Pre-reading questions:
- Do you celebrate Halloween?
- Are you interested in folklore of other countries?
In Tokyo, Kawasaki parade is the largest and about 250,000 partygoers participates this year. Disneyland also has the big event for the Halloween. Japanese people thoroughly embrace this event with make-up and prosthetics. This may not be a culture or a tradition of the country but it has been observed yearly. For this year’s event, 2,600 people dress up to participate. It also seems to be more about dressing up and less about experiencing spooks and thrills.
Dressing up, eating themed food, attending parties and events are things that people usually enjoy when the yearly Halloween event is celebrated. Halloween is even livelier and more festive than Christmas in Tokyo. Most of the places are decorated with Halloween seasonal designs and some restaurants or shops offered some free drinks. Partygoers scatter all over the street and cause heavy traffic jam in the place.
Vocabulary:
thoroughly – [adverb] completed in all respect
observe – [verb] to celebrate in an accepted way
dress up – [verb] to put on the best dress or costumes
spooks – [noun] ghosts
festive – [adjective] cheerful and exciting, suited to a celebration
Comprehension Questions:
- How many people participated in this year’s Kawasaki Parade?
- How do Japanese embrace the Halloween celebration?
- What are the things people usually enjoy during Halloween event?
- Name some decorations mentioned in the article.
Express Your Opinion:
- Is Halloween a celebration suited for children?
- Do you think Halloween will become a tradition in your country?
- According to the article, Halloween is celebrated in more festive way than Christmas Day. What can you say about this?