Nara Dreamland
In Japan, a copy of Disneyland was abandoned with its castle, rollercoaster and monorail still standing, and slowly swallowed by weeds.
What was reported
Nara Dreamland opened in 1961, built to look much like the original Disneyland in California, with a castle, a Main Street, a monorail and a wooden rollercoaster. For years it was popular, but visitor numbers fell after Tokyo Disneyland opened in 1983, and it closed in 2006.
Instead of being cleared, the park was left almost as it was. For a decade, explorers who slipped past the guards wandered among faded castles, empty ticket booths and rides overgrown with plants, and photos of the 'ghost theme park' spread around the world.
Explanations offered
The park was simply abandoned while its owners decided what to do with the land, and it was demolished in 2016 and 2017. Its popularity online came from the uncanny feeling of a place built for crowds and joy standing completely empty.
- When
- Opened in 1961; abandoned from 2006
- Where
- Nara, Nara Prefecture, Japan
- Witnesses
- Urban explorers and former visitors
- Status
- A real place
Famous cases are real, widely reported events. Each file sets out what witnesses said and the explanations that have been offered, without taking a side.
More from Japan