COVID-19 scary? Japan group offers coffins, chainsaws for stress relief

Finding the pandemic scary? A Japanese group is trying to take people’s minds off COVID-19 - by putting them in coffins surrounded by chainsaw-wielding zombies.

Customers this weekend in Tokyo can lie in a 2-metre (6 1/2-foot) windowed box, listening to a horror story, watching actors perform and getting poked with fake hands and squirted with water.

“The pandemic is stressful, and we hope people can get a bit of relief by having a good scream,” said Kenta Iwana, coordinator of production company Kowagarasetai - “Scare Squad” - which is putting on the 15-minute shows.

As Japan experiences a COVID-19 upswing - with 1,034 infections of the new coronavirus on Friday - Iwana, 25, is scrambling to find work for his actors, who normally perform at venues such as theme parks.

Last month Kowagarasetai offered drive-in horror shows.

Customers, too, are looking for alternatives - and a way to blow off steam.