Godzilla Slide I
Back in 1954, Godzilla was aroused by the H-bomb test at Bikini Atoll from his long sleep since ancient time. His gigantic figure emerged out of the sea off Tatarahama at Kannonzaki in Yokosuka City. Four years later, he landed on Tatarahama beach as a concrete slide in his own image. Once in the movie so terrifying as a horrible monster, he, Godzilla, gradually gained popularity among children. Subsequently, he changed his figure into a slide, often surrounded by frolicking children on school trips. Later on, however, he was demolished in 1973, extensively worn out as directly exposed to the sea wind.
Initiation of the Project G
After Godzilla Slide I had gone, Tatarahama and its surrounding area were developed into the Kannonzaki Prefectural Park. Although the area had changed so much in its shape, warm memories of Godzilla still remained vividly in the hearts of so-called “Godzilla generation”, who had spent a good time playing on and around the Godzilla Slide in their childhood when, they grew up. In 1996, Project G, a project with an aim to construct a new Godzilla Slide, was initiated by the youth, mostly the members of the Yokosuka Junior Chamber of Commerce. They started a campaign for the construction by collecting signatures and donation among the citizens and local businesses. At last, with the cooperation and contributions of many people, Godzilla was brought into life again and he made land again after an interval of 26 years.
Initiation of the Project G
After Godzilla Slide I had gone, Tatarahama and its surrounding area were developed into the Kannonzaki Prefectural Park. Although the area had changed so much in its shape, warm memories of Godzilla still remained vividly in the hearts of so-called “Godzilla generation”, who had spent a good time playing on and around the Godzilla Slide in their childhood when, they grew up. In 1996, Project G, a project with an aim to construct a new Godzilla Slide, was initiated by the youth, mostly the members of the Yokosuka Junior Chamber of Commerce. They started a campaign for the construction by collecting signatures and donation among the citizens and local businesses. At last, with the cooperation and contributions of many people, Godzilla was brought into life again and he made land again after an interval of 26 years.
Godzilla Slide U
In October 1999, Godzilla which had came back into life, landed on Tatarahama and went up on the hilltop in Kurihama Hana-no-kuni (Kurihama Flower Land), where he settled his own overwhelming figure as Godzilla Slide ‡U. This time, his magnificent body is no more made of concrete with cracks here and there but of much evolved stuff of tempered plastic. He towers into the sky above Kurihama in the very image of gigantic Godzilla as was filmed in the movie produced by Toho Film Co.
For information:Tourism Div. Yokosuka City Office
Tel: 046-822-8301/ Fax: 046-823-0164
