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ghostly gate festival



Festival Gate is an amusement park in Osaka. But there's no festival and no one has been amused there for years because it went bankrupt some time ago.

Festival Gate's recently defunct official website compared the amusement park to the lost underwater city of Atlantis. Though I did have a sinking feeling while I was there, and also felt a wave of disillusionment wash over me, I can honestly say that a similarity to an underwater city never once crossed my mind.

The amusement park is yet to be bulldozed for a car park or pachinko parlour, so it's still possible to stroll around the place if you feel like a quiet afternoon....


Many people once came here (on opening day).


As well as fairground rides, there were also shops....




A statue of a lady with wings and breasts but no legs looks over the park and wonders where everyone's gone....


By the looks of it, it must be pretty cold up there.


Ghostly images of dancers from days gone by decorate the shut shutters which are now always shut.




The silent roller coaster of Festival Gate....




On a brighter note, adjacent to Festival Gate is an establishment which is still open - Spa World. You can go here to calm down after your stroll about the amusement park. Spa World sports many spas from around the world and is open 24 hours a day - just like the world!


Photos of the spas on a sign outside Spa World.



How about a hose down in Bali Spa Heavenly?

This entry was posted on Sunday, April 05, 2009 at 11:45 am. You can skip to the end and leave a response.

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On Sunday, 05 April, 2009, Anonymous Anonymous said:

I ended up in spa world after the last 18 hour bender in Osaka, to try to placate a hangover. It's effing huge and I well recommend it the next time you marinade yourself!

At the time I wondered about the rollercoaster coming out of the buildings and just attributed it to 'those Crazy Japanese!'  



On Monday, 06 April, 2009, Blogger Gsiwn3e49 said:

Spa World, heh :) Our guidebook to Osaka actually has that on the "don't visit" list because it's too overdone. We'd much prefer to visit a true onsen :)

The Festival Gate buildings were weird though. It was a bit creepy to walk around a completely shut down amusement park that was still being cleaned on a daily basis. It's as if everyone just left right before you came in. It also doesn't help that right across the railway tracks is one of the seedier parts of Osaka.

You'll find three more photographs (including the nipp(l)y lady) in my gallery -> http://www.kilala.nl/Gallery/main.php?g2_itemId=823&g2_page=2  



On Monday, 06 April, 2009, Blogger Munin said:

"Spa World". The unimaginative title reminds me of everything in this world that I hate and smacks of shit. But the concept is so simple, fun and nutty, that it is unquestionably Japanese.

Given the choice, I would plumb for the overt hetrosexual football themed spa - and join them dressed in a well oiled pair of pink rubber speedos and tasteful matching nipple patches!

Oh, but to see the look on their little cherub hooligan faces. ^_^  



On Monday, 06 April, 2009, Blogger GAPS said:

The rollercoaster is silent now?
Damn, that was the scariest rollercoaster I’ve ever been on!
Scary not so much because it was intertwined through the buildings as much as because we knew the place was bankrupt!  



On Monday, 06 April, 2009, Anonymous john turningpin said:

It's sad and lulzy at the same time...  



On Monday, 06 April, 2009, Blogger owenandbenjamin said:

Haikyo that has easy and open public access. How long will that last?  



On Tuesday, 07 April, 2009, Anonymous Scotty.VOR said:

I heard there were plans to convert it into an office building, and use the rollercoaster as a transport/elevator type thing. How awesome would work be then? Yeah, still not very I guess.  



On Wednesday, 08 April, 2009, Anonymous Jamaipanese said:

interesting but kinda scary -_-  



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