March in Tokyo’s Biggest Cat Parade
Originating in 2010, the Kagurazaka Bake Neko (supernatural/ghost cat) festival is back with cats of all kinds filling the streets.
Near Halloween time, the festival is one of the most popular events in Tokyo. Participants go all out with fun costumes and cat memorabilia.
Kagurazaka is a town with deep connections to cats. It is the birthplace of Natsume Soseki, an author famous for his 1906 book I Am a Cat. In an effort to revitalize the town with a unique festival, the Bake Neko festival was born — bringing cat lovers of all ages, genders, nationalities and occupations to celebrate their mutual love of felines.
To participate in the parades, guests will need to check in at the reception desk on the day of the event from 10:00 to 15:30 to receive a ticket and a passport. The participation fee for adults is ¥1000 and ¥500 for children. Preschool-age kids can join in for free. The passport comes with special benefits such as access to a changing room, a trick-or-treat game, a cat stamp rally and a “bake neko base” for guests to relax, see official event merchandise, enjoy a café, participate in workshops and take pictures with the photo spots.
Guests can also book a cat makeup service, with professional stage makeup for ¥2000 and ¥500 for children. Tickets for the makeup service will be distributed at the reception desk starting at 9:30. The festival will have a variety pf souvenir shops to buy various cat-themed products such as paw-shaped bread and cat accessories.
Many other activities and performances will go on throughout the event, including an awa-odori dance, a kokiriko folk dance and a ninja experience for kids. For a full schedule and list of activity locations, please see the website and event flier.
