Golden
WEek 2023
Huis Ten Bosch
During Golden Week, I had the opportunity to go to Kyushu and hang out with some old friends. We did things in both Fukuoka and Nagasaki, but the highlight for me was a place I had never been before: Huis Ten Bosch, the Dutch-style theme park and popular tourist attraction.
This park was not quite like anything I’ve ever been to, and it’s a little hard to explain. It’s similar to a theme park like Disney or USJ, but forgoes the roller coasters and teacups in favor of more small-time attractions, such as VR headset “rides.” Many of the “attractions” are actually just fancy shops and restaurants with an eye-catching façade.
That may sound negative, but in the end, Huis Ten Bosch is still an interesting place to walk around and explore. The park is built around a series of canals and expertly decorated with European-style structures, including the famous windmills. Of course, there’s a flower garden as well – we didn’t go at the right time to see tulips, but it was beautiful nonetheless. In addition, there are a number of musical shows that happen at regular intervals on several different stages around the park. The taiko show was particularly exciting!
One day was enough to walk around the whole park, but there were several areas and attractions that we skipped because the lines were so long during Golden Week . I’m sure there’s much more to see and experience, and it may even be worth another trip someday!
