Verandah at Western Village, a weathered timber verandah runs along a western-style clapboard building.

01 Western VillageNikko2014

ISO 1001/50f/9.014mm

Series · 18 prints

Western Village

Photographed 2014
Frames 18
Camera NIKON D810
Location Tochigi, Japan
Status Abandoned; partially cleared
Years 1973 to 2006
Specs Approximately 15,000 m² (unverified) · One-third scale Mount Rushmore replica · Three zones: Western Land, Event Plaza, American Dream Land
01 ABOUT THIS SERIES

Series story

Map · Mapbox · OpenStreetMap

Western Village began life in the early 1970s as Kinugawa Ranch, a family-owned country camp near Nikkō in Tochigi Prefecture. In 1975 it was rebuilt as a Western American themed amusement park: replica saloon, hotel, barbershop, bank, blacksmith, sheriff's office, chapel, two haunted houses, and a "mystery shack" with slanted interiors. Animatronic figures populated the buildings; live shows included whip cracking and apple-shooting. At its peak it drew close to a million visitors a year. Continuing investment outpaced revenue; the entrance fee was cut from ¥2,400 to ¥1,500 with little effect. The creditor NIS Group filed for foreclosure in April 2007. The animatronic figures are still in place.

03 PRINTS

Prints in this series

Hand-signed and numbered, printed from the original RAW file. Open editions in the two smallest sizes; limited editions of 100, 50 and 25 in the three larger, never reissued once they sell through.

Verandah at Western Village, a weathered timber verandah runs along a western-style clapboard building.
Verandah
Souvineer Shop at Western Village, american flags hang limp from timber beams above a wide concrete floor.
Souvineer Shop
Hot Plate Tables at Western Village, rows of heavy timber-framed tables fill a low-ceilinged dining hall.
Hot Plate Tables
Wooden shelves cover the walls of the gift shop interior at Western Village. A long counter runs across the frame, its surface coated in dust. Faded display fixtures remain in place.
Gift Shop
Games at Western Village, coin-operated amusement rides line both sides of a low-ceilinged arcade hall.
Games
A bank interior with a caged teller's counter filmed in dust at Western Village. The animatronic town banker remains behind the counter, weighing prop gold bars. Forgotten ledgers rest on the surface, undisturbed.
Bank
Post Office at Western Village, a wax figure sits at a timber desk inside a small post office recreation.
Post Office
Barber at Western Village, weeds push up through the timber floorboards in the barber shop.
Barber
Pool Table at Western Village, what appears to ba a slanted pool table is perfectly level.
Pool Table
Saloon at Western Village, the bartender of the Western Village saloon stands behind the dimly lit bar.
Saloon
Honky-Tonk at Western Village, a grandfather clock and piano on the honky-tonk of the saloon.
Honky-Tonk
Downtown at Western Village, weeds push through the walkway between rows of wild western themed buildings.
Downtown
Arcade at Western Village, rows of multiplayer arcade machines left behind amongst a floor covered in shattered glass.
Arcade
A second saloon interior fitted out with animatronic characters, faded backdrops still hanging in position at Western Village. Scattered props remain across the floor. Dust coats the surfaces.
Stageplay
Hundreds of chairs remain stacked on the tables across a large interior floor at Western Village. Natural light enters through broken windows along one wall. Dust is visible in the light.
Dining Hall
Chapel at Western Village, because it just isn't church without a television and cigarette machine.
Chapel
Rodeo Coffee Shop at Western Village, a wheelchair sits on an overgrown lawn in front of the coffee shop.
Rodeo Coffee Shop
A weathered timber Sheriffs' Office facade with dusty windows at Western Village in Nikko, Japan, photographed in 2014.
Sheriffs' Office
04 ABOUT THE PRINTS

How they’re made

Made to order by Brett in Sydney, from the original RAW file. Each print is hand-signed and numbered before it ships.

Paper

Ilford Galerie cotton rag, 310 gsm. Acrylic on metallic gloss, 260 gsm.

Editions

Open in XS and S. Limited in M (100), L (50), XL (25). From $100.

Print tiers →

Lead time

Unframed: 5 to 10 business days. Framed and acrylic: 10 to 20.

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