The Top 5 Theme Parks in Japan
Visiting amusement parks may not be top of the “to-do” list for many visitors to Japan, but the country is home to some of the most spectacular rides and attractions in the world. From Japanese versions of America’s most popular theme park franchises, to record-breaking roller coasters that seem to defy the laws of gravity, there’s something on offer for everyone. Here’s a run-down of five top parks not to miss.
1. Tokyo Disneyland
Fans of Disney’s theme parks in California, Florida or Paris will be right at home at Tokyo’s version of Disneyland. Based on the same hub-and-spoke design as Walt Disney’s original, it features six themed lands – Adventureland, Westernland, Critter Country, Fantasyland, Toontown and Tomorrowland. Put together in very short timescales ahead of its opening in 1983, many of the park’s original attractions were merely clones of existing Disney rides. However, operators The Oriental Company have invested hundreds of millions of dollars in all-new attractions, and you’ll find plenty of new experiences on offer here.
Don’t miss:
- Pooh’s Hunny Hunt – not to be confused with Winnie the Pooh-themed rides at other Disney parks, this is a unique trackless dark ride that sees guests boarding honey pots for a trip into a storybook world.
2. Tokyo DisneySea
The Tokyo Disney Resort’s second theme park opened in 2001, and with an eye-watering $4 billion budget the most expensive theme park ever built. As its name suggests, the park features a nautical theme and each of its diverse “ports of call” hosts a number of stunning attractions. Many of these are unique to Tokyo DisneySea, and even those that share a name with rides at other Disney parks (such as the Tower of Terror) are actually quite different from their namesakes.
Don’t miss:
- Journey to the Center of the Earth – board a steam-powered mine vehicle for a Jules Verne-inspired trip through a series of caverns to the planet’s core.
3. Universal Studios Japan
Opened in the same year as Tokyo DisneySea, arch-rival Universal’s Japanese outpost is located in Osaka. It is now majority-owned by investment bank Goldman Sachs, and continues to be massively popular. It features versions of many popular Universal attractions, including The Amazing Adventures of Spiderman, Terminator 2: 3-D and Jurassic Park: The Ride. There are unique additions, though – Space Fantasy: The Ride is a bizarre spinning coaster that challenges riders to revive a fading sun.
Don’t miss:
- Back to the Future: The Ride – replaced by the inferior The Simpsons Ride at Universal Studios Florida and Hollywood, Universal Studios Japan’s version is now the only ride in the world to offer the chance to travel through time with the legendary Doctor Emmett Brown.
4. Fuji-Q Highland
It may not feature the big name brands of Japan’s Disney and Universal theme parks, but Fuji-Q Highland tops them all when it comes to the scale of its attractions. Some of the park’s roller coasters appear to have been designed by an insane genius, seemingly breaking the laws of physics with their gravity-defying twists and turns. The 249-feet-tall Eejanaika features seats that rotate 360 degrees as they traverse its circuit, while Fujiyama was the tallest coaster in the world when it opened in 1996 at 259 feet.
Don’t miss:
- Takabisha – the world’s steepest roller coaster, featuring an amazing 121-degree “beyond vertical” first drop, opened at Fuji-Q Highland in 2011.
5. Nagashima Spa Land
Located in Kuwana, Nagashima Spa Land is in a similar mould to Fuji-Q Highland and is home to a number of extreme thrill rides. Alongside these, a giant ferris wheel – The Aurora Wheel – stands at 295-feet-tall and offers stunning views across the surrounding area. A tightly-packed water park also gives guests the chance to cool off and experience a large number of speed slides.
Don’t miss:
- Steel Dragon 2000 – constructed at a cost of over $50 million in 2000, this enormous steel beast is the longest roller coaster in the world at some 8133-feet-long. Standing at 318-feet-tall and with a top speed of 95 mph, it is also the fifth-tallest and eighth-fastest (and the fastest coaster not to feature a launched start).
Japan’s theme parks are continuing to spend big money on new attractions, with the Tokyo Disney Resort planning a number of major additions over the next few years and a version of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter rumored to be on its way to Universal Studios Japan. Whenever you decide to visit, you’ll find something unique on offer.
Nick Sim is the editor of Theme Park Tourist, which covers news and events at UK theme parks as well as others all over the globe.
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