In the land that birthed the word cosplay, Halloween in Japan is less about trick or treating and all about embracing the fun of costumes. While you won’t have to worry about cavities, beware of the evil hangover the nights can curse you with—locals party hardcore on and around October 31.
But while Halloween is now what we’d consider big in Japan, not everyone gets in the mood to dress up in crazy outfits.
In 2014, emerging from the shadow of Shibuya’s Halloween madness, the 地味ハロウィン (Jimi Halloween) AKA “Mundane” Halloween event was launched. In Japanese, 地味 stands for “plain,” “sober,” “modest” or even “subdued.”
It’s organized by Daily Portal Z, a website sharing funny and very useless news whose motto is “愉快な気分になりますが、役に立つことはありません = “It feels good but doesn’t help.”
Originally DPZ members wanted to take part in the Halloween fun in their own irreverent way by dressing up in “everyday life costumes” and thereby drawing attention to the profound mundanity of our daily existence. Since then, in a case of boring dystopian irony, the event has become just as much of a costume contest as the Shibuya street party.
These “Mundane Halloween” costumes are brilliant
Every October, 地味 costumes go viral on Twitter with the hashtags #地味ハロウィン and #DBZ. Here are some of our favorites from 2019.
#1
傘買った瞬間に雨止んだ人 #地味ハロウィン #DPZ pic.twitter.com/z6hRMpVrD1
— デイリーポータルZ (@dailyportalz) October 27, 2019
傘買った瞬間に雨止
This is so real. We can feel the pain of having bought yet another umbrella for NOTHING.
#2
#地味ハロウィン レンタル彼女と待ち合わせしてるひと pic.twitter.com/jT42dGb0go
— yang_oort 地味ハロEC (@yang_oort) October 27, 2019
#地味ハロウィン レンタル彼女
Is he sweating?
#3
80年代のマクドナルドの店員さんとウーバーイーツさんの奇跡のコラボ #地味ハロウィン pic.twitter.com/yDJKHigPeq
— あろ (@ALLforTomorrow) October 27, 2019
80
Oh so retro! We lovin’ it.
#4
今年の #地味ハロウィン は「ゴミを出しそびれた人」。ポイントは本物の部屋着、どうでもいい靴下に急いで履いたつっかけ、自宅から持ってきた本物のゴミ pic.twitter.com/kCLeF4hlGR
— あの鬼の人 (@oni_red) October 27, 2019
今年
= This year for Mundane Halloween I’ll be the woman who missed trash day. Features are: wearing loungewear, whatever socks you rushed to put on and bringing real garbage from home.
Why do they have to pick up trash so early in the morning!?
#5
休日出勤で心が死んでる人 #地味ハロウィン #DPZ pic.twitter.com/amlFT7i45y
— デイリーポータルZ (@dailyportalz) October 27, 2019
休日
Like a real-life Aggrestuko.
#6
#地味ハロウィン その二
「スマホを使い過ぎて漢字の書き方を忘れて、スマホを見ながら手紙を書く人。」Simple Halloween #2 – “A person who used their phone too much and forgot how to write kanji so they look them up on their phone while writing a letter. “ pic.twitter.com/S4i9IpJKbp— Justin (@SleepyDeveloper) October 27, 2019
Raise your hand if you feel personally attacked by this one.
How to express “split-second” in Japanese
In a horror movie, we know the fun is about to start the split-second someone decides to investigate that dark basement all alone without a flashlight. To express that split second when something happens triggering a feeling, impression or action, you’ll use JLPT N1 phrase 瞬間に.
The word 瞬間 translates to “moment, second, instant.” に helps you emphasize the fleetingness of the moment.
- Verb-casual, past + 瞬間 (に)
- Noun + の瞬間 (に)
あなたを一目
Vocabulary
Japanese | Romaji | English |
地味 |
jimi | plain, mundane, subdued |
ハロウィン | harouin | Halloween |
傘 |
kasa | umbrella |
買 |
kau | buy |
瞬間 |
shunkan ni | the minute, the instant… |
雨 |
ame | rain |
止 |
yamu | stop (rain) |
人 |
hito | person |
レンタル彼女 |
rentaru kanojyo | rental girlfriend |
待 |
machiawase suru | meet up |
80 |
hachijuu nendai | 80’s |
マクドナルド | makudonarudo | McDonald’s |
店員 |
tenin san | Clerk (polite) |
ウーバーイーツさん | uubaaiitsu san | Uber Eats (driver) (polite) |
奇跡 |
kiseki | miracle |
コラボ | korabo | collaboration |
今年 |
kotoshi | this year |
ゴミ | gomi | garbage |
出 |
dashisobireru | fail to put out |
ポイント | pointo | point |
本物 |
honmon | real thing |
部屋着 |
heyagi | lounging gown |
どうでもいい | dou demo ii | indifferent, without care, no bothering about |
靴下 |
kutsu shita | socks |
急 |
isoide | in a hurry |
履 |
haku | wear (shoes) |
自宅 |
jitaku | home |
持 |
motte kuru | bring |
休日 |
kyuu jitsu shyukkin | holiday work shift |
心 |
kokoro | heart |
死 |
shinu | die |
一目 |
ichimoku | one look |
恋 |
koi ni ochiru | fall in love |
あなた | anata | you |
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