A lot of older people complain that the younger generation spends far too much time on their Z-Boxes and Nintendo Wee-Wees.  It’s not hard to imagine why when younger people are presented with fantasy worlds full of castles and dungeons they aren’t too keen to go to the farmer’s market.

Finally, Sagami Lake Resort is doing something about it by adding two colossal real world attractions to tempt kids to give their thumbs a rest and take their legs out for a spin instead.

Sagami Lake’s Pleasure Forest has two new attractions set to open this summer which looks fit to please all ages.

Trick Fort

Trick Fort is a five-story 900 square-meter cubic maze unlike any the world has ever made before.  The completely enclosed structure challenges your sense of direction as well as your equilibrium while you make your way towards the goal.  Obviously with the name Trick Fort you can expect some surprises along the way the illustration in the press release suggests ninja involvement.

There are an Adventure Course and Challenge Course to choose from and add replay value to the whole experience.  Each course is said to take on average 30 minutes to complete.  Admission is 400 yen (US$5) and the building is set to open 21 July.

Tengu Dojo

For those not familiar, a Tengu is a kind of magical birdlike person with a long nose who is neither completely evil nor good.  They tend to come off as jerks in a lot of stories though.

In Tengu Dojo you learn to move along the tree tops like a Tengu – at least as much as possible without landing Sagami Lake Resort in litigious hot water.  You are tethered to a circuit of ropes and logs with a safety harness and fitted with what appears to be a yellow hard hat.

Considering it’s all suspended up to 8 meters in the air and has three levels of difficulty it looks like it’ll turn out pretty cool.  It’s hard to tell from the artist’s interpretation on the press release though as they seem to think 8 meters would reach above the clouds.

Opening at the same time as Trick Fort, Tengu Dojo will cost from 800 yen (US$10) to 1500 yen (US$19) depending on age and course difficulty.  This is also expected to take 30 minutes.

It’s nice to see some attractions that get kids enjoying nature more. If I did I might not have asthma, five kinds of allergies, and these darn rickets.

Trick Fort Press Release (Japanese)

Tengu Dojo Press Release (Japanese)

It looks like Sagami Lake might have some smog issues.