Tokyo: A bold new theme park venture in Okinawa, Japan, is aiming to ride the country’s surging tourism wave and ultimately serve as a launchpad into broader Asian markets. The 60-hectare “Junglia” adventure park, built on a former golf course, is set to open its doors on July 25 with over 20 attractions—including a hot air balloon ride, treetop walks, off-road buggy trails, and a thrilling “Dinosaur Safari”.
Backed by a 70 billion yen ($634 million) investment, the project is led by Tsuyoshi Morioka, CEO of entertainment company Katana and a seasoned theme park executive. Morioka previously played a pivotal role in revitalizing Universal Studios Japan (USJ) in Osaka by introducing Harry Potter-themed attractions.
The timing appears opportune. Japan’s tourism industry is thriving, driven by a weak yen and record-breaking arrivals. In 2023, the country welcomed 36.9 million overseas visitors—a 47% increase—who spent a staggering 8.1 trillion yen ($55.6 billion). Tourism is now Japan’s second-largest export sector, trailing only automobiles.
Domestic enthusiasm for theme parks remains strong, with Tokyo’s Disney resorts and USJ continuing to draw massive crowds. However, the market is competitive, and not all parks have survived.
Yu Shioji, chairman of the Amusement Park Society of Japan, has cast doubts on Junglia’s long-term prospects. He argues that high ticket prices—6,930 yen ($48) for locals and 8,800 yen ($60) for international visitors—combined with competition from similar nature adventure parks, leave “almost no chance” for sustained success.
Morioka, however, remains undeterred. A self-professed mathematics enthusiast, he calculates that Junglia has a better than 70% chance of succeeding. Even if the park attracts only half the number of visitors as the nearby Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium (which draws about 3 million annually), Morioka believes it could still operate profitably.
He insists the demand for theme parks and high-value tourism in Japan will only grow, particularly as neighboring Asian nations become more affluent.
“The weak yen is a tailwind, but the number of people who want to visit Japan will increase structurally regardless of the currency effect,” he said.
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The Japanese government aims to boost overseas visitors to 60 million per year by 2030—a target that would provide fertile ground for ventures like Junglia.
If successful, Morioka envisions replicating smaller-scale attractions—costing under 100 billion yen—in other Asian countries such as Taiwan and Indonesia. He also hinted at the possibility of taking Katana public to support future expansion.
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He sees additional opportunity in building theme parks around Japanese anime and pop culture, contingent on securing intellectual property rights from content creators.
“I think it would be good if there was a third option in cities around the globe after Disney and Universal,” Morioka said. “I want to develop niches where they can’t go and create a third force in attractions in the world that originates from Japan.”
