Monstrous Japan Godzilla theme park opens without Olympic crowds

Godzilla will not wait for the Games: The Godzilla Interception Operation Awaji. Photo / Supplied

It has been a hugely disappointing year for Japan tourism which forecast 80 million visits during Tokyo's Olympic year. After postponement by the coronavirus pandemic, the games now will not happen until 2021. However, not one seems to have told Godzilla.

A 23-metre tall monster was unveiled on Awaji island as the centrepiece for a theme park in Kobe. Nijigen no Mori Park has been planning the attraction for years, unveiling the final plans for the 55-metre zipwire through the monster's mouth in 2019.

Named 'Godzilla Interception Operation Awaji' it is based on the monster from the 2016 movie, Shin Godzilla. It was supposed to be welcoming its first riders this summer, in what should have been record visitor numbers. However after some delays due to the pandemic, the attraction was opened to the public this weekend.

Japonya'da yapım aşamasında olan gerçek boyutlardaki Godzilla'nın ilk fotoğrafları.

Nijigen no Mori tema parkında inşa edilen Godzilla tamamlanınca, parktaki ziyaretçilere çeşitli görevler ve eğlenceli oyunlar sunulacakmış.

Fotoğraflar: @horohoro_no_mi pic.twitter.com/uwcf3flEtn

— Geek Dergi (@Geek_Dergi) September 23, 2020

The movie monster is one of Japan's biggest cultural exports – inspiring over 30 films and countless comic and video game spinoffs. It's clear the park had been hoping to draw crowds packed with overseas tourists.

"We would like Godzilla fans, including those abroad, to come and appreciate the massiveness of the monster they only know of through movie screens," said a spokesperson for the park.

Another colossal cultural export, soon to get his own Japanese theme park is the computer game character Mario. Super Nintendo World announced it would be opening in some capacity this month, ahead of the delayed 2021 launch.

Having been slated to open this summer, the Mario Café & Store will be open to guests this month. Though, they will have to return next year to experience the rides.

Super Mario World was set to open this summer but has hit setbacks. Photo / Supplied, Themeparks

Operated by Universal Studios Japan, the theme park has high tech twist on classic theme park rides. Last year it unveiled designs for a scoring system using 'power up bands' for guests to collect coins and compete across rides and attractions.

Described as "a life-size, living video game" by Universal Theme Parks creative officer Thierry Coup – there were designs to open US branches for American computer game fans in Orlando and Hollywood.

The Mario Store will be open to visitors though rides are postponed. Photo / Supplied, Nintendo, Universal

However, while many international guests are unable to visit, the Japanese theme park sector appears to be in better shape than in the US.

Last week, Universal Orlando announced further layoffs among the 5,400 workers it had put on extended furlough.

A park spokesperson confirmed that they "again have made the difficult decision to reduce our workforce" in a statement to Florida's Spectrum News.

Last month Disney Parks, which has branches in Florida and California, neighbouring Universal announced 28,000 layoffs of park staff.

Disneyland Tokyo, meanwhile, has been open since 1 July, albeit on a reduced programme.