by VICTORIA HENLEY
CTFashionMag.com
Created and curated by legendary Japanese Haunted House specialist, Michaelty Yamaguchi, Ghost Bus Hawaii is a way to experience frights and thrills without even leaving your seat.
The only haunted bus in the United States — there are only two in Japan– Ghost Bus Hawaii is an introduction of the subtle, dark, and inimitably eerie style of Japanese horror to Americans, utilizing a complex storyline, various forms of psychological “mind games,” a pitch-black bus and haunting audio-visual effects for a spine-tingling experience like no other.
Upon arrival to the Ghost Bus Hawaii, guests will be ushered toward a video screen at the front of the bus, where a doctor/mad scientist presents a video of a scientific experiment gone awry.
The patient, who suffers from debilitating fears and night terrors, is prompted by a morbid psychoanalyst to “become fear,” after which she transforms into an unrecognizable version of herself from which she may never be able to return.
Now exposed to this savage being, guests must board the experimental bus, hands bound with no sense of what might be coming next, as unknown objects brush up against you, screams fill the air, and the bus shifts uneasily from side to side as you depart on your adventure to doom.
Convincingly acted and expertly choreographed, the Ghost Bus Hawaii is a perfectly nuanced experience that will make you feel as though you have stepped into Kaiden (a traditional form of Japanese horror literature) story, with surprises, and unexpected twists and turns galore.
Kei Segawa, an active member of Hawaii’s Travel and Tourism recruitment operations, served as a liaison who brought the Ghost Bus to the Waikiki/Honolulu area, a region largely known for surfing and luaus rather than haunts and spooks.
KNOW BEFORE YOU GO:
Duration
15 Minutes including loading and unloading
CHECK IN TIME
10 minutes prior to your reservation time
Age Requirement
8 years old and over.
Children between 8-13 years old must be accompanied by adult
Maximum Number
12 people
Location
Waikiki Beach Marriott Resort & Spa
Outside parking lots
Address: 152 Ohua Avenue, Honolulu, HI 96815
(Across the hotel main entrance)
Special Thanks to Kei and the entire Ghost Bus Hawaii team for having us to spotlight this exciting new attraction.
WEBSITE: www.ghostbushawaii.com
Instagram @ghostbushawaii (be sure to follow this dynamic company on all social media platforms and tag Ghost Bus in all your social media “before and after pictures” for a chance to get featured! )
Facebook.com/GhostBusHawaii
CHARLEY’S TAXI
One of the most daunting elements of traveling to a destination that you have never visited before are the logistics of commuting.
In a world where travel apps can be unreliable (and storage consuming), buses can run late and standard taxi services have limited routes, Charley’s Taxi– a top-rated transport company specializing in standard commute needs, excursions, tours, and charters– has cemented its status as the most professional and reliable service on the island.
Highly-ranked and recommend by local travel agents and tourists alike (be sure to check out the plethora of great reviews online), Charley’s Taxi is a third generation, women-owned company that has been providing excellent service to the Oahu community since 1938.
Our driver, James, who was extremely attentive, personable, and knowledgeable, arrived at our condo with a smile, ready to pick us up for an excursion he had carefully planned to the Byodo In Temple, a tranquil and miraculously picturesque garden built as a full-scale replica of a world famous temple in Uji Japan.
Displaying a sharp sense of direction and an impressive knowledge of Hawaii’s landscape, James navigated all the twists and turns leading up to the lush, isolated grounds of the temple — all while pointing out many Hawaiian landmarks and educating us on the intriguing culture of the island during our ride.
Throughout our visit to the temple, James remained patiently waiting on standby and quickly helped load our belongings as we departed toward our next destination, The Honolulu Museum of Art.
James’ SUV was extremely clean and well kept, and he played a variety of traditional Hawaiian music on the radio for a relaxed ambience during our lengthy drive.
Exceptionally knowledgeable regarding all of Hawaii’s major attractions and hidden gems alike, James knew exactly the location of the museum at which to drop us off and was diligent to ensure that we did not forget any of the items we had brought along with us, as well as the chilled, distilled bottled waters with which he graciously provided us on our ride.
James also provided us with a ride to the Honolulu Airport on our day of departure, and he was careful to ensure that he communicated with me prior to pick up to become aware of all my travel statistics, including airline, flight departure time, etc., to ensure I arrived at the airport in a timely manner.
He arrived at Heavenly Cafe and Dine, loaded all of our belongings into his ample trunk space, and was careful to ensure that he did not depart until we safely made our way into the airport with all of our luggage pieces.
Special thanks to the amazing Kei Segawa for facilitating our ride and to James for the stellar service and hospitality.)
WEBSITE: www.charleystaxi.com
PHONE NUMBER: (808) 233-3333
Victoria Henley writes Backstage Pass for iHeart Radio and CTFashionMag.com.