Potterheads! A New Harry Potter Theme Park Is Opening in Tokyo, Sometime in 2023
Can we fast forward to 2023, please?
by Ina Louise Manto | June 18, 2020
Looks like there’s one more reason to visit Japan in the future; that is if the virus is over and international travel is back to normal again. On June 12, a Japanese news site reported that Seibu Railway will be closing the Toshimaen amusement park in Nerima to make way for a new Harry Potter theme park.
An end of an era
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Located in Nerima, Toshimaen is one of Tokyo’s oldest theme parks that have been operating since 1926. The 22-hectare park is the home of over 30 rides, including roller coasters, a giant swinging pirate ship, a haunted house, and a 100-year-old carousel that people of all ages love.
Toshimaen is also popular for its seasonal activities. Guests can enjoy an outdoor ice skating rink in winter, cherry blossom viewing in spring, and water slides and wave pools in summer. An indoor fishing facility and insect museum can also be found in the park.
While theme parks around Japan have been slowly reopening as lockdown restrictions ease, the Toshimaen amusement park will cease its operations on August 31.
What to expect
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Potterheads have one more Harry Potter attraction to include in their itinerary when visiting Japan. The new theme park is expected to resemble the Warner Bros. Studio Tour in London where guests can walk through different sets used in the movies like the famous Diagon Alley, Great Hall, and Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes.
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Fans do not have to travel to London anymore to get up-close with props like robes of the different houses, potions, wands, and costumes. However, this theme park won’t have thrilling rides like those found in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios Japan in Osaka.
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The new Harry Potter theme park’s construction is expected to finish in the first half of 2023.
Other plans
Earlier this year, it was reported that Warner Bros. will be renting a portion of Toshimaen theme park while the Tokyo government will be purchasing the remaining area. The government will use this area for disaster prevention where an evacuation facility will be constructed. The plan has been in discussion since the tragic tsunami that hit Japan in 2011.
Have you visited the Harry Potter theme park in Osaka, Japan? Share your experience with us below!
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