In particular, the Kanto, Kansai, Chubu, and Fukuoka regions of Japan served as the main locations for the entire filming of "Alice in Borderland."
According to reports, the first season of the thriller series' filming began in August 2019 and ended in December 2019. Additionally, the sophomore round's primary photography appeared to start in late 2021 or early 2022 and was purportedly finished in late March 2022.
A down-on-his-luck and penniless man named Arisu and his two friends are trapped in a deserted version of Tokyo in a parallel dimension in Netflix's Japanese science fiction thriller series "Alice in Borderland," which is based on the eponymous Haro Aso manga series.
They must participate in a series of deadly games, the outcomes of which are determined by playing cards, in order to survive and return to the real world. Each player receives a visa, which is extended as they continue to play the cruel survival games in an effort to survive.
A player's visa expires when they stop competing, at which point, red lasers are fired from the sky to kill them. The setting of a parallel dimension against the backdrop of a different version of Japan is sure to make you wonder where "Alice in Borderland" is shot, even though the gripping story keeps viewers on the edge of their seats throughout each episode.
While "Alice in Borderland" was filmed in several places, the Kanto and Kansai regions of Japan saw the majority of the action. Therefore, both of them are given below:
Kanto Region, Japan
The Kanto region of Honshu, Japan's largest island, served as the location for many crucial scenes in "Alice in Borderland." The Greater Tokyo Area is one of the area's main production hubs for the series. The district of Dōgenzaka, in and around Shibuya Mark City, in Shibuya, Toshimaen in Nerima (permanently closed in 2020), Kabukicho, Odaiba, the Rainbow Bridge, and other locations are featured in various scenes of the thrilling series.
The filming crew used the resources of Ashikaga Scramble Studio, located at 284-5 Yobecho, Ashikaga, Tochigi, to capture some pivotal scenes for the show. For the first season, different parts of Shibuya station, such as the lavatory, ticket gate, and even the road, were built in this studio. Reports state that CGI was used for everything else.
The visual effects director even created the shadow of the Tokyo Building that falls on the actual location in an effort to maintain the scene's authenticity. According to reports, the movie studio also played an important role in the second season's filming. On a 6,585-square-meter set that is open to the public, the Shibuya scramble intersection is used for filming.
It's interesting to note that the pilot episode's opening scene, in which the main characters enter the station's restroom and emerge to find themselves in an abandoned Tokyo, was actually shot in a single, four-minute take. A few scenes from the show are also filmed in front of a nearby shop in the Yokohama neighborhoods of Fukutomi-cho, Kawasaki, and Kawaguchi.
Kansai Region, Japan
Another region on Japan's Honshu island, the Kansai or Kinki region, is where additional segments of "Alice in Borderland" are also recorded. According to reports, a hotel in Shiga's Otsu City served as the location for the pool party scene in season 1.
The first season's key scenes were filmed in and around an apartment complex at 4-2 Koeidai, Kita-ku, Kobe-shi in Hyogo in September 2019, directly in front of Kita-Suzurandai Station on the Shintetsu Arima Line. Wakayama, Hyogo, and Osaka are also significant locations for the thriller series' filming.
Other Locations
The "Alice in Borderland" production team travels to various other locations throughout Japan for shooting. For instance, to record various season 2 sequences, they set up camp in the Chubu Region, specifically in Toyama and Aichi. Additionally, they reportedly used locations in Fukuoka, Japan's sixth-largest city, for the sophomore round.
FAQs
Q. Where was Alice in Borderland filmed?
A. Both seasons of Alice in Wonderland were filmed in Japan, specifically in the Kanto, Kansai, Chubu, and Fukuoka prefectures.
Q: Will Alice in Borderland return for a third season?
A. A third season of Alice in Borderland has not yet been confirmed by Netflix, but it is expected to air in December 2024.
Q. What was the inspiration behind Alice in Borderland?
A. Haro Aso's Japanese manga served as an inspiration for the Netflix series Alice in Borderland.
Q. Who produced the visual effects of Alice in Borderland?
A. Teams from Singapore, the US, India, and Japan's Digital Frontier worked together internationally to create the show's visual effects.
Q. Where was the four-minute continuous shot taken?
A. A four-minute long take was used to film a scene where the main characters enter a bathroom inside Shibuya Station and emerge into an empty Tokyo.
