In Asakusa, Jidaiya — a company known for its sightseeing rickshaws and Japanese culture experiences — is turning its traditional Japanese-style studio, Edo Kura, into a private test-of-courage venue for a limited run of 20 days starting Friday, August 21, 2026, offering a unique way to beat the lingering late-summer heat.
The event brings in SHIRAI-SAN (Stare) VR, a buzzworthy Japanese horror VR title (produced by Shochiku Co., Ltd.; VR production by Dynamo Amusement Co., Ltd.). Combining Japanese horror with a traditional setting for an overwhelming scare, it offers a new way to spend the final stretch of summer vacation: chilling yourself cool with fear.
As a bonus for staying cool even after the scare, guests receive a limited-edition uchiwa fan illustrated with Jidaiya's mascot dog, Chiyo, while supplies last.
Event Overview
- Title: Blow Away the Heat! Jidaiya Edo Kura VR Test of Courage — SHIRAI-SAN (Stare) VR
- Event period: Friday, August 21 to Wednesday, September 9, 2026 (limited to 20 days)
- Reception: Jidaiya Meiji-kan (office) — 2-3-5 Kaminarimon, Taito-ku, Tokyo
- Venue: Edo Kura Studio (private rental)
- Duration: About 10 minutes, including an introductory video
- Perk: A limited-edition uchiwa fan illustrated with mascot dog Chiyo (one per person, while supplies last)
- Reservations: Because Edo Kura is also used for other cultural experiences, visits are by reservation only. Guests who arrive without a reservation may face a long wait or be unable to use the venue. Reservations must be made by phone or email by 5:00 PM the day before the visit.
Concept and Highlights
A Test of Courage to Beat the Late-Summer Heat
With the hot weather still going strong, this test-of-courage event is designed to bring guests a sense of coolness through their senses. Combining the quiet atmosphere of the storehouse with genuine Japanese horror staging, it aims to send a chill down guests' spines.
Featuring SHIRAI-SAN (Stare) VR
The event uses SHIRAI-SAN (Stare) VR, a Japanese horror VR title based on the world of Stare, the film directed by Hirotaka Adachi (Otsuichi). Full 360-degree visuals and surround sound create an immersive, inescapable sense of dread.
The Weight of History Inside Edo Kura
The venue, Edo Kura Studio, is built from genuine traditional Japanese architecture, carrying a heaviness and tension all its own. The stillness of a historic building heightens the experience.
A Keepsake Uchiwa Featuring Mascot Dog Chiyo
Everyone who takes part receives a limited-edition uchiwa fan illustrated with Jidaiya's mascot dog, Chiyo. After breaking into a cold sweat from fright, guests can enjoy strolling around Asakusa with Chiyo's illustration for company.
Pair It With a Rickshaw Ride Through Asakusa
Guests can combine the experience with a ride on one of Jidaiya's rickshaws, touring Asakusa's streets alongside the VR experience. A discount is available for same-day rickshaw riders.
Pricing (Tax Included)
- Pair/group use (2 or more people): ¥2,500 per person (the experience is done one guest at a time)
- Solo use (1 person): ¥4,000
- Rickshaw rider discount: Guests who ride a Jidaiya rickshaw on the day of their experience get ¥500 off per person (same-day riders only)
- Perk: A limited-edition uchiwa fan illustrated with mascot dog Chiyo (one per person, while supplies last)
About SHIRAI-SAN (Stare) VR
"Look away, and you die." Can guests keep their eyes on Shirai-san as it draws closer, or will fear win out?
Players confront, in VR, the same terror faced by the film's protagonists, rendered with striking realism. The experience uses the standalone VR headset Oculus Quest, letting guests move freely for a highly immersive feel. Set inside a finely detailed CG recreation of an old house, the horror unfolds in real time based on each player's own actions.
Produced by: Shochiku Co., Ltd.
VR production: Dynamo Amusement Co., Ltd.
A Message From Jidaiya Rickshaw Driver Sakamoto
With the heat wave still going strong, we launched this event because we wanted to bring visitors to Asakusa a way to enjoy coolness through all five senses like never before. Experiencing Japanese horror VR in the quiet, weighty stillness of Edo Kura should chill you enough to make the sweat vanish in an instant. Please try this new way of getting through summer in Asakusa, where tradition and the latest technology come together — alongside a rickshaw tour around town and an uchiwa fan featuring our mascot dog, Chiyo.
