Space World Frozen Fish Ice Rink

[SharkTums]

Did anyone else see this news? Slightly crazy, but not surprising. Actually, what's surprising is that there was such a public outcry in Japan where they normally don't care about seafood animals!

 

http://www.cnn.com/2016/11/28/asia/japan-frozen-fish-rink-trnd/

 

Japan's 'Space World' apologizes for freezing 5,000 fish in skating rink

 

A Japanese theme park which froze 5,000 sea creatures into the floor of an ice rink was forced to close the attraction on Sunday after a public backlash.

 

Fish, crabs and other shellfish were embedded in the ice as part of a special winter attraction, called "Freezing Port," at Japan's Space World theme park.

The park advertised it as a "world first" and posted images of the fish on its official Facebook site with captions including "I am d... d... drowning, s ... s... suffocating."

Space World manager Toshimi Takeda told CNN Monday the reaction on social media had been brutal once news of the attraction was broadcast on local television.

"We were shocked to hear the reaction as the ice skate rink was very popular since it opened two weeks ago, we had an unprecedented number of visitors," he said.

"(But) we had endless opinions about the project, we were shocked ... We are sorry for the project and decided to close the rink on that night."

Takeda told CNN the park would unfreeze the skate rink to remove the fish, hold an "appropriate religious service" and then reuse them as fertilizer.

He added the fish were purchased at a local fish market, and were dead before they were frozen.

 

After news of the "Freezing Port" attraction broke on Saturday, the response on social media was swift.

"Why is it fun to skate over the frozen?" a Japanese Facebook page called Relief Pain Animals said. "It is shocking that this kind of idea was taken up normally in Japan ... This is the worst attraction educationally."

Other regular social media users voiced their fury at the park's new attraction. "This really makes me upset. Do you think children are happy to see this fish in skate rink?" Miura Tsubasa commented.

"You have no soul to plan such an event to begin with," another user called Misaki said.

In a statement, Space World said it apologized for those who found the ice rink "uncomfortable."

"Therefore we will cancel the event of the Ice Museum from today," the statement said.

All Space World Facebook posts around the attraction have been deleted.

 

[viking86]

Yup, made it to all the newspapers here in Norway. Definitely weird news, but on the other hand not really that surprising given which country the news is coming from.

[cookiex]

Even if the fish were already dead before they froze them, that's still pretty disturbing to look at. I wouldn't go near that thing myself.

[SteelForceless]

Only in Japan! Well, not anymore...

[tomtom]

Seems like it could have been a pretty cool idea. Especially since those fish will probably just get thrown out now.

[805Andrew]

At least the fish were already dead when they were frozen into the ice skating rink. It's definetely a bit bizarre but I kind of expect that for Japan. Had they used plastic fish and crab molds instead (kind of like the sushi and food molds they use for restaurant displays) I'd have a feeling this ice rink would still be around and not have much complaints (as long as the public knew the fish were fake).

 

Seems like it could have been a pretty cool idea. Especially since those fish will probably just get thrown out now.

According to the article, the fish will be used as fertilizer. While is seems sad that fish will be turned into fertilizer it probably wouldn't be good for human consumption at this point, and that's better than just being thrown away in the trash which is probably what would have happened if this were in the US.

[gerstlaueringvar]

Not really surprised. RIP Dory.

[cfc]

Hmm--this should win a Golden Ticket for "Oddest Theme Park Attraction"; that is, if they had such a category.

[robbalvey]

At least the fish were already dead when they were frozen into the ice skating rink.

People keep saying this but why does it matter? I walk by hundreds of dead fish at Publix every time I go to the grocery store. I don't ever think to myself "Well, at least the fish were already dead when they were put out on display to buy..."

[Password121]

I think it would've been more disturbing if they had just put live fish in a few inches of water, then proceeded to freeze the water. I think the whole "I am s... s... suffocating" thing is what set it off for me. Who enjoys joking about the painful death of animals?

[prozach626]

I just feel like the death of 5,000 sea creatures could have been put to better use, but whatever. I guess if the "leader of the free world" can praise Fidel Castro, who was responsible for the deaths of God knows how many thousands of people, then you wouldn't think an ice rink in Japan would have any issues with freezing a few thousand dead fish and purposefully using them to grow more food, later.

[Jew]

They froze seafood. Fish that were already captured and dead, so no big deal there...

 

I'm just confused as to why this was thought to be a good idea even by Japan standards...I mean, if they don't maintain the nice, the skate blades would eventually be cutting open fish guts....

[Nrthwnd]

^ I had the feeling they hadn't quite "filled" the rink, covering all the fish, just yet.

 

Or maybe all the fish formed a giant ice maze on the "floor" of the rink. Huh?

 

Wow this, and that video ad for Wonder Rakentuchi's SPAmusment park just keeps

making Japan more insanely AWESOME to me, LOL!

Imagine THIS with fish as your 'guide.' (o:

[Xmeister]

For me the only things that seem like they could be offensive were the captions joking about suffocating and drowning. I think that the actual rink itself was beautiful. What a creative idea! It was a unique way to showcase sea life that would've otherwise been eaten. Instead of being destined for someone's intestines, scores of people were able to view the beauty of these creatures.

[Ccron10]

It sounds like this ice rink might have been one last grasp to attract visitors to the park. From what I can roughly make out of this, it sounds like Space World might be permanently closing at the end of next year.

http://headlines.yahoo.co.jp/hl?a=20161216-00010009-nishinp-soci

 

Space world in Kitakyushu, closed reasons for management difficulties, the end of 2017

 

The theme park "Space World" located in Higashida district of Yahata Higashi-ku, Kitakyushu city, was closed on the end of December 2017, it was learned at the interview of the West Japan newspaper on the 16th. Management difficulty seems to be the reason. The garden announces it on the homepage even the same afternoon. It opened in 1990 to the idle land of Nippon Steel Yawata Ironworks (now · Nippon Steel Sumikin Yahata Ironworks) and was one of the theme parks representing Kyushu, the curtain closes for more than a quarter century from the start of business It will be.

 

Half of all regular employees who had over 100 people

With a total area of ​​240 thousand square meters Yahoo! Ou Dome (Fukuoka city) Three or more zoo gardens will spend about 30 billion yen, opening as a leisure facility on the theme of the universe on April 22, 1990. Large attractions called "space science learning facilities" and "screaming machines" gained popularity, and in 1997 at the peak time, the number of visitors of 2.16 million people per year was recorded. An adult ceremony in Kitakyushu City was also held since 1998.

 

After that, due to intensified competition with other theme parks, customers gradually passed away, and Nippon Steel of the parent company applied for application of the civil rehabilitation law in May 2005. In July of that year, we transferred the business to Kamiomori tourism (Sapporo city), and the company has continued to operate.

 

In the spring of 2008, Kamori tourism lowers annual free pass of 10 4700 yen for adults by 5,000 yen or more. In order to drastically improve the profit structure, we cut all regular employees who were over 100 people in half. We have been preparing a series of nearly 2 billion yen over the winter ice rink and pool in the summer to improve the ability to attract customers. The number of visitors in fiscal year 12 was approximately 1.64 million. In recent years the number of visitors has not been disclosed.

 

In November this year, criticism such as "cruel" etc on the Internet plans to skate the skate link which made 5,000 fish and the like ice picked up to visitors was stopped one after another.

 

The company says "I would like to refrain from answering now".

Get your rides in on the Arrow hyper, Intamin, and Maurer while you still can, I guess.

[Nrthwnd]

^

 

then

 

 

I liked Space World. It was crazy fun.

TPR 2011 Japan Tour. My last visit there. )o:

Maybe Chris can get a good deal on "the Shuttle" there. (o;

TPR 2007 Japan Tour. Or was that Shane? No, with Shane, it

was about Japanese ATMs... or something like that.

[Rill'o'beily]

If it indeed closes I hope the fantastic maurer finds a new home.

[Gutterflower]

Damn I've suspected this has been coming for a while ever since someone mentioned Venus and Zaturn were put up for sale over the summer. Always a park I've wanted to make it to and visit but have never managed.

[SharkTums]

This is sad to read as I really have enjoyed space world on all of our visits. That being said, we've been going to this park since 2005 and I don't think I've ever seen more than 150 people in the park.

[gerstlaueringvar]

It's such a nice park and you can definitley see the effort they put in there to improve guest experiences. Very sad to say goodbye to one of the most funky places I've been to. Hope all the good rides will find their new homes.

[Mrlittle]

Oh man, that's sad to hear. I really enjoyed the park and it's catchy theme song.

[cal1br3tto]

Wow! Very fun, memorable park for me. Happily went there twice, in fact!

[KBrylczyk]

I had a fantastic day at Space World in 2015 even with is being rainy all day. That being said, there are only two rides that need to be saved -

 

1 - Twin Mercury Adventure Cruise. Best damn flume ride on earth.

2 - Black Hole Scramble. It's not big, it's not fast, but holy crap is it weird and should be protected.

 

I'm just confused as to why this was thought to be a good idea even by Japan standards...I mean, if they don't maintain the nice, the skate blades would eventually be cutting open fish guts....

 

Clearly you need to watch more Japanese porn.

[gerstlaueringvar]

Wow! Very fun, memorable park for me. Happily went there twice, in fact!

That revisit saved all of us from a much bigger shame now that the park will be gone.

 

^That log flume really surprised me with the helix. And I also think the river rapids is one of the best I've ridden. Space World is full of hidden gems.

[coasterbill]

Apparently a radio prep service just now got a hold of this story because no less than 3 radio stations are acting as if they "Just stumbled across a crazy story from a Japanese theme park". We should be hearing about it ad nauseum over the next few days across the U.S.