Turning Japanese - A Japanese Adventure 2024 - Park 2: Nagashima Spaland

[EmmaUK]

Konnichiwa

So this April I managed to achieve a lifelong dream and I visited Japan.

Whilst I went to 5 parks (plus Tokyo Dome for the +1) I'm going to say something that is possibly sacrilegious on a coaster site: Japan is amazing and the theme parks are not even close to the highlights. Honestly, the parks are great, and I managed 2 new Top 5 Coasters (I mean we all know which they're going to be - but I'll keep the suspense for now). Honestly Japan is the most amazing place on Earth. The people. The sights. The views. The food - oh my god the food! I visited 8 Michelin starred restaurants and had some of the best meals of my life. And the cocktails. Honestly, this place is so cheap. Some of the best drinks I've ever had all for less than 1500 Yen (around £8).

Anyway, I'm here for the Coasters. You're here for the Coasters. Let's talk Coasters.

So I started in Osaka which meant, obviously, a trip to USJ.

The tickets were organised by my agent and were just under 9000 Yen (around £50). Hearing that this park was one of the busiest in the world, I added an express package for 20000 Yen (around £105). Unlike in America where this is a full day pass, this allowed for just 4 (yes 4!) rides, together with entry in Nintendo World (worth it) and entry into Hogsmeade (not necessary and I don't know why they still package it as including it).



So here we are at around 6.45 at Universal. There are several things to note about Universal Japan:

1) This place is BUSY
2) The Japanese get here EARLY - if you don't you'll be behind everyone else in the queues
3) It is the world's worst secret that Universal opens up early. If it says it opens at 8am, in reality they let you in at around 7:20

So in I went and watched as everyone ran to Nintendo World. I, on the other hand, went to Hollywood Dream



After being pulled aside to check the tester seat (thanks guys, I'm not THAT big) I was in the single rider queue and riding the coaster in no time at all.

And you know what? It's alright. Certainly its better than Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit. I mean it didn't trouble my top 50, but there's nothing wrong with it.

Over to Flying Dinosaur, and looking back despite this being so photogenic, it seems that I took no good photos of it.



Again, up the single rider queue (that could be totally abused and it says much about the Japanese people that it isn't) and I was on the back row within a few minutes, and before official opening time. And OH MY GOD this thing is intense. No other flying coaster comes close. I305 (or whatever it is now) does not come close. I love a bit of intensity but for me this was too much. And that is such a shame as I had this down as one of the rides I thought might trouble my top 10. Instead it's down in #69.

Even now Flight of the Hippogriff was far too long a queue and by 8.15 I already resigned myself to missing that +1.

So Jaws it was. I vaguely remembered this ride from Orlando in the early 90s. The problem is, as a non-Japanese speaker, this made little sense. I then dotted around the park, doing various shows until Nintendo World.



Honestly its an excellent area, but the Mario Kart ride did leave something to be desired.

By this time (lunch) the queues were immense. I mean look at these queues:









Even a bottle of water was 45 minutes!

Eventually at 4pm, after a few hours of wandering, it was Space Fantasy: The Ride. No photos as its an indoor VR Coaster.

And by now I'd had enough.

Final thoughts - its a nice park. But, despite hearing so much about how this was the best of all the other Universal Parks, I'd take IOA any day of the week. Even on a Monday the immense queues just made it so difficult to have a good time.

Next up - possible new Top 5 at Nagashima Spaland?

 

[MestnyiGeroi]

After that awesome report, I apologize for the first response being a terribly boring question, but — you have a travel agent? Is that common in the UK? It was extremely common here in the States in the 90s and earlier, but I never hear of it now … unless someone is booking something complicated. Is it just because you wanted help navigating Japan or do you use one for all your holidays?

 

[EmmaUK]

After that awesome report, I apologize for the first response being a terribly boring question, but — you have a travel agent? Is that common in the UK? It was extremely common here in the States in the 90s and earlier, but I never hear of it now … unless someone is booking something complicated. Is it just because you wanted help navigating Japan or do you use one for all your holidays?

I mean we have plenty, but it really depends on the type of trip. I don't use one for a trip to the US, for example, as thats easy. Japan, however, is easy on some things (eg Disney Tickets) but others are a bit awkward or at least I'd rather get someone else to do it for a small fee (eg Fuji Q Highland tickets and the pre-booked bus link). As a side note, if you want to go to any nice restaurants, most ned a concierge service as they don't trust foreigners to turn up otherwise

 

[Ollie]

I've always wanted to go to Japan as it sounds amazing. However I think I'd feel defeated in the park before the gates even open with how busy it is.

 

[James F]

Those queues are insane! but at least the park is open long hours. Flying dinosaur looks incredible, but like you I think I would find the focus on positive Gs to not be my taste. Looking forward to seeing more

 

[EmmaUK]

So after several days of kaiseki, feeding bowing deer, temples and shrines and cherry blossoms I really really did not want to leave Kyoto. I mean look at it:



Honestly, I have so, so many photographs from Kyoto. But we're not here for that. Or the weird and wonderful drinks that I had there. Or how if I'd not delayed myself briefly I'd have been sitting in a bar with Jeff Bezos. No, we're here for Coasters.

Next up was Nagashima Spaland. Not this is a slightly more awkward place to get to. Firstly a quick bullet train from Kyoto to Nagoya. At this stage I tried to put my stuff into a locker at Nagoya station, but I chose the same Sunday as the Formula 1 race just down the road so they were all taken. Oh well. Next challenge finding the bus station. Not the easiest job ever. Then going to the second floor for tickets and the fourth floor for the bus. Yes, this was a multi story bus station. On the plus side, it was a direct bus to Nagashima Spaland, and that was the final stop.

I arrived at around 10.30. I knew that I was going to miss opening because my agent hadn't booked my train early enough (I don't criticise as I didn't ask him to).

So a Sunday. During Sakura. I readied myself for the worst and it was...


...dead. I mean I get this isn't the main entrance but still.

I obviously had to be careful not to bump into anyone...



A quick look at the park map on the way in....well... wasn't very helpful really



That's ok. Because I can see the main reason why I'm here. That massive white giant in the corner of the park. Hakugei.



Now this had the potential to be a top 5. There was no way it was shifting Steel Vengeance, but better than El Toro maybe? Better than Velocicoaster.

Nagashima Spaland has notoriously slow ops, so I pondered getting a fastpass. Some of the rides had single use fastpasses available at about 1000 yen (c.£5.50). I elected not to get one. That was a very wise decision. When I got into the queue this was the queue ahead of me. The fastness merge point at the front.



A Sunday in April will be busy they said:



They do, however, have a slightly convoluted system on queuing. At the merge point you're given a rubber bracelet. You then go up the stairs to the lockers. No metal on board (it is an RMC after all) and then when about to board you give the rubber bracelet back. This prevents people coming off just queuing up again and I cannot help but think there must be a better method that does not tie up two members of staff all day.

So its sit in whatever seat you're told, solo people by themselves, no single seats being filled up, and then a little song or chant or something to confirm that you're safe. And then you're off.

It starts with the pre-lift bunny hops and, from the few that I have done, these are the best out there. They're off axis and powerful and a lot of fun. Then the noisy AF chain lift, before an AMAZING first drop. Its shorter than SteVe but feels very similar, up into a vicious double up and then this amazing off axis right turn and OH MY GOD this is good. It almost inverts you in the opposite way to the turn, and I've lost track of all of the silly names that RMC call their elements, but this may well be the best I've experienced. Then its a double down into a stall and, to be honest, from this point on it becomes a blur.

This thing is AWESOME. The airtime is, of course, amazing. But its more than just an airtime machine. Is it, could it, be better than SteVe? I decided that I needed to try it again later to decide, but I did not expect it to be a question I even had to ask myself.

Off now to my 2nd main reason for being here, Steel Dragon 2000, the (for now) longest coaster in the world.



Similar deal here regarding the fastpass and lack of busyness.





And yet with 2 train ops the 2nd train was still always waiting on the break run. I cannot imagine how long the queue would be if the queue was full. Maybe the dispatch wouldn't be as tedious?





And you know what? It's alright. Sure that first drop makes 300+ feet seem meh, but it doesn't half hit some speed, and the return journey has 7 or 8 great airtime hills in a row, with great headchoppers. It reminded me a bit of Maglum XL200. It didn't hit my top 50, but it was close.

A word also for the aesthetics. People often talk about Nagashima Spaland not being particularly pretty or well themed. Who cares when the Cherry Blossoms are out? I mean I was pleasantly surprised.

Next up was Acrobat. Well, after sadly seeing that Ultra Twister was down for the day:



More empty queues:



I wonder if flying coasters no longer agree with me. I ranked this much lower than Manta. And that wasn't even due to its tedious loading. They were on one car ops. One side therefore wasn't even open. And everyone was taking their shoes off and putting them on at the ride. Tedious.

Anyway it was meh. To such an extent I spent most of my time on the ride wondering. When actually is an inversion on a flying coaster? I mean for most of us an inversion is where we're upside down, ie head down. But like an inline twist on a flying coaster is no more upside down than I am when I roll over in bed? Or like the fly to lie manoeuvre. Whereas a first drop is an inversion because you're head down? Maybe. Anyway, that's all you need to know.

Sadly Shuttle Loop was also down. And one of the Wild Mouses was also out of action (and it feels so weird saying mouses, but that is surely correct? right?).

Next up was Corkscrew.



It was pants. And painful.

Next looping star (with a lovely arty smudged photo)



Meh. It was ok.

Freefall was closed. Which is a shame as despite RMDB, its a cred. I reckon. (arty behind the cherry blossoms photo)



So then jet coaster. Duuuulllllll.

Lunchtime.

Now look at this:



1400 yen. Like £8. And it was delicious. Honestly, Japan has its food game down!

Next up, the Wild Mouse. Its a Wild Mouse. Noting more to say. Does anyone of us really go on them for any reason other than a +1?

Then Arashi



Now, I'm no lover of these things. And despite having heard this was somehow crazier than the others, it felt to me basically the same.

Being by myself I wasn't doing the kiddy coasters. So it was just a solid +8. Before re-rides.

Hakugei in the afternoon made my mind up if it beat SteVe. And it didn't. Just. For me that zero G roll into the zero G stall for SteVe is the perfect series of elements, and that beats out the perfect outer banked turn that Hakugei had. But oh my god its close. If, however, I had the choice of going on one tomorrow it would be Hakugei. Because then I'd be in Japan and Japan beats Ohio hands down.

So Nagashima Spaland. A lot better than I expected. Sure the dispatches are slow, but the lack of any crowds even on a Sunday helped. When I go back to Japan, I'm more likely to go here again than I am Universal Studios!

 

[BobaFett]

Loving these Trip reports so far. I'm flying to Japan myself on friday and can't wait to experience this beautiful country (and of course the theme parks, too ).
I hope to get a just as empty Nagashima Spa Land as you. I'm still a bit "scared" of the Japanese operations in the parks.

 

[EmmaUK]

Loving these Trip reports so far. I'm flying to Japan myself on friday and can't wait to experience this beautiful country (and of course the theme parks, too ).
I hope to get a just as empty Nagashima Spa Land as you. I'm still a bit "scared" of the Japanese operations in the parks.

Yeah the operations outside of Disney and Universal are weird. Fuji Q (which I'll come to later in the report) had us all chanting some mantra to show that we understood the health and safety. V V weird

 

[BobaFett]

Yeah the operations outside of Disney and Universal are weird. Fuji Q (which I'll come to later in the report) had us all chanting some mantra to show that we understood the health and safety. V V weird

Yeah, I've seen videos of the dispatch ceremony of Eejanaika. Not really looking forward to that

 

[MestnyiGeroi]

I mean we have plenty, but it really depends on the type of trip. I don't use one for a trip to the US, for example, as thats easy. Japan, however, is easy on some things (eg Disney Tickets) but others are a bit awkward or at least I'd rather get someone else to do it for a small fee (eg Fuji Q Highland tickets and the pre-booked bus link). As a side note, if you want to go to any nice restaurants, most ned a concierge service as they don't trust foreigners to turn up otherwise

Thanks! I haven’t yet done my Japan trip, but maybe I should get similar help when I do!

 

[EmmaUK]

Loving these Trip reports so far. I'm flying to Japan myself on friday and can't wait to experience this beautiful country (and of course the theme parks, too ).
I hope to get a just as empty Nagashima Spa Land as you. I'm still a bit "scared" of the Japanese operations in the parks.

Good luck - I hope you enjoy - happy to help anything that you need let me know