Latest news with #Tochigi
Fox News
18-05-2025
- Fox News
Abandoned 'Wild West' theme park frozen in time shocks visitor: 'Left to rot'
Lukka Bradburn traveled to rural Japan last year to document abandoned theme parks — and was surprised by what he found left behind in the wake of the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster and after years of decline, according to news agency SWNS. Bradburn, a printer, explorer and father of two, came across the parks after researching the areas on Google Maps. He found an entire derelict colonial "American town" area complete with hotels, churches and restaurants. The "Western Village" theme park near Nikkō, Tochigi, has stood virtually untouched since its closure in 2007, its sprawling grounds frozen in time like a ghost town straight out of 1800s America, SWNS reported. Nature has been slowly reclaiming the land: Vines have crawled up church walls and snow has blanketed abandoned porches. Opened in 1973, the theme park was inspired by classic American and Italian Western movies — but it closed because of competition from Tokyo Disneyland, per SWNS. Bradburn even discovered a replica of Mount Rushmore still intact, along with saloon bars and a stadium where crowds once watched jousting and other sports. The replica monument emerged among frost-covered trees, its stone faces still clearly defined against the sky. Nearby, weathered structures and themed facades lined the pathways, evoking the appearance of a long-forgotten frontier town. The site was littered with mannequins depicting life in "Wild West" America, according to SWNS. Abandoned buildings include a gift shop that was boarded up and heavily damaged. Among the rubble, Bradburn managed to find a prop gun on the floor and an arcade with the original machines. With parts of the park still standing, he noted that navigating the sites was surprisingly straightforward. During his exploration, Bradburn said that both attractions were easily accessed. "The Western one had a bit of a fence, but you could pretty much just walk in," he said. "There was no security or anyone watching over it; it was just left to rot," he added, as SWNS noted. The absence of maintenance left the area in a state of disrepair. "As we got to one park it was heavily snowing and we were having to get through all these bushes," he told SWNS. "It was quite overgrown." Both were in rural areas surrounded by countryside, mountains and small towns, creating the picturesque snowy scenery seen in the photos shown within this article. On his adventure, Bradburn and his friends came across another urban explorer, a Japanese man who said he used to visit the park as a child. "There was no security or anyone watching over it; it was just left to rot." The man, who spoke limited English, told the friends he'd returned to take photographs of the theme park, according to SWNS. For more Lifestyle articles, visit While exploring, Bradburn also came across the remains of Kejonuma Leisure Land, which once attracted 200,000 visitors in the remote Tohoku region; it closed in 2001. He found a decaying ornate Ferris wheel, carousels and children's train rides. The attraction closed due to falling demand and the struggling Japanese economy, per SWNS. The site, once a popular destination in the remote Tohoku region, has seen little change since its closure. Visitors can still identify many of the original attractions, though time and weather have taken a visible toll. Bradburn said he plans to return to Japan next year for further exploring. "The Japanese theme park industry entered a boom during the 1960s and 1970s, reaching a peak in the 1990s. Since then, they've seen a gradual decline," according to The Park Database.
The Sun
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Inside haunting theme park left abandoned for 18 years with empty stadium and decaying Ferris wheel
ABANDONED theme parks left to rot for years contain an entire empty stadium and rusting Ferris wheel. Despite almost two decades having passed, an empty landscape reminiscent of 1800s America still remains. 12 12 Urban explorer Lukka Bradburn, 28, had been investigating ghost towns left behind following the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster. The dad-of-two from Manchester discovered an entire derelict colonial American town area with hotels, churches and restaurants. Western Village theme park near Nikkō, Tochigi, in Japan, shut its doors in 2007. It originally opened in 1973 and was inspired by classic American and Italian Western movies, Ultimately, the park later closed as a result of competition from Tokyo Disneyland. Lukka found an intact replica of Mount Rushmore, as well as a stadium where crowds once watched jousting and other sports. 12 12 12 The site also features mannequins depicting life in 'Wild West' America, while the gift shop was boarded-up and heavily damaged. Lukka found a prop gun on the floor and also an arcade with all the original machines. He also explored the remains of fellow attraction Kejonuma Leisure Land. This had once attracted 200,000 visitors in the remote Tohoku region, until shutting in 2001. Lukka found a decaying ferris wheel, children's train rides and carousels. It closed following falling demand and the struggling Japanese economy. I visited eerie abandoned theme park once filled with laughter but now left frozen in time…it's like the apocalypse hit Lukka had been visiting Japan with some exploring friends when he found the parks after researching on Google Maps. Revealing both sites were easily accessed, he said: "The Western one had a bit of a fence but you could pretty much just walk in. "There was no security or anyone watching over it; it was just left to rot." Lukka added: "As we got to one park it was heavily snowing and we were having to get through all these bushes. It was quite overgrown." 12 12 He and his friends came across another urban explorer - a Japanese man who revealed he used to visit the park as a child. The man spoke limited English, but told the group how he'd returned to take photos of the park. Lukka is planning a return to Japan next year to explore more red zones - as well as abandoned island. Use these tips on your next theme park trip Next time you visit a theme park, you may want to use our top tips to make the most of your adrenaline-inducing day out. Go to the back of the theme park first. Rides at the front will have the longest queues as soon as it opens. Go on water rides in the middle of the day in the summer - this will cool you off when the sun is at its hottest. Download the park's app to track which rides have the shortest queues. Visit on your birthday, as some parks give out "birthday badges" that can get you freebies. If it rains, contact the park. Depending on how much it rained, you may get a free ticket to return. It comes as an abandoned UK theme park is set to reopen as an adventure attraction. Adventure Wonderland opened in Bournemouth in 1992, with rides and rollercoasters based on Alice in Wonderland. The park was forced to close all of its outdoor rides back in 2023 due to "rising costs". New plans that have been submitted will see the theme park become a smaller adventure attraction. 12 12 12
Yahoo
18-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Pokemon Legends: Z-A is the first game its lead has directed, and he's focused on making the RPG a "good one" as it reportedly continues through its "final fine-tuning phase"
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Pokemon Legends: Z-A's director has now been revealed, and while he's been involved with the beloved RPG series for over a decade, this will be his first game at the helm. Legends: Z-A's director is Haruka Tochigi, whose first credited role on a Pokemon game was in the 2014 Gen 3 remakes Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire, where he was the lead of 3D map graphics. Since then, he has been involved in 3D map graphics for Pokemon Sun and Moon and Let's Go Pikachu and Eevee before becoming the field design and lighting lead for Legends: Arceus, as well as its CG director. Most recently, he was credited as a "section director" of 3D visuals on Pokemon Scarlet and Violet. News of Tochigi's role has surfaced thanks to the 2024 Famitsu Dengeki Game Awards, which took place over the weekend. There, Pokemon Legends: Z-A won the vote for the most anticipated new game of 2025, beating both GTA 6 and Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, and a statement from Tochigi thanking fans for their support was read out. Over on Twitter, @Lewchube has provided a translation for this, revealing that Tochigi also reportedly stated that Legends: Z-A is "in the final fine-tuning phase now." Further responding to the win on Twitter (in a tweet that's been machine-translated), Tochigi reiterates his thanks and says he'll focus on making the upcoming RPG "a good one." We'll just have to wait and see what Tochigi has up his sleeve when the game launches later this year. Employing a newer face certainly isn't a bad thing – Legends: Arceus director Kazumasa Iwao's only experience leading a game prior to the 2022 RPG was in Pokemon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon, and the open-zone adventure in Hisui was adored by many for being such a unique addition to the series. Legends: Z-A is also shaping up to be very different, with a real-time battle system that looks like it'll make us feel like we're in the Pokemon anime. A single frame in the new Pokemon Legends Z-A trailer gives hardcore shiny hunters and Nuzlocke runners hope for a huge quality-of-life change.
