Halloween is the one holiday in the year when people far and wide get in on one of the major interests of Japanese pop culture fans: cosplay. Cosplay is — for the uninitiated, the act of donning a costume (usually from a major Japanese anime or Western pop culture franchise) and role-playing as the character one chooses to portray.

This year, get the chance to do just that — plus lots more, with the Hong Kong Tourism Board and Animax’s Hong Kong Halloween Treats Party! HKTB and Animax will be flying in three cosplayers from all over South East Asia to Hong Kong, to join in on the fun at the Halloween Treats Party. There they get the chance to mingle with celebrity guests including otaku blogger and Culture:Japan host Danny Choo.

To join, just sign up for an account at animax-asia.com and upload your best cosplay photo until the 24th of September 2010. Then get your friends to sign up for their own accounts, or ask friends who already have accounts to log in, and vote for your photo until the 6th of October 2010. The three most top-rated cosplayers will win invites from HKTB and Animax to fly to Hong Kong, all expenses paid!

If you are a blogger on the other hand and not a cosplayer, you can also win invites to the event (plus airfare and hotel accommodations) by posting an entry about the photo competition. Make sure you send the url of your blog entry to contests@animax-asia.com, on or before 7th October 2010, to qualify for the competition. For a complete listing of rules, visit the official website at animax-asia.com.

If you are one of the three lucky cosplayers selected through the online voting, one of the three bloggers invited to tag along to the party by HKTB and Animax, or if you just find yourself in Hong Kong on holiday in the next few weeks, here are a few ideas to make the most out of your trip!

Get some sightseeing done — day or night, Hong Kong offers some of the most exciting views and photo spots you’ll ever encounter. Take a tram to the top of Victoria Peak, hobnob with stars at the famous Madame Tussaud’s Wax Musem, or get on the Star Ferry at night to watch the spectacular light and sound show along the Hong Kong city skyline.

Check out the delicious food from restaurants and street stalls alike. Some of our favorites include claypot rice from Temple Street, pork chop buns along Gauge Street, and noodles in Causeway Bay. And that’s not even half of what is available for food lovers of all shapes and sizes!

Gorge yourself on soup dumplings, Peking Duck, fish ball noodles, meat buns, salt and pepper fried chicken — the choices are nearly endless! Everywhere you go in Hong Kong, there is another hole-in-the-wall restaurant or neighborhood dimsum joint ready to tantalize your taste buds. Bring your appetite! 😀

Drop by Mongkok to stock up on cosplay supplies — like wigs, Gothic and Lolita or Punk apparel, and platform maryjanes and boots. Hong Kong is known for its affordable and high-quality cosplay goods, so stocking up while you’re still there is a good idea. In Mongkok, you can also purchase Japanese manga, art books, toys, and figures — for cosplay inspiration and research purposes.

Check out one of the many Japanese pop culture events in Hong Kong, such as the Hong Kong Halloween Treats Party! Come in your best anime, manga, video game, toy line, or pop idol cosplay and party with fellow cosplayers from all over the region. Whether you are a game otaku, a toy collector, or just a lover of all things J-pop — there is always something going on for you in Hong Kong.

Last but not least, go wild in Hong Kong Disneyland! Show up in cosplay as one of the characters from the Square Enix and Disney video game Kingdom Hearts, at one of Hong Kong’s biggest attractions, Hong Kong Disneyland (props to Mia for the original idea, btw). You’ll feel right at home with your pals Donald, Goofy, and of course King Mickey. Just be careful where you swing that keyblade around — chances are that person is just a cosplayer and not a real Heartless 😀

How about the rest of you guys — what would your perfect Hong Kong holiday be like? How about your perfect Hong Kong cosplay? Give a description of your ideal itinerary or post photos of your planned costumes! Feel free to let loose in the comments box; I’m looking forward to all your posts 😀

This post is a contest entry for the HKTB x ANIMAX Halloween Treats blogging competition.