Japan's Do-Dodonpa Rollercoaster, Which Has Broken Visitors' Bones, Is Permanently Closed
The ride was once the fastest rollercoaster in the world.
Japan‘s Do-Dodonpa rollercoaster — once hailed as the faster rollercoaster in the world — has permanently been shut down.
Located at the Fuji-Q Highland amusement park, the ride was initially suspended in August 2021 after at least five visitors, aged 21 to 59, suffered from broken bones. Japan Today reports that the injuries weren’t caused by the guests sticking their hands out of the car and hitting the track or trees, but were instead neck or spine compression fractures due to the ride’s intense G-force of 3.75 Gs. To compare, fighter pilots experience 4 Gs when launching from the deck of an aircraft carrier.
While it was still in commission, Do-Dodonpa could hit a maximum speed of 180 kilmoteres per hour in 1.56 seconds and is considered the third-fastest rollercoaster in the world today. Fuji-Q suspended the ride to find a way to make it safer and still hold on to its record, however it seems as though it was impossible. “After extended discussions with the manufacturer, we have arrived at the conclusion that it would be [prohibitively] difficult to ensure safe operation that that completely eliminates the risk of rider injury,” said Fuji-Q Highland in a statement. “In order to fulfil our societal obligation as a theme park and make safety our top priority, we have made the decision to permanently cease operation of Do-Dodonpa.”
