Explore Japan

The Japanese are captivated by a game with one simple rule: Solve the puzzle and escape the room. What began as an online escape game has evolved into the “real-life” escape game, an in-person experience filled with adventure and entertainment. Each player has just one chance to experience the game, adding to the stakes and upping the concentration factor. Only about 10% of participants are able to clear the game, yet all who enter become taken with the intricately-designed details, enjoying the mystery, story, and various situations they encounter.

In this program, Arisa reports on the masterminds behind these captivating real-life escape games. Also learn about the very first junior high school in Japan to incorporate the real-life escape game into their entrance exams. We interview the faculty, as well as students who actually took the exams. In addition, Arisa tries her hand at a game that has been created by first-year junior high school students.

The creation of these puzzle games involves many secrets, and the workings behind the scenes have never before been introduced. Join us as we visit the game creators in their workplace, interviewing Kato Takao, one of the people responsible for the game’s popularity. We were also allowed a peek into the atelier that is the birthplace of the intriguing special effects such as bombs and treasure chests. Join Arisa as she experiences the mysterious items for herself!