?

I have had quite a number of people listen to the sanctimontious preaching guys like you have put forth then seen my videos/stories and have told me that the event was nothing like the horrors they had come to believe.

“Quite a number”, hey? More than footage of the train antics, why not interview this “number of people” who have gone to the party despite preconceptions of it being an inappropriate event, but have come away with it feeling like they participated in a “multi-cultural event” (primarily white, English-speaking foreigners from first-hand accounts) that promoted stronger ties between foreigners and the Japanese public?

Anonymous

Fail Joker is fail.
Phoebe

Hey Dave,

Way to make us foreigners look bad by encouraging bad behaviour on public transport.

dave

you’re welcome!

taksan

i just don’t understand why they have to do it on a public place. Especially on a train. why can’t they just all meet up in a private place. if you guys are not causing such trouble then what was last year? the only reason the police are there is because of the outcome of the previous events.

and its not about gaijin hating thing, the reason for that is because how people see you foreigners act in the event. ROWDY. and most are foreigners.

I just hope you show some respect to the people.

Bob

Please do not talk about respect for other people on public transport in Japan!

I have been on crutches for six weeks. I travel by train 3 days a week. I always go to the reserved priority seats at the end of JR carriages. Over 36 trips, not one Japanese person has got up and offered me a reserved priority seat.

Eddie

And you’re trying to equate that with having a party on a train?
Bob

Asking someone to show respect for others, when the general population does not show respect for others as a matter of routine is inherently unfair.

http://www.victorymanual.com Alex

Two wrongs makes a right then, hey? When you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em?
Bob

This does not imply I support the Halloween Party!

fh

Respect is not something you expect from others. It is something you earn, and being (temporarily) disabled does not automatically make one respected.

Generocity is closer to what you’re thinking about, but again it is not something you expect from others. You cannot demand others to be generous (otherwise it is not genuine), and keeping track of as many as 36 instances is what I would consider “demanding”.

Empathy, or lack thereof, can be applied to both the Halloween Party Train-goers as well as the individuals who chose not to vacate their seat for you. But lack of empathy can be said about any major city, and is not unique to any culture or ethnicity.

Of course, if you’d like to look retrospectively at your situation, you might consider for a moment that a number of Japanese may have developed distrust of foreigners due to the previous Halloween Party Train events, and thus as an indirect result are choosing to ignore you (despite being in crutches), lest they get involved with “one of those crazy foreigners”.

The Overthinker

“Of course, if you’d like to look retrospectively at your situation, you might consider for a moment that a number of Japanese may have developed distrust of foreigners due to the previous Halloween Party Train events, and thus as an indirect result are choosing to ignore you (despite being in crutches), lest they get involved with “one of those crazy foreigners”.”

This is getting extreme. The simple answer is that most people are jerks who do not respect (as in obey, not as in look up to) courtesy and train company regulations.
Bob

most people are jerks who do not respect … courtesy and train company regulations.

That’s about the size of it Overthinker!

For a multiplication factor of ‘jerkiness’, just add alcohol to the jerk.

fh

And just so I don’t simply point fingers, you might consider thinking about your situation in terms of Compassion. When on the train looking for a seat due to your disabled state, ask in kindness. If your kindness is repaid then you won’t have to worry about Respect, Generocity, or Empathy.

I think if you ask in a manner that helps others understand that you do not mean to inconvenience them with your request, most people will respond positively. You won’t win all of them, but at least you’ll be handling it in the correct way.

Bob

I make an effort to be polite to everyone I meet after all, in this case, I would like them to give up their seat.

I believe in “change attitudes, one at a time”, so being an impolite foreigner would go against my beliefs.

Of the times I have asked for a seat, the person will get up about 30% of the time – and believe me when I say that I ask politely, it is VERY politely. Most of the time passengers occupying reserved seats see me getting on, then mysteriously and instantaneously fall asleep. About three or four of the times I have asked, I have been waved away by obviously healthy specimens. Sometimes the passenger will look at me and say they don’t understand me. It’s not like I am asking for a library book while I’m stood on crutches in front of the reserved seats, while pointing at the reserved seat window stickers!

Please, don’t talk about compassion on Japanese Public Transport either…

Eddie

My respect for James has risen ten-fold following his comment exchange with Dave.

dave

really? Mine goes to eleven

Jonathan

Dave is a 36 year old white loser who teaches English in Japan and can’t speak Japanese after being there for SIX YEARS.
_kovert

I have plans to attend a party on Friday night and I’m wondering if I should be concerned about going out in public wearing a costume. I will have to travel via the train and I don’t want to get any of the rage generated by this thing focused at me.
Should I forget about wearing a costume out in public this year ya think?

Bob

You mean go naked?

I think that would be err… unwise.

The Overthinker

Especially at this time of year. It can get a little chilly.
Bob

Not if you’re running from a bunch of 2-channers! You’ll soon warm up.

Kevin

He could always go for a swim in the Imperial moat. I hear it’s lovely this time of year.

_kovert

Well I think everyone at the party will be wearing a costume. I was just trying to figure out if I would have to find someplace near the party to change so that I don’t upset the other train passengers.
Probably better to be safe than sorry.

Good thing I read japanprobe or I might not have even known about this whole deal.

Bob

Finding a place near the party to change is a good idea, especially if you are able to check your bag somewhere.

Any chance of sharing taxi with some of your friends?
It will mean a little less beer money.

helical

I second Bob’s advice to find someplace near to change.

Somewhat off-topic, but large events (like gaming conventions) that entail a certain portion of the attendees cosplaying are usually pretty clear that they strongly discourage those people from wearing their costumes on public transportation as it is disruptive and gives the whole event a bad name.
Bob

helical@ – Not my idea, I was just echoing that _kovert@ had a good idea.
helical

Oops. Well, both of you have good ideas then

Pingback: Happy Halloween! | Kazenomise
http://theghostletters.blogspot.com/ freedomwv

About the person who wrote this article. (You know you had this coming)

Rat! Rat! Rat! Do not trust this person. Do not invite this person to any social events or private parties or other underground event. There is a very good chance this person will rat you out. Not Cool! Not Cool! Do not `sell` or give this person anything as there is a good chance they will rat you out.

Sorry to do this but the rat alert had to be put out for the good of everyone. Don`t get too angry at me because you knew you had it coming. You no longer have a membership in the cool club. Sorry but you are now banished to hanging out with over religious women who will never put out and weird comic collecting fat kids.

helical

…the “cool club”? What are you? 12 years old?

The Overthinker

Hey, he might be, for all we know. That’s the beauty of the internet….

Lana

That was a very ‘ratalicious’ thing for you to do, James, lol.
Anti-Terror Performance

There are plenty of bars and clubs where you can play your stupid Halloween games. Trains is not the right place to do it. The last thing I would want to do is yell. Shi. Bu. Ya on a crowded train wearing stupid costumes and disturbing the peace. Thats embarrasing. For the sake of all gaijins on this planet please take a hike and go home to where ever you came from. You don´t belong.
nico

How many Ivy League or Oxford/Cambridge grads among them?
Their average imcome?
What kind of newspaper do they read? (FT? nah, must be Daily Mirror)

Drunk and yelling in public, (and going naked), they all clearly point to one thing. It is one of the biggest taboo in western society, but unfortunately events like this reveal it- Highly stratified nature of people’s educational and cultural standards, and the existance of a certain social group called UNDERCLASS….

The Overthinker

“How many Ivy League or Oxford/Cambridge grads among them?”

Going by Ivy league grads I have met, probably quite a few….
(I wonder if Dubya would have been in for this in his younger days?)
http://theghostletters.blogspot.com/ freedomwv

That is really not fair. I guess the rich think they are better than everyone else.

marci

This train party is one of the most awesome things I have heard for a long time. I am with Dave on this,
Tetras

You know… last year I had no problem with the Yamanote train but after seeing the video from thsi year’s halloween celebration, I have to say I’m in disgust. Yeah… those 2ch otakus are silly… but the whole harrassing bit just stooped everyone involved into a new low on both sides.

A gang of grown adults making fun of 2ch people… calling them ‘dorky’ ‘nerds’ etc… and the 2ch wanting to kill you guys. But at this point, I’m more disappointed at the foreigners.

The 2chers don’t really look like bad guys. Hell, if a bunch of Muslim foreigners hijacked the metro to get drunk and party in the US, I would be pissed as hell too.

Like people have been saying.. if you want to party, party somewhere else other than public transportation.

davey

uh, considering muslims don’t drink as a rule, your analogy is quite weak and many americans save for the religious conservatives would probably join right in anyway as liberals at least wouldn’t shy away from a multi-cultural event.

Oh, and the 2chan people started harrassing us first – we just harrassed back in a more friendly manner and we even got a few converts to have a beer with us at the Hub! Now would they have done the same with us? Not likely! They would probably be shocked at how more welcoming we would be to them than their own society generally is. The thing about the party is that it’s not OUR exclusive party – everyone is invited including the 2channel folks if they so desired.

They should embrace the Halloween Train because we’d welcome them wholeheartly – so long as they left their knives behind.

Afterall, we are both outcasts of a sort – hated for being who we are and what we do (sniff! sniff!) But as Amatersu-no-Omikami is our witness we shall never go hungry – for attention again! (I’d like to thank the Academy for this award…..)

Tetras

I’ve seen your video’s in the past, Dave and I’ve enjoyed them in the past but now you just look like a typical faggot frat boy. Lost any respect I had for you.

dave

thats ok, tetras, I never knew you had any to begin with

momonga

Hi,here is a link in yahoo.co.jp for today’s event(if there will be one).
http://headlines.yahoo.co.jp/hl?a=20081031-00000537-san-soci

LB

I hope they hand out stun guns to the cops. I would greatly enjoy a “Samurai Dave” video on Youtube where we are treated to a POV shot of someone getting hit by one. Wild, blurry shots as the camera falls to the ground with a “Samurai” screaming “My nipples are on fire!!!!” in the background.

Now THAT would be journalism.

http://gabuchan.wordpress.com gab

Happy Halloween!
I hope we all have a safe and happy 3 day weekend!
Dave and James: You guys should meet up and have a chat to get to understand each others opinions more.
Wow – what a battle you two had here.
dave

hey, I’ll be there to document the thing if it happens or if it doesn’t happen. It’s a win-win for me as it’s an event regardless. Personally I hope it doesn’t because I don’t know if I have the energy or time to craft another lenghty Halloween train piece what with culture day coming up and a slew of backlog footage. I might do a complilation though of the 4(maybe five) halloween trains I’ve been on.

BTW I got yet another bit of comment from a fencersitter on this whole soiree. They beleived the horror hype that sites like 2chan and here push until they saw my video and realized it didn’t match the hype – mountains out of molehills.

i’ve gotten quite a few of those messages from foriegners and japanese alike over the last year or so.

http://www.victorymanual.com Alex

Yeah, the mob always seems more logical when you’re a part of it – That’s the psychological premise of mob-mentality.

Your “few messages” don’t hold much weight against the majority who oppose it; they’re hardly a fraction of a percent.

davey

speaking of mobs – you got quite the mob here, don’t you think?

http://www.victorymanual.com Alex

Oh yes, we’re practically storming public locations with our pitchforks and torches.
Kevin

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fh

No one thinks you’re a hero for doing what you do.

Just letting you know.

http://www.victorymanual.com Alex

Impressions after watching the video:

We’re in Japan, we wanted to have some fun.

This is a very telling statement. “We’re in a country where we have less of an attachment and are distanced from its everyday society, so we want to exploit that.”

The party attendants were outright harassing passengers.

I don’t speak Japanese very well, but it seemed like he said he wanted to kill me…

If you’re so interested in multi-cultural exchange, why not learn to speak Japanese before you accuse someone of death threats. On the train he shouted, “I said I want peace and he said he wanted to fucking kill me!” Right.

I don’t know what Dave’s complex is about the numbers of attendants, but it looked like there were about 20 participants whose faces we saw over and over. Definitely not the 200+ turnout of last year. (Thankfully)

Also, the party-goers and 2chan people, from this video – They’re just two sides of the same coin; people with extreme opinions and views who will go out of their way to get what they want. Dave’s attempt at establishing a dichotemy of gaijin (“regulars” and “gone-natives”) is extremely outdated and serves no other purpose than to discourage other foreigners from becoming a part of a foreign society.
Gaijin Panic

Dave, you loser. Seems as if Dave never have seen trains before he came to japan. Reminds me of some mental challenged person who likes to look at trains while drooling and scream in a frentic voice. Shi-Bu-Ya…. Embarrasing. Are you trying to start some genocide campaign towards gaijins in Japan as in ethnic cleansing? What’s the point of pissing off people the way you do. I here by propose an idea to Dave. Did you know that you can have just as much fun without pissing off the gaijin community, JR and train commuters. Grow up and get a life, twat.
momonga

Happy Halloween!!
Hope you all have fun! We don’t have Halloween in my country, but just for the fun I made Halloween pumpkin pie with walnuts.
Anyway, since the discussion was very very hot and I was afraid to intervene with such silly question, but on the video there was that girl, very beautiful. like a model,and she said some guy form 2Ch has threatened her that he would “follow her anywhere”. This is stalking, I think. I really hope the girl is OK…

ponta

Did she look scared? Rather I thought Japanese guy was scared.

Strange, the people whom they called 2channeler looks more sensible than these obnoxious guys.

Anyway you can understand Japanese, the guys were asking questions in English the Japanese guys do not understand and they were telling that Japanese guy told something that he didn’t tell.

Anyway this video just gives the Japanese the justification for xenophobia and why some of Japanese stay away from gaijin on the train.

Have fun, kids, but not in a way that disturbs other passengers . Okay?

ponta

NHK　covered it on the news
http://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/t10015082511000.html#

１０月３１日は「ハロウィーン」の日ですが、夜、ハロウィーン用に仮装した外国人や日本人がＪＲ山手線の車内で騒ぎ、ほかの乗客とトラブルになったり電車が遅れたりするおそれがあるとして、ＪＲ東日本と警視庁は、警備員や警察官を出して警戒を強めることにしています。

ハロウィーンの夜に、仮装した外国人や日本人が山手線の電車に集団で乗り込み車内や駅で暴れる騒ぎは以前からたびたび起きており、過去には逮捕者が出たこともあります。当日を前に、先週土曜日の夜もインターネットの掲示板での呼び掛けに応じた外国人など５０人ほどが、走行中の車内で酒を飲んだり奇声を上げたりする騒ぎを起こしました。そこで、ＪＲ東日本と警視庁は「駅や車内で集会を開いたり騒いだりすることを禁止し、違反したら処罰する」と日本語と英語で記したポスターを山手線の２９の駅すべての構内に張り出しました。また、ＪＲ東日本は、３１日夜、各駅に駅員や警備員１００人ほどを出すとともに、警視庁も警察官を電車に同乗させてトラブルなどの警戒にあたることにしています。ＪＲ東日本・東京支社の野澤浩一企画課長は「去年は、車内で暴れたり蛍光灯を壊したりした方がいました。こうした行為はお客様に危険なので、絶対にやめてほしい」と話しています。
Gaijin Panic

Why is “Samurai” Dave doing this? What is he trying to achieve by this? The news say there were about 50 people on the train disturbing other passangers, driking, being loud and obnoxious delaying the train, breaking things. JR had put posters in both English and Japanese not to cause trouble on the train, there was extra security that day including JR personell as well as police. I will tell you what this will result in. More Xeonophobia, more tax to pay for the security of the police officers and higher train fares. Seriously, get a life. There are more creative fun ways to celebrate Halloween than this. Please stop this stupid tradition after this year. Please rent a bar or cafe, club, karaoke box or whatever and enjoy yourself while respecting the rules.
geminiwalker

hey,

i’m new here – how do I register so my comments don’t get eaten up as spam?

Anyway not too sure on the validity of this report but I heard the Halloween Train did not happen because police stopped groups of costumed foriegners and japanese in groups of 5 or more before they even entered the station. Most people I guess never even knew what happened. Now that’s Japanese efficiency!

I got a text msg from a mate at Ebisu saying apparently there was a minor scuffle between some salarymen and foriegners in costume. Don’t know if it was related to the Halloween Train or not but some of the foriegners were taken away possibly arrested. Wouldn’t it be cool if that were Samurai Dave? I heard the police were on the look for him and maybe even had his photo from youtube! You can’t pull one over on the police in this country! No sir!

Epic Fail all around! I’ve been one of those critics on his youtube videos and I followed the link there to here and read around a bit to see the level of his “popularity.” Ha!

Happy Halloween!

http://www.japanprobe.com James

I’d wait for more information before making “epic fail” claims. It’s very possible that a group of costumed foreigners may have slipped through and held a party, even if some others were stopped/arrested at other stations.

geminiwalker

i don’t think so – I talked to a cop at osaki around 10 and he said there was no Halloween Train that he knew of unless it went later of course.

Bob

Coming up to the witching hour…

So…

Booga Booga! To everyone!

Happy Halloween!
RDBAKA

Listen up people, if it is true that RoninDorkDave has been arrested the beer is on us! Contact us via youtube, but remember we need confirmation, not speculation.
RoninDave(Weber), is a blemish on the expat community in Japan, and his actions reflect on all of us, don’t tolerate it!
The Overthinker

I find it disturbing how much hating on people goes on here. Debito is the prime example – sure, he can be an ass, but the amount of invective that gets ladelled on him, and Samurai Dave now, is ridiculous. In the grand scheme of things, a few drunk gaijin (and Japanese) on a train carriage is chickenfeed – even the notorious 2007 Halloween Train only resulted in a broken light. This is rude, boorish, and anti-social, but the way some people talk about it, you’d think it was the Halloween Rape or something. Some perspective, please, or we will lose the ability to properly condemn the truly horrendous when it happens. And a little more politeness would be nice as well….

geminiwalker

weren’t you the one advocating partying in his home and vandalizing it?

Samurai Dave deserves what he gets. I hope he gets deported. We don’t need foriegners like him in Japan making the rest of us look bad.

Japanese are very sensitive. Look at the recent Minister of Tourism who after getting the position said Japan doesn7t realy like dealing with visiting foriegners. He probably saw Dave’s video or JapanProbe criticism of the event and was scared to death by it.

fh

My suggestion to party at his home uninvited was rhetorical, as were (most of?) the responses — a bit of comic relief, if you like, as an unspoken desire for a diplomatic solution to the issue. But after Dave started commenting, it became evident a solution was not possible (at least not this year?), so the go-between has gotten out of control.

The Overthinker

“My suggestion to party at his home uninvited was rhetorical, as were (most of?) the responses”

Exactly, and all my response was was a comment to the effect that for the full “Yamanote Train” effect we needed to do it while the “rightful” occupant was still there.

fh

The problem is that a lot of gaijin start off at a disadvantage in Japan regardless, and the less “chickenfeed” there is the better.

If the party-goers showed a little more thought and consideration of others’ concerns, I think most commenters here (and possibly also 2chers) would be more forgiving. I think most of the negative reaction isn’t just about the event itself, but about the party-goers feigning innocence despite vocal disapproval. After all, we’ve all done some childish things before, and the Halloween Party Train could have gone down as a great one-time prank, if only the party-goers had accepted responsibility and admitted they overstepped some boundaries.

But instead, anyone who is uncomfortable with their actions is labeled “puritanical” or “xenophobic”, despite having some legitimate concerns. Not that it justifies fighting fire with fire, but… 「仕方が無い」でしょう?

ponta

Actually I think most Japanese would have welcomed and enjoyed the people in costume on the train if they had not been drunk and they hadn’t talked loud and spoken to other passengers.
Remember Darth Vader on the train?

Japanese or gaijin, if they are drunk and talk loud on the train, they are annoying.
Japanese or gaijin, if they are obnoxious in costume, they piss off the passengers.

Obnoxious drunken gaijin speaking loudly to Japanese passengers in the language the Japanese do not understand, they look idiots as well as scary.

The more Gaijin who thinks it is justified because “this is Japan!” ,the more scary they look.

Now that it’s on the national news, they sure have contributed to the negative image of gaijin. The Japanese landlords will think twice when renting a room to gaijin—”do they think having a party like that is justified as an exchange of cultures ?—no thanks.”
Of course if the Japanese generalize like that, they are wrong. But that’s how the prejudice about the minority whom the majority is not familiar with is formed.

Anti-Terror Performance

You kind of grow out of pranks but some people never do. Steve needs medication, counseling and a hobby. Then hopefully arrested and deported and sent to Gutanamo.
Anti-Terror Performance

Ah ha! I meant “Samurai” Dave and not “Ninja” Steve.
http://www.victorymanual.com Alex

I’d love to see a video of them trying to pull this crap in Seoul. Koreans don’t sit idly by when people are being assholes – They get up in their faces and put them back in place.
Passerby

After feeling extreme disgust, the first two words that comes into my head when I saw this was “Absolute Idiots”. It isn’t an issue of gaijin or Nihonjin, it is a matter of having common sense. Public transport is not there for idiots to go and have a party on while getting drunk and pissing off everyone else who is just trying to commute in peace. It doesn’t matter what country you are in, or what nationality – there are places like clubs for people to get drunk and party at.

And yeah, it is abosultely great to be boasting about wasting police resources in needing the police to protect them. The fact that a bunch of drunkards decide to surround a single 2 channeller and bully him, I think any person would have less than friendly thoughts towards such cowards. Hell, I would have hit them already rather than make threats.
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