Popular XR Facility in Yokohama Marks First Anniversary

Immersive Journey, a popular cross-reality (XR) entertainment facility in Yokohama, marked its first anniversary in December. Featuring content themed around ancient Egypt and Impressionist art, the venue has become a major attraction, drawing more than 120,000 visitors over the past year.

While it was initially expected to appeal mainly to young technology enthusiasts, its audience has gradually broadened. Today, the facility attracts more families, including middle-aged adults and seniors.

Why Yokohama?

Tetsuya Ohashi, CEO of Tokyo-based XR planning company CinemaLeap, which operates the facility, says he is confident that opening in Yokohama was the right decision.

Because the immersive, experience-based content allows dozens of people to move around the same floor simultaneously, a space of about 1,000 square meters (10,764 square feet) is required. Finding a suitable property of that size in Tokyo proved difficult, prompting the company to choose Yokohama instead.

Thanks to its convenient location in a building directly connected to Yokohama Station, the facility attracts visitors from across the Kanto region. What has surprised the operators most is the broadening of the customer base. "At first, most visitors were young men interested in gadgets and cutting-edge electronics, but that has gradually changed," Ohashi says.

*A scene from the XR production "Horizon of Khufu." (©Excurio)*

From Niche Tech to Broad Appeal

According to annual data, women now account for about 65% of visitors, with a particularly large share in their 40s to 60s. Katsutoshi Machiba, a director at CinemaLeap, offers this explanation: "Rather than being drawn by XR as a new technology, people are attracted by the cultural content. They come because they are genuinely interested in themes like ancient Egypt or Impressionism."

Looking across the floor, visitors can see elderly guests enjoying the XR experience while being pushed in wheelchairs. The facility's barrier-free design allows those with limited mobility to share an immersive journey through time and space. This accessibility appears to be helping broaden the range of visitors.

Two Flagship Programs

The current lineup features two programs. "Horizon of Khufu" transports visitors 4,500 years back to ancient Egypt and takes them inside the pyramids. "Tonight with the Impressionists" traces the birth of the art movement, following masters such as Édouard Manet and Pierre-Auguste Renoir to Paris in 1874. Both productions were created by French XR studio Excurio and are highly regarded for their meticulous historical accuracy, developed under expert supervision.

Looking ahead, the company plans to expand to major cities across Japan. A second venue is scheduled to open on January 23, 2026. It will be developed in partnership with a Nagoya Railroad–affiliated leisure company inside a large commercial complex in Sakae, Nagoya's downtown district.

*A scene from the XR production "Tonight with the Impressionists." (©Excurio – GEDEON Experiences – Musée d’Orsay)*

Pricing and Promotion Challenges

Challenges remain, however. A single experience lasts about 45 minutes and costs ¥4,000 JPY (around $25 USD) on weekdays and ¥5,000 on weekends and holidays, with discounts available for groups of four or more. For some potential visitors, the price may feel high.

"Once people try it, many become repeat customers, but it is difficult to convey the appeal of XR beforehand," Ohashi says. "We want to communicate its attractions carefully through a variety of approaches."

Japanese Culture

CinemaLeap is also developing its own original content. The theme will be ukiyo-e woodblock prints, one of the most iconic forms of Japanese culture. The company plans to present the work at events such as the 2026 Venice International Film Festival and begin offering it at Immersive Journey in the fall.

Ohashi shared his vision for the project, saying, "We want to continue creating XR works rooted in Japan's history and culture and share them with audiences around the world."

(Read the article in Japanese.)

Author: Yoshinori Yamasawa, The Sankei Shimbun