Now THIS is a Halloween Party!
Meet Japan's Jimi Halloween
Hello!
Last weekend my family hung up the (fake) cobwebs, the plastic bats, and the frightening portraits that change as you walk past because…
It’s nearly Halloween!
My daughter told me she wanted to be a magician for Halloween this year, which sounded swell until I discovered the £15 costume she liked would cost £35 to ship to London.
So… back to the drawing board…
Sadly, there’s no Target in London to buy the costumes like I did when I was her age, so instead we scrolled Amazon to see which costumes were eligible for prime shipping.
And that got me thinking about Halloween costumes…
Costumes were so fun when I was a kid, but the thought of finding one now feels more like a chore.
Then I discovered an article about a different kind of Halloween costume party in Japan called “Jimi Halloween” — and instantly,
I was curious…
The story of Jimi Halloween begins in Japan in 2014, with a group of employees at Daily Portal Z, a website designed to “make your daily lives more fun and exciting.”
Some of the staff members were talking about Halloween, and said they wanted to participate, but “were too embarrassed to go all out in witch or zombie costumes.”
So they decided to get creative — and encourage people to dress up in “mundane” scenarios.
You know, like a guy who is waiting for his girlfriend by the shopping mall restroom:
They called it “Jimi Halloween” (which roughly translates to “Mundane Halloween”).
The tradition has grown over the years, with people hosting their own “Jimi Halloween” parties and wearing creative (but low-budget) costumes to represent everyday people.
But what do mundane costumes for Jimi Halloween look like?
Why tell you when I can show you?
Here are the best ones I could find:
Shop attendant trying really hard to look away as you enter your PIN:
An elementary schooler on the last day of school:
Person who came to work site from head office:
Person who won 5th prize at the company Bingo:
A person who got a shopping cart but picked up fewer items than expected:
Beauty YouTuber reviewing all the new lipstick colors:
Didn’t really want anything from IKEA, but my friend insisted on driving us there:
A person woken up by Amazon delivery:
Camera assistant for children’s photo shoot:
A person who is about to win Old Maid:
A woman who came to the barbecue with no intention of helping:
People in esports group photos:
Person mistaken for a store clerk at the optician:
And last but not least..
A person who discovered a cockroach just before going to bed, but lost it while looking for something that could be a weapon:
What mundane costume could you wear this Halloween?
I think I’ll go for: “Mom looking through kids’ bag of Halloween candy under the guise of a safety check, but really looking for a mini Snickers.”
One more thing…
Jimi Halloween is still going strong!
The Daily Portal Z is sponsoring a low-key Halloween party at the Tokyo Culture Center on 29 October — in case you’re in town!
To see what costumes are on display this year, search #地味ハロウィン on the social media site formerly known as twitter.
Here’s “A SHEIN foreign model who is too nice to be a reference”:
Happy Halloween!
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Why I Love Sharing The Joy of Curiosity
Last week I ran an online workshop on the power of Curiosity for 300 people (from Europe and North America).
Imagine my delight when I learned one of my participants was from Lake Havasu City, Arizona!
Yes, the same Lake Havasu City, Arizona where you can find the original London Bridge (a story I shared in Curious Minds in June).
As I was sharing this fun fact about Lake Havasu City with the group, another person told me about a B-grade (or maybe D-grade) horror film that involves Jack the Ripper’s ghost being transported with the bridge when it was shipped to Arizona from London.
What?!
You know I was curious!
A quick google search revealed it was a TV movie called “Terror at London Bridge” (aka “Bridge Across Time”) — starring Michael Knight himself, David Hasselhoff!
I couldn’t find it on a streaming site (surprise), but guess what? It’s on YouTube!
I scrolled through to see the footage of Lake Havasu City — and the end to (SPOILER ALERT!) see the Hoff fight (the ghost of?) Jack the Ripper.
Who knew such a treasure existed?
You never know what you’ll discover when you’re curious!
How Can I Help?
I’ll keep saying it: Communication matters.
Poor communication costs you — money, relationships and your reputation.
But if you want to improve your communication (and get all the good things that come with that), I’m your gal.
So many companies could reap significant benefits – from performance and culture to retention and engagement – by improving their communication.
So, if you know someone who could benefit from some help (as even the most seasoned leaders do), please get in touch and check out my website for more information.
You can also see my Top 10 list of what I can (and can’t) do for you here.
And if you see any communication examples (the good, the bad, and the ugly) that you think are worth analyzing or sharing, please send them my way!
Until next time, Stay Curious!
-Beth
I am on the train laughing my head off at the Jimmi Halloween costumes. Hilarious! But wait, you SCROLLED THROUGH Terror at London Bridge, you didn’t sit and watch the whole film with your full attention? Shame on you! 😂
I don't think I've ever told you but I really enjoy your newsletters, Beth. This one in particular I found particularly hysterical. Thanks for the giggles. I'll stay curious ... you do too! Hugs.