Before we get to the best meal I had in Kyoto, let’s wrap up Halloween!

These Mystery Ghost Pepsis are courtesy of vyxle. More than one person misread the label as “Mystery Ghost Pepper,” which, uh, yikes.

I had a great time at Beer Reise ビアライゼ in Kagoshima, and check out what came in from the US– pumpkin beer! I opted for the Miyazaki Hyuga-Natsu Lager (and the Punk In Drublic because I’ve never seen it in Seattle). My barmates were very surprised that you could get a six pack or two pints in a bar for the price of one (woo imports).

I didn’t try this, but Lipton had a Halloween design on their packages this year, although the flavors were the same.

And a pumpkin latte from Cafe du Crié.

Pumpkin (not pumpkin spice, though) and Halloween have completely taken over Japanese retailers. The part of me that desperately missed Halloween and pumpkin food in Japan when I was there in the early ’10s is very pleased, but 2015!me is a little alarmed by how quickly it happened, if 10 years is “quick.” Globalization is a factor, of course, but just as much at  work is Japan’s marketing of seasonal goods. All the ghosts and pumpkins are just so cute! Stop toying with my emotions, Japanese marketing…

Next time: either a new muffin recipe for fall (not pumpkin, promise) or my tofu adventures in Kyoto!