Immersive Lab and 8HOTEL Open Reservations for Phone-Free Matchmaking Stays in Shonan
Immersive Lab and Shonan Label, which runs the 8HOTEL, are taking reservations for LOVE ENCOUNT, a one-night, two-day matchmaking event in Chigasaki and Fujisawa.
1 source 3h ago
Reporting from 1 source: ASCII.jp.
Why it matters
The event is a hotel-and-town product built on the premise that app matching has become the main way couples meet while leaving most users tired of it, so its test is whether a paid overnight format can pull people off the screen.
Key Facts
- LOVE ENCOUNT is a one-night, two-day matchmaking event set in Chigasaki and Fujisawa in Shonan.
- Immersive Lab Inc. and Shonan Label Inc., which operates 8HOTEL, are the organizers.
- The first session starts Saturday, December 19, 2026, and seven sessions run through April 2027.
- Participants turn off their smartphones at reception and use letters to convey interest, with no profiles or swipes.
- Reservations are being accepted on the Escape ID booking site.
Participants hand over and switch off their smartphones at reception, walk the seaside town without profiles or swipes, and send a letter to anyone they want to see again. Seven sessions run from December 2026 to April 2027, starting December 19, 2026.
Reservations are open on the Escape ID booking site, with the first session set for Saturday, December 19, 2026. The format drops the parts of app dating that carry the most friction: there is no profile to write and no like to send. Guests check in, surrender the phone, and spend two days in Chigasaki and Fujisawa talking to whoever they pass. Interest is expressed by letter rather than message.
Immersive Lab designs the experience; Shonan Label brings the 8HOTEL and the beach culture around it. Seven sessions are scheduled through April 2027.
Written with AI by Yomimono from the 1 cited source below, including Japanese-language reporting where cited. See our editorial policy.
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