by Benjamin Beardsley | Nov, 2024 | No Proscenium: When I learned that “the world’s first immersive theme park” was opening in Tokyo, I could hardly contain my excitement. I invited a friend and we visited on a sunny Friday afternoon in April, a bit over a month after it opened. We were surprised to find no wait at the gate.
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At first, I was wondering what an “immersive theme park” was. Because aren’t all theme parks “immersive”? But, the idea that it’s a mix of an escape room and a haunted house definitely feels more immersive than a typical theme park. The need for team work definitely adds to that as well. I like that there are multiple “attractions”. I think that's what makes it a theme “park” as opposed to a singular immersive experience. It does seem a little expensive but I feel like once they open a little more, you are certainly getting your money’s worth. The author at the end of the article said “there are other immersive experiences in Tokyo I would prioritize”. Although I haven’t gone, it sounded like Immersive Fort offered a different immersive experience than one you’d be able to get elsewhere. I think the joys of immersive art is that it is impossible to have the same experience twice. Everyone will experience it differently, and even if you go back to the same place, you will have a different experience.
When I read about Immersive Fort Tokyo being the “world’s first immersive theme park,” I couldn’t wait to dive in and see if it lived up to the hype.Take Identity V Immersive Chase, for instance. It sounds like a hybrid of escape rooms and haunted houses but with the added thrill of a live chase. As someone who loves immersive theater, I immediately thought of productions like Sleep No More, where the audience roams through the story at their own pace. The idea of using smart devices to drive the plot and teamwork in Identity V is genius—it’s like gamifying theater. I wonder how this kind of engagement could evolve in live drama settings, maybe blending traditional plays with tech to let the audience influence outcomes. And the highlight, Tales of Edo Oiren, was like stepping into an improvised play where actors engage the audience directly. That level of intimacy, even without fluency in the language, shows how drama transcends barriers.
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