TOKYO, February 6, 2017- Pasona Group Inc. will be opening the first immersive entertainment anime park, “Nijigen no Mori” in Prefectural Awaji Island Park (Hyogo Prefecture), fusing anime, a “Cool Japan” content popular across the world, with new media art and nature. The opening is tentatively scheduled for July 2017.
1: Night Walk Phoenix - A 1.2km projection mapping area themed around Osamu Tezuka’s manga series, “Phoenix”. (©Tezuka Productions Co., Ltd.)
2: Glamping Facilities - Lodging grounds for visitors to enjoy Awaji Island cuisine. [Concept art]
3/4: Crayon Shin-chan Adventure Park - Featuring attractions such as the 210m and 130m ziplines “Challenge! Action Kamen Air Force!”, and the athletic course “Bravo! Great Adventure Across The Warring States!” (©Yoshito Usui/Futabashi Publishers Ltd.; Shin-Ei Animation Co., Ltd.; TV Asahi Corporation; Asatsu-DK Inc.)
Since 2008, Pasona Group has undertaken various regional revitalization initiatives to attract people to Awaji Island (Hyogo Prefecture), in cooperation with local municipalities and officials. In 2013, Hyogo Prefecture made a public appeal for private business proposals for Prefectural Awaji Island Park, and Pasona Group’s proposal for an “Awaji Manga/Anime Island Project” was accepted. Since then, Pasona Group and Hyogo Prefecture have been advancing preparations for the project, with the goal of attracting new tourism to the area by utilizing its natural splendor and the globally popular Japanese manga and anime industries.
Pasona Group established a new company, Nijigennomori Inc., on December 8th, 2016, and is planning to open and operate “Nijigen no Mori” in the Prefectural Awaji Island Park (Hyogo Prefecture) from July 2017. The “anime park” will feature an immersive style of entertainment that synthesizes “nature”, “two-dimensional media such as manga and anime”, and “new media art”.
One of the features of Nijigen no Mori will be the “Night Walk Phoenix”, a light and sound show based on Osamu Tezuka’s original manga series, “Phoenix”, that will only be open to visitors after sunset. The area utilizes projection mapping technology in the park’s natural settings, where visitors will be able to follow the story of Phoenix as they traverse a fantasy world that stretches for approximately 1.2 kilometers.
The “Crayon Shin-chan Adventure Park” will primarily feature two main attractions based on the popular anime series “Crayon Shin-chan”, which airs Fridays at 7:30pm on TV Asahi. “Challenge! Action Kamen Air Force!” is a pair of 210 meter and 130 meter ziplines that glides across a body of water, through spurting waterspouts and giant water guns. “Bravo! Great Adventure Across The Warring States!” is an athletic course featuring characters and obstacles themed around the Crayon Shin-chan film, “The Storm Called: The Battle of the Warring States”. The course reaches a height of 7 meters, and is designed for children and adults alike to enjoy.
Nijigen no Mori will also feature lodging facilities for “glamping”. Visitors will be able to indulge in the park’s natural environment and the island’s cuisine. Other planned attractions include a food and drink corner with refreshments based on manga and anime, a musical theater, event stage, and other experience-based activities.
With Nijigen no Mori, Pasona Group intends to broadcast the appeal of Awaji Island to tourists around the world and create sustainable regional economic developments and job opportunities. Further, the Company aims to contribute to the “Cool Japan” and “Visit Japan” campaigns by melding world-popular Japanese media industries with regional revitalization, and further developing Japan’s culture and art industries.
Outline: Awaji Anime Park “Nijigen no Mori”
| Opening |
July 2017 (tentative) |
| Location |
Hyogo Prefectural Awaji Island Park |
| Contents |
Night Walk Phoenix (from sunset to approximately 10:00pm)
Based on Osamu Tezuka’s “Phoenix”, the light and sound show will use projection mapping in the park’s natural environment. Visitors follow the story of Phoenix across 1.2 kilometers of an extraordinary fantasy world.
Supervisor: Makoto Tezuka; Producer: Ryotaro Muramatsu, Production: NAKED Inc.
Crayon Shin-chan Adventure Park (from approximately 9:00am to sunset)
①Challenge! Action Kamen Air Force! - Themed around the popular Crayon Shin-chan character, “Action Kamen”, 210m and 130m ziplines fly through spurting waterspouts and giant water guns.
②Bravo! Great Adventure Across The Warring States! - A 7m tall athletic course based on the Crayon Shin-chan movie, “The Storm Called: The Battle of the Warring States”.
Glamping Facilities
Lodging grounds where Nijigen no Mori visitors can enjoy Awaji Island cuisine.
Other Planned Features
Food and drink based on manga and anime, a musical theater, and an event stage.
What does “Nijigen no Mori” mean?
“Nijigen no Mori” translates to “anime forest”. It is a fusion of anime and manga, popular “Cool Japan” content, with nature.
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| Website |
http://nijigennomori.com |
| Notes |
・Contents and details are subject to change.
・Services, fees, hours, and other details will be publicized on the website when final. |
| Inquiries |
Nijigennomori Inc., Nijigen no Mori Management Office
 +81-799-73-2280
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| Reference Diagram |
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Outline: New Company “Nijigennomori Inc.”
| Corporate Name |
Nijigennomori Inc.
|
| Location |
924-1 Iwaya, Awaji-shi, Hyogo |
| Date of Establishment |
December 8th, 2016
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| Representative |
President
Kinuko Yamamoto
|
| Capital |
50,000,000 JPY (including capital reserves) |
| Business Activities |
Management of Nijigen no Mori, etc. |
Reference: Pasona’s Regional Revitalization Initiatives
In 2008, Pasona Group opened “Challenge Farm”, a farm on Awaji Island that fosters personnel in the agricultural industry, and in 2010, introduced a new “half-agriculture, half-art” style of working for young artists and musicians to practice agriculture and art simultaneously. The various programs on the island cultivate a base of young human resources by catering to their strengths. Approximately 300 young people have participated in these programs on Awaji Island to date.
In 2012, the Company renovated a closed elementary school building to create “Nojima Scuola”, a tourist facility that attracts locals and tourists alike. Pasona currently also operates a variety of regional revitalization initiatives including “Miele”, a café that offers original honey-based recipes, and “Craft Circus”, an open-air market where visitors can enjoy Awaji cuisine, ingredients, and crafts.
1: Nojima Scuola
2: Craft Circus
3: Pasona Challenge Farm
4: Miele