Fuji-Q Highland

I stayed at the the Fuji-Q Highland resort, a hotel associated with the park. On clear days you get great views of Mt. Fuji from your room. Unfortunately, it wasn't clear...but you can see the left and right bottom edges of Fuji!

Apparently bears sometimes wander into the park...but if they do, don't get into a boxing match with them!

Unfortunately Eejanaika wasn't operating, but the torii gate leading to the it is still pretty impressive. "Eejanaika" is both the name of an old Japanese festival, and a colloquial phrase meaning "Isn't it great?"

Hamming it up in the Fujiyama coaster car...

The park's newest coaster is 高飛車 (Takabisha), which means both "dominant" and, more or less, "high-flying vehicle." (It loses so much in translation!) It holds the world record for steepest drop, at 121 degrees...yes, that is 31 degrees beyond vertical.

I love the calligraphy and mural in the boarding area...

The coaster packs a huge amount of track into a small area! It starts out inside, in the dark, with a surprise drop and heartline roll, then launches you out in the the first set of elements. Halfway through, you stop and then go up the vertical lift...as you prepare for the drop, the car stops several times, including when you are facing straight down...then you experience the beyond-vertical drop and a second set of elements. It is a great ride!!!

This sign shows some of the park's trademark humor...the Japanese word for photograph is "shashin" so this sign promoting the on-ride photos is titled "Takabishashin"

I really love this promotional image for the coaster!!!

Elsewhere in the park, there is a white-water rapids ride themed around Fortune Cats...the idea being that it's unknown whether you'll come out wet or dry. Supposedly, wet is good fortune, and dry bad fortune. My personal result was mixed...I got wet, but not soaked, so not really good fortune.

The fortune cats overlooking the ride are huge!

But, when you can see their backs, they don't look quite so benevolent. It's hard to see them from anywhere but on the ride, but here is one view.

More humor...the entrance area to Eejanaika looks like the gateway to a Buddhist temple.

But the traditional statue is posed like a bodybuilder, wearing a red thong!

Signs in the entrance area...

And some posters from the queue for Fujiyama, the park's giant steel coaster. The second one looks like a traditional menu, but advertises some of the park attractions, and has a little Mt. Fuji made from pickled ginger.

After the park closed, I had dinner in the hotel restaurant, which has great views of the park.

While I was eating, the fog rolled in, and the park slowly disappeared...it was very cool!

All in all it was a great day, in spite of the lousy weather. The rides were all running in between the periodic short showers, and the crowds were non-existant...everything was a walk-on all day. I'll take that trade-off...