"Perfectly safe": Toyko's Haunted houses have had to take the wheel to find 'socially distanced' settings for shows. Photo / Eugene Hoshiko, AP
"Perfectly safe": Toyko's Haunted houses have had to take the wheel to find 'socially distanced' settings for shows. Photo / Eugene Hoshiko, AP
It's a living nightmare - but a socially distanced one.
"Zombies" attack vehicles, smearing them with artificial blood. But the customers inside the cars are safely separated from their stalkers by the windows.
Production company Kowagarasetai, roughly translated as Scare Squad, has launched a drive-through haunted house in Tokyo in response to the coronavirus pandemic.
"We have started this drive-in because we cannot get close to customers" at a traditional haunted house because of the virus, explains Daichi Ono, a cast member.
Whites of their eyes: The car windshields mean actors get closer to socially distanced guests. Photo / Eugene Hoshiko, AP
"But the distance [between customers and cast] has actually gotten shorter since there is only a window between them," he said.
Unlike a traditional haunted house, where guests can flee if frightened, customers are confined to their cars and cannot escape the horrors during the 13-minute performance.
With no actual contact between the audience and performers, the risk of transmitting the virus is virtually eliminated. And of course, inside their cars, customers can scream as loudly as they like.
Scary: The prosect of not being able to open during Halloween forced the company to make some changes. Photo / Eugene Hoshiko, AP
Once the horror is over, instead of eating brains, these helpful zombies actually clean the blood off the cars they attacked just minutes earlier.
It's a novel experience for cast members, as well as guests.
"I can get very close to guests even though they're behind the windshields," said actor Hanegawa. "It's interesting to see their reactions so close up, while keeping social distance."
Talking to the Japan Times, the 28-year old said haunted houses were on as uncertain footing as any other business in Japan.
"I don't know what the right thing to do is," he said "But we want to continue offering a haunted house, even if it means we have to change the style a bit. We want many people to enjoy it, to enjoy being scared."
Helpful "zombies" clean fake blood off a visitor's car after a show. Photo / Eugene Hoshiko, AP
With Halloween approaching, the prospect of not being able to welcome guests is a scary prospect for businesses such as haunted houses and ghost walks.
Some attractions in the US have had to rethink their approach, and release Covid contingency plans. The House of Torment, an attraction in Austin, Texas is adamant the format needs little alteration to make it safe for patrons.
Even zombies have had to adjust to the pandemic health measures. Photo / Eugene Hoshiko, AP
"Haunted houses are not concerts, sporting events or theme parks. The nature of a haunted house is all about physical distancing; it always has been, it's what we do normally," they said in a statement regarding the safety of their attraction.
The attraction has had to reduce its capacity and not allow public groups to mix on tours of the house. "PPE masks will be worn under theatrical masks and makeup," says the Austin attraction.
However, as Texas guidelines recommend public face coverings as "not mandatory", it will only be the ghouls required to wear masks.
