Nijigen no Mori is easily one of the most underrated otaku experiences in Japan. The anime- and video game-themed adventure park is located on its own island (hence being also known as Awaji Island Anime Park), with attractions built around many of my (and probably your) favourite franchises.

One of the reasons that Nijigen no Mori is so overlooked is that it’s just slightly farther away from the big cities than somewhere like Universal Studios or the Ghibli Museum. However, trust me when I say it’s a lot easier to explore than you might think. You just need to know what you’re doing!

Plus, once you get there, it’s way less crowded and overwhelming than the big parks. You also don’t have to make your reservation months in advance, with the whole experience being extremely family-friendly for any younger Naruto, Crayon Shin-chan, or Dragon Quest fans.

What is Nijigen no Mori?

Nijigen no Mori is an anime, manga, and video games theme park located on Awaji Island, just south of Kobe. The site is a mix of outdoor adventuring and interactive attractions that is pretty much heaven for any otaku in Japan. There are some permanent and some rotating attractions, with the most famous being collaborations with Dragon Quest, Naruto, and Godzilla.

Don’t get confused; this isn’t a traditional theme park like Universal or Disneyland, as there aren’t any rollercoasters or rides…but it’s also got a lot more to do there than Ghibli Park or PokéPark Kanto in our opinion. It’s super interactive, with mazes, ziplines, and nightwalks, all with their own anime or video game twist.

How Do the Nijigen no Mori Attractions Work?

You might be surprised to learn that entering the actual Nijigen no Mori anime park is completely free. Instead of one entry ticket price, you pay for individual tickets for each of the different attractions. That means you only really pay for what you want to do, and can save money for families when only some of the group is participating in activities.

Ticket costs vary depending on the attraction, but usually fall somewhere between ¥2,000 and ¥4,000 per person. Some of the attractions also have different ticket tiers, which include additional activities or even merch.

It’s recommended to buy your tickets in advance, as some (like Dragon Quest) require you to have a time slot, and your desired entry time could sell out. That being said, same-day tickets are also available if you want to wait to see the attractions before committing to them.

Most of Nijigen no Mori’s attractions take around 90 minutes to complete, but I don’t recommend trying to do them all in one day. Doing two or three is usually enough to fill a visit for most people, unless you want to stay overnight at one of the park’s accommodation options.

How to Get to Nijigen no Mori

This is one of the biggest questions, as Nijigen no Mori is literally located on an island. Luckily, getting there isn’t as complicated as you might think. The easiest way is to take a highway bus directly to the theme park from Osaka or Kobe. There are routes that pick up from Kansai International Airport (3 hours), Kobe-Sannomiya Bus Terminal (1 hour), and Osaka-Namba Station (1 hour 45 minutes).

What’s a little confusing is that there are multiple express bus operators, so you can’t just check one timetable to know all the options. That being said, I find the JR West Bus Company timetable or checking Google Maps to be the most useful for up-to-date timetables. The most frequent buses run from Kobe-Sannomiya Bus Terminal (approximately twice an hour) and cost ¥950 one-way, whereas Osaka buses only run a few times throughout the whole day.

You should also know that some buses will drop you off right by the park entrance at the “Highway Paradise” stop, whilst others finish a little farther away at Awaji IC (Awaji Interchange). Luckily, Nijigen no Mori has a free shuttle bus that can take you between there and the park. 

To make the day as easy as possible, there are quite a few companies and bus operators who sell park and bus combo tickets. This means you have an outward and return bus ticket reserved in advance, so you don’t have to worry about sorting it out on the day. I can personally recommend this option, as the regular buses don’t run late at all, and you don’t want to end up stranded at the park. 

What are the Nijigen no Mori Attractions in 2026?

Nijigen no Mori has a mix of permanent and rotating attractions, with new collaborations being announced most years. Each offers quite a different experience, appealing to a variety of age groups and fan bases, essentially meaning there’s pretty much something for everyone. Here’s the current 2026 lineup:

Dragon Quest Island

This is probably the largest attraction (and my favourite). The best way to describe it is as an outdoor escape room that brings Dragon Quest into the real world. You start by getting a token, which you tap against interactive screens throughout the adventure. You make your character, then receive a quest, just like in the game.

What’s cool is that not everyone is given the same quest, so you’re not following a line of people working their way through the exact same clues at the same time as you are. This also means that, in theory, you could go back and have a different experience. The quests involve things like finding the right characters, getting armour, earning gold, and of course, fighting monsters. At the end, you face the final boss, which is a super cool interactive experience in itself.

Light Ticket

Adults: ¥3,400 (~$22)

Children Under 12: ¥1,800 (~$12)

This is the standard ticket, which includes admission to the attraction and the main quest. Nijigen no Mori advises that the main quest alone takes between 90 minutes and 2 hours to complete, so you still get a lot for your money, even with the light ticket.

Gold Ticket

Adults: ¥5,400 (~$35)

Children Under 12: ¥3,100 (~$20)

With the gold ticket, you get a side quest in addition to the Dragon Quest Island admission and main quest. For me, the side quest added about 30 minutes to an hour to my total time, so you are getting a good amount of extra experiencefor the price. It isn’t anything hugely different from the main quest, but if you love Dragon Quest, or want to spend more of your day at this attraction vs multiple other attractions, then I think the extra cost is worth it.

Premium Ticket

Adults: ¥12,400 (~$80)

Children Under 12: ¥10,800 (~$70)

The premium ticket is a big price jump, but there’s a reason for it…it includes special edition merch. You get the admission, main quest, and side quest, and a choice between two different merch bundles (called “patterns”). You get either Loto’s shield backpack, an adventure book cover, and a neck strap, or a Dragon Quest Onion King plush backpack.

Godzilla Interception Operation

If you’ve seen any photos of Nijigen no Mori, I’m willing to bet they were of the Godzilla Interception Operation. It’s basically one long zipline straight into Godzilla’s mouth, and yes, it’s as cool as it sounds. The attraction is quite a bit shorter than a lot of the other ones in the park, but I have to say, it is probably the most iconic.

There are actually two zipline options for the attraction: the famous zipline directly into the mouth of Godzilla, which is cooler but lower, or a higher zipline that goes past and over him. After, there’s a shooting experience where you shoot at Godzilla’s cells to keep him immobilised, and some add-on experiences for the higher ticket tiers, like entry to a Godzilla museum and a painting workshop.

As this is a zipline, there are a few specifications to know about in advance. It is child-friendly, but children do have to be 5 years old or older, and over 120cm tall to ride. There are also weight limitations, with riders needing to be between 25kg and 110kg.

Light Ticket

Adults: ¥2,800 (~$18)

Children Under 12: ¥1,800 (~$12)

The light ticket covers just the zipline and shooting experience, but none of the other bonus bits. To be honest, I think this is the best option, as unless you’re a big fan of the franchise (or interested in the crafting), most people are just there for the zipline.

Gold Ticket

Adults: ¥4,800 (~$31)

Children Under 12: ¥3,100 (~$20)

For the gold ticket, you’re also getting access to quite a few bonus bits like the Godzilla Museum, Awajishima Special Effects Studio, and an AR game. With all the extra experiences, it is worth the cost, but only if you’re really excited to spend a lot more time in the world of Godzilla.

Premium Ticket

Adults: ¥11,300 (~$74)

Children Under 12: ¥9,600 (~$62)

With the premium ticket comes some more special edition merch. In addition to all the light and gold ticket experiences, you get a Godzilla plush backpack to take home.

VIP Journey Pass

Adults: ¥30,200 (~$200)

Children Under 12: ¥28,600 (~$185)

The VIP pass is in a whole tier of its own. You get everything in the light and gold ticket, as well as the Godzilla backpack, a limited edition Godzilla Sukajan jacket (whilst stocks last), and an original Godzilla Interception Operation postcard. You also get unlimited zipline rides, which feels correct considering the monumental price tag of the ticket.

Naruto and Boruto Shinobi-Zato

The Naruto and Boruto Shinobi Village is a little different. Instead of being just one attraction, it’s a whole area with multiple adventures and experiences available within it. The main events are the scroll missions, but there’s also a ramen restaurant, a souvenir shop, and a cool night illumination projection, all of which are only accessible with an area admission ticket. Just be careful: after you leave the area, you won’t be allowed back in.

In terms of the “missions”, there’s the Heavenly Scroll experience and the Earthly Scroll experience. They’re both puzzle-solving quests that are very kid- and teen-friendly. I preferred the Earthly Scroll, which involved solving a series of puzzles through the village with lots of cool photo ops and a nice, relaxed pace. You also get collectable character cards as a reward for completing the missions, which I thought was pretty cool.

The Heavenly Scroll is a bit more involved, but probably the more fun option for kids. You go through a multi-level maze to collect stamps, using ninja hand signs to open boxes and unlock doors. Some of the spaces require bending or climbing, and for adults, it might feel a little claustrophobic at times. Don’t worry, it’s nothing too crazy, but definitely something to keep in mind!

If you have one of the higher-tier tickets, you can also do the special mission, which is a sequel or follow-up to the Earthly Scroll. If you solve the mystery correctly, you’ll get a reward souvenir to take home. From Feb 2nd, 2026, there’s also the very cool night illumination show in Shinobi Village. It runs at 6:30, 7:00, and 7:30pm and lasts about 15 minutes.

Light Ticket

Adults: ¥3,300 (~$21)

Children Under 12: ¥1,800 (~$12)

Once again, the light ticket is the standard entry pass for Naruto and Boruto Shinobi-Zato. It includes one-time admission to the area, both the Heavenly and Earthly Scroll experiences, and the night illumination.

Gold Ticket

Adults: ¥4,800 (~$31)

Children Under 12: ¥3,100 (~$20)

The gold ticket has everything the light ticket offers, as well as the extra special mission, Earth Scroll Garden. I didn’t experience it myself, but I have heard it’s a lot of fun, with some people preferring it to the Heavenly Scroll experience. It adds an extra 30-45 minutes of content, so if you have the time and love Naruto, I think it’ll be worth it for you.

Premium Ticket

Adults: ¥11,300 (~$74)

Children Under 12: ¥10,100 (~$65)

The premium ticket has access to all three of the “missions”, with the extra selling point of the special edition Hermit Mode backpack merch.

Gaara Premium Ticket

Adults: ¥12,700 (~$83)

Children Under 12: ¥11,500 (~$75)

This is very similar to the premium ticket, but offers a different special edition merch option. Instead of the Hermit Mode bag, this ticket gives you a Gaara’s gourd-style backpack.

VIP Journey Pass

Adults: ¥14,300 (~$93)

Children Under 12: ¥13,100 (~$85)

The Shinobi Village VIP Journey Pass doesn’t really offer any special VIP perks, but it does give you one extra piece of merch. With the ticket, you get area admission, all three “missions”, either the Hermit Mode backpack or the Gaara gourd-style bag, and then a special novelty giant sticker.

Crayon Shin-Chan Adventure Park

If you’re visiting Nijigen no Mori with kids, then you absolutely have to visit Crayon Shin-chan Adventure Park. The area is made specifically for children of all ages, consisting of treetop athletics courses, playgrounds, a zipline, and adventure areas to run around and explore.

The highlight of the adventure park is the treetop athletics course, where you get harnessed in and work through the wooden fortress in the sky. There are four difficulty levels to cover children (and adults), and the course is safe for even little ones aged two and up. The lowest course is just 1m above ground, and the highest is 8m and takes about 30 minutes to complete. The zipline is also pretty popular, with a 220m and 140m option, although you need a gold ticket or higher to ride it.

Light Ticket

Adults: ¥3,500 (~$23)

Children Under 12: ¥1,800 (~$12)

At Crayon Shin-chan Adventure Park, the light ticket only gives you access to the treetop athletics course. That means you can’t do the zipline or access the various playground areas.

Gold Ticket

Adults: ¥5,600 (~$36)

Children Under 12: ¥3,700 (~$24)

This would be my recommendation for the Crayon Shin-chan area. The gold ticket includes the athletics course, but also one ride on the zipline and all other parts of the area. This means you and your little ones will have many more spaces to run around, explore and take your time in the area from 45 minutes to a couple of hours.

Premium Ticket

Adults: ¥7,200 (~$47)

Children Under 12: ¥4,700 (~$30)

For the premium ticket, you get everything in the gold ticket, but instead of just one zip line ride, you get unlimited. You also get the puzzle-solving game at Mori’s Laboratory. This is a limited-time element that might change in the future.

Attack on Titan x Nijigen No Mori Collaboration Event

The Attack on Titan attraction is a limited-time collaboration running from March 14th 2026, to December 13th 2026. It’s a night walk experience that’s only open between 6:30 and 10pm, and takes you on a 1.2km long walk through an illuminated forest. There’s going to be lots of cool visuals and effects, and at the end, you even receive a small novelty souvenir.

Be aware that the walk does involve stairs and some uneven ground, and although it isn’t scary, the dark and flickering lights might be a little spooky for some guests.

Entry

Adults: ¥3,600 (~$23)

Children Under 12: ¥1,600 (~$10)

Stamp Rally Add-On: ¥800 (~$5)

Complete Your Anime-Themed Japan Trip

Love all things anime and otaku? We have great news: there are so many more otaku activities to experience in Japan. Here are just a few of our favourite otaku-approved Japan activities:

• Ghibli Museum
• Kyoto International Manga Museum
• Universal Studios Osaka
• Akihabara in Tokyo
• DenDen Town in Osaka

Or, consider taking an otaku-themed tour of Tokyo to see all the best anime spots in real life!

Nijigen No Mori FAQs