Junglia, a new theme park in the subtropical forests of Okinawa, Japan, has opened to the public.
The ¥70 billion ($453 million) nature-based park is located in the village of Nakijin and covers an area of around 60 hectares.
It houses 22 attractions, including a dinosaur safari, a hot air balloon ride, zip lines, and more adventure experiences.
Via the Japan Times, the theme park’s economic impact is projected to be around ¥6.8 trillion ($46bn) over the next 15 years.
Junglia is themed around the region’s subtropical rainforest, a UNESCO Natural World Heritage site. Unlike traditional theme parks, it offers a nature-inspired experience.
Adventure attractions include Titan’s Swing, which sends riders flying above the treetops; Sky-End Trekking, a thrilling walk across a suspension bridge; and Buggy Voltage, an all-terrain vehicle course.
As for the park’s dinosaur-themed experiences, highlights include a Jurassic Park-style safari ride and a family-friendly triceratops hunt.
Adventure experiences at Junglia
Junglia is developed by Katana, a marketing and entertainment firm working in the Japanese theme park industry.
Katana CEO Tsuyoshi Morioka is known for reversing declining attendance at Universal Studios Japan in 2010. Not long after joining the park, he started working on plans to introduce a Wizarding World of Harry Potter land.
Junglia has launched with a two-tier pricing system. For Japan residents, a one-day ticket costs ¥6,930 ($45) for adults and ¥4,950 ($34) for children between 4 and 11 years old.
But for overseas guests, tickets are priced at ¥8,800 ($60) for adults and ¥5,940 ($40) for children.
Junglia also houses a spa with baths, saunas and a massive infinity pool. The spa costs extra for Japan residents and non-residents, with the two-tier system still in place.
Last year, Osaka-based Katana opened a unique theme park in Tokyo called Immersive Fort Tokyo.
“A lot of the members of Katana come from theme park experiences,” T. Rick Hayashi, Immersive Fort Tokyo’s senior art director, told blooloop.
Images courtesy of Katana
