Offbeat Japan An Alternative Guide to Japan
Offbeat Japan An Alternative Guide to Japan
Exploring abandoned Western Village ruins in Tochigi, Japan: urban adventure with three women.
Exploring the abandoned Western Village ruins with three women in Tochigi, Japan.
TochigiUrbex

The Abandoned Western Village in Japan

April 14, 2017
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2 minutes de lecture

Exploration of the abandoned Western Village in Japan with three girls who enjoyed pretending to be part of a western movie.

The Western Village (ウエスタン村) is a relatively quite famous abandoned theme park in Japan. I had the chance to visit it many times, but I would like to share with you the photos taken during my very last visit.

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My friend Satomi has three daughters: Kaoru, Marin and Naomi. They were very keen to cosplay in a haikyo so I took them there, and indeed, we had lot of fun. Here are the result in photos, you can make up your own story. Meanwhile, I will tell you a bit more about the Western Village.

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Once known as the Kinugawa Ranch, this village was built around 1973.

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At the time it was a very simple place where visitors could enjoy cowboy-style activities.

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The owner, a local man called Ominami-san, said that the purpose in life is not to earn money but to make dreams come true and that is basically what he did.

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The ranch became a proper theme park in 1975 and was renamed Western Village.

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This haikyo, near Nikko in Tochigi prefecture, is easily accessible on a one-day trip from Tokyo, so I had plenty of chances to visit.

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The entrance is practically unprotected and has many openings that make access easy for anyone. The owner perhaps stopped caring about trying to keep the new breed of tourists out.

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A stream divides Western Village into two – the actual village, extremely Far West ambiance with barber, bank, prison, saloons… everything is here, just like a movie set (which is where we are, in this article) – and the “Mexican” side.

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Ominami-san extended his theme park each year, to the detriment of his profit margin.

Naomi, abandoned, amusement-park, asia, attraction-park, haikyo, japan, japanese, kanto, people, ruin, theme-park, tochigi, urban exploration, urbex

In 1995, he even added a replica of the famous Mount Rushmore, seemingly on an impulse.

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The park closed in 2007 and is now virtually forgotten.

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But from time to time, tourists driving around the Nikko area are taken aback by this Japanese version of Mount Rushmore that looms up for a second…

Kaoru, abandoned, amusement-park, asia, attraction-park, haikyo, japan, japanese, kanto, people, ruin, theme-park, tochigi, urban exploration, urbex

…and they have to come back to check it isn’t a hallucination!

Kaoru, Marin, abandoned, amusement-park, asia, attraction-park, haikyo, japan, japanese, kanto, people, ruin, theme-park, tochigi, urban exploration, urbex

The Western Village is now being demolished, little by little.

Kaoru, Marin, abandoned, amusement-park, asia, attraction-park, haikyo, japan, japanese, kanto, people, ruin, theme-park, tochigi, urban exploration, urbex

And it is sad, as it was a fabulous haikyo, especially for those girls who really enjoy it 🙂

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They also visited an abandoned school, so if you are interested in seeing that, please kick me in the comments to post about it 🙂

More Photos

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And for more awesome content about Japan, follow Jordy Meow on Instagram ! 🎵

commentaires

  • Hi there!

    Do you know if Western Village has already been demolished? I’m intending to explore this place (staying in Shinjuku. Oh dear) in December 2017.

    Do let me know please?

    If you could, do drop me an email at stefanie.mil@gmail.com and I’d love to have a haikyo meet-up with you too!

    Thanks a lot 🙂

    Cheers,
    Steff

    • Hi Steff! Not sure but I think it’s still there. Sorry, but I don’t do haikyo meet-up generally, I go with the same friends nowadays and it became a rare thing since I am very busy with new projects. But I wish you the best and to enjoy Japan a lot 🙂

      • Thanks so much for letting me know, Jordy! Hmm. I think I’ll take a risk and make a trip to WV 🙂 Haha.

À lire aussi...

Who Am I

Jordy Meow
This is me!

I am Jordy Meow, a French photographer based in Tokyo. I explore offbeat places in Japan.

Instagram

Wood bends whispers soft,
Ruby bridge spans silent snow,
River`s blue embrace.

---

木は静かに曲がり、
赤い橋は静かな雪にかかり、
川の青が抱きしめる。

---

#GinzanOnsen #WinterInJapan #TraditionalVillage #HotSpringTown #RubyBridge #SnowyScenes #OffbeatJapan #Japan

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Wood bends whispers soft, Ruby bridge spans silent snow, River's blue embrace.---木は静かに曲がり、 赤い橋は静かな雪にかかり、 川の青が抱きしめる。 ---#GinzanOnsen #WinterInJapan #TraditionalVillage #HotSpringTown #RubyBridge #SnowyScenes #OffbeatJapan #Japan
View on Instagram

Scarlet lilies gleam,
Whispering tales of beyond,
Sunlight weaves their dream.

---

スカーレットユリが輝く、
彼岸の物語をささやき、
陽光が夢を織る。

---

#LycorisRadiata #redspiderlily #etherealbeauty #offbeatjapan #japan #landscapephotography #culturalheritage

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Scarlet lilies gleam, Whispering tales of beyond, Sunlight weaves their dream. --- スカーレットユリが輝く、 彼岸の物語をささやき、 陽光が夢を織る。 --- #LycorisRadiata #redspiderlily #etherealbeauty #offbeatjapan #japan #landscapephotography #culturalheritage
View on Instagram

Fiery leaves whisper,
Tea fields cradle emerald dreams—
History’s soft gaze.

---

火の葉が囁く、
お茶畑に翡翠の夢を抱く—
歴史の柔らかい視線。

---

#offbeatjapan #japan #ruralbeauty #teafieldserenity #autumncolors #hiddenjapan #natureandhistory

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Fiery leaves whisper, Tea fields cradle emerald dreams— History’s soft gaze. ---火の葉が囁く、 お茶畑に翡翠の夢を抱く— 歴史の柔らかい視線。---#offbeatjapan #japan #ruralbeauty #teafieldserenity #autumncolors #hiddenjapan #natureandhistory
View on Instagram

Scarlet flames ascend,
Daruma spirits rising,
Hope reborn in fire.

赤い炎上がり、
だるまの魂立ち上がる、
炎で希望再生。

#DarumaKuyo #FireCeremony #HopeReborn #CulturalRitual #JapanCulture #OffbeatJapan #Japan

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Scarlet flames ascend, Daruma spirits rising, Hope reborn in fire. 赤い炎上がり、 だるまの魂立ち上がる、 炎で希望再生。 #DarumaKuyo #FireCeremony #HopeReborn #CulturalRitual #JapanCulture #OffbeatJapan #Japan
View on Instagram

Sky meets stone giants,
Silent faces in the sun,
History etched deep.

青空と
石の巨人達
静かなる歴史

#mountainscapes #rushmoreviews #historycarved #americanicons #offbeatusa #nationaltreasures #natureartistry

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Sky meets stone giants, Silent faces in the sun, History etched deep. 青空と 石の巨人達 静かなる歴史 #mountainscapes #rushmoreviews #historycarved #americanicons #offbeatusa #nationaltreasures #natureartistry
View on Instagram

Emerald silence,
Torii whispers `enter here,`
Nature`s sacred path.

---

エメラルド、
鳥居は囁く、
自然の聖道。

---

#offbeatjapan #japan #forestpath #torii #spiritualjapan #natureescape #shinto

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Emerald silence, Torii whispers 'enter here,' Nature's sacred path. ---エメラルド、 鳥居は囁く、 自然の聖道。 ---#offbeatjapan #japan #forestpath #torii #spiritualjapan #natureescape #shinto
View on Instagram

Leaves ablaze with fire,
Water whispers through the woods—
Autumn`s gentle song.

葉は火の如く
森を流れる水—
秋の優しい歌。

#autumninjapan #waterfalls #koyo #japanesemaples #naturelovers #offbeatjapan #japan

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Leaves ablaze with fire, Water whispers through the woods— Autumn's gentle song. 葉は火の如く 森を流れる水— 秋の優しい歌。 #autumninjapan #waterfalls #koyo #japanesemaples #naturelovers #offbeatjapan #japan
View on Instagram

Cranes touch the blue sky,
Metallic whispers glisten,
Sunlit waves below.

空にクレーンの手、
メタリックのささやき、
波は陽に輝く。

#offbeatjapan #japan #industriallandscape #seasideviews #hiddenjapan #urbanexploration #industrialvibes

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Cranes touch the blue sky, Metallic whispers glisten, Sunlit waves below. 空にクレーンの手、 メタリックのささやき、 波は陽に輝く。#offbeatjapan #japan #industriallandscape #seasideviews #hiddenjapan #urbanexploration #industrialvibes
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