Born from the Ideas of Shirahama Town Shop Owners: The 'Shirahama Smile Partner' Project

Shirahama Town, Wakayama Prefecture. The pandas that have been loved in this town for many years have set off on their journey, marking a new milestone for the tourist destination. Amidst this, we received passionate ideas from local shop owners who kindly suggested, 'We want to liven up the town once again through the power of Adventure World's uniquely diverse animals,' setting a new project in motion. Adventure World (Shirahama Town, Wakayama Prefecture) and shops within Shirahama Town will launch the regional co-creation partnership 'Shirahama Smile Partner' starting Wednesday, April 1, 2026. This partnership connects the park and the town using 'animals' as a common language. ## [Project Mechanism] We have prepared two 'Smile Experiences' crossing between the park and the town. Using the 'Animal Trivia Card' as a medium, natural conversations will spark between shop owners and customers, generating a 'circulation of communication' meant to convey the warmth of the entire town of Shirahama. **Smile in the Shops! After entering Adventure World, head to participating shops in Shirahama Town!** - Show your admission ticket at a shop to receive an 'Animal Trivia Card' (1 out of 20 varieties)! - Presenting an annual pass might even get you a special service from the shop owner. **Smile in the Park! After visiting a participating shop in Shirahama Town, head to Adventure World!** - Enter the park with the 'Animal Trivia Card' you got at the shop, and the Ferris wheel is free! *The shop owner will select and gift you an animal species that suits you. Shirahama Town in Wakayama Prefecture is a rare town where Japan's finest tourism resources are compactly condensed: beautiful beaches, hot springs, and above all, unique restaurants, souvenir shops, and vibrant shopping streets. There are 'shops' so charming that guidebooks cannot fully describe them, and the warmest 'people'. A relationship where both the park and the town's shops 'genuinely want to recommend' each other. By transforming this network of trust into a 'circulation of recommendations,' we want to elevate the entire Shirahama area into one grand experience. Through this project, we aim for guests to know Shirahama more deeply and come to love it even more. ### - Present your 'Animal Trivia Card' to the staff at the Ferris wheel boarding area.