HOKKAIDO, Jun 14 (News On Japan) –
A former resort space within the Otamoi district of Otaru Metropolis has hit a significant roadblock in its redevelopment plans. “That is the Otamoi shoreline,” defined a Ryugu Cruise information. “There was a constructing right here referred to as Ryugukaku, a high-end restaurant. It is laborious to consider.”
Perched alone on a 40-meter-high cliff stands a construction resembling a small shrine, the stays of an amusement park that after operated right here within the early Showa period.
The positioning, providing sweeping panoramic views, grew to become the main focus of a brand new venture launched in 2021.
“That is magnificent, very Hokkaido-like,” Nitori Holdings Chairman Akio Nitori remarked in 2022. “Guests from Honshu could be deeply impressed.”
Nitori proposed redeveloping the positioning into a brand new vacationer vacation spot, presenting the thought to native enterprise teams.
Nonetheless, 4 years later, progress has stalled.
Standing on the car parking zone overlooking the Otamoi shoreline, a reporter famous that the doorway to the previous Otamoi Amusement Park, as soon as generally known as ‘Yumenosato,’ nonetheless stays. Indicators warn of landslide hazard, and the world is now off-limits.
Within the early Showa period, the northwest a part of Otaru was residence to considered one of Hokkaido’s premier leisure services: Yumenosato Otamoi Amusement Park. With leisure halls and seashores, the park attracted 1000’s of holiday makers every day through the summer season season.
Its centerpiece was Ryugukaku, an opulent restaurant that appeared to drift above the ocean like a “fortress within the sky,” beloved by enterprise leaders and cultural figures of the time.
Nonetheless, in 1952, Ryugukaku was destroyed by hearth and closed down. Frequent landslides finally pressured the closure of the strolling trails, and the once-celebrated Otamoi Amusement Park pale into obscurity.
Moved by the dramatic surroundings, Nitori in 2021 donated 50 million yen to the Otaru Chamber of Commerce and Trade to fund redevelopment research.
“It was breathtaking to find such an exciting and dramatic panorama in Hokkaido,” Nitori mentioned on the time.
Plans included constructing an statement terrace paying homage to Ryugukaku and putting in a zipline throughout the cliffs. In 2022, Nitori expressed hope that with participation from tourism associations, the nationwide authorities, and native communities, the venture could possibly be accomplished inside three to 5 years.
However the Otaru Chamber of Commerce has since introduced that the plan will likely be postponed.
The council, comprising the chamber and native tourism associations, has successfully determined to freeze the venture. In accordance with the council, town of Otaru has raised security considerations over the world and has prioritized different administrative points. In consequence, securing the estimated 1.5 billion yen in non-public sector funding has been deemed unrealistic.
“It’s disappointing,” mentioned one Otaru resident. “I hoped to see Otaru revived and bustling once more.” One other resident added, “Renovating the world would possible price so much.”
Toshio Ebina, president of Hokuo Sangyo, which operates cruise ships in Otaru, had additionally positioned excessive hopes on the venture.
“Otaru provides an ideal mixture of sea, mountains, and tourism,” Ebina mentioned. “If this venture would not transfer ahead, a significant hole will stay in Otaru’s tourism trade.”
Supply: HBCニュース 北海道放送
