Originally published on metropolis.co.jp on October 2012

What better restaurant than Yurei (B1, 1-8-11 Kichijoji Minami-cho, Musashino; www.yurei.jp) to celebrate the Halloween season with a Japanese twist? Aptly located in a black-light lit underground chamber, this versatile izakaya is practically a haunted house. Here, instead of ghosts, yurei-emulating waitresses in white burial kimono try to spook you with specialties like flaming “cremated” spare ribs (¥440), blood red chili and beef stew (¥680) and a jellified cerebrum dessert (free for birthday people). On weekend afternoons, get spooked with kaidan (horror stories) and various other occult-related events that appear mysteriously on their stage.