A Hot Tub Amusement Park Popped Up in Japan
Complete with an onsen merry-go-round, hot tub-themed rollercoaster that spurts bubbles and foam dance parties.
Forget simply relaxing in hot tubs. You can watch movies in them, sing in them — and now, thanks to Japan's newest amusement park, you can take rides in them too. After originally floating the idea late last year, the city of Beppu in Oita Prefecture has made every spa-lover's dreams come true, opening a theme park dedicated to sitting in steaming water.
Yes, an onsen merry-go-round, a hot tub-themed rollercoaster that spurts bubbles and foam dance parties are on offer at Beppu Rakutenchi, all coming to fruition after the concept proved such a hit. When Beppu Mayor Yasuhiro Nagano pledged his support in a video that understandably went viral, more than AU$900,000 was raised by eager, would-be hot tub theme park goers to turn the kind of concept you'd expect to see in a sci-fi comedy into a reality.
If you're wondering why this spa-tastic park has come really about — other than the obvious response: why not? — the city's geography has the answer. Located on the island of Kyushu, Beppu is known for its eight hot springs and 2900 vents, so making a fun attraction out of the natural feature was always going to happen at some point. The park's initial run lasted three days, with no word yet on how and when it might continue.
Via Japan Today. Image: Fredrik Rubensson via Flickr.
