A parade of people dressed up as angry ghost cats? Yes, please!

Bakeneko Parade in Kagurazaka, Tokyo

Someone dressed up in crazy ghost cat mask in the Bakeneko Parade in Kagurazaka — And this one is my all-time favorite—she was wearing an excellent traditional-style mask, but totally dressed in goth-princess style kimono, with all the bells and whistles

Japan is host to the most delightful festivals ever, and even the supernaturally scary bakeneko have their day! This isn’t an official holiday—you won’t find Bakeneko parades elsewhere in the country—but this festival gives ordinary people a chance to cut loose and indulge their love of dressing up for something besides Halloween. What could be more fun than becoming an angry ghost cat for a day?

People dressed up as crazy ghost cats in the Bakeneko Parade in Kagurazaka — As you can see, this festival isn’t just for your usual crop of semi-pro cosplayers, but that just makes it even more unpredictable and delightful

Someone dressed up in crazy ghost cat mask and wig in the Bakeneko Parade in Kagurazaka — Along with some insanely great takes on traditional masks, with a nod to characters (and wigs) from traditional Noh drama

People dressed up as crazy ghost cat ninja and oiran in the Bakeneko Parade in Kagurazaka — There are a fair share of other gorgeous interpretations too, though, including feline *oiran* and *ninja*

Man in crazy ghost cat skull mask in the Bakeneko Parade in Kagurazaka — And this scary one is a reminder that *bakeneko* are among the traditional Japanese things that go bump in the night

Lolita cosplayer dressed up as crazy ghost cat in the Bakeneko Parade in Kagurazaka — There are no small number of recognizable cosplay denizens and participants in creative kimonos

Crazy ghost cat balloon mask in the Bakeneko Parade in Kagurazaka — As well as some with costumes made of unexpected materials

Someone dressed up in a Catbus costume in the Bakeneko Parade in Kagurazaka — No cat-themed parade would be complete without a Catbus…

Someone dressed up as a purple anime cat in the Bakeneko Parade in Kagurazaka — …but I’ve been searching all the anime and mange websites for this excellent character with no luck—anybody know? Comment, please!

But really appreciating what spirit these cheerful Tokyoites are possessed by means digging into some lore that borders on hilarious.

First of all, cat-obsession in Japan is no new thing. The bakeneko (insane cats) have been around for hundreds of years, and the legends grew up around things that cats actually do that were considered creepy and unnatural by the populace: their fur can give off sparks if you pet them (hello static electricity), they can walk without making a sound, and they lick up strange substances that wouldn’t appeal to any normal creature. Famously, blood. (Although many people actually feared their cats had turned into bakeneko when they caught them licking the lamp oil, not twigging to the fact that it used to be made from fish, which tastes a lot better to cats than it does to humans.)

Woodblock print of bakeneko by — *Bakeneko* are usually depicted as hovering malevolently in the background, suggesting that the ghost cat has taken the form of the troublemaker in the scene, usually a woman *(woodblock print by Yoshu Chikanobu)*

Woodblock print by Toriyama Sekien featuring bakeneko — But they are also quite often depicted as standing on two legs and dancing around with towels on their heads WHY *(woodblock print by Toriyama Sekien)*

Lucky for me, they are so famous that they are also sold in capsule toy vending machines…

Angry cat ghost gachapon toys — Why yes, these are my most prized possession WHY DO YOU ASK

But don’t confuse them with nekomata, which are also supernatural ghost cats, but they become yōkai by getting really old and turning into spirits that torment humans who have been mean to them.

Woodblock print by Toriyama Sekien featuring nekomata — You can always spot a *nekomata* by its two tails *(woodblock print by Toriyama Sekien)*

Bakeneko parade info:

When: It’s usually scheduled for a Sunday in mid-October. Check online for this year’s dates by searching “Kagurazaka bakeneko festival”

Where: Kagurazaka Street—go out the West Exit of Iidabashi Station and follow the crowd

Admission: Free for spectators, parade participants pay a small fee to enter (details on their official website in Japanese)

I used the Japan Navigation phone app to get to Kagurazaka, and you can easily use it to get there from where you’re staying, with your actual date and preferred arrival time. Here’s where to get the app and how to use it.

•

Click here for more Seasonal Secret posts