A Guide to Theme Park Development | EXPERTISE

Saitama Prefecture "Metsä," a new facility centered around Lake Miyazawa in Hanno City, has opened. It features two zones: "Moomin Valley Park," where visitors can immerse themselves in the world of the "Moomin" stories—which are hugely popular in both Finland and Japan—and "Metsä Village," where guests can experience the "Nordic" lifestyle.Excluding Finland, the homeland of Tove Jansson, the creator of the Moomins, this marks the world’s first Moomin-themed facility outside of Finland. Tove Jansson’s niece, Sofia Jansson, oversaw every aspect of Moomin Valley Park.
Nikken Sekkei participated in the “Metsä” project from its early stages, not in the role of designer or construction supervisor, but as a third-party consultant supporting the client in advancing the development project. Here, we introduce the consulting services we provided across various phases, ranging from planning and design to construction and maintenance.

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The interior of “Moomin House,” which faithfully recreates the world of the original story Ⓒ Moomin Characters™

Theme Park Development Led by Investment Banks

Our client, FinTech Global, is an investment bank specializing in structured finance. However, the company entered into an agreement with Hanno City—the site of the project—to develop “Metsä,” a real estate securitization project designed to contribute to regional revitalization. However, since Fintech Global’s core business is investment banking, it naturally had virtually no experience in commissioning construction projects, let alone theme parks. Therefore, our challenge was to support the client from the early stages—before the project details had been finalized—and determine how we could serve as the “guide” to steer the project forward.

"KOKEMUS" is a place where you can relive the Moomin stories while learning about Tove Jansson's life. "KOKEMUS" means "experience" in Finnish. © Moomin Characters™

Providing consulting services tailored to each phase, from planning to opening

Since the construction site is located within an urban development control zone, it was clear that the process of obtaining development permits would have a significant impact on the project schedule.We first created a rough facility plan and, using that as a basis, confirmed the development permit and approval policy with the local government. We then incorporated the definition of the project area with an eye toward future real estate securitization, infrastructure development plans, rough estimates of construction costs, and a draft project schedule that considered multiple contracting methods, thereby finalizing the framework of the plan.To move the plan forward while the design firm had not yet been selected, we sometimes had to compile a basic concept framework in this manner; however, we developed it through collaboration with other departments at Nikken Sekkei and experts across the Nikken Group.
Subsequently, from the selection of the design firm until project completion, our role shifted to managing communication among the various design firms and the contractor, monitoring the work of the design supervisor and contractor, and managing fluctuations in construction costs.Regarding communication management in particular, because there were so many stakeholders involved—including not only architecture, civil engineering, and landscaping but also theme park-specific elements such as interior and exterior finishes, exhibits, security, and multi-story parking garages—we worked tirelessly to facilitate coordination among all relevant companies right up until just before completion.Furthermore, as is often the case in theme park development, the pursuit of excellence inevitably leads to numerous design changes even after construction begins. It was challenging to accommodate these design changes and control cost fluctuations within the limited schedule, but we successfully reached completion and met the client’s expectations.

"Moomin Valley Café," a restaurant in Kokemus Ⓒ Moomin Characters™

The Opening of “Metsä”—a Forest and Lake Where Time Flows in the Nordic Style, Full of Small Discoveries—and What Happened Next

Thus, “Metsä Village” opened to the public in November 2018 and “Moominvalley Park” in March 2019, both on schedule, but Nikken Sekkei’s consulting services continued even after that. Once the facilities opened, the client needed to address operational challenges, and we continued to provide consulting services, offering technical advice on facility maintenance and management.

“The Ocean Orchestra,” an immersive morphing theater experience centered on the themes of “courage,” “challenge,” “friendship,” and “family bonds” Ⓒ Moomin Characters™

"Future Outlook"

As a comprehensive consulting firm specializing in architectural design, construction supervision, and urban planning, Nikken Sekkei has undertaken numerous projects to date. We are now working to integrate the knowledge and experience cultivated within Nikken Sekkei’s various departments and across the Nikken Group companies to provide new, comprehensive, and high-value solutions.
Moving forward, just as we did with “Metsä,” we will continue to provide tailored solutions adapted to the specific circumstances at each phase of a project—even for projects where other firms handle the design and supervision—while carefully addressing the client’s needs.

"Metsä Village," a facility where you can experience the Nordic lifestyle

Takatoshi Takatsu

Executive Officer
Urban and Civil Project Department
Head of the Infrastructure Development Group

In 1998, after completing his graduate studies at the Graduate School of Engineering at Shinshu University, he joined Nikken Sekkei.
After joining the firm, he worked in the Design Department and the Planning Office before joining his current team, the Urban and Civil Project Department.
He has been in charge of numerous projects, including domestic waste treatment facilities, environmental impact assessments, and development and construction project management.
He has been involved in consulting for urban waste treatment facilities primarily in Tokyo, such as in Musashino and Machida, and leverages that experience to provide environmental assessments, development project management, and construction project management for logistics facilities, medical facilities, factories, and other projects.
Certified Professional Engineer (Waste Management, Urban and Regional Planning); Director of the Japan Environmental Assessment Association (Chair of the Overseas Exchange Seminar Committee).

Tetsuhiko Matsuo

Project Management Group, Project Development Department
Director

In 2007, after completing the Architectural Engineering Program in the Department of Integrated Earth Engineering at the Graduate School of Osaka University, he joined Nikken Sekkei.
His specialty is architectural project management.
Since joining the firm, he has been engaged in management and consulting work while gaining extensive experience in design supervision for production facilities and large-scale redevelopment projects at Architectural Design Department. After a secondment to Nikken Sekkei Construction Management, he has in recent years been responsible for managing architectural projects across a wide range of fields, from offices, training facilities, and university campuses to factories, data centers, and even theme parks.
He is a First-Class Architect, a Certified Construction Manager, and a Certified Facility Manager.

Yosuke Wada

Project Management Group, Project Development Department
Associate

In 2010, after completing the Master’s program in Architecture at Hosei University, he worked at an architectural firm before joining Nikken Sekkei in 2017. His specialty is architectural project management.
He has worked as a project manager and owner’s consultant across a wide range of sectors—including hotels, theme parks, and manufacturing facilities—as well as on projects designed by other firms.
In recent years, he has primarily been engaged in project management for foreign-owned hotels.
These include Metza Village Moomin Valley Park (2019), Four Seasons Hotel Tokyo Otemachi (2020), Nagasaki Marriott Hotel (2024), and Courtyard by Marriott Fukui (2024).

Theme park development pilot