Fuji-Q Highlands

• Fuji-Q Highland has reopened, however guests from specific warning prefectures when the emergency declaration was released on May 25 (Hokkaido, Saitama prefecture, Chiba prefecture, Tokyo metropolitan area, and Kanagawa prefecture), are not allowed to enter the park until further notice. For updates on the COVID-19 situation in Japan check GaijinPot Blog: https://blog.gaijinpot.com/is-it-safe-to-visit-japan-as-the-coronavirus-cases-increase/

What if there was a place where you could wave at Mt Fuji from the top of a 70m high rollercoaster? What if this place also had a labyrinth-come-fortress and a haunted house that lasts for one hour and will scare your pants off? Time to book a ticket to Fuji-Q Highlands.

Fuji-Q, which is one of GaijinPot’s Top 5 theme parks in Japan, is located in Yamanashi and coaches from Shinjuku make this super convenient for day-trippers, or as part of a longer tour of this beautiful prefecture. Tickets including roundtrip transportation and access to all the main rides clock in at only ¥7,800 if you choose the special QPack deal.

You certainly get your money’s worth. The rollercoasters are top quality with attractions like Takabisha, a ride with the steepest drop in the world (at 121 degrees!) and Eejanaika with a record breaking number of spins sure to satisfy even the most extreme of adrenaline junkies.

For those who are unaware of the Japanese obsession with haunted houses, it’s time to get initiated with the Super Scary Labyrinth of Fear. The entire building is made up like a hospital with a terrifying assortment of ghosts and ghouls ready to turn your darkest nightmares into reality. Need more proof of how horrifying it is? Check out the impressive amount of Japanese grandmas queuing – renowned for being tough cookies, they just can’t get enough of this test of courage, and neither will you.

Now you may be wondering if there’s anything for the less adventurous and the answer is yes. The Great Zaboom is a fantastically fun water ride (bring a towel to mop yourself up), as well as fairground classics like Tea Cups and a Merry-Go-Round. If the Labyrinth of Fear (!) is making you quake in your booties, try out the more child-friendly haunted house based on the works of famous manga artist, Mizuki Shigeru, named Ge-Ge Haunted Mansion. Fans of anime franchise Evangelion can also seek solace in EVANGELION:WORLD, which is more exhibit than ride. Life-sized models and a recreation of the cockpit of an EVA plane are what’s on offer.

After a long, hard day of riding rollercoasters, the Highland Resort Hotel and Spa is the perfect place to relax and wind down in one of their stunning onsens, which boast world-class views of Mt Fuji. As far as theme parks go, Fuji-Q Highlands is truly one of the best in the world.