Japanese horror movies are appreciated not only in Japan, but also abroad. What people find terrifying about Japanese is not graphic or gruesome, but a psychological or supernatural dilemmas. And of course, there is a special place in Tokyo where one can experience this for yourself, and it's not for the faint of heart. It’s called ‘The Real Escape Game.' This game was programmed and created by SCRAP, and has gone international, with similar facilities operating in places such as San Francisco, and Toronto. Before going into the details, here’s a brief explanation of what the game is all about. 

SCRAP describes The Real Escape Game as: "a unique and interactive live puzzle event where teams solve mysteries and clues within a time limit. The beauty of the game is that you are actually physically inside the story. You and your fellow players are heroes who must escape from a place filled with challenging puzzles and obstacles. The objective is to find and solve the mystery in order to escape within the time allotted. Players are encouraged to work in teams to crack the puzzles more efficiently, and a Game Master directs gameplay to add a touch of drama."

Participants are locked into a room, where they are required to solve mysteries and find a key to get out of the room, and it must be done within a certain period of time. 

This particular game is an upgraded version of Real Escape Game, which has been improved to get rid of any language barriers so all people can participate. In fact, no Japanese language skill is required to solve the mysteries or find the key to get out of the room. Inspiration is the only thing that is required to win the game.

Currently, there are two games available at the Asakusa site: Escape from the RED ROOM & Escape from the Haunted Manor.

A building with blue tiled bricks is the venue where these mysterious games are played out.

Participants need take off their own shoes and instead wear slippers provided by the staff. After the registration, participants are required to keep their belongings in lockers provided for that purpose. Mobile phones and anything with a light are strictly banned.

Escape from the RED ROOM

Once all belongings are stored and shoes have been swapped out for slippers, it’s time to start the game. First up, Escape from The RED ROOM.

The rules will be explained by an English speaking staff member prior to the game.

As mentioned before, only a certain number of people (up to 10 people) can join the game. It’s the team’s responsibility to find the puzzles and keys to escape from the mysterious room. Just use all available brain power, and brainstorm ideas with other teammates. There is a 30 minute time limit. 

Escape from the Haunted Manor

Next on the agenda is an escape from the Haunted Manor. This one is especially loved by horror movie addicts. A haunted house and real-life escape game are combined here.

The participants (up to 6 people) of this game will have a role, where one needs to investigate an unsolved case. According to the reports, several people are missing after entering a house. And it is the investigator’s job to find the clues and solve the case. Also, the investigators need to get out of this house. This game also has a 30 minute time limit, and just like Escape from The RED ROOM, many investigating teams have failed.

Buying Tickets

There are two types of tickets available.

1. Advance Ticket (1800 yen). Secure a spot in advance with H.I.S. by contacting us! 
2. Walk-up Ticket (2300 yen). Note that there may not be walk-up tickets available. This can happen when advance tickets have sold out and all of the spots for a time period have already been filled.

Game Start Time & Period

The venue is open nearly every day. It is a good idea to confirm availability at the website or with H.I.S. before visiting.

The games start at 12:00, 14:00 and 17:00, and are estimated to take 50 to 60 minutes from the start to end including the section where the staff explains the rules.

The participants are required to be at the venue 15 minutes before the game starts. The registration for each game begins 10 minutes before the session.