Known as one of Japan's largest Halloween events, Kawasaki City's Kawasaki Halloween, nicknamed Kawaharo, is set to go online this year because of the novel coronavirus.
The accompanying parade has also been called off.
Instead, officials are inviting revelers nationwide to send in videos of themselves in Halloween costumes, and plan to release those images via a special website on Oct. 31.
"One of the aims of Halloween is also to drive away evil spirits," an official of the organizing office said. "We want to create new entertainment amid the Corona disaster."
The 24th Kawaharo is hosted by the city, local commercial facilities and shopping streets.
Last year, the festival was held in the area near JR Kawasaki Station's east exit on Oct. 27. About 1,850 festival-goers donning decorative masks and costumes paraded along a 1.7-kilometer stretch as about 120,000 spectators crowded the area.
In preparation for this year's Halloween awards for the best costume, videos taken with smartphones will be accepted from Oct. 1 to 25.
Applicants can post videos by using the application form on website dedicated to Kawaharo.
The grand prize is 500,000, yen and beginning with the top winner, the best videos will be uploaded on Oct. 31.
In addition, to get the public into the Halloween spirit and with the hopes stamping out the coronavirus, a monthlong project will be carried out in October in which videos of Halloween costumes on social media platforms will be posted with #Kawaharo2020 and #Let'sDressUpAtHome.
From Oct. 9-31, festivals and other events will also be held at local commercial facilities and shopping districts.
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