100 People Needed for Hide and Seek on Nagasaki Island
"One, two, three …"
"Quick, hide!"
"Four, five, six …"
"Shh! Get behind that tree!"
"Seven, eight, nine … 10! Ready or not, here I come!"
Most of us have enjoyed a game of hide and seek — it's usually just a bit of fun.
But if you'd like to make it a little more serious, Japan's Hide and Seek Association is looking for 100 people to play a game on an uninhabited island in Nagasaki prefecture.
The association will begin accepting applications to take part from August 25, with the event taking place on Tsumaga Island at the start of November.
It's open to people of university age and above, and it won't be easy — the island is covered with forest.
It's a two-hour game, with 90 people hiding and 10 seeking on the 320,000-square-meter island.
The winner will be the person who can hide the longest, while there's also a prize for the person who finds the most people.
Anyone found before the end of the two hours joins the "seekers," and they can earn extra points by finding others.
People are allowed to take a flashlight and a cellphone, and they can hide almost anywhere on the island. The only places they can't go are in the sea, in a "mysterious house" in the forest, and on some parts of the rocks.
Those who are chosen will also have to pay 24,800 yen — almost $170 — for a one-night trip. They can also choose to stay an extra night and enjoy some added activities for 45,800 yen, or about $310.
People around the world play competitive hide and seek, and there are even global competitions. According to the Japan Hide and Seek Association, Japan is ninth in the latest rankings, while Italy is at the top.
