KidZania, edutainment “cities” where kids can role-play professions, opened KidZania Fukuoka on July 31, 2022. The third KidZania City in Japan joins KidZania Tokyo (2006) and KidZania Koshien (2009) in their aim to “empower children to get ready to create a better world.”
KidZania Fukuoka is touted as the first KidZania facility that has fully implemented the KidZania 5.0 model, with the objective of KidZania 5.0 to excel in terms of sustainability and showcase the world as it could be. Xavier Lopez Ancona, CEO & Founder of KidZania, said, “KidZania Fukuoka will be our first facility to open with the fully implemented 5.0 model and it will pave the way for other KidZania Cities to join this important mission.”
With more than 60 role-playing establishments, the facility located at Lalaport Fukuoka shopping center will put special emphasis on integrating the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as part of its content, while also offering new educational value-added activities.
To celebrate this important milestone for the company, several events were conducted. Maintaining social distancing and the highest safety and hygiene measures, KidZania Fukuoka hosted a moving foundation ceremony, where children had the stellar role. Presiding at the event were Mrs. Melba Pria, Mexico’s Ambassador in Japan; Mr. Inoue Takahiro, Member of Fukuoka’s House of Representatives; Mr. Michinari Tsumuraya, Director of KidZania Fukuoka; and Mr. Xavier Lopez Ancona, CEO of KidZania.
The next day, special guests participated at a Shinto praying ceremony to thank for the completion of KidZania Fukuoka, and to ask for a blessed, safe and secure future for this new KidZania facility. KidZania Fukuoka has a footprint of over 43,000 square feet, a total construction of almost 73,000 square feet and expects an annual attendance of 320,000 visitors.
