Experience a new breed of terror this autumn, but don’t tap on the glass! It’ll scare the fish.
Thanks to the relatively recent addition of Halloween to the holiday landscape of Japan, there is now an extended period of horror running from the traditional Japanese season of the dead, Obon in August, right to the end of October. This means we can enjoy a good quarter of a year of horror movies and other haunted attractions!
Businesses in Japan are hard at work capitalizing on this too by converting whatever they can to a “haunted Google Assistant” or “Horror Kindergarten.” So, it’s with delight, but not surprise, that we heard about the recent opening of Horror Aquarium: The Seven Misaki.
As the name suggests, from 27 September to 4 November, the aquarium in the Sunshine City entertainment complex of Tokyo will be converted to a hall of horrors after closing time. It makes sense too; an aquarium is already a darkly lit claustrophobic environment with deadly animals, so they’re already halfway there.
This is actually the third time the Sunshine Aquarium has held such an event. In 2016, the terror began with Horror Aquarium: The Cursed Mizukushi and then continued the following year with Horror Aquarium: The Ayakashi Mermaid. Surely they’re learning new tricks with each iteration, making this year’s offering full of potential.
As far as spook houses go, this one has a really compelling back story too. The titular Seven Misaki is a group of seven cursed spirits that appear in coastal areas. If someone encounters the Seven Misaki they will die of a high fever. This in turn will allow one of the spirits to rest in peace, but cause the person who was killed to replace that spirit so that there will always be seven.
These spirits were contained in the Seven Burial Mounds each guarded by a different family. These guards were unflinching in their duty throughout generations until one day Shoko, the daughter of one of the houses, fell in love with the son of another and conceived a child.
This was forbidden because then two of the families would become one and thus become unable to contain the Misaki. So, the other families robbed Shoko of both her lover and child. Despondent, she threw herself into the sea.
But before she did, Shoko desecrated her own family’s mound herself and unleashed the Seven Misaki once again. Using this evil force, Shoko sought revenge on the heads of all the other houses, killing them one by one. However, since there were only six, Shoko is still trapped as one of the Seven Misaki and unable to find rest until she can kill again…
And this is where you come in.
Of course, running for your life is tiring work, so be sure to refuel with some of the delectably spooky looking foods available at Sunshine Aquarium’s Kanaloa Cafe, such as the Black Meat Sauce Pasta with Blood Drink topped with four severed fingers made from ham and mozzarella.
Complement your meal with one or all of the deserts available: the Calpis-flavored Eyeball Gelee, Iced Ghosts, and blueberry-and-mint-flavored Black Cream Puff.
Or, if you’re the type who likes to eat and run, you can grab a bag of Seven Misaki Tea and Seven Misaki Cookie featuring the damned septuplet holding a severed finger whose cuticle is bloodied with delicious preserves to go.
Just remember, all the drama and snacks can only be experienced after the Sunshine Aquarium officially closes for the day at 6:30 pm. Until then you’ll just have to bide your time with the abominations of nature that are their flying penguins.
Event information
Horror Aquarium: The Seven Misaki / ホラー水族館「七人ミサキ」
Sunshine Aquarium / サンシャイン水族館
Tokyo-to, Toshima-ku, Higashiikebukuro 3-1 Sunshine City World Import Mart Bldg. Rooftop
東京都豊島区東池袋3-1 サンシャインシティ ワールドインポートマートビル・屋上
27 September-4 November
6:30 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Tickets starting at 1,900 yen (US$17) for adults
Website
Source, images: PR Times
[ Read in Japanese ]