Who says Kyushu’s all nature?
If you’re looking for something exciting to do in Kyushu, we recommend the newly-opened attraction — Jurassic Island.
Located in Sasebo City in Nagasaki prefecture, this outdoor AR experience lets you hunt dinosaurs with an augmented reality gun.
Armed with your blaster, you’ll trek across a real island to track down carnivorous dinos and uncover a hidden treasure chest.
How to enter Jurassic Island in Kyushu?
If it’s your first time in Kyushu, specifically Sasebo City, you might be a little confused about how to get to Jurassic Island. It’s not an attraction on its own, but rather a newly-opened zone in Huis Ten Bosch, a Netherland-themed theme park in Sasebo.
Hence, to enter Jurassic Island, you have to get an admission ticket to Huis Ten Bosch.
If you’re only interested in the Jurassic Island attraction, you can simply get the more affordable “After 3pm” pass instead of a 1-Day Pass, that is priced at ¥5,900 per adult, and from ¥3,000 per child.
But, the catch is that the Huis Ten Bosch ticket does not guarantee entry into Jurassic Island. You’d have to head down to Marina Terminal, which is outside one of the entry points of the theme park, to reserve your spot.
We went there at 12pm to reserve our slot for 1:30pm, and had lunch at Red Lobster right beside.
If you’re visiting during non-peak months like we are, you’re likely able to get a spot at the last minute.
However, if you’re visiting at busy periods, head down in advance as there are only three time slots per day, with about 60 participants per slot.
So, should you get the 1-day pass or After 3pm pass?
Personally, I do think that Huis Ten Bosch is worth a whole day if your itinerary allows for it.
What’s there to do in Huis Ten Bosch?
Huis Ten Bosch is one of the most enchanting theme park, even more so than Disneyland in my opinion. It’s really as if you’re transported to Netherlands, with its realistic windmills and sweeping canopy of flowers. Ten years ago, it was One Piece-themed and they even had a “Thousand Sunny” ship at their harbour. Right now, they’ve just revamped it into Miffy-themed.
The rides are more family-friendly. Nothing too scary, with a heavier emphasis on virtual reality games and indoor rides. Our favourite has to be the shooting range near Marina Terminal.
Location: 1-1 Huis Ten Bosch Machi, Sasebo, Nagasaki 859-3243, Japan
Opening hours: 10am-10pm (varies according to season)
Planning a trip to Japan?
- Tokyo guide – 5-days itinerary for the best things to do in Tokyo
- 3 days Osaka itinerary – 31 best things to do in Osaka
- Kyushu Itinerary – Top 10 things to do In Kyushu, Japan
- Enoshima Island day-trip guide – How to make the most of your day
- Tokyo’s boring? 5 prefectures to visit for a day trip from Tokyo
- 4 lakes in Japan for the best Mount Fuji views
