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

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

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
Gift Shop at Western Village, a mannequin lies face-up on the concrete floor, one arm raised as if reaching for something.
Gift Shop
Games at Western Village, coin-operated amusement rides line both sides of a low-ceilinged arcade hall.
Games
Bank at Western Village, a timber counter runs the width of the frame, its surface worn to a dull grey.
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
Stageplay at Western Village, animatronic cowboys sit around a checkered tablecloth inside a timber saloon set.
Stageplay
Dining Hall at Western Village, hundreds of chairs still stacked on tables for cleaning like they were when the theme park.
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
Sheriffs' Office at Western Village, the sheriff, kicking back after a long existence of not doing anything, ever.
Sheriffs' Office
04 ABOUT THE PRINTS

How they’re made

Paper

Ilford Galerie Smooth Cotton Rag 310 gsm. Metallic Gloss 260 gsm for acrylic-mounted prints.

Sizes

Five sizes, XS to XL, from $100. Open editions in XS and S, limited editions in M, L and XL.

Print tiers →

Production

Made to order in 5 to 10 business days.