The Ghost In My Machine

Stories of the Strange and Unusual

The Most Dangerous Games: Closet To Another World

by

Previously: Lights Out.

Many of the games we’ve examined here at TGIMM are preoccupied with the idea of traveling to another plane of existence — and the Closet To Another World game is yet another. I’ll admit that I find the sheer variety of ways in which one might undertake this otherworldly journey quite astonishing: It might be accomplished by taxi, or by elevator, or by television, or by traveling down an unusual road… the list goes on. The closet version, which first made its way to the English-speaking internet from Japan courtesy of Saya In Underworld back in 2014 and has continued circulating more recently via Reddit, actually sounds like somewhat less of a good time to me than some of those other methods; this is largely because I don’t really fancy the idea of jamming myself into a cramped, darkened storage space and attempting to perform a particular set of actions while I’m in there. However, that whole idea is also what makes Closet To Another World one of the more accessible ways to journey to another dimension or what have you, so… it’s got its pros and cons, is what I’m saying.

[Like what you read? Check out Dangerous Games To Play In The Dark, available from Chronicle Books now!]

Saya In Underworld notes that in Japan, there are two words for closet: Kurozetto and oshi-ire. A kurozetto is a Western-style closet — which, given the range of types of closets exist in the West, I assume means a closet which may open either with a regular door or a sliding one, which  comes equipped with a hanging bar, and which is primarily used for hanging and storing clothes. An oshi-ire, meanwhile, is a Japanese-style closet: A very particular kind of storage space which typically “[comes] with two levels, separated by a sturdy horizontal wooden partition, sized to perfectly fit [a] folded up futon,” according to Real Estate Japan Inc. Oshi-ire open with sliding doors, and although some might have hanging bars, traditional ones do not.

Anyway, the reason I bring all this up is this: According to Saya In Underworld, the game in its original form is meant to be performed in an oshi-ire, rather than a kurozetto. I assume, however, that if the game is performed outside of Japan, a kurozetto will do.

The big question about this game, of course, is exactly what kind of world you’ll find yourself in if you’re successful. I can make only one guarantee: Wherever it is… it’s probably not Narnia.

As always, play at your own risk.

Players:

  • One principal.

Requirements:

  • A small piece of paper.
  • A writing implement.
  • Two drinking glasses.
  • A large cardboard box.
  • A number. This number must be your age, squared — that is, your age multiplied by itself. Do not use any other number.
  • A closet.

Instructions:

Making Preparations:

  1. Begin at any time.
  2. If they are on, turn off the lights in the room outside the closet. If they are open, close the curtains in the room outside the closet.
  3. Use the writing implement to write your name on the piece of paper.
  4. Fill one drinking glass with water to a seventh of its full capacity. Leave the other drinking glass empty.
  5. Open the closet and place the cardboard box inside.
  6. Enter the closet. Bring the two glasses and the piece of paper with you. Make sure you remember your number.
  7. Close the closet door. Ensure that no light enters the closet while the door is closed.

Venturing Out:

  1. Sit inside the cardboard box.
  2. Place the piece of paper with your name on it in the glass filled with water.
  3. Close your eyes.
  4. Begin counting. Count up to the number you previously calculated by squaring your age.
  5. When you reach your number, open your eyes.
  6. Tip the contents of the glass holding the water and the paper into the empty glass.

The Arrival:

  1. Exit the closet.
  2. Look around.
  3. What do you see?
  4. Do you see your world?
  5. Or do you just think you see your world?
  6. Perhaps you are seeing another world.
  7. Perhaps you are seeing someone else’s world.
  8. Look carefully.
  9. Look carefully, and know.

The Return Trip:

  1. It is not known how to make the Return Trip.
  2. It is not known if it is possible to make the Return Trip.

Additional Notes:

Some notes about Requirements:

  • The writing implement: Ideally, this should be a fudepen (brush pen), felt tip pen, or marker.
  • The glasses: They should be identical; do not mix and match glasses from different sets of glassware. Additionally, the glasses should be regularly used for their standard purpose in the principal’s everyday life.
  • The number: You may do the math required to acquire this number by hand, by calculator, or in your head; the method is up to you. Just make sure that your result is accurate.

A note about time: Although the game may be started at any time, after sundown is recommended. This will aid in making sure that no light — including daylight — is visible from inside the closet.

A note about light: If you begin during daylight, or if you fail to turn the lights off or draw the curtains in the room outside the closet, you must still ensure that NO LIGHT leaks into the closet from the outside. Block the cracks if you must; block them as thoroughly as possible. (But really, it’s just much simpler if you begin at night.)

A note about counting: Don’t rush it. Count along to the beat of your heart. Keep your finger on your pulse while you count if need be.

A note about the Return Trip: See below.

Concerning The Return Trip:

It has been theorized that the Return Trip may be made by performing the steps of Venturing Out in reverse. However, this theory has not been confirmed.

According to one account, a variation (Variation A) of this ritual (Original Ritual) in which the Return Trip is unnecessary may be executed as follows:

Think about the world in which you live now and summarize it in one word. Think about the world in which you wish to live and summarize it in one word. Write each word on a separate piece of paper. Take two cups or glasses — one representing the world in which you live now, and one representing the world in which you wish to live — and attach one piece of paper to each glass. Fill the cup or glass labeled with the word representing the world in which you live now with water. Now, imagine that world changing into the world in which you wish to live. As you imagine this, pour the water from the first glass into the second one. When the second cup is full, drink the water in it.

In Variation A, the Return Trip is unnecessary because you are not literally going to a different world. You are merely editing your existing world to fit your own specifications.

However, although Variation A is similar to Original Ritual, it may not be exactly the same. As such, it should not be assumed that, should one perform Original Ritual, one will not, as is the case with Variation A, need to make the Return Trip.

Concerning The Drinking Glasses:

After Arriving, do NOT lose, break, or otherwise damage the drinking glasses.

There’s nothing worse than getting lost in a place you don’t know… especially when it’s impossible for you to return home.

***

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***

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[Photo via Pixabay/Pexels]

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. I feel like this is extremely similar to one of the methods to “jump dimension”, there’s even a whole subreddit about people who’ve actually done it. Along with different methods as to how to jump.
    Didn’t know if whether or not you knew this. Soooo I’m just sharing 🙂

    Reply

  2. This one kind of reminds me of the ‘many-worlds’ interpretation of quantum mechanics. You remember that story of there’s a cat in a box, and you don’t know whether it’s alive or dead until you open that box, you know, assuming your sense of smell is not up to date or the cat lost all traces of smell either way? That then splits into two definitive answers of one is alive, one is dead. In succeeding or even attempting this ritual means your dimension then splits into two versions, one that didn’t experience another world, and one that did, and it could branch further because of every possible choice to make there. But anyway onto my current question.

    Wouldn’t some kind of..I don’t know, paper or little booklet that had all these instructions on it be a good thing to have with you, in case you can’t remember a step and can’t use your phone for the duration, as this one says absolutely no light sources of any kind pretty much? And as for most of these, a pause button isn’t a choice. Unless that little instruction booklet isn’t allowed. I wouldn’t be able to answer that.

    Reply

  3. If absolutely no light breaks into the room, how am I supposed to get into that cardboard box without tripping over it and knocking over the glasses?

    Reply

    • It’d probably be best to memorize their positions before extinguishing the lights and then afterwards – move slowly about the closet being careful as to not disturb anything.

      Reply

  4. So what if it’s like the movie Coraline and everyone has different eyes, and the eyes are the windows to the soul, and their soul is different.. just take everything that The Theorizer said about Coraline (YouTube), and put that into the other world, then everything would be much spookier.

    Reply

      • Legit not joking: I had an older cousin once. I loved her so much. Once we had a sleepover and she said, “Let’s play a scary game!”, and I was only a year younger than her, but I was much more mature so I said, “No!”. She said, “Whatever, I’m going to do the ‘Closest to Another World’ challenge.” Of course I was the most mature, but the youngest and I wanted to tag along. We got our stuff ready and at the last minute I screamed, “NO!”. I hugged my cousin and stepped out of the closet. I waved at her and she waved back and closed the closet door. I looked at everything, the box, the computer. And suddenly, it made me jump, a scream issued from the closet and I never saw her again. This is the website she looked at and now I’ve come back to remember. I miss her so much, but I don’t even know if she is still alive. She might be, running for her life or trying to escape, but for all I know, I can’t tell.

        Reply

  5. I have a question: Can I bring an electric fan with me? Because I think I am gonna die from lack of oxygen here.

    Reply

    • I mean, an electric fan doesn’t create more air. It just moves the air that’s within the space around, so I don’t think it would help you all that much. Unless your number is very high and will take a long time to count up to, I wouldn’t think you’d be in the closet long enough to suffocate in there.
      (The FAQs also warn against bringing items into rituals that aren’t part of the requirements, especially anything electric. So I wouldn’t try it, not even with something as seemingly harmless as a fan.)

      Reply

  6. When I did the game, and I walked out of the closet suddenly everything was blurry. I looked in my mirror in my room, and I didn’t just see a blurry image of myself, I saw my whole room without moving anything. Then I looked out my window , without letting light in, and everything looked like it was moving or a human thing.

    Reply

  9. Maybe to get back you could count back from the number and pour the water back in its original cup. Just a theory tho.

    Reply

  10. Hm. Tried this out. It’s definetly a different world. I exited the closet, and it was like I was being suffocated. I looked around but everything was blurry, I felt l was having a heart attack. For those wondering how to get back, reverse steps venturing out. I’m back, however I do feel a little eery whenever I look around. Strange.

    Reply

    • It’s not safe, DO NOT TRY THIS!! My girlfriend and I did it and somehow opened a portal and something evil is haunting the house now…

      Reply

  12. Wait…..
    Merely editing,
    I suppose that acceptable but what it it’s not what you expected I mean if there is no way of getting back how did the creator confirm this.
    Maybe we are in the world which he has travelled to.
    Maybe we are just a mere creation of imagination or not originally suppose to be ?

    Reply

  14. Guys! Guys! Guys!
    I have a theory of getting back!
    What if, if you do the same, except that you imagine what your old world was like? I mean, this game is meant to go to your imaginary world (not necessarily, but yes, if you are editing your world to your own expectations, that counts), you can get back by imagining your old reality. Just a lil’ theory, not a random answer I found while searching the Internet.

    Reply

  16. What does it exactly mean for your age? For example, you are somewhere between 18 and 19 year old. Do you round it up or make it a decimal number and then square it?

    Reply

  19. If it’s Japanese in origin, I wonder if you’re supposed to use your western age (you’re 0 year old when you’re born and you add one year each birthday) or your Asian age (you’re 1 year old when you’re born and you add one year each New Year’s day).

    Reply

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