There are at least four amusement parks within the Tokyo city limits (not counting Disneyland). We visited two of them, Yomiuriland in the Western suburbs and La Qua in the city centre. La Qua is located at the Tokyo Dome which is an enormous arena for sporting and musical events. There is a big shopping centre (surprise surprise) and a collection of rides surrounding the Dome. We rode the GIGANTIC ferris wheel and the brilliant and GIGANTIC roller coaster Thunder Dolphin. TD was stunning: fast, smooth, comfortable and with fantastic city views as it flew over the rooftops of central Tokyo. At one point it zooms through the centre of the ferris wheel as if just to prove that the wheel is centreless (it is).




On a dry, cold but sunny Thursday we took the train West to Yomiuriland. We practically had the park to ourselves all day. Several times that day I was the only rider on various attractions. I was excited to ride Bandit and wasn't disappointed. It covers most of the park and takes a meandering trail through the trees and over the hilly terrain of the park. I rode the worlds first stand-up coaster and the worlds roughest and most uncomfortable wooden coaster (White Canyon). The ferris wheel at Yomiuriland was even bigger than the one at La Qua and we were the only riders on board. Look at the lack of punters in these pics: