Document 72 Hours

Adios, El Dorado Carousel!

The closure of Tokyo's Toshimaen amusement park in August 2020 marked the end of an era. For decades, El Dorado, the park's wooden carousel, was a popular attraction with visitors young and old. In the days before the park closed, visitors flocked to the carousel for a final ride, including an elderly couple who came on dates here before they married; a young man reminiscing about happier times with his family; and a woman who wants her late mother to see that she is back on her feet. For 3 days, we asked why this ride held such a special place in the hearts of so many people.