Travel

Ferris Wheel Offers Safety Bar Only at 200m

Okayama, Aug 25 (News On Japan) - Washuzan Highland in Kurashiki, Okayama Prefecture, has introduced a new extreme attraction called Kyotenjā, a Ferris wheel that uses only a lap bar, leaving riders largely exposed. The ride lifts passengers to 60 meters above ground at an elevation of about 200 meters above sea level, offering sweeping views of the Seto Inland Sea and the Great Seto Bridge while delivering a mix of fear and excitement.

According to the park’s operating company, the attraction was installed in late March. Nagayama, president of the operator, said the team pursued the minimum necessary restraints to accentuate the sensation of legs dangling, a concept that took about two years to realize. About one in five visitors chooses to ride. Eight units are installed, and visitors can select from a floorless type or a standard type to match their preferred level of intensity.

Founded in 1971 with a theme of “thrill and excitement,” the park offers around 15 attractions, roughly 80% of which are classified as extreme rides. Alongside Kyotenjā, the park has also rolled out Yokosukananjā, a sideways version of its pedal-powered Sky Cycle—often described on social media as “Japan’s scariest.” Riders proceed under their own power at around 16 meters above ground, experiencing both vertigo and seaside scenery as they pedal.

Do Bears Prefer Acorns or Berries?

Bear sightings across Japan have already climbed to nearly twice the level recorded during the same period last year, prompting entry bans in mountain areas behind Kyoto’s Ninna-ji Temple and the cancellation of hiking events in Kansai, while new research suggests that the key to reducing encounters may lie in understanding what bears eat in each region.

Copper Thieves Target Japanese Shrines

Copper roofing panels were stolen from several shrines in Hamamatsu, Shizuoka Prefecture, including a city-designated cultural property, in the latest case amid a nationwide surge in copper thefts targeting shrines and temples across Japan, where soaring metal prices have fueled crimes that leave historic religious buildings damaged, exposed to the elements, and facing repair costs of millions of yen.

1200-Year-Old Temple on Miyajima Reduced to Ashes

Flames broke out on the morning of May 20th on Miyajima Island in Hiroshima Prefecture, home to one of Japan's World Heritage sites, destroying Reikado Hall near the summit of Mount Misen.

From Bento Boxes to Garbage Bags, Rising Costs Hitting Daily Life Across Japan

Uncertainty surrounding the situation in the Middle East is beginning to affect daily life in Japan, as concerns over crude oil supplies spread to restaurants, cleaning services and even household garbage disposal systems across the Kansai region.

Tochigi Robbery-Murder Suspect’s Wife Posted Dance Videos on Social Media

A 25-year-old woman arrested as a suspected ringleader in a robbery-murder case in Tochigi Prefecture once posted cheerful dance videos on social media and was remembered by those who knew her as an energetic and outgoing young woman.

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Elderly Hokkaido Man Punches Bear in the Nose

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Bear Appears Near Tokyo Homes and Schools

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A Russian man in his 30s suffered serious injuries after being attacked by a bear while hiking on Mount Mutsuishi in Okutama Town, western Tokyo, at around 12:10 p.m. on May 17th, according to the Metropolitan Police Department and the Tokyo Fire Department.

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