Zombie apocalypse: World's 'first haunted house experience' on running bullet train

Saturday's adrenaline-filled trip organised less than two weeks before Halloween on Japan's bullet train

By
AFP
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Performers dressed as zombies practice their performance before boarding a Zombie Shinkansen bullet train bound for Osaka from Tokyo, inspired by the South Korean movie Train to Busan, ahead of the Halloween season, in Tokyo, Japan October 19, 2024. — Reuters
Performers dressed as zombies practice their performance before boarding a "Zombie Shinkansen" bullet train bound for Osaka from Tokyo, inspired by the South Korean movie 'Train to Busan', ahead of the Halloween season, in Tokyo, Japan October 19, 2024. — Reuters

It's usually a serene two-and-a-half-hour ride on Japan's famously efficient bullet train.

But the journey quickly descended into a zombie apocalypse, with passengers screaming in terror.

Organisers of Saturday's adrenaline-filled trip, less than two weeks before Halloween, touted it as the "world's first haunted house experience on a running shinkansen".

On board one chartered car of the shinkansen — the Japanese word for bullet train — were around 40 thrill-seekers, ready to brave an encounter with the living dead between Tokyo and the western metropolis of Osaka.

Performers have zombie make-up before boarding a Zombie Shinkansen bullet train bound for Osaka from Tokyo, inspired by the South Korean movie Train to Busan, ahead of the Halloween season, in Tokyo Japan October 19, 2024. — Reuters
Performers have zombie make-up before boarding a "Zombie Shinkansen" bullet train bound for Osaka from Tokyo, inspired by the South Korean movie 'Train to Busan', ahead of the Halloween season, in Tokyo Japan October 19, 2024. — Reuters

The eerie experience was inspired by the hit 2016 South Korean action-horror movie "Train to Busan", in which a father and daughter trapped on a moving train battle zombies hungry for human flesh.

All seemed normal at first as the bullet train made a peaceful departure Saturday evening, but it wasn't long until the first gory attack.

The victims — actors planted in seats by the organisers — jerked in agony and then underwent a terrifying transformation before starting a rampage against their fellow passengers.

Event organiser Kenta Iwana of the group Kowagarasetai, which translates to the "scare squad", said they wanted to "depict the normally safe, peaceful shinkansen — something we take for granted — collapsing in the blink of an eye".

Performers dressed as zombies perform inside a Zombie Shinkansen bullet train bound for Osaka from Tokyo, inspired by the South Korean movie ‘Train to Busan’ ahead of the Halloween season, Japan October 19, 2024. — Reuters
Performers dressed as zombies perform inside a "Zombie Shinkansen" bullet train bound for Osaka from Tokyo, inspired by the South Korean movie ‘Train to Busan’ ahead of the Halloween season, Japan October 19, 2024. — Reuters

''Like I was in the film'' — Sitting next to one of the actors was Joshua Payne, one of many foreign tourists on board.

"I literally felt like I was in the film, just sitting here watching it take place in front of me," the 31-year-old American told AFP.

"The fact that we can physically go from Tokyo to Osaka right now and have this whole performance at the same time.

I think is really cool and maybe a little bit groundbreaking," he said.

Performers dressed as zombies perform inside a Zombie Shinkansen bullet train bound for Osaka from Tokyo, inspired by the South Korean movie ‘Train to Busan’ ahead of the Halloween season, Japan October 19, 2024. — Reuters
Performers dressed as zombies perform inside a "Zombie Shinkansen" bullet train bound for Osaka from Tokyo, inspired by the South Korean movie ‘Train to Busan’ ahead of the Halloween season, Japan October 19, 2024. — Reuters

It was far from Central Japan Railway Company's first experiment with the usually dazzlingly clean, accident-free shinkansen, a Japanese institution that turned 60 this year.

After demand for long-distance travel plunged during the Covid-19 pandemic, the railway operator started renting out bullet train compartments for special events to diversify its business.

A sushi restaurant, a bar and even a wrestling match have been hosted on the high-speed train, and carriages can also be reserved for private parties.

Marie Izumi of JR Central's tourism subsidiary told AFP that she was surprised by the idea for a zombie-themed commute when Kowagarasetai approached her, thinking it would be "almost impossible to pull off".

Performers dressed as zombies perform inside a Zombie Shinkansen bullet train bound for Osaka from Tokyo, inspired by the South Korean movie ‘Train to Busan’ ahead of the Halloween season, Japan October 19, 2024. — Reuters
Performers dressed as zombies perform inside a "Zombie Shinkansen" bullet train bound for Osaka from Tokyo, inspired by the South Korean movie ‘Train to Busan’ ahead of the Halloween season, Japan October 19, 2024. — Reuters

But the event has convinced her of "new possibilities" for the bullet train, Izumi said, adding that concerts and comedy shows might be a good fit in the future.

On Saturday, toy chainsaws and guns were used as props, but depictions of extreme violence and gore that could tarnish the shinkansen's squeaky-clean reputation were avoided.

To counterbalance the subdued horror, the two-and-a-half-hour tour was peppered with light-hearted performances by zombie cheerleaders, magicians and comedians, including a choreographed dance to Michael Jackson's "Thriller".

"Nobody wants to sit tight for such a long time being constantly exposed to horror," said Ayaka Imaide from Kowagarasetai.

Performers dressed as zombies practice their performance before boarding a Zombie Shinkansen bullet train bound for Osaka from Tokyo, inspired by the South Korean movie Train to Busan, ahead of the Halloween season, in Tokyo, Japan October 19, 2024. — Reuters
Performers dressed as zombies practice their performance before boarding a "Zombie Shinkansen" bullet train bound for Osaka from Tokyo, inspired by the South Korean movie 'Train to Busan', ahead of the Halloween season, in Tokyo, Japan October 19, 2024. — Reuters

Many aboard the zombie-infested train said the experience alone was worth the ticket price of up to 50,000 yen ($335).

"It was very immersive," Naohiko Nozawa, 30, told AFP.

"And the appearance of so many different kinds of zombies kept me entertained all the way.