Japanese Parks

[Movieguy]

I've seen you guys go to Japan more than once through all the years that TPR has existed. I can see two very big reasons to go there...Tokyo Disneyland, and Disney Sea. Those look like awesome places that I would kill to get tickets for.

 

But the other parks you visit seem to run the gamut from OK to just plain awful, IMO. Fujikyu immediately comes to mind, as does the defunct Nara Dreamland, and Laqua, with the reportedly crappy Thunder Dolphin. I'm sure some of these parks are pretty good, but it just seems that a whole lot of them just aren't worth the time to park and coaster enthusiasts. Japan just seems to have a whole load of TOGO death machines, Vekoma death machines, and Arrow death machines as well.

 

I'm not Japan bashing in any way, because the US has more than its share of death machines as well. I love Japan, actually, it just seems that most of their parks are pretty lackluster compared to the ones in the US, Europe, and Even South Korea in some cases. So what is it that keeps you guys going back there? Is it some intangible thing that the expedition videos don't accurately describe, or is it something else?

 

I'm just curious is all.

[Mike Austin]

I love Japan

 

Haven't you basically answered your own question there?

 

Japan is one of the most technologically advanced countries in the world, with a seemingly vastly different culture to the USA/UK.

Add this in with a couple of the best theme parks in the world (Disney), and a hell of a lot of other unique attractions which you can't do anywhere else in the world (Muscle Park..etc...), and then add an almost constant demand of new people wanting to have the TPR Japan experience as well as the return visitors who are already in love with the country, and you have your answer on why TPR keeps returning to Japan!

 

Now, who wants to pay for me to do Tokyo and Southern Japan next year?

[Movieguy]

^ By god your're right...that in itself is a wonderful reason to visit.

[redfoot12]

I think there's a mega-lite over there. That's probably reason enough.

[Movieguy]

And I forgot in my wine-induced haze about one TOGO contribution to Japan's parks...the Ultra Twister!

 

I've so wanted to ride one of those things for a long time.

[robbalvey]

I love Japan

 

Haven't you basically answered your own question there?

He's got a point!

 

While I would say that Japan doesn't really have that amazing of coasters (one or two exceptions), they do have some AWESOME parks!

 

I mean, off the top of my head - Tokyo Disney, Universal Osaka, Parque Espana, Space World, Mitsui Greenland, Nasu Highland, Yomiuriland, just to name a few are all FANTASTIC parks filled with "never in america" type of attractions.

 

Take a park like Mitsui Greenland for example. I don't think they have a single coaster that would break my top 50...but it's one of my favorite parks! It's just so "Japanese" that it's amazing.

 

It's hard to explain.

 

If you go to Japan parks for just the coasters, you'll be let down. But if you go to Japan parks for the overall experience...and the coasters are an added bonus...you'll LOVE the place!

 

--Robb

[Movieguy]

It may be hard to explain, but I think I'm understanding where you're coming from. As a matter of fact, the more I think about what's in the expedition videos, I think you do a great job pointing out the unique cultural aspects of these parks.

 

Take the bow and arrow shooting game at that one park (Was it in Mitsui Greenland? I can't remember now.)...The Japanese must be an incredibly non-litigious people.

 

I also just remembered reading a book about Japanese Parks in College, about a bazillion years ago. It even mentioned Parque Espana in quite a few sections, as I recall. It said that one thing the Japanese try to do with their parks, is make the visitors feel like they're traveling to another country, without actually leaving their own. There are also other parks that simulate trips to old Holland, and Canada, as it appears in the "Anne of Green Gables" book series, if I remember correctly from the same book.

 

This is probably why Tokyo Disneyland is so similar to aspects of our Disney World and Disneyland in a lot of ways. They want their Japanese guests to feel like they've actually traveled to America when they go into the park. They tried to have one Japanese themed attraction, I believe, when the park first opened, but it wasn't very successful.

[cfc]

^^I second what Robb has said. DisneySea is my favorite theme park, anywhere, and Parque Espana and Mitsui Greenland are excellent, as well. Plus, the many of the Togo rides in Japan are much better than what we have stateside.

[thrillerman1]

The "Togo Flat Ride of Hot Death" (aka Wild Storm) is reason enough to visit. The culture is amazing, the parks are fun and quirky, the people are awesome...what is not to love?

[gisco]

It's hard to explain.

 

If you go to Japan parks for just the coasters, you'll be let down. But if you go to Japan parks for the overall experience...and the coasters are an added bonus...you'll LOVE the place!

 

--Robb

 

Exactly, It is the overall experience that is amazing. I have been to Japan 4 times already and it is absolutely killing me not to be going back with TPR next Summer.

[Movieguy]

Here's an idea, Robb...how about the next time you go to a park with a "Never in America" attraction, you use Weird Al's "I'll Sue Ya!" as the music?

[Rastuso]

I still dream about my trip to Japan. The place is just awesome. To me, a lot of it was that it felt like a current day version of the 80s. Arcades everywhere, so many new things, I didn't feel old with a "been there, done that" opinion of things. A lot of fashion is very 80s too. Leggings, heavily teased hair, flashy colors.

 

The fact that I could go to a park, get in a line for something, and really have no idea what it was for, even at Disneyseas. I just can't get that in teh US, I've been to almost all the parks. THe coasters weren't that great in general, but Kawasemi is world class, as is Pooh's Honey Hunt.

 

ANd of course, the school girls. ANd no, not the young ones, the ones in their 20s that would get with a group of friends, put on schoolgirl outfits, and go to Disneyland. God bless 'em, every one!

 

 

-RO