News On Japan

Wakayama's Insta-Perfect Spot! "Porto Europa"

Wakayama, Feb 29, 2024 (News On Japan) - "Porto Europa" is a theme park in Wakayama Marina City, with dining, hot springs, amusement parks, recreating the streetscapes of Europe.

Wakayama's Insta-Perfect Spot!

Located in the center of Wakayama Marina City on an artificial island in Wakaura, "Porto Europa" is a theme park that features European streetscapes and attractions. While there is a separate fee for attractions and events, admission to the park is free, making it a convenient spot to stop by on the way back from a trip to Shirahama or Wakayama. Upon entering, the first thing you'll see is a large fountain plaza. This area is designed to resemble a traditional French townscape, offering an elegant atmosphere. As you walk down the alleys, you'll find yourself in a streetscape reminiscent of "Fino," a Mediterranean fishing village in Italy. Further in, a Spanish castle appears, along with the "High Dive" water ride attraction, which boasts a 22-meter drop and is a thrilling spot for both adults and children. The "High Dive" is available to those over 110 cm in height.

Recommended Photo Spots Everywhere you look in "Porto Europa" is photogenic, but one spot we particularly recommend is just inside the east entrance. This newly created photo spot, which opened on February 3, 2024, allows you to take a lovely picture that looks like a slice of a European town using the frame. Additionally, there are stands in four locations within the facility where you can place your smartphone or camera to take photos. These are perfect when you want to capture everyone who came with you or when you want the best angle for a landscape shot. Moreover, "Porto Europa" is a pet-friendly theme park, so you can also take pictures as if you're traveling through Europe with your beloved dogs.

More Highlights! In November 2023, new spots such as the "Ultra Reverse Bungee" (800 yen per ride) and "Cosmo Balloon" (800 yen per ride) were introduced, offering full-scale VR experiences that can be enjoyed by adults as well. The "Ultra Reverse Bungee" is available to those over 100 cm in height and older than 7 years, while the "Cosmo Balloon" is available to those older than 7 years. Both require parental consent for children aged 7 to 12. When you're tired from walking around the park, take a break at the café attached to the flower shop! It's the perfect place to relax in a calm space filled with a foreign atmosphere.

\from Writer\ It was my first visit, but I was so excited that it felt like I was not in Japan, immersed in the streets and the world. There were many people with pets, and it truly felt like walking in a European town. Inside Wakayama Marina City, there is also the "Kuroshio Market" where you can enjoy fresh seafood, so next time, I want to enjoy the attractions to the fullest and then savor the delicious local specialties of Wakayama.

Wakayama Marina City Porto Europa Address: 1527 Kemi, Wakayama City, Wakayama Prefecture Phone: 0570-064-358 Operating Hours: 11:00 - 16:00 (Extended hours on weekends and holidays) Closed: Tuesdays irregularly (Closed twice a year for maintenance) Admission: Standard Pass: Adults (junior high school students and older) 4,800 yen, Children (ages 3 and up) 4,000 yen *Admission is free, but fees are required for attractions and events.

Source: MDPR

News On Japan
POPULAR NEWS

Toyota Motor will begin operating fully autonomous taxis in 2027 through a partnership with U.S. self-driving technology company Waymo, marking a major step in the Japanese automaker's efforts to expand driverless transportation services.

Mount Fuji has received its first snowcap of the season, the Japan Meteorological Agency announced on October 30, after temperatures at the summit plunged to minus 9.4 degrees Celsius, marking the arrival of winter conditions on Japan's highest mountain.

U.S. intelligence agencies suspect that a Chinese female intelligence operative developed a close relationship with Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang in an attempt to obtain confidential corporate and U.S. government information, according to a report published by The New York Times on October 29th.

The Japanese government has asked major telecommunications operators to forcibly block access to websites believed to contain personal information stolen in a cyberattack on GMO, it emerged on October 29th, as authorities moved to prevent further exposure of sensitive data online.

Typhoon No. 31 was located near Minamitorishima Island in the Pacific Ocean, as of 3 a.m. on October 30, and was expected to approach the Ogasawara Islands south of Tokyo over the October 31-November 1 weekend while maintaining very strong intensity, bringing a growing risk of dangerously high waves, powerful swells and extremely rough seas.

MEDIA CHANNELS
         

MORE Travel NEWS

Hokkaido University's famous ginkgo avenue in Sapporo has reached its peak autumn color, attracting residents and tourists to the campus ahead of the two-day Hokudai Golden Leaf Festival on October 31 and November 1, an event that drew 35,000 visitors last year.

A spectacular illumination of the Hashigui Rocks, a nationally designated natural monument in Kushimoto, Wakayama Prefecture, is set to begin on October 30, transforming a series of unusual coastal rock formations into a colorful nighttime attraction.

Japan's first major cold spell of the season brought snow, freezing winds and record-low autumn temperatures across the country, with 639 observation points registering their coldest readings of the season on October 29, while forecasts issued that evening indicated that temperatures would recover on October 30 as rain spread across much of the country.

Typhoon No. 31 was located near Minamitorishima Island in the Pacific Ocean, as of 3 a.m. on October 30, and was expected to approach the Ogasawara Islands south of Tokyo over the October 31-November 1 weekend while maintaining very strong intensity, bringing a growing risk of dangerously high waves, powerful swells and extremely rough seas.

Japan's first significant snowfall of the season has brought winter conditions to Hokkaido and northern Honshu, with snow depths exceeding 10 centimeters in several mountain and inland locations on October 28, while a fresh wave of cold air is expected to bring further snowfall over the weekend of October 31 and November 1.

Osaka's iconic Tsutenkaku Tower celebrated the 70th anniversary of its reopening on October 28, marking seven decades since the landmark was rebuilt in 1956 as a symbol of the city's postwar recovery, while new attractions continue to draw visitors to the surrounding Shinsekai entertainment district.

A magnitude 5.4 earthquake struck northeastern Chiba Prefecture at around 12:07 a.m. on October 29, registering a maximum intensity of 5-lower on Japan's seven-level seismic scale and sending tremors across a wide area of eastern and central Japan, including Narita Airport, where footage captured the moment of shaking.

Japan will introduce a major overhaul of its tax-free shopping system for foreign visitors on November 1, replacing immediate tax exemptions at stores with a refund system that requires travelers to pay the full consumption tax upfront and claim reimbursement when leaving the country, a change expected to reshape retail strategies and purchasing behavior across the tourism industry.