ʻCarousel El Doradoʼ of Toshimaen

The oldest ride machine among those that exist today in Japan and one of the oldest class machines in the world is the ‘Carousel El Dorado’ in Toshimaen. The carousel was made in 1907 by a German, Hugo Haase, who was highly renowned as a design engineer of carousels. This is a globally precious cultural heritage, having a history of 100 years or more as the mechanically driven artistic ride-on type.

The carousel has three stages, with different rotating speeds, and the hand-carved wooden horses and gondola present a beautiful example of a fusion of the ornamentation of art nouveau in the early 20th century and mechanical craftsmanship. The carousel offers enjoyment and a touch of fantasy not only to people in Japan, but also to those throughout the world, and thus continues to make a fine contribution to enhancing people’s lives.