Oh, what fun! But where are the pictures of you all??? The Japanese may not do Halloween, but I'm curious - do they still have about a festival a month where a dragon is wreathed throughout downtown traffic? I lived in Japan from when I was 6 to 9 (part off base, part in Grant Heights Air Force Base - which I think no longer exists), and as a child, I fell in love with the people and the customs, and especially the dragons. We were encouraged to mingle with the natives and absorb the culture, and to this day, I cover my mouth when I laugh...I just never broke that habit. And take my shoes off at the door. I think the parfait thing must be new, though. Relatively speaking (It's been over 30 years since I lived there). Also? I will never, ever forget the benjo (sp?) ditches. Do they still have those?