13 pictures showing how much Japan loves Halloween

Do not dare settle for a lame, last-minute costume if you're in Japan for Halloween.

In Japan, the festival is a billion-dollar celebration of dressing to the extremes of freaky, the limits of cute and the end of your overdraft.

As huge costume parties light up the streets of Japanese cities and gory monsters squeeze onto public transport, here is the best of the fun.

1. There are unlikely line-ups filling the streets

Picture: Getty Images / BELHROUZ MEHRI / Staff

2. The food gets into the scary spirit more than some people in the rest of the world

3. But Halloween is no excuse to eat unhealthily in Japan

4. Starbucks getting involved was inevitable, wasn't it?

5. They realise Harry Potter and Halloween just match

6. Face paint is taken very seriously

Picture: Getty Images / BELHROUZ MEHRI / Staff

7. Some of the costumes are simply beautiful

Picture: Getty Images / BELHROUZ MEHRI / Staff

8. Whilst others are terrifying

Picture: Getty Images / BELHROUZ MEHRI / Staff

9. Sometimes looks are a little too realistic

Picture: Getty Images / Yuya Shino / Stringer

10. Like, do you need some help?

Picture: Getty Images / Yuya Shino / Stringer

11. Please don't hurt me

Picture: Getty Images / Yuya Shino / Stringer

12. The celebrations are huge

Picture: Getty Images / Yuya Shino / Stringer

13. And nowhere is completely safe

Picture: Getty Images / Yuya Shino / Stringer

More: 32 of the most impressive pumpkin carvings you'll see this Halloween