Tokyo haunted house Obaken is supplying you with all things spooky this summer–safely at home!

It’s been a hot summer, and if you’re anything like us, you’ll want to take advantage of any method you can to cool down. For many Japanese people that includes getting ghostly chills from being spooked out. Haunted houses are closed this year, though, for public safety reasons (to prevent the spread of coronavirus, not because of rogue ghosts), so what can you do if you want someone to scare your pants off?

Luckily Tokyo-based haunted house Obaken is offering three different types of digital spooky experiences, which you can enjoy from the comfort of your home. Whether you want to participate in a haunted lecture, watch a ghost hunter explore a supposedly haunted real-life building, or be immersed in a spooky visual novel, this Suginami Ward haunted house has your back.

The first program is called “Manago: Will Something Happen? A Mysterious Ghost Painting Introduced by an Occult Otaku”. This starts off as a Zoom lecture by occult otaku Satoshi Asakura about a mysterious Meiji-era ghost painting that he purchased from a flea market. Everything seems like a normal lecture until strange things begin to happen in the background…

This experience is said to be like being a part of a horror movie yourself. As you, the other participants, and the host try to figure out what’s going on, you’ll witness spooky apparitions, and hear whispers around you. Up to eight people can participate at a time, and starting in September, an international version will also be available, so gather all your friends if you want to have a really scary time.

In “Orokamono no Zaika” (“Fool’s Offense”), rather than being a part of the story, you’ll watch someone else experience a truly scary experience in real time. A single member of ghost hunting channel GOTCHANNEL livestreams his visit to a real butchery that’s rumored to be haunted, but he ends up getting a whole lot more than he bargained for.

As the investigation proceeds, you’ll hear strange noises, and even catch glimpses of a mysterious red woman. The things you see around every corner will give you goosebumps and heighten the tension. You can communicate with GOTCHANNEL through a live chat, but will it be enough? This foolish investigator will get himself in trouble, and only the viewers can save him.

The third choice for your summer spook-off is “Zetsubo no Oncho” (“Hopeless Favor”), a visual novel game that you can purchase starting on August 18. The story is completely original, but features scenes and shots from Japan’s most popular horror escape room, “Ifu Musebi Ya”, or “House of Smothering Fear”.

In the story, a girl named Asuka recommends her friend Miyo a particular house from a certain real estate office. Miyo goes to look at the place with a friend, but never comes back. Worried, Asuka goes alone to the house to see what happened, but she’s kidnapped by a crazed murder. Her choices–or rather, your choices–will determine whether she lives or dies, so choose wisely.

With over 20 different endings to Zetsubo no Oncho, there’s sure to be one that’s going to scare you! Can you solve the mysteries of the old place and save Asuka and her friends’ lives?

If any of these things suit your fancy, make sure you head over to Obaken’s website to book a date and time for either program that works for you. Except for the visual novel, all of these experiences are available now, so don’t miss out on your spot if you want to be totally creeped out!

Source, images: PR Times
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