by Fans of The Apothecary Diaries will soon have an opportunity to step directly into Maomao’s world of medicine, poison, and mystery. A new interactive Real Escape Game inspired by the popular anime has been announced, featuring a completely original story, newly recorded voice performances, and specially created visuals.
Titled Real Escape Game × The Apothecary Diaries: Escape from the Banquet Where Murder Lurks (Japanese: Satsui Hisomu Shukuen kara no Dasshutsu), the event will begin on January 28, 2027, at Tokyo Mystery Circus before expanding to other locations across Japan.
This time, participants will take on the role of apprentice apothecaries and work alongside Maomao, Jinshi, and Gaoshun to investigate a poisoning at a nobleman’s wedding. Their mission will involve identifying the poison, gathering clues, solving puzzles, and even preparing an antidote to save the bride.
Unlike a conventional escape-room experience, this collaboration combines mystery-solving with an apothecary-themed activity inspired by the series’ central character. Fans will be able to experience Maomao’s sharp observations and pharmaceutical knowledge while playing an important role in the investigation.
The Apothecary Diaries Returns for a Second Real Escape Game Collaboration
The Apothecary Diaries is a popular mystery series based on the light novels written by Natsu Hyuga and published under Imagica Infos’ Hero Bunko imprint.
The story follows Maomao, a young woman with extensive knowledge of medicine, herbs, and poisons. After being taken into service at the imperial palace, she becomes involved in investigating mysterious illnesses, suspicious incidents, and unusual cases affecting the people living within the imperial court.
Although Maomao initially wants to avoid unnecessary trouble, her curiosity and exceptional ability to identify poisons repeatedly draw her into complicated situations. Her investigations also bring her into contact with Jinshi, a powerful and influential palace official whose interest in Maomao often creates amusing and unexpected interactions.
The series has become popular for its combination of historical-inspired palace settings, medical mysteries, political intrigue, and character-driven storytelling. Its appeal comes not only from Maomao’s intelligence but also from the relationships and human drama surrounding her investigations.
The television anime began airing in October 2023, with its second season following in January 2025. The third season began in October 2026, continuing the story for viewers.
The franchise is also expanding into theatrical animation. The first anime film, The Apothecary Diaries: The Treasure of the Deceased Empress, is scheduled to open in Japanese cinemas on December 11, 2026, with a completely new story conceived by original author Natsu Hyuga.
The franchise has also surpassed 57 million copies in worldwide circulation, demonstrating its popularity beyond Japan.
A Wedding Turns into a Poisoning Mystery
The new Real Escape Game is the second collaboration between The Apothecary Diaries and SCRAP’s Real Escape Game series.
The previous collaboration, The Apothecary Diaries: Yokohama Mystery-Solving Walk, invited participants to explore Yokohama Chinatown while solving mysteries connected to the anime’s world.
The new event takes a different approach. Instead of exploring an outdoor location, participants will enter a specially prepared indoor setting and investigate a poisoning incident during a nobleman’s wedding ceremony.
The story begins with an invitation to a grand wedding.
You are an apprentice apothecary attending the ceremony alongside Maomao and Jinshi. Everything appears to be proceeding normally until an unexpected incident interrupts the celebration: the bride suddenly collapses after being poisoned.
The situation is extremely serious. However, stopping the wedding because of a poisoning incident could create a political problem for the people involved.
Maomao quickly comes up with a plan. To prevent the ceremony from being interrupted, she decides to take the bride’s place and buy everyone some time.
But there is a problem: Maomao cannot investigate the incident herself while carrying out this plan.
Instead, she entrusts you with an important responsibility. Working with Jinshi and the other characters, you must investigate the bride’s condition, identify the poison, discover who is responsible, and find a way to prepare an antidote.
The mystery becomes a race against time. Can you uncover the truth and save the bride before it is too late?
Solve Puzzles, Identify the Poison, and Prepare an Antidote
One of the most interesting features of this collaboration is its combination of traditional puzzle-solving and an apothecary-inspired experience.
Participants will not simply search for clues or solve numerical puzzles to escape a room. They will need to use information about medicines and poisonous substances to investigate the incident.
The game provides books containing information about drugs and other useful materials. Participants must examine these resources, solve the puzzles, and collect clues from the venue to determine which poison was used against the bride.
The investigation may also require cooperation with Maomao, Jinshi, and Gaoshun. Players will sometimes need to share information with these characters and connect the clues they receive to make progress.
This makes communication and teamwork important parts of the experience.
After identifying the poison, participants must move on to the next challenge: creating an antidote.
The event is designed to let players experience the process of investigating the poisoning and working towards a solution themselves. The apothecary theme is particularly appropriate for The Apothecary Diaries, since Maomao’s knowledge of medicine and poisons is one of the defining features of the series.
The experience also gives participants a chance to see how the characters approach the case. Maomao’s sharp observations, Jinshi’s involvement, and Gaoshun’s information all contribute to the investigation.
Rather than simply watching the characters solve another mystery, players become active participants in the story.
Completely Original Story and Newly Recorded Voice Performances
Another major attraction is that the event will feature a completely original story created specifically for this collaboration.
This means the wedding poisoning mystery is designed as a new adventure rather than a direct recreation of an existing anime episode or light-novel chapter.
The event will also include newly recorded voice performances from the anime’s characters. These recordings will help bring the story to life and allow participants to enjoy conversations and interactions created specifically for the escape game.
Newly drawn visuals have also been announced and will be revealed at a later date.
For fans, these exclusive elements are an important part of the attraction. The original dialogue and artwork will offer something different from the regular television series, while keeping the atmosphere and character interactions familiar.
The combination of voice acting, visual storytelling, physical puzzles, and investigative gameplay is intended to make the event feel like an interactive episode of The Apothecary Diaries.
Special Bonus Ticket: The Tea Fragrance Moment Set
Participants who want additional merchandise can choose the special-benefit ticket option.
The exclusive merchandise set is called Tea Fragrance Moment Set (Chakō no Hitotoki Set) and contains three items:
- Original Tatami-Material Coaster: A special coaster made using tatami-inspired material.
- Original Teacup: A commemorative teacup designed for the collaboration.
- Limited Mystery: An exclusive puzzle featuring an original story.
The set is designed around the idea of relaxing with tea after completing the investigation. It also gives fans an opportunity to take home exclusive merchandise connected to the event.
The special-benefit ticket can be purchased by adding ¥2,800 per person to the regular advance-ticket price.
Participants who already have an event ticket can also purchase the set separately at the venue on the day of their visit for ¥3,000, subject to availability. The merchandise is limited in quantity and may sell out.
The set is not available as a regular standalone advance purchase, so fans interested in receiving it should check the official ticket information before booking.
A Special Fan Club Event Will Also Be Held
There is another attraction for members of the Junior Detective SCRAP Club.
A special event with a stage greeting is scheduled at Tokyo Mystery Circus on January 30, 2027, during the 8:20 PM session. The event is scheduled to finish at approximately 11:00 PM.
This special session is exclusive to Junior Detective SCRAP Club members and offers an additional opportunity for fans to enjoy the collaboration.
Interested participants should check the official event website for the latest details, eligibility requirements, and ticket conditions.
Why The Apothecary Diaries Escape Game Is Worth Watching
The new collaboration brings together several elements that make The Apothecary Diaries enjoyable: medicine, poison, clever deductions, palace intrigue, and the interactions between Maomao and Jinshi.
The wedding setting also gives the mystery a distinctive atmosphere. Instead of investigating an ordinary incident, participants must solve a poisoning case during an important ceremony where revealing the truth too quickly could create further complications.
The most appealing part is that players are not simply following Maomao’s investigation. They are taking on the role of apprentice apothecaries and helping her solve the case.
The newly recorded voice performances and original storyline should also make the experience especially interesting for anime fans who want to see more interactions between the characters.
For newcomers, the event offers an accessible introduction to the series’ central themes: observing small details, understanding medicines and poisons, and using logical thinking to uncover the truth.
With its original mystery, interactive gameplay, and exclusive merchandise, the collaboration could be an enjoyable experience for both longtime fans and people who simply enjoy solving puzzles.
Can you identify the poison, discover the culprit, and save the bride before time runs out? The investigation begins at Tokyo Mystery Circus on January 28, 2027.
