Immersive anime theme park coming to Japanese island in July
Plans have been announced to open an anime and manga theme park on an island in Japan’s Hyogo Prefecture, with the attraction to be based on popular titles Hi no Tori (Phoenix) and Crayon Shin-chan.
Dubbed Nijigen No Mori – which translates to ‘Anime Forest’ – Pasona Group will operate the attraction in Awajishima Koen park on Awajishima island. Utilising the area’s natural beauty, along with the latest visual technologies, the attraction will take visitors into their favourite anime titles, creating what has been described as “the first immersive entertainment anime park”.
The park will be split into three distinctive zones. The first, called Mori no Zone (The Forest Zone), will feature a 1.2km-long (0.74mi) walking trail, dubbed Night Walk Hi no Tori and based on the popular manga title’s 12 books, which generally involve a search for immortality, embodied by bird of fire. Along the trail, which will be explored from sunset to approximately 10pm each night, visitors will experience a visual show created by Tezuka Productions using projection mapping, with sounds and sights beamed into the forest as they explore its depths.
The second and third zones will be based on Crayon Shin-chan – an anime and manga which follows the adventures of the five-year-old Shinnosuke "Shin" Nohara and his parents, baby sister, dog, neighbours, and friends. The first of the two attractions will be a zip-line crossing the Showa-ike pond in the park, with visual images showing water guns and streams of water shooting upwards as visitors ride. The second attraction will be an adventure course, “Bravo! Great Adventure Across The Warring States!”, which will allow visitors to explore a course of high ropes and platforms over multiple levels.
The park will also include overnight accommodation for guests, with 23 cottages and a glamping site under construction to house 80 people. Other planned attractions include a food and drink corner with refreshments based on manga and anime, a musical theatre, event stage, and other experience-based activities.
“Since 2008, Pasona Group has undertaken various regional revitalisation initiatives to attract people to Awaji Island, in cooperation with local municipalities and officials,” said a statement from the group.
“The anime park will feature an immersive style of entertainment that synthesises nature, two-dimensional media such as manga and anime, and new media art.
“Pasona Group and Hyogo Prefecture have been advancing preparations for the project, with the goal of attracting new tourism to the area by utilising its natural splendor and the globally popular Japanese manga and anime industries.”
Similar plans were announced in September 2015, when Oscar-winning filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki has revealed his ambition to create real-life versions of the landscapes from his iconic anime films, such as Spirited Away, Howl’s Moving Castle and My Neighbour Totoro with designs for a 10,000-acre (40,000sq m) nature park on on Kume Island in Okinawa. While those plans are yet to materialise, Nijigen No Mori has been set a tentative opening date of July this year.
Pasona Group Hi no Tori Crayon Shin-chan Nijigen No Mori Anime Forest Anime Manga Hyogo Prefecture Japan Cool JapanJapan designating 88 anime 'sacred spots' in effort to boost international tourism
Life-sized Catbus to form centrepiece of reimagined Ghibli Museum
Oscar winner Hayao Miyazaki's magical landscapes to become a nature theme park
One Piece theme park developer finally unveils plans for new attraction
Universal Japan introducing videogame, anime and manga attraction in the new year
One Piece anime theme park coming to Tokyo Tower in 2015
UAE’s first Dior Spa debuts in Dubai at Dorchester Collection’s newest hotel, The Lana
Europe's premier Evian Spa unveiled at Hôtel Royal in France
Clinique La Prairie unveils health resort in China after two-year project
GoCo Health Innovation City in Sweden plans to lead the world in delivering wellness and new science
Four Seasons announces luxury wellness resort and residences at Amaala
Aman sister brand Janu debuts in Tokyo with four-floor urban wellness retreat
€38m geothermal spa and leisure centre to revitalise Croatian city of Bjelovar
Two Santani eco-friendly wellness resorts coming to Oman, partnered with Omran Group
Kerzner shows confidence in its Siro wellness hotel concept, revealing plans to open 100
Ritz-Carlton, Portland unveils skyline spa inspired by unfolding petals of a rose
Rogers Stirk Harbour & Partners are just one of the names behind The Emory hotel London and Surrenne private members club
Peninsula Hot Springs unveils AUS$11.7m sister site in Australian outback
IWBI creates WELL for residential programme to inspire healthy living environments
Conrad Orlando unveils water-inspired spa oasis amid billion-dollar Evermore Resort complex
Studio A+ realises striking urban hot springs retreat in China's Shanxi Province
Populous reveals plans for major e-sports arena in Saudi Arabia
Wake The Tiger launches new 1,000sq m expansion
Othership CEO envisions its urban bathhouses in every city in North America
Merlin teams up with Hasbro and Lego to create Peppa Pig experiences
SHA Wellness unveils highly-anticipated Mexico outpost
One&Only One Za’abeel opens in Dubai featuring striking design by Nikken Sekkei
Luxury spa hotel, Calcot Manor, creates new Grain Store health club
'World's largest' indoor ski centre by 10 Design slated to open in 2025
Murrayshall Country Estate awarded planning permission for multi-million-pound spa and leisure centre
Aman's Janu hotel by Pelli Clarke & Partners will have 4,000sq m of wellness space
Therme Group confirms Incheon Golden Harbor location for South Korean wellbeing resort
Universal Studios eyes the UK for first European resort
King of Bhutan unveils masterplan for Mindfulness City, designed by BIG, Arup and Cistri
Rural locations are the next frontier for expansion for the health club sector
Tonik Associates designs new suburban model for high-end Third Space health and wellness club
From climate change to resource scarcity, Exploration Architecture uses biomimicry to address some of the world’s major challenges. Its founder tells us how