Tivoli Gardens Opens Hikari, a Japanese-Themed Zone in Copenhagen
Tivoli Gardens in Copenhagen has unveiled Hikari, a 2,000 sq m area themed around Japan, marking its most significant investment in almost 200 years. Situated under the Dæmon rollercoaster, this new zone replaces a less frequented Asian-themed section. CEO Susanne Mørch Koch emphasized that the renovation tells a story of Japan's modern culture. Hikari features a konbini store, an onigiri shop called Comé Rice Kitchen, Pokémon vending machines, and a taiyaki stall, along with a sculpture by Takashi Murakami. New attractions include The Typhoon's Eye and Hotel Hikari. Over five years, the project, costing more than €10m, used 60 tonnes of ceramic tiles from Japan. Mørch Koch mentioned that 65% of visitors are Danish, and Japanese consultants were engaged to mitigate cultural appropriation issues.
Key facts
- Tivoli Gardens opened Hikari, a Japanese-themed zone, in mid-August.
- Hikari is located in a 2,000 sq m area beneath the Dæmon rollercoaster.
- The zone includes a konbini store, a Comé Rice Kitchen branch, vending machines with Pokémon figures, and a taiyaki stall.
- An original Takashi Murakami sculpture is featured in Hikari.
- Sixty tonnes of ceramic tiles were imported from Japan for the construction.
- The project took over five years to develop.
- The budget was described as 'three-digit million kroner' (€10m-plus).
- Tivoli Gardens first opened in 1843 and is limited to 80,000 sq m due to surrounding roads and the Central Station.
Entities
Artists
- Takashi Murakami
Institutions
- Tivoli Gardens
- Comé Rice Kitchen
- Monocle
Locations
- Copenhagen
- Denmark
- Japan
- Shibuya
Sources
- Monocle —