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We spend the night at Zombie Camp! It’s like summer camp…but with zombies!

Casey Baseel Oct 9, 2014
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Summer is the season for ghost stories in Japan, and at the end of August we sent one of our reporters to try out the terrifying haunted house from the horror masters and game fans at Obaken. Amazing as that six-room production is, Obaken has since expanded its scale to something even bigger: Zombie Camp, a two-day excursion that combines the majesty of the great outdoors with the threat of rampaging zombies!

This time, our Japanese-language correspondent P.K. drew the straw for this horrific assignment. A self-described chicken, P.K. nonetheless knew he was lucky to be getting the chance to experience Zombie Camp firsthand. This was Obaken’s fourth time to hold the event, and each time, the tickets have sold out on the day they became available.

Along with the other 99 participants/potential zombie meals, P.K.’s journey started in Tokyo’s Shinjuku, where he boarded the charter bus that would take him on the four-hour drive to the campsite. Inside, the mood was friendly and jovial, and P.K. found himself relaxing, at least until they started showing zombie movies on the monitor so the passengers could kill time by watching the living dead.

Well outside the city, the bus came to a stop. The passengers got off and went the rest of the way on foot, passing by some creepy signage along the way.

▼ We’re sure whoever made the sign just spilled a paint can by accident. Nothing to be scared of here…right? Right?!

Once they rendezvoused with the event staff, there was a brief orientation, in which they explained that the surrounding woods were divided into two sections. The Safe Area was for sleeping and eating, and the campers were given the troubling reassurance that zombies usually didn’t make their way inside the perimeter. On the other hand, the creatures roamed free in the Danger Area.

At the moment, though, things were peaceful in the camp. Upon arrival, the participants were divided up into teams, and the first orders of business were putting up tents and gathering firewood for cooking with, although oddly there didn’t seem to be any food in sight. Many of the campers were young singles, and everyone seemed to be having a good time mingling and getting acquainted. There was even tea and beer available, and P.K. found himself being soothed after getting back to nature after so long in the city.

And then a siren sounded.

The staff sprang into action, telling the teams to muster. It was time for their first mission: heading into the Danger Area to procure food.

Truth be told, the prospect of meeting the zombies on their home turf had P.K. thinking more of emptying his bladder than filling his stomach. But as the only guy in the group, his manly pride wouldn’t let him back down, no matter how many zombies might be lurking in the Danger Area.

▼ Also, his gentlemanly manners demanded he go in after his female teammates. Ladies first, you know.

It wasn’t long until they ran into the zombie welcome committee.

▼ Scary from far away

▼ Scarier close up

As awesomely realistic as the zombies look, even the ordinarily cowardly P.K. found himself having a good time. Rather than pop out of hiding for cheap jump scares, the zombies chase their prey in what feels like a blood-stained game of tag.

▼ P.K.’s teammates run for their lives, while he bravely snaps pictures for our readers.

▼ Not everyone gets through their mission without being nabbed by a zombie.

Their harrowing raid of the Danger Area complete, P.K. and his team made their way back to the Safe Area. Maybe it was the atmosphere of dining under the stars, or just the special seasoning of not having been eaten by zombies, but the food tasted great, especially the freshly baked pizza.

And for dessert, more zombies!

During the first day, the teams had a total of four missions. Needless to say, everything feels twice as creepy at night.

▼ The Pikachu infestation was so much cuter than the zombie outbreak!

As a matter of fact, the darkness seems to increase the zombies’ physical prowess, as they made their way inside the now-inappropriately named Safe Area!

▼ We wish we looked this photogenic while dodging zombie attacks.

Even at night, though, there’s still one place where the zombies can’t get you, and that’s inside your tent. Unfortunately, P.K. glanced towards his to find the flap already shut tight by his fast-acting tentmates. As a desperate gamble, he ran towards the bathroom.

Unfortunately, when you’re made of rotting flesh, the odor of a campground restroom isn’t even going to slow you down.

Zombies, it turns out, have no qualms about having a meal near where humans have a squat.

▼ P.K., with nowhere left to run

Zombie Camp is all wrapped up for 2014, but Obaken says the event will be back in 2015. In the meantime, the company’s website has info on the haunted house they regularly run in Tokyo, which is getting a Walking Dead makeover from October 10-12 as part of a tie-in with the hit TV series.

As for P.K., even though he’s not ordinarily a horror fan, he said he had a great time on his trip. We think he might have been bitten by a mosquito, though. When he got back, he said something about his skin being itchy, and today he’s saying it’s tasty. Poor guy. You think we should get him some bug bite lotion?

Related: Obaken
Photos: RocketNews24
[ Read in Japanese ]