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Photo TR: Divv's Japanese Adventure


Divv3k

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There is still a 2013 Japan trip in the works, yes? I'm about to commit to a life of crime to go on that one, so please, don't let me down.

 

Oh yes, there is!

 

There will be some sort of Japan trip every other year from now on. I love that place, can't get enough of it!

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I loved this day!

 

It was one of those days on the trip that I didn't really have a clue about the parks we were visiting, but they turned out to be so much fun! All of the random attractions at these parks really made the day!

 

Stupid drop tower.

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Ahaha! So glad to see that you got an action shot of the Teacups of Death! It seriously felt like we were going to fly out from spinning so fast!

 

I'm loving the report so far, Divv. Really looking forward to the rest!

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Our second park of the day was Wonder Rakutenchi, a park high up on the side of a hill much like Tibidabo in Spain. Also like Tibidabo Wonder Rakutenchi gives some real breathtaking views of the town below.

 

The park itself has one smallish coaster which uses the terrain a little but really the park is more about charm and quirkiness which it certainly has in places. It also has an awesome unique attraction in the form of duck racing. If you're not sure of how such a concept might work then please by all means ask any participant of the trip to explain it to you. Well maybe don't ask Fran...

 

The only real issue with this park is that since all the signs were in Japanese one of our group was unable to decipher the sign that told him to secure all loose articles while riding...

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Park number two for today – Wonder Rakutenchi!

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Even the Japanese parks get excited about a TPR visit!

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The bathroom windows are well placed at this park.

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To get to the park at Rakutenchi you are required to pile into the cute funicular railway.

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ICCEEE CREAAMM!!

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Erik describes to the poor girl his vision of the perfect cone.

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Hill top rollercoaster! Nice!

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TPDave totally loving being MBF on Jet Coaster today.

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Has Larry been here already? Holes in the floor would suggest yes.

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Larry Shotgun Fail POV.

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Everyone’s loving some Grape Mountain Dew!

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Gobble gobble.

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The Meerkat motto is 'Be Prepared!'

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Peacocky!

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I’d seen pictures of these things before but was still amazed by the randomness of them when I finally saw them in action. TPDave is clearly enjoying himself more than you’d expect.

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I’m guessing that’s Japanese for “Chico and the Poachers”

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Ghetto shooting dark rides are all the rage in Japan!

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Remember me?

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Don’t pretend you don’t like it, Steve!

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Now this ride is very interesting. Notice that the vehicles don’t have much in the way of "sides". Also note that the people who rode this ride today were mostly seasoned amusement riders who are well versed in the practice of “Securing all valuables”.

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So how did it come to be that this poor staff member had to walk all the way around the track of the ride?

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What’s that? That can’t be a wallet, can it? Surely not, and if it is surely it won’t belong a TPR member. Certainly it will not belong to a TPR moderator at least. TPFail.

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TPFail.

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Bridge POV!

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Watch it, you!

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Another peak at the Jet Coaster. Such a nice setting for a ride!

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Ah, now this what this park is famous for on TPR – gambling on duck racing!

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Is it exploitative and immoral? Maybe. But do we love the concept anyway? Kinda!

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Well done guys, you backed the right ducks!

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At the high up temple area Scottish Steve is praying that Larry's umbrella is safe.

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TPDave pays homage to the wallet gods.

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The park has one of the best views from any park anywhere!

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Look mum, I’m up a hill, in Japan!

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TPDave probably looking for the iPhone he lost on the funicular railway.

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Yeah, nice view!

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Wonder Rakutenchi bends the Giant Wheel law in Japan by having this two-for-the-price-of-one effort.

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It’s a long way down!

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Some Japanese family asked if their kid could have his photo taken with me. 1000 Yen later and we had a deal.

 

The family were clearly TPR readers.

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Scottish Steve points out his handiwork.

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Wonder Rakutenchi was quite the quirky park. The only other place I can compare to it is Tibidabo, even then it really is quite unique.

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A few of the guys fancied trying out this place in the train station. Not me.

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Another train ride, another Sleepy Scottish Steve!

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Larry got back to his room to find this ransom note. He had clearly got himself involved in some really serious shit!

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Tonight’s dinner – two kegs of beers! Yay!

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We had some food on the side too.

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After dinner a few of us had a wander around a local arcade.

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House of the Dead 14 is clearly no laughing matter for Erik!

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By far the best game for us in the arcade was the Taiko Drum game!

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Flight of the TPNavigator.

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Even as there were roadworks going on at night there was a little man there making sure everyone was getting across the road okay! Or something like that.

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That’s it for Hakata! Awesome, awesome place!

 

Mitsui Greenland is next!

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It's nice to see Wonder Rakutenchi looking nice and fixed up. Back in 2007, I thought it would've made a good set for a horror movie, but but now it looks bright and cheery.

 

And yay for duck racing!

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Mitsui Greenland was an interesting place, a surprisingingly big park with quite a decent range of coasters. This park is home to one of those messed up "Ultra Twister" coasters I'd heard so much about. Needless tosay it certainly offers a unique experience!

 

The park also has a decent number of unique non-coaster attractions too such as the haunted walkthrough where the amount you shake the "candle" they give you determines your "scaredness score" or the ghost train where you have to wear headphones to hear the soundtrack!

 

Topping all of these attractions of course is the alpine slide! Just be careful on it though because there's a small chance you might wipe out...

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Another morning and another sleepy train ride for Scottish Steve. But he better get his wits about him soon, because we’re in for a unique TPR trip situation…

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It’s Taxi Time!!!

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Hey, I’m in a TPR Taxi!

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What could this sight possibly mean for us?

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We’re at Mitsui Greenland!

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First stop of the day today – white hot death!

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Big Mike and Andrew are all set for Ultra Twister glory!

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It’s certainly a “unique” experience!

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When you get to this stage you’re just happy you’re still alive.

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Big Wheel Quota for Mitsui Greenland – FILLED.

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Mitsui Greenland took the rather unorthodox step of naming their indoor space themed coaster The Black Hole.

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Brad makes his favoured Black Hole hand gesture.

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The Mitsui Green and map is brought to you than another of Peena Puu’s Japanese relatives!

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Oh joy.

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Some people are more excited about Spin Mouse than others.

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Yeah, this is the park with the Stego-Coaster!

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In case you can’t read Japanese Mitsui Greenland make sure to spell out for everyone which toilet is which.

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I forget what this is called so let’s just say it’s the Aztec Coaster.

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You’ll be forgiven for thinking you’ve been transported to North Africa.

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Rootin-Tuten fun!

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Mitsui Greenland offers fun for all ages!

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TPDave knows better than to be excited for a Togo stand-up contraption!

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This 4D theatre was home to one of the most messed up 3D movies I’ve ever seen.

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Gao, Gao, Gao!

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TPR knows it’s in good hands when there’s a dinosaur behind the wheel!

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While they might not always be the best coasters in the world Mitsui Greenland certainly do a good job of making their rides look unique!

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Godzilla doesn’t take any chances when it comes to precipitation.

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TPR is having a whale of a time!

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It’s only a Vekoma – I don’t remember this being too terrible either!

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This Vekoma on the other hand…

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This photo pretty much sums it up.

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The chair ride is often the site of a religious experience for Brad.

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This thing just looked nuts to me.

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Legend of Salamander aka Shooting Dragon!

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Scottish Steve takes Salamanders very seriously!

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Move over Spider-Man, it’s time for Adventure Ride!

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It’s kind of like a simulator on a dark ride track. Very weird!

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Yay, Ghetto Spider-Man!

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Little does he know it at the time but this journey to the top of the hill is the beginning of Scottish Steve’s appointment with destiny!

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And no, that appointment with destiny does not involve this haunted house at the top of the park’s hill!

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Needless to say, Scottish Steve did not enter this house!

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And as a result missed out on this awesome Spider-Man meets Two-Face contraption of a man!

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Steve’s destiny does not even involve the profound awesomeness that was Peena Puu: The Ride on top of the hill!

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The top of the hill gives a nice look over the park.

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It also gives you the opportunity to try out the alpine slide! Just watch your speed!

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First wipeout goes to Brad who doesn’t brake in the station, but that’s nothing compared to…

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TPFail!!!

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And Scottish Steve!!!

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The Wipeout Two were very lucky that the ride attendant had some kind of antiseptic spray for such idiots.

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Whilst Steve went off for some extra medical treatment we were met with the sheer terror that is DANGER IN A MAZE!

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Pay real close attention to the instructions for part three. It’s REALLY important!

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I’ve no idea what Larry is up to here.

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Larry has no idea what danger is about to engulf him.

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Larry was very careful to carry out instruction 3 to the letter.

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Beware the danger of the wall of balloons!!!

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DANGER, DANGER - UV LIGHT!!!

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Okay, NOW I’m scared!

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Everyone checks out the Danger in A Maze grand prize. If you want to know what it is you’ll have to do it yourself!

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Outlets like this are exactly the reason why these Japanese parks are so awesome!

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Even the kids can get a beer at Mitsui Greenland!

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Right in the heart of Mitsui Greenland is this. Every park needs one of these!!!

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Here is Scottish Steve’s favourite place in the world- on the left is the scary dark ride and on the right is the scary walk through maze!

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This dark ride had a headphone soundtrack! Brad still hasn’t quite recovered.

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The scary walkthrough is actually a bit of a challenge, you each get given a candle and depending on how much you shake it you get a score.

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With sights like this, you can be assured that Scottish Steve will never win!

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This translates to “Politically correct African maze”

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Nothing politically incorrect here, except TPDave.

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OMG, the ravenous African box section was so lifelike!

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It was pretty hot today so the Giant Penguin Ice House provided great relief!

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It costs a few Yen to get in but it’s so worth it on these hot days! I wish US parks had stuff like this!

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Yay, penguins!

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Steve somehow dodged a trip to the hospital (mostly thanks to Elissa’s negotiating skills) and provided great visual amusement for us all!

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We had no idea what was supposed to happen in here…

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But it looks like we passed!

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Larry REALLY enjoyed his ice cream float!

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Larry struggled with the gun game massively. Luckily for him ammunition refills were included with admission but he risked almost missing the trip back in order win something. He was still there long after I’d won my prize.

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So that’s Mitsui Greenland! A REALLY big park with some real unique rides! Be careful on that Alpine Slide!

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After Mitsui Greenland it was back on the bullet train - this time heading to Nagoya!

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TPDave is always sure to make good use of the free space in Japanese stations!

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Kit Kat Big Balls are today’s unique food stuff of choice! Note that TPDave’s balls never fall into that category!

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Weird Japanese 7 Up!

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Time for another Bullet Train!

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Score! Another weird Japanese Doritos flavour!

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Here’s our next base of operations for a few nights - Nagoya!

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Everyone was too tired to go drink except for Erik and I! It’s always good to get Erik drunk so that he gets honest about how he REALLY feels about Vekoma!

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Mitsui Greenland

Best selection of non-casters in Japan.

That 3D movie was disturbing.

Did we ever see Nathan again after we sent him through LuxorMagic without proper credentials?

Danger in a Maze ruled!

That ice cream float was awesome in that heat.

Divv stole my prize at the shooting range. He is quite the kleptomaniac. Never trust the Scottish.

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