In 1993, Niigata Russian Village was opened to encourage relations between Japan and Russia. It was subsequently closed and opened again after renovations in 2002. It was then open for only six months before lack of visitors forced it to close yet again.
Now after over 8 years of being abandoned the park is an amazing sight. The park includes a large cathedral, hotel (which has sustained a great deal of fire damage), multiple theaters, restaurants, and even a golf course.
No doubt the most amazing and curious part of the abandoned structure is the woolly mammoth (fake) taxidermy and skeleton that were left behind in the now empty Russian Village.
