The Retro Boom Driving Crowds to Musashi no Mura

Family Land on the Green Musashi no Mura, most commonly just called Musashi no Mura, is a retro children's amusement park in Kazo City, Saitama. When my children were small, every third year, their kindergarten's school outing was to this park. It was fun with them as toddlers, but undeniably old in both appearance and functionality. I never really had the desire to visit outside of the obligatory school trips.

That is why I was surprised when my sixth-grade daughter recently asked me to take her there. As it turns out, Musashi no Mura has become something of a social media hit, attracting visitors looking for a retro amusement park experience. My daughter does not have a smartphone, but she occasionally watches videos with a friend. After seeing several reels and YouTube videos filmed at the park, the two of them suddenly decided they wanted to go.

Clearly, they were not the only ones. When I first took them during Golden Week, on the Tuesday public holiday, we could not even get through the gate because of the crowds. It was the first sunny day of the holiday period, which undoubtedly boosted attendance, but according to several sources, including a staff member, the park has seen a significant increase in visitors this year.

That same staff member kindly suggested we return the following day, when rain was forecast and visitor numbers were expected to be lower. As it happened, the advice was spot on. The girls got into the park without any trouble, while I spent a few hours exploring the surrounding area. Later, though, I received a phone call telling me that the worsening weather had forced the park to close most of its rides. Thankfully, they still managed about four hours of retro fun before the rain put a dampener on the day.