A real-world RPG adventure at Dragon Quest Island

Walking through a real city straight out of Dragon Quest, solving quests and even encountering enemies sounds like a distant dream, right? Well, this is possible at Dragon Quest Island, in the Nijigen no Mori park!

Nijigen no Mori Park

Located on Awaji Island, Nijigen no Mori park houses several attractions aimed at otaku audiences. Among them, Dragon Quest Island is the most interesting for gamers and especially JRPG genre lovers. With explanations and texts available in Japanese and English, even foreign tourists can enjoy this experience!

Creating Your Character and Forming Your Party

As in every good RPG, it all starts with creating your own character, including appearance and class. If you go with other people, you can form groups of up to 4 participants, but if you're in a smaller group or even alone, the party is completed with random characters.


Each player receives a medal, used to interact with the world. Touching them on the area below screens allows you to talk to NPCs, on treasure chests to open them, and on enemies to attack them. It's with this medal that we talk to the first characters and receive our first mission! With it, we can finally enter the village!

Exploring the Dragon Quest Village

If you've ever played any Dragon Quest, entering the village will be a unique experience. The extreme care with which it was created is visible, maintaining impressive fidelity and full of details for fans. Probably, just like us, you'll spend a good amount of time just appreciating the scenery and taking photos before finally focusing on the mission.

Important Tip About the First Quest

Here's a warning: the first mission can be frustrating. It consists of finding 3 treasure chests with a specific symbol. Two of them are easily found, but the third is well hidden. Dragon Quest Island was made to be interactive, so remember that curtains can be lifted, cabinets can be opened, and certain parts of the scenery can be dragged. It took us a while to realize this, going around the village several times, and we even wondered if the third chest really existed. If you need a little extra help (without major spoilers) click on the text below.

Light spoiler:

Beyond the Village: Forest, Field, and Castle

After completing some missions, we're taken to the forest area. Yes, besides the village itself, the attraction also has other settings like the forest, a field, and a castle. Just like the quests in the original game, some require moving between different areas.

Battle System

It's in the open areas that we encounter enemies. Battles take place on screens scattered around the map, and life-size statues next to them indicate which monster will be faced. The fights are automatic, so even those who aren't used to RPGs have nothing to fear.

The Final Confrontation Against Zoma

The missions eventually lead you to the demon Zoma's castle, where you face your final challenge. Battles against bosses happen in front of giant screens, increasing the excitement even more.

Duration and Side Quests

The main adventure lasts about 2 to 3 hours, depending on how quickly you find the mission objectives or how much time you want to rest in the park. Times of heavy domestic tourism, such as during the Golden Week holiday (late April/early May) also influence the total duration. For those who want to enjoy even more, there's a side quest, for an additional fee, that extends the experience and adds about an extra hour.

Is It Worth Visiting?

Whether you're a Dragon Quest fan or not, Dragon Quest Island provides a unique experience that's definitely worth the visit, even though it's a bit off the beaten path from the most popular destinations in Japan.
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Practical Tips for Your Visit

If you're planning a visit to Nijigen no Mori, here are some tips:

• Weather: All attractions are outdoors, so try to go on a day with good weather, and don't skimp on the sunscreen.
• Physical preparation: Be prepared for a lot of walking and depending on the attraction, like the Naruto one, also for physical activities. People with mobility issues might not enjoy the park as much.
• Access: Awaji Island, where the park is located, doesn't have very easy access. There are no trains that go there. So take a train to a nearby station (like Sannomiya or Shin-Kobe) and from there take a bus; Google Maps is your best friend!
• Return transportation: To leave, there's transportation provided by the park itself to the nearest bus stops. This service saved us after staying late because of the Demon Slayer night attraction. Check with the staff for available schedules.

Official website: https://nijigennomori.com/en/dragonquestisland/