“HALLOWEEN”, the festival held every year on October 31, is now a household name.
However, few people know that a large number of trademarks have been registered that include the word “Halloween”, whether written in Japanese Katakana as “ハロウィン” or “ハロウィーン”, or in Roman letters as ”HALLOWEEN” or “Halloween” in Japan.
According to search results from the J-PlatPat (Japan Platform for Patent Information) as of October 7, 2025, there are over 200 trademarks containing these words (including those combined with other words or graphical elements).
Among the trademarks currently valid in Japan, the oldest application related to “Halloween” was filed on May 13, 1987, for the mark “ハッピーハロウィーン／HAPPY HALLOWEEN” (a two-tiered combination of Japanese and English characters). The designated goods are “confectionery and bread” in Class 30, and the owner is the major confectionery company Morinaga & Co., Ltd.
Later that same year, on October 26, 1987, another well-known confectionery brand, Fujiya Co., Ltd., applied for a trademark combining the word “ハロウィーン” (Halloween in Katakana) with a pumpkin design, also designating “confectionery and bread” in Class 30.
Since Japan introduced the service mark system, many trademark applications started designating the services in Class 41, such as “planning, management, or organization of entertainment events.” Examples of trademarks registered for such event-related services are “渋谷ハロウィン” (Shibuya Halloween in Kanji and Katakana) and “六本木ハロウィン” (Roppongi Halloween in Kanji and Katakana).
In Autumn, numerous festivals and events are held across the country. Familiar names like “Halloween” may have already been protected as trademarks. Careful attention may be necessary when you use such names in your own events or promotional activities.