Originally published on metropolis.co.jp on July 2011

At the base of sacred Mt. Fuji, a place where many go to meditate on the peaceful majesty of nature, the astonishing adrenalin-gush of Fuji-Q Highland’s new rollercoaster will now rip that all asunder. Open as of July 16, the hair-raising ride is 1,000m long, hits a max speed of 100km/h, lasts 112 seconds and costs ¥1,000; but the real chest-splitter is the dip, which curves in on itself in a 121-degree bend. Whoosh. They are currently applying for Guinness World Record status. The name of the ride is “Takabisha,” which describes an old shogi (Japanese chess) tactic where you place your rook in an offensive vanguard position. We spent some time trying to work out the significance of this—until we realized it also means “high-flying-car.”