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Inside creepy Japanese Wild West theme park left abandoned for almost 20 years

The Wild West-themed theme park closed in 2007 and has been left to rot ever since. Incredible pictures posted on Reddit show the eerie remains of the once-popular attraction

[View of a leather boot in stirrups on a horse while riding.]

The wild west-themed park closed in 2007 (stock image)(Image: Getty Images)

For more than 30 years families flocked to a Wild West-themed theme park, with saloons, shooting ranges, and cowboys and outlaws roaming the streets. Today the attraction lies abandoned, with rotting saloons and creepy bedraggled mannequins standing as a reminder of what once was.

Photos posted on Reddit show what remains of the Japanese theme park, which opened in the 1970s, but closed in 2007, and has been left to rot ever since. The eerie pictures show decaying saloons and shooting ranges, as well as a replica of Mount Rushmore, giving an uncanny peek into the Wild West through the lens of Japan.

Unsettling mannequins in ragged clothes can also be seen dotted throughout the site - one, left leaning against a decaying wagon, has even been stripped back to expose what appear to be robotic parts underneath.

Many commenters were quick to point out parallels to the HBO show Westworld, as well as the 1973 film of the same name starring Yul Brynner, which depicted a Western-themed theme park populated by robots, who rebelled against their human makers.

In a reply to one commenter asking for more information, the person who posted the images wrote: "The owner was fascinated by the American culture so he opened the park in the 70s. It was popular for a while but the visitor count decreased in the early 2000s and the maintenance costs got too high which forced him to close it in 2007."

The pictures show the site being gradually taken back by nature, with bushes growing up walls and vines hanging down from ceilings. Faded words on the side of one building read 'MYSTERY SHOCK'.

Pictures inside some of the buildings show ceilings having fallen in, with debris strewn around.

One unsettling picture shows three furry four-legged creatures large enough for a child to sit on, with the plush fur stripped back to expose robotic parts underneath. Another, taken outside, shows the alarming sight of a life-size model of a buffalo leaping out of greenery.

According to information on atlasobscura.com, the park was known as Western Village, and lies just a few kilometres from the mountain city of Nikko, north of Tokyo.

The site read: "Apart from a classic Main Street straight out of a John Ford picture, the place features a replica of Mount Rushmore, a general store, barbershop, church, sheriffs station with prison as well as a saloon chock-full of villainous characters, which used to be a shooting range.

"As if the setting wouldnt be eerie enough, it is made even more unreal by the big number of robots, which populate every corner of the park, seemingly poised to break into movement every second. Apart from typical movie-trope characters, these include figures with the features of John Wayne and Clint Eastwood.

"Due to its location in the peaceful little suburb of Shin-Takatoku, which itself seems to be stuck in time, it is unlikely that developers move in any time soon, hopefully giving urban explorers the opportunity to examine this unusual sight for many years to come."

Users were fascinated by the images, with one writing: "I have so, sooo many questions. I don't even know where to start. However, I will say this: The place looks exactly like how I would expect someone from Japan representing the historical US west. It's freakin glorious."

Another wrote: "I really like the Mt Rushmore replica. Its interesting to see how the Japanese replicate the Wild West. Its their take on American history. Thanks for sharing."

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