WHEN you’re looking for fun, there’s no better place to find it than at an amusement park. You’ll be happy to know that multiple “welding theme parks,” as their owners are calling them, are opened in Japan.

Iron Planet first opened in Fukui Prefecture as an offshoot of metalworking plant Osada Industry, which started offering beginner-level classes and workshops inside its factory. On Sept. 7, Iron Planet became a franchise chain, with its first dedicated facility opened in Shizuoka Prefecture in partnership with Kageyama Ironworks.

Inside you’ll find an airy, stylish lobby and planning spaces, where your fellow smiths-for-a-day and the Iron Planet staff can discuss ideas and plan your welding and metalworking projects.

Once you’ve got all that sorted out, it’s time to strap on your protective gear, which Iron Planet provides. Kids’ sizes are available too, of course, because kids are allowed to participate in Iron Planet’s activities.

While welding is often thought of as industrial labor, it’s also an art, and Iron Planet wants to help visitors create something they can take home and enjoy for its form or function. Basic projects include creating stools, pencil holders, and decorative signs.

(SD-Agencies)