Ah, summer: a time for ice cream trucks, fresh cut grass, and now, lounging poolside with the world’s largest rodent! If you’re going to be in Japan this July and you have a soft spot for capybaras, Shizuoka Prefecture’s Izu Shaboten Park is opening a new attraction to let visitors get wet and wild with one of the weirdest animals.
Hailing originally from South America, capybaras have been a huge attraction at the Park for over 30 years. Since 1982, Izu Shaboten has lured visitors with the promise of 4-foot long rodents blissfully bathing in hot springs, but now that experience is about to become interactive and a billion times better! Here’s a video of capybaras relaxing in the Park from 2012:
Starting July 19th, the Park will be opening Capybara Rainbow Plaza, where visitors can hang out and play in the water with the rodents. In the winter the Rainbow Plaza will also have a heated fountain, so people can try out one of the hot baths for themselves.
Rocket News 24 says the continuing popularity of Izu Shaboten may be related to Kapibara-san, a character that was:
inspired by the real-life Capybara, an impressive animal so calm and peaceful that it’s known to fall asleep while adoring humans are petting it […] In the world of KAPI•BARA•SAN, everyone enjoys playing, eating, and sleeping. With no pressured agendas or mandatory assignments, these easygoing characters proceed through life at their own pace.
Four capybara babies were born at the Park this year, so any visitors are guaranteed cute encounters. Giant tortoises and turkeys are also rumored to also be making an appearance at Rainbow Plaza, so, yes…I think this is something Team Geekosystem is going to have to budget for.
(via Rocket News 24, image via Izu Shaboten and Kapibara-san)
- Here’s a capybara enjoying a nice, hot soak
- Japan also has a very cute way of keeping its cats cool
- New study says giant ancient sloths were aquatic
