The Daimaru Tokyo store has launched a free-roaming XR horror attraction called "Meikai Department Store" to provide visitors with a chilling experience [1, 2].

The event blends high-end retail with immersive entertainment to attract customers during the peak of summer. By utilizing cross-reality (XR) technology, the organizers aim to meet a growing demand for sensory-driven experiences that offer a physical and psychological escape from the intense heat [1].

Created by the horror creative company Yami, the attraction is titled "Meikai Department Store: The Infinite Department Store Labyrinth Where Endless Memories Wander" [1, 2]. The event began on July 16, 2026, and is scheduled to run through Aug. 11, 2026 [2].

Kenichi Uchiyama, president of Yami, said people in the world are seeking experiences where they can feel various types of fear through their own five senses. He said the experience is designed so that visitors can discuss their impressions and share them on social media [1].

One female participant said the attraction was easy to enter because it was inside a department store and felt like being in a real maze [1].

Yami has a history of producing large-scale immersive events. In 2024, the company's "Missing Persons Exhibition" drew 200,000 visitors [1]. This latest collaboration with Daimaru Tokyo leverages that expertise to transform a traditional shopping space into a psychological labyrinth.

The attraction uses XR technology to overlay digital horror elements onto the physical environment of the store. This allows participants to move freely through the space while encountering supernatural elements designed to evoke a "cooling" sensation during the summer months [1, 2].

“People in the world are seeking experiences where they can feel various types of fear through their own five senses.”

This partnership represents a strategic shift for traditional Japanese department stores, which are increasingly integrating 'experience-based' retail to drive foot traffic. By partnering with a specialized creative firm like Yami, Daimaru is pivoting from a purely transactional shopping model to a destination-based entertainment model, leveraging the viral nature of social media and the physical appeal of air-conditioned, immersive environments during extreme weather.