Taking place on the main street of Kagurazaka, this is a Halloween parade with a difference — you must be dressed as a cat.
This coincides with the Kagurazaka Town Jump Festa, which also sees a garçon (waiters’) race on the same day.
Why cats?
The reasoning for all the cats is that the area was (near) the home of the cat from the Natsume Soseki novel “I am a Cat” and apparently people like cats. So put on your best creepy Cats™ make-up and faux fur for a prowl around Kagurazaka.
What happens?
Expect spooky cats, samurai cats, cute cats, and even real cats on the streets of Kagurazaka. There will be four main parades lasting for around 20 minutes each to see them all. The parades start from around 1:30 p.m. near Kagurzaka Station. There will also be a parade exclusivley for dancing cats outside Zenkokuji Temple at around 12:20 p.m.
Tickets
The only requirements to join in the parade are a cat costume and ¥500 (for adults) — participation is open to all. You can register on the day of the event between 10 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. It is free to view the parade.
How to get there
The parades will mainly take place on the road between Zenkokuji Temple and Kagurazaka Station, but the last parade will be at the end of the road near Iidabashi Station.
Organizers may cancel events, alter schedules, or change admission requirements without notice. Always check official sites before heading to an event.