the bloggster: 8/7/05

TOBU WORLD SQUARE

Did you sometimes want to be Gulliver in the land of the Lilliputians? If so , go directly to the Tobu World Square theme park. Located in scenic Tochigi prefecture it is only a two hour train ride away from Tokyo. The $25 entrance fee is a little steep, but the unique Kitsch here is worth at least one visit. The place gives you a crystal clear idea of the comparative size of many of the world's landmarks. Here is some more info on the place from the english website of the Tobu World Square.(Disclaimer: My students had nothing to do with the following english translation.)

It took us as many as five years to complete the Tobu World Square on April 24, 1993. To hand down the precious world heritages for mankind to future generations, we constructed the exquisite reproductions to 1/25th of the original sizes of 102 historic relics and architectures in the premises, which are presently exhibited in the Park.

Couch down to see the miniature buildings from a 1/25 size Park miniature resident`s-eye view, and they will look as vivid as the originals. This is the way professional photographers have taken pictures of them. It is surely worth a try.

Closely look at the engravings, relives and stained glasses of the architectural structures and you will tell artisan skills on the exquisite reproductions of their originals. If you have enough time, why don`t you use a pair of binoculars and a potable guide voice device, both for rent, while leisurely wondering about? This is the best way you enjoy your tour around the World to the fullest! While listening to detailed explanation through the guide voice device about the many displays, take two or three hours in looking through the binoculars at the elaborate reliefs and engravings.

Don`t miss looking at the gardens created by 20,000 real bonsai trees that match well with the buildings. They show varying scenes depending upon the season.

As many as 140,000 people of 1/25 size live in the Park. Carefully examine them, and you would see no two people alike.

“Let’s Preserve Historic Remains and Architectural Cultures in the World!”
is the theme of the Tobu World Square. The Park has 42 miniature, UNESCO-designated, World Cultural and Heritage Sites exhibited. You will enjoy looking at the cultural heritages in the world while developing a consciousness for the need to preserve and protect such historic structures.