Things to know about Fuji Q Highland
Fuji Q Highland location
The Fuji Q Highland theme park is located in the city of Fujiyoshida in the Yamanashi Prefecture in Japan. This place is one of the most visited destinations for enjoying views of Mt. Fuji. What is special about this place is that it offers not only relaxing options for vacations but also great activities for the adventure seekers.
This theme park opened in Japan in 1968 and it is one of the first large-scale theme parks in all of Japan. Since the time it opened until present times, this theme park is still operational and is frequented by thousands of tourists every year.
To get to Fuji Q Highland, visitors can ride the JR Shinjuku going to Otsuki station from the Limited Express Kaiji then riding the Fujisan View Express to Fujikyu Highland. This particular route takes about two hours from Tokyo going to the park itself. The total fare shall add up to about 2,400 yen if you to go by this route.
For those who don’t want to take the train, there are also bus lines that travel to Fuji-Q Highland. Bus rides usually cost about 1,800 yen from Tokyo station and about 2,470 yen from Haneda Airport. For those who are going to Fuji Q Highland primarily for the theme park, there is a round trip bus. What is good about this is that they also offer packages with theme park passes. Usually, tickets range from 4,950 yen to 7,800 yen.
Fuji Q Highland map
Fuji Q Highland is one of the most popular tourist destinations in all of Japan. It has multiple attractions within its facilities. Besides the main gate is the bus stop, Highland hotel. Adjacent to this would be the Fujiyama museum and the Fujiyama Onsen. On the other side of the theme park is the second gate which opens up to Fujikyu Highland station. These are rails going to Tokyo and Kawaguchiko.
Fuji Q Highland Weather
When visiting Fuji Q Highlands, it might be a great idea to check the weather. Since it is located at the foot of Mount Fuji there are incidences of very cold weather (or low temperature) or strong precipitation. If this is so, it might be best to wear something that is not too light to avoid catching a cold. Also, it is best to check if the weather conditions would permit the theme park to be open. At times when the weather is not too nice, many of the thrilling rides are closed for safety. This includes all the tall and fast moving roller coasters.
Tips for visiting Fuji Q Highland
Fuji Q Highland Opening hours
The Fuji Q Highland theme park is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the Fujiyama area. Because of this, it is difficult to find the entire place empty. The Fuji Q Highland is usually opened from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM during the weekdays. It also closes an hour later at 6:00 PM during the weekends and holidays. There are no specific times of the year when the Fuji-Q Highland is closed. However, for those wishing to visit it might be a good idea to check out if it is operational on specific dates. This is because of the fact that it closes on a few irregular holidays.
Fuji Q Tickets
Unlike other theme parks in Japan, the Fuji Q Highland tickets can be quite expensive. For instance, entrance only tickets cost a total of 1,500 yen. This is only to let an individual see the rides but not necessarily line up and ride them. Each ride costs between 400 to 1000 yen depending on the popularity of the ride. Popular rides tend to be more expensive.
The good thing is that the theme park offers up a package inclusive of the entrance fee and unlimited ride tickets for only 5,700 yen. Purchasing the entrance only ticket might be costlier. So for those who wish to spend the entire day in the theme park, it might be best to buy the unlimited ride package.
Fuji Q Highland Hotel
For those who are traveling far from Fujiyama who wish to stay further and enjoy the beautiful views that Mt. Fuji can offer can stay at the Highland Resort and Spa. A hotel which is the official affiliate vacation place of Fuji Q Highlands, this particular hotel is sure to serve their visitors’ every need. This particular place is located just at the main gate and entrance of the Fuji Q Highland Theme park and it features amazing views of Mount Fuji. What makes this particular hotel special is that those who are checked-in can have early access to the theme park and even free access to the Fujiyama Museum and the Fujiyama Onsen.
This particular hotel can be accessed from Tokyo either by bus or by train. Most, if not all, of the rooms, have amazing views of the majestic Mt. Fuji. Other than that, this particular hotel provides easy transportation access for all other destinations inside the Yamanashi prefecture.
Best attractions at Fuji Q Highland
Thomas Land
This particular attraction is the largest kids attraction in the entire complex. It is a train themed zone which was based on the Thomas the Tank Engine, a popular cartoon. However, there are other anime themed attractions as well. There are pirate ship rides, Ferris wheels, carousels. There are also ice skating rinks, carnival games, souvenir shops and more.
Fuji Q Haunted House
Among Fuji Q’s popular tourist destinations are the two haunted attractions within the facility. The first one is the Haunted Hospital and the other is the Hopeless fortress. What is interesting about these is that both are based on urban legends. It is said that the Haunted Hospital is based on a story of a hospital found at the foot of Mount Fuji.
The Haunted Hospital is the second largest haunted attraction in the world and the largest of its kind in Japan. It is a complex of various buildings and “abandoned” hospital rooms where there are monsters and ghosts lurking about. There are ghosts in patient outfits, there are monster nurses and even zombie doctors. The Haunted Hospital truly is one hair raising experience. On top of that, there are hidden spirits that create very harrowing noises. The entire complex is so large that it will take about an hour to go from the entrance to the exit. The good thing is that for those who cannot last that long, there are “pink doors of retirement” that will allow exit from the complex.
The Hopeless Fortress is a unique attraction of its kind. Not only is it a haunted building, it is also like a game. It is a walk-through maze which was made for absolutely zero escape. There are doors upon doors which lead to halls and rooms. The darkness and the scary experiences will make anyone panic and feel fear. There is a time limit for which visitors can find the way out. There are clues and invisible doors that will lead towards escape. So far, no guest has been successful in finding the exit.
Fuji Q Highland dodonpa
Fuji Q’s dodonpa is one of the best attractions inside the theme park. When it opened in 2001, it made headlines as the fastest roller coaster in the world. Not only that, it also claimed to have the fastest acceleration in all of the roller coasters in the world. It has an acceleration from zero to 110 mph (180 km/h) in less than two seconds. It's speed averages at 112 mph. It was soon superseded by a much faster roller coaster no less than two years later. In October of 2016, it was closed for maintenance. However, it is recently reopened in July of 2017.
This particular roller coaster was designed by the roller coaster company S&S worldwide. It is an air-launched coaster made from steel that uses compressed air for launching. The entire ride only lasts less than a minute. It has an impressive height of 49 m (161 feet). The entire course is roughly 1,200 meters long.
Fuji Q Highland Roller Coasters
Fujiyama – Although this particular roller coaster is not as fast as the dodonpa, it is still one of the most impressive in the entire theme park. It is much taller than the dodonpa at 79 meters. But it is much slower with only a speed of 130 km/h. When it opened in 1996, it made headlines as the world’s tallest roller coaster. Since this was more than twenty years ago, there are newer coasters that have snagged its title. The good news is that it is still part of the top ten longest, tallest, and fastest coaster in Asia.
Eejanaika – This particular coaster is unique and one-of-a-kind. It was built to be one of the very few 4-dimensional roller coasters in the world. It is 4-dimensional because the seats travel at varying directions. The coaster seats are known to have the ability to rotate 360 degrees. It can move forward and backward depending on how the ride has been designed. The entire ride is said to invert directions about three times since launch to end. It stands at 76 meters tall and has a speed of 126 km/h. Its uniqueness makes it one of the most popular rides in Fuji Q.
Takabisha – One of the more recent rides and attractions in Japan, the Takashiba was opened only in 2011. What makes this ride special is that it starts off with a 121-degree freefall. This is what thrill seekers are after. Because of this, it holds the title for the world’s steepest roller coaster. On top of this hair raising free fall, the entire ride has a total of seven major loops and twists. It also has a drop of a height of 43 meters.
Other popular destinations near Fuji Q Highland
Fujiyama Onsen
After a full day of excitement and physical activity, it might be a great idea to visit the Fujiyama Onsen. It is located in the vicinity of the Fuji Q Highlands theme park and is adjacent to the Highland Resort Hotel. All their bathhouses are traditionally made and make one feel as if they have traveled through time to enjoy the delicious spring waters of the mountain.
They offer special aromatic pools that will surely relax and soothe any tired body. The entire resort has wooden baths both indoor and outdoor. Just like all other traditional onsens, genders are segregated in the baths. All those who are checked-in the Highland Resort have free access to the onsen.
Fujiyama Museum
Mount Fuji has an important place in history and it is considered as one of the most scenic mountains in all of Japan. It holds an important place in the country’s history, culture, and even religion. People from all over the world travel to Japan just to appreciate it.
This museum is located inside the complex of the Fuji Q Highlands and is known to be one of the affiliates of the theme park. It is an art museum that displays paintings and other art works that feature the beautiful Mount Fuji. The museum also shows the life of Mount Fuji, the history of people climbing it. This includes pilgrimages and other religious events which are held in Fuji.
All visitors of the Fuji Q Highlands that have unlimited ride tickets to the theme park can have free access to the Fujiyama Museum. This museum is opened between 9:30 AM to 5:00 PM on a daily basis. It is also normally closed on a Tuesday and holidays. Entry tickets to the museum cost about 400 yen for all ages.