Inside abandoned £75million Wild-West theme park left to rot for 20 years

Abandoned theme parks often attract the attention of urban explorers. One such attraction can be found in Japan, where a once-popular Wild West-themed park has been left standing empty for almost 20 years.

Western Village is located in Nikko, around two hours from Tokyo. The attraction was once a massive tourist destination and welcomed visitors from across Japan and beyond. However, the park has now fallen into ruin after closing its gates in 2007.

The site was explored by urban explorer Luke Bradburn, 28, from Bury, Greater Manchester, during a visit in February 2024.

Western Village originally opened in 1973 as Kinugawa Family Ranch.

It started as a small family attraction focused on horse riding, fishing and outdoor activities.

The owners later rebranded it as Western Village in 1975 as interest in American cowboy culture grew in Japan.

Visitors could walk through a recreation of a 19th-century frontier town complete with a sheriff’s office, bank, barber shop, hotel and general store.

The park also featured live cowboy stunt shows, saloons, arcades and dozens of life-sized animatronic cowboys and musicians.

One of its most unusual attractions was a historic wooden church that was purchased in California, taken apart and shipped to Japan before being rebuilt on site.

But the biggest addition came in 1995. Park owners spent around £20million on a one-third-scale replica of Mount Rushmore, along with an American Dome theatre and other attractions.

The wider park is estimated to have cost more than £75million to build and expand over the years.

However, the huge investment failed to attract enough visitors, as the park also faced growing competition from attractions such as Tokyo Disneyland and Universal Studios Japan.

At the same time, its remote location made it harder to attract visitors.

In December 2006, Western Village announced a temporary closure for winter maintenance.

It was due to reopen in March 2007. However, the theme park never reopened, and it entered foreclosure in 2007.

Today, many parts of the theme park remain standing.

Luke spent around three hours exploring the abandoned site. While inside, he found dusty arcade machines, animatronics and even bottles still sitting on tables.

Speaking about the experience, he said: “When I was walking around, it felt so apocalyptic. It was completely silent, but everything still remaining yet overgrown.”

He added: “It’s crazy to see how everything is still intact. It’s very different in Japan. The crime rate is so low that abandoned buildings don’t get looted or destroyed as quickly, leaving them standing but derelict for years.”