Covid-19 Makes Things Tricky For Haunted Houses

The novel coronavirus has impacted a wide array of businesses, ranging from restaurants to movie theatres. In Japan, as theme parks start to reopen, there are new rules. Universal Studios Japan doesn’t want guests to scream on roller coasters, for example, while haunted houses will use social distancing and masks.

During the summer, people in Japan enjoy going to haunted houses (obakeyashiki in Japanese), because they send a chill down the spine. Moreover, August is the month when ancestral spirits return home, so in Japan, the summer has traditionally had spooky connotations.

But with Halloween now mainstream in Japan, obakeyashiki also offer fall-time frights. 

2mの間隔をとって、飛沫感染防止のために無音で驚かしたら、今までとどう違うか、というのを実験。
あんまり怖くないよね、やっぱり????
ジェットコースター叫ばないのも難しいよねー???? pic.twitter.com/Nj5feJ3Q0E

— Hitomi＠ホラー＆映画＆放大生垢 (@Lady_hi_to_mi) June 1, 2020

As this news report points out, the haunted house cast members are now supposed to be quiet, but speakers emitting creepy sound effects and screams are a logical workaround.

The bright white masks are kind of a distraction!

But masks can be covered with fake blood or obscured with other masks.

Ghouls aren’t supposed to get close, either.

There are other ideas for haunted houses, including an online obakeyashiki and even “drive-in” haunted house, with zombies and the undead scaring people in parked cars.

【????ドライブインお化け屋敷????】
新型コロナ感染対策から生まれた新しい車内恐怖体験‼️
フロントガラスにはりつく女、群がる亡者たち、車体につく大量の血手形…。
有名な実話怪談を実際に体験！
7月に一般公開、近日中にプレスリリースが決まりました！
続報をお待ちください‼️ pic.twitter.com/oUd2tU9lZZ

— 株式会社怖がらせ隊@お化け屋敷・ホラーイベント制作/企画会社 (@kowagarasetai) June 8, 2020

In my experience, really good haunted houses don’t necessarily need cast members getting close and play up the that feeling of dread as you make your way through. Some Japanese haunted houses don’t even have actors, but just displays and mannequins. 

But getting covid-19 is scarier than any frights the haunted house could throw your way. Stay safe this summer and fall.