Copyright dailyrecord
For more than three decades, families descended upon a Wild West-themed attraction, complete with saloons, shooting galleries, and cowboys and outlaws wandering the dusty streets. Now the site stands derelict , with crumbling saloons and sinister tattered mannequins serving as ghostly reminders of its former glory . Images shared on Reddit reveal what's left of the Japanese theme park, which launched in the 1970s but closed its doors in 2007 and has been left to decay ever since. The haunting photographs capture deteriorating saloons and shooting galleries, alongside a replica of Mount Rushmore, offering a bizarre glimpse into the Wild West filtered through a Japanese perspective. Unsettling mannequins dressed in threadbare clothing are scattered across the abandoned site - one figure, propped against a rotting wagon, has been stripped down to reveal what look like mechanical components beneath, reports the Daily Star . Numerous users were swift to draw comparisons to the HBO series Westworld, as well as the 1973 film of the same name starring Yul Brynner, which portrayed a Western-themed attraction filled with robots who turned against their human creators. Responding to one user seeking additional details, the person who shared the photographs explained: "The owner was fascinated by the American culture so he opened the park in the 70s. It was popular for a while but the visitor count decreased in the early 2000s and the maintenance costs got too high which forced him to close it in 2007." The photographs reveal the location being slowly reclaimed by the wilderness, with shrubs creeping up exterior walls and trailing vines dangling from overhead structures. Weathered lettering on one structure's facade still displays 'MYSTERY SHOCK'. Images captured within several buildings reveal collapsed roofing, with rubble scattered across the floors. One disturbing photograph captures three plush four-legged animals large enough for children to ride, their synthetic fur torn away to reveal mechanical components beneath. Another exterior shot presents the startling image of a full-sized buffalo model bursting from the undergrowth. Based on details from atlasobscura.com, the attraction was called Western Village, situated just kilometres from the mountainous city of Nikko, north of Tokyo. The website stated: "Apart from a classic Main Street straight out of a John Ford picture, the place features a replica of Mount Rushmore, a general store, barbershop, church, sheriff's station with prison as well as a saloon chock-full of villainous characters, which used to be a shooting range. "As if the setting wouldn't be eerie enough, it is made even more unreal by the big number of robots, which populate every corner of the park, seemingly poised to break into movement every second. Apart from typical movie-trope characters, these include figures with the features of John Wayne and Clint Eastwood. "Due to its location in the peaceful little suburb of Shin-Takatoku, which itself seems to be stuck in time, it is unlikely that developers move in any time soon, hopefully giving urban explorers the opportunity to examine this unusual sight for many years to come." Viewers were captivated by the photographs, with one commenting: "I have so, sooo many questions. I don't even know where to start. However, I will say this: The place looks exactly like how I would expect someone from Japan representing the historical US west. It's freakin glorious." A second person remarked: "I really like the Mt Rushmore replica. It's interesting to see how the Japanese replicate the Wild West. It's their take on American history. Thanks for sharing."
