Halloween is just around the corner, and in Japan, there’s a whole world of spooky creatures to draw inspiration from beyond the usual witches, ghosts, and vampires.
This year, W Osaka is embracing Japan’s long history of yokai with a limited-time Yokai Afternoon Tea, running from October 1 to November 1. Yokai are supernatural creatures and spirits that have appeared in Japanese folklore for centuries, with some frightening, some mischievous, and others surprisingly cute.
The afternoon tea turns these traditional creatures into elaborate sweets and savory dishes. There’s a pistachio mousse inspired by the water-dwelling kappa, a Mont Blanc macaron representing a lantern ghost, and a fromage blanc, green apple, and lemon jelly creation based on the sea-dwelling umibozu. Other yokai represented include Nurikabe, Hitotsume-kozo, Onibi, and Tanuki.
The savory selection includes snow crab salad inspired by Ittan Momen, a lily bulb and foie gras dish representing Ippon Gasa, and a sweet potato savory cake topped with caviar.
The afternoon tea is served at W Osaka’s LIVING ROOM at 12:00, 14:30, and 17:00, and costs 7,500 JPY per person, including 90 minutes of free-flowing coffee and tea. Reservations are required.
There’s also a special Yokai Night on October 31, combining Japanese yokai culture with music as part of W Osaka’s Halloween weekend events. It’s a fun reminder that when Halloween arrives in Japan, the country already has centuries of spooky folklore to draw from.
