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Halloween Events at Sanrio's Harmonyland Theme Park
posted on by Eric Stimson
Halloween is still a novel concept in Japan, but the country is slowly waking up to its marketing potential, if only because it has so much decoration, ambiance, and costuming to make it a fun holiday. And nowhere is there a better place to see it on full display than... a theme park run by Sanrio.
Harmonyland is a Sanrio-themed amusement park in Ooita Prefecture on the island of Kyushu that capitalizes on the immense appeal of sparkly things and cute animals. For this year's Halloween events, visitors are being treated to a series of laser shows called "Il Miracle ~Halloween Night Party~" in front of the Kitty Castle. On October 26 and 27 and from November 2-4, Hello Kitty and two other dancers will perform a dance show on-stage before the illuminated castle.
Halloween also gives the park's visitors a chance to meet some of their favorite characters—Ruby, Kuromi, Daniel, Cinnamon, and Saffy are all available for a meet-and-greet from September 28 to November 4. My Melody, Sanrio's ever-popular hooded rabbit, will have lots of events dedicated to her - a "Melotams" song-and-dance number in a special Halloween costume, followed by a photo shoot where you can get a photo in a special badge holder called a "chekipatch" for 800 yen. And since November 1 is Hello Kitty's birthday, guests can also join her birthday party. By giving her a rose as a birthday present, a heart-shaped scrunchie will be given in return.
Of course, no Halloween party would be complete without themed goodies. Harmonyland's various cafes will also offer a variety of pumpkin-themed items on their menus: curry with pumpkin croquettes (a breadcrumb-covered fried roll), pumpkin-flavored soft serve, and something called the "Halloween plate" that includes with cheese with a Jack-o'-lantern face. Guests can also purchase a clear file for 315 yen and a petite towel for 500 yen, both decorated with Halloween designs.
[Source: Harmonyland; Images from Harmonyland, Harmonyland Blog, and PR Times]
