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 Benesse Corporation and Namco Ltd. announced that the second Shima-Shima Town indoor amusement park for small children and their families is scheduled to open on October 24, 2002, at the Mitsukoshi department store in the Hoshigaoka neighborhood of the city of Nagoya. Built around the animated character Shima-jiro, a fun-loving tigerlike creature, the amusement park features entertaining instructional play and shows for children, with a life-size Shima-jiro as playing companion.

The opening of this amusement park is designed to capitalize on the momentum of Shima-Shima Town's successful debut last October at the Mizonokuchi Shopping Center in Kanagawa prefecture, a bedroom suburb of Tokyo. The Hoshigaoka Mitsukoshi department store was chosen for its convenient location, which is easily accessible by public transportation, and for its strategic situation near major shopping areas and a zoo that are popular with families. This will mark the first opening of a Shima-Shima Town in the Chukyo region.

The first Shima-Shima Town in Mizonokuchi attracted more than 100,000 visitors in its first six months along with overwhelming positive reactions, typified by such comments as "We want to come back soon," and "We had so much fun." Benesse and Namco anticipate a similar reception for the second Shima-Shima Town in Hoshigaoka, aiming to attract 200,000 visitors annually and achieve annual sales of 160 million yen. The two companies also plan to explore opportunities for opening more Shima-Shima Towns in other areas in Japan.


[Sketch of Shima-Shima Town at Hoshigaoka Mitsukoshi]

Address: Nagoya Hoshigaoka Mitsukoshi department store, 5th floor, 14-14 Hoshigaoka Motomachi, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya, Aichi

Area: 403.59 square meters

Major attractions:
1) Shima-jiro's house: Children visit their favorite character, Shima-jiro, in his home.
2) Shima-jiro's shopping center: Children play "shopping" in this world of the imagination.
3) Performance space: Shima-jiro sings and dances with children during regularly scheduled performances. Between performances, children can play on their own in the space, which is equipped with toys and games.
4) Challenge Beach: This area is designed for physical exercise, targeting 3- and 4-year-old children. A large "ball-shape swimming pool" is surrounded by simulated forest, field and sea.
5) Shima-Shima Park: This playground inside the Challenge Beach is provided for younger children, between the ages of 1 and 2.
6) Souvenir shop: Various Shima-jiro goods are sold here.

Admission fee to the park:
400 yen per child for the first half-hour and 200 yen for each additional 15 minutes; 200 yen for an accompanying adult for the first half-hour and 100 yen for each additional 15 minutes.