photography REINA OGAWA CLARKE
written by ASHLEY OGAWA CLARKE
September might be the January of fashion, but at Tokyo Disneyland the most important time of year happens in October. For a few weeks during the Halloween period, the theme park has a unique rule that allows visitors to dress up in costume, yielding some wild displays of Disneyfied creativity that spans all ages and genders. i-D went to meet Tokyo’s Disney Adults, to figure out what makes the so-called “happiest place on earth” even happier during Halloween.
Hitomi, 45, nurse • Atsumi, 41, nurse • Yuko, 72, retired
Who are you dressed as? Rapunzel’s Castle, Rapunzel, Gothel the Witch. How did you put together your look? Some of it we bought online, some we sewed by hand. What do you have in common with your character? Atsumi: “I have long hair.” Yuko: “I’m old!” How many times have you been to Disneyland? Hundreds! The secret to happiness is… Always looking for fun things to do.
H, 30s, office worker
Who are you dressed as? Gideon from Pinocchio. How did you put together your look? I made everything, even the hair. Why did you choose this character? I met Gideon at Disneyland when I was younger and it gave me happy memories. How many times have you been to Disneyland? Over 40. The secret to happiness is… Always making plans so you have something to look forward to.
Eiko, 75, retired
Who are you dressed as? The Queen of Hearts. How did you put together your look? I bought it online. How many times have you been to Disneyland? 10 times. The secret to happiness is… Doing what you like!
Shun, 39, school administrator
Who are you dressed as? The Mad Hatter. How did you put together your look? I made the hat from stuff I found at a home center. What do you have in common with your character? I like English tea! Fortnum & Mason especially. How many times have you been to Disneyland? Over 200. What’s your favorite ride? The tea cups. The secret to happiness is… Wearing costumes to Disneyland.
Aika, 20, student
Who are you dressed as? Mary Poppins. How did you put together your look? I bought the dress and made the hat myself. What do you have in common with your character? I never ever get in a bad mood. How many times have you been to Disneyland? Over 10. The secret to happiness is… Not thinking too much.
Shiori, 20, fashion student
Who are you dressed as? A penguin from Mary Poppins.
How did you put together your look? I made it all myself. What do you have in common with your character? I’ve always loved penguins, and my friends say I move like one. How many times have you been to Disneyland? Over 10. What do you want to do in the future? I’d like to make stage costumes. The secret to happiness is… Always try to rephrase things in a positive manner before saying them out loud.
Shiori & Madoka, both 30, civil servant & teacher
Who are you dressed as? Anastasia and Drizella from Cinderella. How did you put together your look? We just bought the dresses online and added panniers to get the shape. What do you have in common with your characters? We’re both unmarried! How many times have you been to Disneyland? We come about 4 times a year. The secret to happiness is… Seek out what’s interesting to you personally.
Meganen, 32, salaryman
Who are you dressed as? Jack Sparrow. How did you put together your look? I’ve been slowly making and collecting it for the last 4 years. What do you have in common with your character? I’m a lonely pirate at heart. How many times have you been to Disneyland? Too many times to count. The secret to happiness is… Watching a lot of movies.
Rizotto, 41, restaurant worker
Who are you dressed as? Pumpkin King from The Nightmare Before Christmas. What do you have in common with your character? I respect him too much to think about that! How many times have you been to Disneyland? Around 40. The secret to happiness is… Getting dressed up with friends.
Chiitara, 34, salaryman
Who are you dressed as? Jack Skellington from The Nightmare Before Christmas. How did you put together your look? I sewed it myself. What do you have in common with your character? We both like Halloween and the festival vibe of it. The secret to happiness is… Enjoying your hobbies.
Ikumi, 41, office worker, and Yuto, 3
Who are you dressed as? Cecilia and Mike Wazowski from Monsters, Inc. How did you choose the look? We like Monsters, Inc. and wanted something we could all dress up as a family. What do you have in common with your character? We both love Mike Wazowski! How many times have you been to Disneyland? 8 times. The secret to happiness is… Never giving up.
Chama, 22, prop maker
Who are you dressed as? Taffyta Muttonfudge from Wreck-It Ralph. How did you put together your look? I made everything myself. Why did you choose this character? I’ve never cosplayed as a female character before, so I wanted to try it out. How many times have you been to Disneyland? I don’t know, but I’ve been coming since I was little. What do you want to do in the future? I want to master the art of creating things! The secret to happiness is… Doing whatever you like.
