As the extreme heat continues, business is booming at some outdoor facilities, provided they have a pool. The number of visitors to Sasebo-based theme park Huis Ten Bosch continues to rise after the addition of a new 20m diameter pool with an eight meter tall slide. Space World in Kitakyushu also added a new 90m long water slide and has seen visitor numbers rise 9% since before the Obon holiday. Meanwhile, Aso Cuddly Dominion (Aso City, Kumamoto), which has experienced a 30% drop in visitors in August, is struggling to attract people to see its 550 animals. Amid the heat wave, sales of beer and air conditioners are brisk. Kirin Beer Marketing Kyushu said its shipments of beer to restaurants in July outstripped those from last year. According to Best Denki Fukuoka, the A/C sales floor has been “crowded with customers” since Obon. Source: Nishinippon Shimbun, Aug. 21
