About a customer stratum of Asakusa Hanayashiki
Q: What type of visitors come to Hanayashiki?
Hozumi : The most numerous are families. I think about 70-80% of visitors are families.
Q: Generally, what impression do visitors have of Hanayashiki? Do they have nostalgic images?
Compared to other amusement parks, Hanayashiki has many rides that children can actually ride on. Preschool children can enter Hanayashiki without admission fee since last April. Before that, only children aged four or younger were not charged, but preschool children have also entered free of charge since then. There are many rides on which children under 12 months of age and one-year-olds can ride, who are not usually allowed to ride things in other amusement parks because they are too short in height. I have heard that children's mothers in their 30s or 40s came to Hanayashiki when they were children, and that children's grandfathers and grandmothers also bring their children to Hanayashiki, so Hanayashiki can be enjoyed by three-generation families. In that manner, grandfathers and grandmothers as well as mothers can have a nostalgic feeling, and their children also enjoy this amusement park. There are many rides on which three generations of a family can ride. Also, there are many flowers in the garden, so people can enjoy just strolling around the garden. Shows are held on the stage, so visitors can enjoy without getting on any rides.
About facilities in the park
Q: What are popular facilities in Hanayashiki?
Not surprisingly, the roller coaster is the most popular ride. The roller coaster began to operate in 1953. Visitors have to wait for as long as 2 hours to ride on the coaster during the "Golden Week" season that is the peak period in a year.
A variety of facilities, including the roller coaster, are properly set up in this small park located in the urban area. As you can see if you ride the roller coaster, at first, it goes through a building modeled after a bathhouse. Although you may sense danger, it runs along walls of buildings in the urban area, which are close enough to touch. Then, it turns left, and passes close by a facility to which you may feel it collide with. In such a way, it goes through densely built facilities, which is not found in other amusement parks. Finally, it enters a model of a private house. If you take a close look at the house, you can find that a man sits in front of a table. The roller coaster runs through scenes about which all riders feel nostalgic.
Although its maximum speed is 42 km/h, people aged 64 and younger can ride it. I have heard that an elderly couple rode the roller coaster with their grandchildren for the first time in 20 years.
Q: The number of amusement parks on rooftops of department stores has recently decreased. Will Hanayashiki substitute for those amusement parks?
I hope so. There is also a festival section where visitors can enjoy crawfish fishing and a shooting gallery in Hanayashiki. I often see grandfathers who teach their grandchildren how to shoot at the shooting gallery. (continued in the right column)
About appeals to tourists from abroad
Q: What about tourists from abroad? Also, could you tell me about your future efforts?
Now, a percentage of visitors from abroad is about 1 or 2%. I think the number of them will go on increasing. The number is about 5,000 out of a total of 552,000 visitors in fiscal year 2014. Although it is our reading, tourists from abroad often utilize group tours in which they can visit many sites in a short period of time. For example, they visit Odaiba in the morning, move to Asakusa using a water-bus, stay in Asakusa for 1-2 hours, and then visit Akihabara on their way home. Many of them do sightseeing in a tight schedule. So I think they do not have enough time to visit any amusement park. Since I have often seen tourists from abroad who take pictures of Asakusa Gate or something around it, if we appeal that they can look around Hanayashiki in about one hour, the number of visitors from abroad may increase.
Q: How long does it take to walk around Hanayashiki?
If it is a weekday, visitors can enjoy Hanayashiki fully in two hours. Also, there is "Hanayashiki-ryu Nina Taiken Dojo," so visitors can enjoy it even if they do not get on any rides. We are planning to offer some entertainments, including a hands-on course in "Ninjutsu," or skills of stealth and secrecy practiced by Ninja.
Q: When a tourist spot appears in a tourist guidebook, such as Lonely Planet, many tourists from abroad visit the spot. Do you plan to actively attract tourists from abroad in the future?
Although we began "Nina Taiken Dojo," there are many visitors who have studied a lot about Nina, and have more detailed knowledge of Ninja than me, so we think it is better for them to see actual Ninja. Also, there is "Nadeshiko" where visitors can wear kimonos and experience a tea ceremony. In connection with those attempts, we have worked under the theme "Hanayashiki Renascence," aiming to make Hanayashiki an entertainment complex. Asakusa most flourished in the Meiji and Taisho Periods. Later, other large entertainment districts, including Shinjuku, Shibuya and Harajuku, appeared, and Asakusa temporarily declined. We want to revitalize Asakusa that used to be full of fun. Although Hanayashiki is now just an amusement park, we want to turn it into an entertainment complex.
About a relation between Hanayashiki and its surrounding area
Q: There are not so many amusement parks that families can enjoy even in suburbs, aren't there?
Generally, people think of amusement parks as being built in mountains, in which they can enjoy all day long. However, Hanayashiki is located in Asakusa, so visitors can also enjoy the Asakusa area. People can enjoy Asakusa in a variety of ways. For example, they can visit Senso-ji Temple after playing in Hanayashiki. Although old movie theaters and playhouses have gradually been closed, new playhouses are built, so we hope people would comprehensively enjoy Asakusa. For example, they can visit those playhouses on their way home. We try to play a major role in reviving Asakusa.
Q: Wouldn't it be nice if tourists come to Hanayashiki after seeing Senso-ji Temple's Kaminarimon Gate?
Yes, it is. Although many people come to this area from the Nakamise shopping district, and make a U-turn after visiting the temple, the number of people who visit Hanayashiki has gradually increased. Shopping districts in this area are renovated, and all roads are paved well. The official name of Hanayashiki Street is "Hanayashiki Entertainment Street." Street performances are also carried out on the road on Saturdays and Sundays. We plan to open a Shuriken exercise hall, and turn the street in front of Hanayashiki into a street that people feel pleasant as they just walk on it. The number of stores around Hanayashiki has increased. Previously, the street was dark at night, and children might afraid of it, but now, it is illuminated, and families can comfortably walk on it (ccontinued in the next page)
Hanayashiki is a friendly amusement park in which little children can also enjoy.
Hanayashiki is a friendly amusement park in which little children can also enjoy.