With COVID-19 Causing a Sharp Drop in Travel Demand
Events Held Using Trains
Seat Prices Range from 300,000 to 450,000 KRW
All Seats Sold Out Quickly Due to High Popularity
Inspired by Korean Movie 'Busanhaeng'
On the 19th, "Zombie Shinkansen," planned by the event production company Gowagarasetai, departed from Tokyo Station, Japan. [Photo source: Screenshot from the YouTube channel 'South China Morning Post']
Japan's 'Zombie Shinkansen,' launched to celebrate Halloween, is receiving enthusiastic responses, with all seats sold out.
According to foreign media including AFP on the 19th, Japan's high-speed train 'Shinkansen' is transforming into a zombie train for Halloween. The event organizer, Group Kowagarasetai, installed a zombie car in car 16 of the Nozomi 435 high-speed train departing from Tokyo Station to Shin-Osaka on the 19th.
As the Shinkansen departed from Tokyo Station, bloodied zombies disguised as crew members roamed the aisles between seats, approaching passengers. In addition to zombie acting, various shows such as dancing, magic, and musical performances continued. A passenger who boarded the Shinkansen that day said, "It was very immersive," and "Various types of zombies appeared, and I enjoyed it until the end."
Kowagarasetai explained that this Shinkansen zombie event was inspired by the 2016 Korean movie 'Train to Busan.' Event manager Kenta Iwana told AFP BB News, "I wanted to depict the usually safe and peaceful Shinkansen collapsing in the blink of an eye."
On the 19th, "Zombie Shinkansen," planned by the event production company Gowagarasetai, departed from Tokyo Station in Japan. [Photo source: Screenshot from the YouTube channel 'South China Morning Post']
The 36 regular seats cost 33,000 yen per person (approximately 300,000 KRW), and the 24 premium seats, which include separate photo sessions with zombies, cost 50,000 yen (approximately 450,000 KRW). Despite the high prices, all seats were quickly sold out as soon as the reservation site opened.
Earlier, Japanese railway companies began renting out some cars of high-speed trains to hold special events after long-distance travel demand sharply declined following the COVID-19 pandemic. A JR Central official said about this zombie train event, "A new possibility has emerged for high-speed trains," and explained, "Events combining concerts and comedy shows on trains will become a new future revenue source."
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
