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Halloween night Yamanote Party faced heavy security

Yesterday was Halloween, and the Japanese police and press anticipated another rowdy Yamanote Halloween train party. The Asahi, Sankei, Yomiuri, N-H-K, TBS, and other national media outlets reported on the police plans to increase security to prevent partying foreigners from causing trouble.

Did costumed foreigners and their Japanese friends manage to hold a party on the train? So far, there has been little reliable information posted on 2-channel or blogs, but some are saying no train party occurred. Reader geminiwalker says he spoke to a Japanese police officer who told him no party had been reported:

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.

He also reported a rumor about some people being arrested:

I got a text msg from a mate at Ebisu saying apparently there was a minor scuffle between some salarymen and foreigners in costume. Don’t know if it was related to the Halloween Train or not but some of the foreigners were taken away possibly arrested.

Was anyone else around the Yamanote area last night? Let us know, even if you weren’t participating in Halloween-related activities. We’d especially like to know how police treated foreigners who were not wearing costumes.

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26 comments - What do you think? Posted by James - November 1, 2008 at 8:48 am

Categories: General Japan Tags: yamanote halloween train

http://www.neilduckett.com Neil Duckett

Looks like it’s finally died then, can’t say i’m disappointed, it was out of hand as it was.
Rita Skeeter

I took the yamanote line from Ikebukuro to Shinjuku last night around midnight, coming home from a party. I was no longer wearing a noticeable costume, but I was a little bit worried that there would be tons of police or partiers on the train. However, I didn’t see any of either, or even anyone in costume (though the last part actually makes me sad. I wish that Halloween was a widely-celebrated holiday here).

http://www.victorymanual.com Alex

I wish that Halloween was a widely-celebrated holiday here

It is – It’s called Obon.
stevency

May I guess you haven’t heard the 4 largest “matsuri”(Aomori’s Nebuta mshould got enough buzz for culture concerned poeple out there) in Tohoku area in summer?

Those people can go even wild when the event token place, but you won’t see them making trouble outside the showtime.

The Overthinker

What you might see, in Aomori at least, is “illegal” dancers, who have caused problems in the past.

Jax143

“I wish that Halloween was a widely-celebrated holiday”
Theres a place for that its called The United States of america.

eigafan

Japanese exchange students from Kurobe (Macon, Georgia’s sister city) came to visit Mark Ballard’s house for Halloween.
SD1

Jax143,

Well said, my friend.

Sung su

welcome to the Davis center
I have remember trouble training halloween

TR

Maybe it had something to do with November maners poster. I saw it yesterday night at Shimbashi station:
http://so-net.web.transer.com/url_trans_sn.php?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tokyometro.jp%2Fanshin%2Fkaiteki%2Fposter%2Fmanner_200808.html&eid=CR-JE
Anti-Terror Performance

Where is “Samurai” Dave? Looks as if the authorities cracked down on white supremacy racist terrorism.

Bob

Dave is currently being slapped round by a Tokyo edition of the Yellow Pages, while being forced to stomp on photos of the family pet. In his interrogation down-time he shares a cell with 7 Black van drivers, held over from the Yasukuni trouble this summer.

(no racist overtones intended in this comment)

helical

Hey, at least he got his free katsudon during questioning.
Darg

“Where is “Samurai” Dave?”
http://jp.youtube.com/watch?v=v-jNaKHVnTw

http://www.chirimotsumoreba.net Jordan

“taruho33 said:
36 years old….

It is shameful.”

Seriously.

Darg

There were plenty of people dressed up in front of Hachiko in Shibuya at around 9-10pm, but I didn’t notice any huge mass making a move for the train. Maybe the hoard of police by the gates scared them off, but it looked like a good majority of the people were just headed out to different parties in Shibuya or Ageha. Really it was just like any other Friday night at Hachiko, just with costumes. There were plenty of people walking the streets in costume over in Roppongi as well.

Me and my friends decided to wait til we got closer to our destination to change this time around.

Sung su

We have happy good ngiht

SilentCricket

My friends and I were outside Hachiko station Friday night participating in the Free Hugs event (there were about 8 or 9 of us, and then a couple of other gaijin and even some locals arrived later). We noticed and large amount of police near the station entrance and realized that they were keeping an eye on us, thinking that we may or may not be trying to participate in the Yamanote-sen party.

We gave out hugs for about 4 or 5 hours (taking a break to eat at the nearby Freshness Burger, although we got stopped a few times for hugs in the Scrambler and on the sidewalks), and then afterwords just about everyone went home and a few of us went to the party at Club Womb.

Honestly, if you want to have a Halloween party in Tokyo, either make a friend with a place that can have one or just go to one of the clubs. They are usually pretty cheap, have some sort of “all you can eat/drink” thing, and have some good DJs to boot. And there’s almost always an after-party. There’s really no point to clog up the Yamanote cause people are looking for a free Halloween party.
hl

Really all the costumes should have been of typical train-goers like salarymen and other regular natives. Revelers could read the paper, nap leaning on others, etc. No alcohol and very sedate. That would have been funny to me, at least!
Lana

Judging from that Youtube video Darg posted, looks like things went on as they usually do, Halloween on the Yamanote…

http://www.chirimotsumoreba.net Jordan

That video wasn’t shot on Halloween.

Sung su

how who that this it is trouble training
Halloween sometime do Know take care

wrenchintheworks

Ah, JapanProbe! I believe it was you who in your zeal to come down harshly on this wanton display of devilish debauchery created perhaps far more controversy and attention than any video and thus increasing its popularity. You certainly aided in making the 2007 Halloween Train more interesting which I was on. This was the Shinjuku one not the tamer one from Ikebukuro which apparently went completely under the radar.

Now it being the wee hours of Nov 3, no doubt you have patted yourselves on the backside for a job welldone in helping to keep this travesty of transportational nightmare set for Halloween night at bay through the urging of readers to call the police with any info on the event.

However, the Halloween Train did go as planned, though perhaps not in the way you expected. It was a splendid affair and your aid in it made it all the more delicious.

I most humbly present to you the video of the Halloween Train many thought would never happen along with footage compiled of previous events:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XJKEpaq0Y8A

Passerby

Yes, congratulations on showing just how idiotic you can be by successfully planning the Halloween Train. I am sure that other people who were tryiing to use public transport to go home and such really appreciated having a bunch of drunk buffoons travelling with them.

Sadly, I have accepted the fact that idiots such as yourself and Dave will never disappear in the world. I still cling on to the hope that you may one day grow a brain, but until then….I wish you the best of luck in your life and hope that you can find a job that appreciates such idiocy. When you do find such a job, please alert us so the rest of us will know to stay the hell away from that industry.

pwnstar

Look, it may be stupid to you, but humans have a nature to carry on tradition, even more so if its condemned by authority.Its no matter how stupid or ridiculous it is, as long as its fun or honors something.The whole worlds screwed anyway, so the others on the tain should just get a drink and join the party.

Sung su

We I want to do happy Smile

Halloween night Yamanote Party faced heavy security

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