FUJIYOSHIDA, Yamanashi Pref. -- The world's fastest roller coaster opens today, propelling riders at 172 kph and putting them through the G-forces that astronauts endure.
The Dodon-pa ride, at the Fujikyu Highland park, in Fujiyoshida, Yamanashi Prefecture, cost 3 billion yen to build and, according to spokesman Motoharu Kimura, is designed "to overload the senses."
Japan's amusement parks are in fierce competition to provide the most thrills per meter and, at last count, there were 137 roller coasters nationwide. Six of those, including the White Cyclone at Nagashima Spaland in Mie Prefecture, are made of wood, although the majority are steel constructions.