Shibamasa World

Shibamasa World is an amusement park on the Sea of Japan coast at Mikuni, in Sakai City, Fukui Prefecture. It grew out of a lawn business started in 1910. The grounds first opened to the public in 1973, a large pool followed in 1980, and the park took its present name in 1997. Today it combines summer pools, rides and play areas, a dinosaur trail and an auto campsite.

The pools

The park describes its pool area as one of the largest resort pools in Japan, with about 50 water slides. It opens in summer only.

Caribbean Beach is a wave pool about the size of a baseball ground, 0 to 140 cm deep, with lawns along its edge and the sea in view. The Monster Slider sends six riders down together in one boat. The Monster Wing, added in 2018, strings steep drops and climbs into one long ride. The Triple Saurus tube slides were recognised by Guinness World Records in 2005 for their length and height.

Two outdoor lazy rivers are 100 cm and 80 cm deep. The children's pools are 30 cm and 60 cm deep, with an elephant slide. Amazon, the heated indoor pool, has its own lazy river and slide. On summer evenings the Starlight Pool keeps the pools open after dark; the park says it was the first night pool in Japan to stay open until 22:00 when it began in 2014.

Rides and attractions

Pirate Island Typhoon is a roller coaster through dark caves in the pirate area, beside the Caribbean Viking swing ship and the spinning Caribbean Barrel. Kids Paradise is a large indoor play building with 13 attractions, among them a three-level net playground and a maze. Putting golf, athletic rides, escape games and mystery-solving games make up the rest.

Dinosaur Forest

Dinosaur Forest opened in March 2024 in 26,000 square metres of woodland at the centre of the park. More than 60 dinosaur models stand along the trail, among them Fukuititan, whose fossils were found in Fukui. A mission game has visitors collect energy at boxes along the way.

Camping

The auto campsite has pitches on natural lawn facing the Sea of Japan, with barbecues on the pitches. Campers can use the attractions throughout their stay with a passport. Awara Onsen, a hot spring town, is about five minutes away by car.