Interest

Theme Park Builds One Piece's Thousand Sunny Ship

The Huis Ten Bosch theme park in the southwestern Japanese city of Sasebo will unveil a replica of the One Piece manga's Thousand Sunny pirate ship for short cruises on April 2. According to the park, this is the first recreation of the Thousand Sunny that visitors can climb aboard.

The replica will measure 30 meters (about 100 feet) long and weigh 430 tons. The ship can hold 250 people at a time as it floats in the water; the park is on Hario Island on the coast of Omura Bay. Visitors can watch the ship's GAON Cannon "fire" and pose for photos with statues of the Straw Hat Pirates on the ship's deck. They can also relax at the onboard aquarium bar and view the ship's signature soldier-dock system and other recreated details.

A ticket for the replica ship costs 1,000 yen (about US$12), or 600 yen (US$7) for young children. (Discounted prices are available for the park's annual passport holders.) Each of the seven daily cruises lasts about 20 minutes as the ship travels along the coast of Omura Bay. The ship will be part of the park's larger One Piece attraction area, which will open a restaurant and a shop next month.

The assembly at the nearby Kumamoto Prefecture discussed building a separate replica of the manga's Going Merry (Merry Go in English) ship last year; the prefecture's capital of Kumamoto City happens to be the birthplace of One Piece's creator, Eiichiro Oda. Also last year, the Laguna Gamagori marine resort complex in central Japan hosted a "One Piece Memorial Log in Lagunasia" theme park attraction.

Source: Nagasaki Shimbun

Image © Eiichiro Oda/Shueisha, Fuji TV, Toei Animation
© Huis Ten Bosch Co., Ltd.