Japan doesn’t lack theme parks. Serious Disney fans make the pilgrimage to Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea. In Osaka, Universal Studios Japan draws countless crowds of domestic and international visitors. Japan’s unique theme parks are less well known.
The weirder theme parks – like the New Zealand farm themed attraction — didn’t survive the bursting of the bubble economy. The survivors are worth checking out. They feature world-record-breaking roller coasters, spooky haunted houses, and transplanted European cities. Let’s start with arguably the best theme park in Japan.
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Fuji-Q Highland
If you only have time for one theme park in Japan, go to Fuji-Q Highland.
At Fuji-Q you can see Mt Fuji from the top of a roller coaster. The park’s name is a reference to its location, near Mt. Fuji, and a play on “kyuu” meaning “speed.”
Fuji-Q has something for everyone.
Fuji Q boasts Japan’s largest haunted house and lots of kid-friendly attractions. The kid’s attractions include a Thomas the Tank Engine themed sub-park.
Among Fuji-Q’s many rides are several record-holding roller coasters.
Roller Coasters
Fuji-Q has six operational coasters, three of which hold world records.
Do-dodonpa
When Dodonpa opened in 2001, it was the world’s fastest coaster. Now revamped, it goes from 0 to 180km/h (111.8 mph) in just 1.56 seconds! The ride’s new name is now “Do-dodonpa.”
Compressed air launches the cars around the track; hold on to your hat, or better yet take it off before you ride!
It’s not Dododonpa’s height (49 meters) that thrills. It’s the speed. Dodonpa is one of only seven coasters in the world to break the 100mph barrier.
Takabisha
Takabisha holds the record for the steepest roller coaster. The track is over 1,000 meters long.
You’ll get a thrill from the drop into darkness, the variety of twists, and the 121-degree descent for which the ride is famous.
Eejanaika
Eejanaika bills itself as a 4D roller coaster, one of only two 4D coasters in existence.
The seats rotate at a 360-degree angle. They invert fourteen times during the ride — making it the ride with the most inversions in the world. Roller coaster snobs may object, as only three of Eejanaika’s inversions come from the track.
You won’t be quibbling when Eejanaika spins you around.
Fujiyama
Fujiyama set four world records when it opened in 1996.
Those records have since been broken, but Japan’s “King of Coasters” still impresses. It features 2,000 meters of track, a speed of 81 mph, and a height of 79 meters.
Plan Ahead
If you go to Fuji-Q for the coasters, plan ahead.
At peak times, the lines are over two hours long. Come early and pay attention to the weather, as most coasters don’t operate in the rain.
What to Do in Bad Weather
Cheer up! Fuji Q’s haunted house is a reason to visit the park all on its own.
The Super Scary Labyrinth of Fear
The Super Scary Labyrinth of Fear is one of the biggest haunted houses in the world.
It takes about fifty minutes to make your way through the dimly lit house of horror!
Fuji-Q sits close to Aokigahara forest, a place whose spooky credentials are not in doubt. The forest is a popular place to commit suicide. You won’t want to dwell on that as the doors open and you step into the dark.
The introductory video is in Japanese and, if you’re like me, you may prefer not to know what’s to come. Either way, there are plenty of surprises in store.
For The Kids
If you can’t get enough ghost action, Fuji-Q has a smaller Haunted House for kids. The kid’s house centers around the characters of the manga Ge Ge Ge no Kitaro.
The Ultimate Fort
Another star attraction is the Ultimate Fort maze.
The maze boasts a successful escape rate of one in a hundred thousand. Visitors must grapple with clues, hidden doorways, traps, and the maze itself.
Hours
The park is usually open from 9:00am – 5:00pm, but could be open earlier or close later depending on the season. There are also special days where they are closed. Please check their website for more information.
Getting to Fuji-Q
Fuji-Q is accessible from Tokyo by bus or train. Check Fuji-Q’s access webpage for directions from many of Tokyo’s popular areas.
You can buy an entrance ticket and a ticket for each ride, or a full day pass that includes all rides.
For More Information
Nagashima Spa Land: Everything You Want in a Theme Park
Nagashima Spa Land is part of the Nagashima Resort.
The Resort
Nagashima offers many attractions in one setting on the outskirts of Nagoya.
The resort hosts the Joyful Waterpark. The park is only open in summer and features water slides and a wave pool.
For water of a different kind, check out Yuami no Shima, an onsen complex with indoor and outdoor baths. It sits amongst gorgeous man-made scenery recreating mountain gorges and rugged streams.
For Kids
Your kids will love the Anpanman museum. The museum is dedicated to one of Japan’s stranger animated superheroes.
Shopping
For shoppers, the huge Mitsui Outlet Park Jazz Dream has 240 stores. The shops sell everything from big brands to sporting goods.
Nabana no Sato
Nabana no Sato is a 15-minute bus ride away. The flower park hosts festivals in warmer months and illuminations in the cold.
Nagashima Spa Land
The most famous of the parks in the resort is the oddly named Nagashima Spa Land. In spite of the name, the main attractions are the three famous roller coasters.
To be fair, there are water rides at Nagashima Spa Land… but it isn’t the whitewater chute that draws the crowds.
That honor goes to the park’s top three coasters, two of which rank among the world’s fastest.
Nagashima Spaland is also more compact than Fuji-Q.
We were able to see all the attractions we wanted despite visiting in August, the peak tourist season.
We visited on a weekday and were able to avoid huge crowds.
Nagashima Spaland’s website offers pdf guides in English. They have a map of the park and information about the rides.
Three Cool Coasters
The Steel Dragon
The Steel Dragon holds the record for longest track length at 2,479 meters.
You won’t notice the track length, however, as the ride reaches speeds of 95mph. It’s the second fastest coaster in Japan and sixth fastest in the world. It was the world’s tallest complete circuit coaster when it opened in 2000 — the year of the dragon.
HAKUGEI (Previously the White Cyclone)
White Cyclone was the longest wooden roller coaster outside the United States. Unfortunately, this ride closed in January of 2018.
The good news is that it reopened as HAKUGEI, Japan’s first hybrid roller coaster constructed using both wood and steel.
Check it out!