Page 350 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide: Japan

348  TR A VELERS ’ NEEDS

THEME PARKS

Japan has an astonishing number of theme travel thousands of miles to these vast
parks, and Japanese tourists are especially playgrounds. Indeed, some foreigners find
drawn when the theme is new. This the Japanese fascination with theme parks
has created a lot of competition among fascinating in itself. Enthusiasts go back
managements to come up with fresh and again and again, seeking to gain a sense
innovative attractions. While many overseas of the out side world in complete security,
visitors have little interest in this aspect of or in search of an escape from the
tourism in Japan, others – especially families responsibilities of adulthood in an artificially
and visitors from other Asian countries – created, idealized notion of childhood.
History Theme Parks Foreign Culture
Even those overseas visitors Theme Parks
who do not usually visit theme These hugely popular theme
parks may be interested in parks give overseas visitors
those devoted to Japanese an insight into the way their
history and culture. North of own cultures are perceived
Tokyo, the Nikko Edo Village by the Japanese. In central
has re-created 18th-century Honshu is Little World, an
buildings and has guides open air museum that explores
dressed in period costume. world cultures. Porto Europa,
Under the same management, south of Osaka, depicts the
Noboribetsu Date Jidai Mura flavor of a typical medieval
in Hokkaido’s Shikotsu-Toya European port.
National Park has assembled Tobu World Square near
over 90 reconstructed Tokyo reproduces more than
16th–19th-century buildings 100 famous buildings from
from all over the country. all over the world in miniature.
Ise Azuchi-Momoyama Nijinosato in Shizuoka The Dutch-themed Huis ten Bosch
Bunkamura is a 16th-century prefecture has Canadian, park in Nagasaki
theme park with a reproduc tion British, and Japanese villages Amusement Parks
of Azuchi Castle, which used to and a “fairy garden.” The
stand on the shores of Lake attractive Parque-España in Since opening in 1983, Tokyo
Biwa. Near Inuyama, Meiji Ise-Shima offers attractions Disney Resort ® has welcomed
Mura (see p147) is an open-air and restaurants with a Spanish millions of visitors each year.
museum that preserves fine atmosphere. In 2001 DisneySea ® joined
examples of Meiji-period Best of all is Huis ten Bosch Disneyland ® on the outskirts
architecture. On a smaller scale, in Nagasaki (see p247). The of the capital, east of Daiba,
Nihon Minka-en, between whole development is in Chiba prefecture, attracting
Kawasaki and Yokohama, has ecologically designed, with visitors from all over Asia.
local traditional buildings, faithful reproductions of Dutch A monorail system links
in cluding farmhouses, a Shinto architecture. On-site hotels the two parks.
shrine, and a Kabuki theater, all are connected to the sea by In Tokyo itself, Namco
in a garden setting. inland waterways. NamjaTown offers 26 hi-tech
virtual reality attractions in
themed zones depicting dif-
ferent areas such as European
cities; Toshimaen is probably
the biggest amusement park
in Tokyo; Sanrio Puroland
made history as Japan’s first
completely indoor theme
park. Universal Studios
Japan is a Hollywood-inspired
theme park with a range of
shows, attractions, and rides
that re-create blockbuster
movies. Another favorite
is Green Land, in Kumamoto
in southern Japan. This
Frontage of Frank Lloyd Wright’s Imperial Hotel in Meiji Mura, Inuyama large park has around

348-349_EW_Japan.indd 348 08/08/16 3:09 pm
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Date 5th March 2013
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