In recent years, China has become notorious for its creative and sometimes bizarre attempts at recreating iconic tourist landmarks from around the world. Whether it’s a miniature version of the Eiffel Tower in Tianducheng or a section of the Great Wall near Shijiazhuang, the country has demonstrated its knack for replicas.
However, one particular tourist spot in Hebei province has taken this concept to a whole new level. Enter Universe Fantasy Land, a place that promises a fairy-tale escape, but instead, visitors are met with an imitation of Mount Fuji that has left many in stitches. This latest addition to China’s collection of replicas has gone viral for all the wrong reasons, leaving tourists questioning their investment in what has been dubbed a “snow cap matcha volcano.”
A Mountain of Disappointment: The “Mount Fuji” That Isn’t
Situated in Hebei province, Universe Fantasy Land opened its doors in September 2024, promising visitors an enchanting fairy-tale landscape with a mountain, a shimmering lake, lush green grass, a white horse, and a charming wooden cottage.
The intention behind this tourist attraction was clear—to create a peaceful escape for weary city dwellers from Beijing, just a few hours away by car. The design was meant to offer a picture-perfect atmosphere that transported visitors to a dream-like world.
However, when the public started visiting the attraction, they quickly realized they had been sold a different version of fantasy. The center of attraction was its so-called “Mount Fuji,” which many visitors discovered was not a grand peak but merely a small hill. To add insult to injury, the top of this hill was painted white, attempting to mimic the iconic snow-capped summit of Japan’s most famous mountain.
The hill, rather than evoking images of serenity or grandeur, came off as an odd, cartoonish version of Mount Fuji, more fitting for a theme park than a natural wonder. While Mount Fuji in Japan is renowned for its awe-inspiring beauty and cultural significance, this imitation was widely mocked by visitors.
One of the first things that caught the attention of online users was the management’s audacious claim that the small hill was a “volcano.” Complete with artificial pink smoke that billowed from the top during scheduled “eruptions” on weekends, the hill became the subject of many social media memes and jokes.
Read : Japan’s Iconic Mount Fuji Snowless in October for the First Time
Visitors were left questioning how a modest hill, which seemed to be more of an overzealous landscaping project than a natural wonder, could ever resemble the magnificence of Mount Fuji. The whole premise was difficult to take seriously, and the online reactions were filled with amusement, with many calling it a “fake” tourist spot designed solely for photos and laughs.
There’s a fake Mount Fuji at 宇宙思想乐园 (cosmic thought park) in Linqi Valley (林栖谷), Yongqing County (永清县), Langfang (廊坊), Heibei, near Beijing…
— Byron Wan (@Byron_Wan) May 2, 2025
left video: what you see in promo videos
right pics and video: what you actually see there
😂😂😂 pic.twitter.com/HEPH8o2qL1
The ticket price of 98 yuan (approximately $13 USD) per person did little to dispel the growing sense of disappointment among visitors. Some even found a discounted rate of 78 yuan online, but the negative reviews kept piling up. For many, the price was steep for what they described as a misleading, lackluster attraction.
Some felt that this “snow-capped volcano” was nothing more than an overpriced photo op, devoid of any real value for those hoping for an immersive or authentic experience. To add to the confusion, there was a separate 48 yuan charge for those wishing to camp on-site, which seemed excessive considering the hill itself hardly justified such a high entry fee.
The Promise of a Fairy-Tale Escape
Despite the ridicule surrounding its attempt at replicating Mount Fuji, Universe Fantasy Land was designed with a noble purpose: to offer visitors an escape from the pressures of daily life in Beijing.
The site’s management envisioned a retreat where urbanites could unwind and immerse themselves in a calm, picturesque setting, reminiscent of a fairy-tale world. The idea was to create a place where people could reconnect with nature and experience peace, even if it meant stepping into a world that was more fantasy than reality.
However, this ideal was far from realized. Visitors did indeed find a serene lake, rolling green grass, and a quaint wooden cottage, which offered the perfect backdrop for idyllic photos. The white horse, though, was not a permanent fixture; it appeared only for an hour each day to allow guests to take their pictures against the backdrop of the “mountain.”
While the idea was charming, it seemed to fall short of its intended magical atmosphere, especially when the visitors were confronted with the hill that had been painted white to evoke Mount Fuji.
Many visitors reported feeling “scammed,” as the so-called “Mount Fuji” failed to live up to the expectations set by the promotional images. The comparison to Mount Fuji was simply too far-fetched.
Instead of marveling at the sight of a majestic peak towering above them, guests found themselves standing before an unimpressive hill with a white-painted summit, complete with artificial smoke, which made the whole scene seem more like a cheaply executed theme park attraction than a natural wonder.
China’s Replication Obsession: The Eiffel Tower, Great Wall, and Now Mount Fuji
China’s obsession with replicating famous global landmarks is not new. Over the years, numerous cities across the country have been home to smaller, often less impressive versions of iconic structures. One of the most famous examples is Tianducheng, a town in Zhejiang province that boasts its own replica of the Eiffel Tower.
Though much smaller in size, it has become an odd tourist attraction. Then there’s the “Egyptian” town of Shijiazhuang, where visitors can spot a replica of the Great Sphinx of Giza and a smaller version of the Great Wall of China.
The reasoning behind these imitations is often economic—these landmarks draw attention, and creating replicas is seen as a way to attract tourists. While some of these replicas are meticulously crafted to resemble their real counterparts, others, like Universe Fantasy Land, take a more humorous approach.
Instead of crafting an authentic replica, they seem to embrace the idea of parody, making the experience more of a quirky photo opportunity rather than a serious attempt to recreate the grandeur of the original.
These replicas also speak to a certain cultural phenomenon in China, where people are eager to experience the beauty and significance of the world’s famous landmarks, even if they can’t physically travel to those locations.
However, this practice of imitation often falls short in delivering the essence of the places they seek to emulate. Rather than providing visitors with an authentic experience, these replicas sometimes leave them feeling as though they have been deceived into paying for something that is a far cry from the real thing.
In the case of Universe Fantasy Land, the imitation of Mount Fuji falls into this same category. Rather than providing visitors with a majestic, awe-inspiring mountain, they are confronted with a small hill painted white. The artificial eruptions, though amusing, add to the sense of absurdity, and many visitors couldn’t help but share their disillusionment online.
A Novel Approach or a Fiasco in the Making?
At the heart of Universe Fantasy Land’s attempt to replicate Mount Fuji lies a fundamental question: is this creative endeavor a novel approach to tourism, or simply a poorly executed gimmick that leaves visitors disappointed?
The viral nature of the attraction suggests that while it may not be winning any accolades for its authenticity or grandeur, it certainly has become a source of entertainment for online audiences. For tourists hoping to experience the magic of Mount Fuji in China, however, Universe Fantasy Land offers little more than a playful, albeit misguided, imitation.
While this replica may not stand the test of time as a significant tourist attraction, it serves as another chapter in China’s ongoing fascination with recreating global landmarks. Whether these replicas are taken seriously or mocked by the public, they will undoubtedly continue to be a part of China’s evolving tourism industry, where creativity and humor often go hand in hand.