New theme park combining dinosaurs and adventure sport opens on Japanese island of Okinawa

Junglia, a new attraction combining adventure sport and encounters with dinosaurs, has opened amid the subtropical greenery of the Japanese island of Okinawa.

Located on the site of a former golf course, Junglia, Japan’s newest theme park, features jungle safari and dinosaur-inspired attractions. It also features Spa Junglia, a collection of baths, saunas and the world’s largest infinity pool by tub size, as recognised by the Guinness Book of World Records.

The theme park operator, Japan Entertainment, aims to make it a new tourism destination in Okinawa, known as a beach resort, with the theme park’s economic impact projected to be about ¥(yen)6.8 trillion (US$46 billion) in the coming 15 years.

Significantly, the theme parks has introduced a two-tier pricing system differentiating between residents and non-resident visitors.

For general admission tickets, Junglia is offering a two-tiered pricing system. For Japan residents, a one-day ticket costs ¥6,930 (US$47) for adults and ¥4,950 (US$33) for children between 4 and 11 years old (children under 3 are free of charge).

For non-residents, general admission costs ¥8,800 (US$59) for adults and ¥5,940 (US$40) for children, plus ¥3,080 (US$21) and ¥1,870 (US$13), respectively, for Spa Junglia.

Access to Spa Junglia costs a further ¥2,640 (US$18) for adults and ¥1,540 (US$10) for children, with combo tickets coming with a ¥500 (US$3) voucher for food carts within the park.

At a press preview prior to Junglia’s official opening, media members were able to experience three adventure sports attractions in the park’s Jungle Extremes area. These included Titan’s Swing - on which groups of four hurtle back and forth over nearby treetops, Sky-End Trekking - a precarious walk across a suspension bridge that is at points 30 meters off the ground and features obstacle course-style challenges and Buggy Voltage - in which visitors drive all-terrain vehicles along predefined courses.

Located in the village of Nakijin about 90 minutes by car from the island’s capital and nearest airport of Naha, Junglia covers 60 hectares with restaurants shops, and 22 attractions and stage shows.

According to The Asahi Shimbun news website, Japan’s theme park industry is currently experiencing a wave of expansion and innovation, driven by surging demand from domestic and international visitors.

In addition to Junglia's opening on 25th July, Universal Studios Japan continues to upgrade its attractions under its 'No Limit!' branding campaign which saw it unveil an expanded Minion Park on 11th July and its revamped Snoopy Studio on 18th July.

In addition, Oriental Land Co. is pushing forward with large-scale redevelopment plans for Tokyo Disneyland’s Tomorrowland making a significant investment in two major projects in the area.

These are a new attraction set to open next year at a cost of ¥29.5 billion (US$200 million); and a complete redesign of Space Mountain and its surrounding area, scheduled for completion in 2027 at a cost of ¥70.5 (US$472) billion.

Images: Attractions at the new Junglia theme park including a park worker being 'eaten' by Tyrannosaurus Rex (top) and its entrance (middle).