
If you’ve ever wanted to zip-line through the King of the Monsters or save Japan from one of his rampages, this is your new happiest place on earth.
Hyogo Prefecture’s Awaji Island doesn’t get a ton of visitors. It’s a pleasant enough place, but it just doesn’t have that many major attractions.
Soon, though, there’s going to be a very big reason to visit Awaji: a massive 120-meter-long (393-foot) Godzilla statue!

Nijigen no Mori (“2-D Forest”) is an amusement park that offers both outdoor activities, like obstacle courses, and anime-related fun, such as its Naruto AR game. The park has just announced that its newest creative partner is the King of the Monsters himself, and that it’s building a life-size replica of the upper body of Godzilla as he appears in 2016’s Shin Godzilla, the most recent Japanese-produced entry in the film franchise, directed by Evangelion creator Hideaki Anno.

The attraction, dubbed Godzilla Interception Operation Awaji, puts visitors in the role of members of the National Awaji Island Godzilla Research Center, or “National Awaji Island Institute of Godzilla Disaster,” to use its clunkier official English name. Don’t worry, though, you won’t be stuck running lab tests and sitting through droning lectures in a stuffy symposium. Instead, you’ll be drafted into an operation to lure Godzilla to Awaji Island, trap him under an explosive-triggered rockslide, and blast him with a cell-freezing substance. This, naturally, must be one of the most extreme methods possible: with zip-lining through the interior of Godzilla’s gargantuan body and firing a coagulant rifle into his hide all part of the comprehensive anti-kaiju plan.
▼ The attraction’s English-narration teaser video

The 5,000-square meter (53,820-square foot) Nijigen no Mori Godzilla zone is scheduled to open in summer of 2020. There’s no word as to whether or not Awaji City is going to extend the big guy the same courtesy Tokyo did in 2015 and give him official residency status.
Related Articles
*Prices and options mentioned are subject to change.
*Unless stated otherwise, all prices include tax.
Recommended places for you
-
ISHIDAYA Hanare
Yakiniku
Kobe, Sannomiya, Kitano
-
Kanzenkoshitsuyakinikutabehodai Gyugyu Paradise Sannomiya
Yakiniku
Kobe, Sannomiya, Kitano
-
Jukuseiniku-to Namamottsuarera Nikubaru Italian Nikutaria Sannomiya
Izakaya
Kobe, Sannomiya, Kitano
-
Osaka Aquarium KAIYUKAN
Zoos, Aquariums & Botanical Gardens
USJ, Nanko Port
-
Kambei Sannomiyahonten
Yakiniku
Kobe, Sannomiya, Kitano
-
Goods
Yoshida Gennojo-Roho Kyoto Buddhist Altars
Gift Shops
Nijo Castle, Kyoto Imperial Palace
-
Stay Cool and Protected: Japanese UV & After-Sun Products You'll Love
by: Chehui Peh
-
Two Americans decide to hike Mt. Fuji before trails open, both need rescues on back-to-back days
-
Spray Your Shirt Cold?! Japan's Smartest Sweat-Fighting Hacks You Can Buy at Don Quijote
by: Chehui Peh
-
Japan Summer Sales 2025: Your Ultimate Guide to Shopping Deals In Tokyo, Kansai & More!
-
Hachiji juppun mae – A Japanese phrase that even Japanese people can’t agree on the meaning of
-
Stay with Snorlax? Grand Hyatt Tokyo's Summer Pokémon Resort Experience Is the Ultimate Sleepover
Inspiration for Accommodations
-
Spacious Family Hotel in Namba: 20 Comfortable Stays for Family Fun
-
Charming Hotels to Enjoy the Spectacular Views of Arashiyama's Autumn Leaves from Your Room
-
Experience Stunning Views of Osaka Castle from Private Spaces: Top Hotels Near Osaka Castle
-
Recommended by Visitors! Arashiyama's Best-Rated Hotels
-
Family-Friendly Universal Studios Japan Hotel with Excellent Access
-
Enjoy a Comfortable Stay in Osaka! 10 Hotels with Convenient Airport Shuttle Services
-
Top 10 Recommended Hotels Near Namba Station with Great Access
-
Enjoy Night Views from Your Room! Recommended Hotels in Namba Area
-
Keep up with your sports matches in Kyoto! Here are five sports bars in the Shijo Karasuma area in Kawaramachi.
-
Complete Guide to Buying Japanese Medicine in Japan: Phrases and Vocabulary You Need to Know
-
Where to Stay in Umeda: 15 Top Hotels and Apartments For Every Traveler
by: Nemi Lin
-
Osaka Koreatown: In Search of the Best Eats in the Korean Roots of Osaka's Tsuruhashi Market
-
Unmissable Bargains! 8 Osaka Capsule Hotels in Japan's Food Haven (From $20!)
-
15 Exciting Tours to Experience the Best of Osaka
by: Himanshi Shah
- #best gourmet Osaka
- #things to do Osaka
- #what to do in kyoto
- #what to bring to japan
- #best gourmet Kyoto
- #new years in Osaka
- #what to buy in nanba
- #Visiting Osaka
- #onsen tattoo friendly arima
- #daiso
- #Visiting Kyoto
- #best japanese soft drinks
- #japanese fashion culture
- #japanese convenience store snacks
- #japanese nail trends