Junglia Okinawa opened for business in the northern part of the island on July 25, 2025. (Keishi Koja/Stars and Stripes)
NAKIJIN VILLAGE, Okinawa — A jungle-themed amusement park designed to boost tourism in northern Okinawa opened here Friday, aiming to encourage visitors to spend more time and money in the area.
Junglia Okinawa spans 148 acres and features 22 attractions and shows, including animatronic dinosaurs, buggy rides, bungee experiences and an aerial obstacle course. The park, which includes a spa annex, is near Yambaru National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2021.
The project is the idea of Tsuyoshi Morioka, CEO of marketing firm Katana Inc. and former chief marketing officer of Universal Studios Japan. He led USJ through a financial turnaround between 2010 and 2017.
In August 2018, Katana Inc. and several other firms, including local beer brand Orion, founded Japan Entertainment Co. Ltd. to develop and operate Junglia. Construction began in February 2023 on a former golf course in the Gogayama district of Nakijin, according to Okinawa prefecture’s website.
Described on its website as “a major challenge intended to revitalize the northern Okinawa region,” the project aims to foster regional development, promote sustainable tourism and introduce new attractions to the island.
An animatronic Tyrannosaurus rex snacks on a staff member during Junglia Okinawa’s media day on July 24, 2025. (Keishi Koja/Stars and Stripes)
Media members fly over the forests of Yambaru National Park on Titan’s Swing at Junglia Okinawa on July 23, 2025. (Keishi Koja/Stars and Stripes)
Visitors to Junglia Okinawa can enjoy a luxurious view of the forests of Yambaru at Spa Junglia. (Keishi Koja/Stars and Stripes)
Okinawa tourism has grown significantly over the past two decades, rising from 5.17 million visitors in fiscal 2004 to 9.95 million in fiscal 2024, according to the prefecture. However, recent reports highlight stagnation in tourist spending and overnight stays. In fiscal 2023, the average tourist spent about $670 and stayed 4.06 days.
With Junglia’s opening, prefectural officials are watching closely to see whether Okinawa’s tourism industry can shift from “tourism that has pursued quantity, number of tourists, to tourism that emphasizes quality, high added value,” according to a July 2024 news release from the prefecture.
Okinawa Gov. Denny Tamaki expressed optimism about the park’s impact, during his regular press conference on July 18.
“The prefecture has high hopes that the opening of Junglia Okinawa will increase the appeal and brand power of Okinawa tourism,” he said. “We also hope that this will lead to increased added value for Okinawa tourism, such as extending the length of stay of tourists and increasing the amount of spending that comes with it.”
Economist Katsuhiro Miyamoto, professor of emeritus at Kansai University, and Xiufang Wang, visiting researcher at Osaka Prefecture University, estimate the park will generate an economic ripple effect of $2.1 billion and create 40,000 jobs in its first year, according to a January news release from Kansai University.
That impact could grow to $45.5 billion and 880,000 jobs over 15 years, the release said.
Morioka, speaking at a Thursday night ceremony delayed 30 minutes due to typhoon-related weather, said Junglia is something new.
Junglia is “completely different from the theme parks in the city that use a lot of steel and concrete,” he said. “Humans are creatures that want to create memories that will last a lifetime with their loved ones when they travel, and Junglia was born for that purpose.”
Admission for domestic residents is 6,930 yen, or about $47, with spa access priced at 2,640 yen. U.S. service members in Japan are eligible for domestic rates. Parking costs 2,000 yen and requires reservations, though a shuttle service is available from Aeon Nago.
