Hello. I'm Yoppy, the Junglia Expert.
I tried drafting my own revival plan for Junglia.
That said, even if my ideas were effective, they'd likely have only marginal impact—more of an "improvement plan" than a true "revival plan."
Honestly, Junglia looks like it's on the brink of collapse. To achieve a V-shaped recovery from here, the only remaining option seems to be: "A major corporation buys it out at a discount, fires the entire management team, secures bank loans, injects massive capital, and revamps attractions." Like summoning a 100-billion-yen loan by sacrificing Takeshi Morioa.
There are rumors that HIS might buy it, but HIS doesn't seem flush with cash either. Sorry... If I had 100 billion yen, I could've helped somehow. Sorry I don't have it. It's all my fault...
Anyway, let's set that aside and write about realistic, low-cost initiatives I'd pursue if I were management.
① Change Target Demographics
First, I'd shift the primary target to families with young children.
Currently, Junglia is neglecting this demographic. Many attractions exclude small kids due to height restrictions (Dinosaur Safari, buggies, ziplines). Heatstroke risk also deters families.
If someone claims, "We already target families with young children," they're delusional. The current design can't attract them—it's too hot, and there's little to do.
Why focus on families with preschoolers/early elementary kids? Because Okinawa surprisingly lacks activities for this age group. When my son was under two, our family trip left us wondering, "Where do we go?" We ended up at Churaumi Aquarium. Kids this age aren't ready for ocean activities, can't drink at Kokusai Dori, and most pools are hotel infinity pools—not playful pools like Yomiuriland or Summerland. Saltwater scares toddlers, and cultural sites like Shuri Castle bore them.
So where do families go? The northern region—where Junglia is located!
The north has Churaumi Aquarium, Pineapple Park, and Fruit Land—staples for families. Yet Junglia, in the same area, fails to capture this market. It makes no sense.
Specifically, add large playground equipment areas like those at Expo '70 Osaka. Maintain the jungle theme—e.g., a giant Brachiosaurus slide. Combat heat with dense mist zones (like Expo's "Park of Life") and water play areas including splash ponds.
This is Bonellund's playground at Ikoma Mountain Amusement Park near Osaka. Its waterfall-like feature cools the surroundings impressively.
Using groundwater to cool areas would work well. Since they drilled for hot springs, accessing groundwater shouldn't be impossible.
Add water features for "Fossil Digging Zones" or "Gemstone Hunting." Water play areas are essential. Low-cost projects (hundreds of millions of yen) are feasible.
Young children get ecstatic over simple play areas—they'll spend hours on tiny free playgrounds at malls.
Also at Ikoma Mountain's Bonellund, my son endlessly played on a climbing wall saying, "Almost!" That's how easily entertained kids are.
At USJ, my 5-year-old ignored Nintendo World to hunt pill bugs, making staff laugh: "Bugs beat Mario?" Small kids don't need grand facilities.
At Expo '70, we rarely entered pavilions with kids, yet they loved playgrounds and mist zones, begging to return. Designing for small children was brilliant.
These changes cost little and have low running expenses. Even Morioa's personal funds could cover them.
Simultaneously, sell discounted family tickets. Use child-switch systems so one parent watches kids while the other rides attractions, then swap.
② Launch a "Drop-Off Kids School"
Like Bubble Resort's programs:
Period 1: Vegetable Harvesting
Period 2: Fire-Making
Period 3: Cooking Together
Period 4: Junglia Exploration Tour (Tam-Tam Tram, etc.)
Offer full-day childcare with experiential programs. Charge premium prices—families visiting Okinawa with young kids are typically affluent.
After activities, guide kids through accessible attractions (Tam-Tam Tram, Yanbaru Friends, Finding Dinosaurs). Supervise from 10 AM–4 PM.
Parents enjoy Junglia while kids are cared for. Minimal infrastructure needed; reallocate staff from recent layoffs. Why hasn't this been done?
Combine ① and ② into a "Jungle Adventure for Growing Children" theme. Redesign the park accordingly. I'd visit with kids if designed this way. Current state is tough.
③ Add Mixed-Gender Swimwear Zone to Spa
Junglia's spa baffled me—it's strictly gender-segregated.
Create a mixed-gender swimwear zone plus kid-friendly areas.
Why wasn't the infinity pool swimwear-only? Gender-segregated baths frustrate families—they must bathe separately despite traveling together.
It also hurts non-family visitors. A swimwear pool encourages selfies/social media posts. Making it a bath prevents photography, wasting the stunning sunset views they promote. Marina Bay Sands' popularity stems from Instagrammable pools; Junglia self-sabotages by banning photos.
Switch to mixed-gender swimwear ASAP.
Sell drinks at the infinity pool for profit. Health authorities might object.
④ Rename to "Chura Mori Junglia"
Seems joking, but serious. Zero-pride tactic.
Targeting families means capturing Churaumi Aquarium visitors. Adding "Chura Mori" (Beautiful Forest) to the name creates confusion—visitors assume bundled tickets. Leverage aquarium traffic via parasitic marketing.
Beg for permission across agencies; sell "Churaumi & Chura Mori Combo Tickets." Claim it's "for Okinawa's sake." Legally, "Chura Mori" isn't trademarked.
Originally, Junglia aimed to draw visitors specifically for itself. But that path seems futile now. Shift strategy from "making people visit Okinawa for Junglia" to "getting Okinawa visitors to stop by Junglia."
Creating compelling standalone destinations is hard. Natural/historical assets (Mt. Fuji, Yoshino cherries, Kyoto temples, Nara deer) attract globally because they're organic cultural accumulations—not man-made. Yoshino's cherries took 1,300 years.
Only TDR and USJ reach "destination status" among Japanese theme parks. TeamLab Planets barely qualifies.
Implementing ①–④ should boost family visits. Survive long enough to seize opportunities—that's the limit.
Long-term, build all-weather facilities like Fukushima's Hawaiian Springs or Osaka's Spa World—with pools. Weather-proof, heat-resistant, typhoon-safe. Include sanshin/eisa shows, all-inclusive passion fruit buffets. I'd visit.
Okinawa suffers from "few kid-friendly spots" and "nothing to do when raining." Rain/typhoons disrupt plans, forcing last-minute prayers for sunshine. All-weather venues near Churaumi Aquarium would become rainy-day staples, driving consistent traffic. But funding requires acquisition/investment first. Tough road ahead.
What else should we do? Seeking opinions!
