Kijima Kogen Park

Kijima Kogen Park sits on a grassy plateau in the hills between Beppu and Yufuin, high enough that summer days feel a few degrees cooler than down on the bay. Kamenoi buses from Beppu Station take about 40 minutes and stop at the gate, so it combines easily with either town.

The reason coaster fans come is Jupiter. Built by Intamin and opened in July 1992, it was Japan's first wooden roller coaster, put up from about 60,000 pieces of Oregon pine after building rules on tall wooden structures were relaxed. The track runs about 1.6 kilometres and it still rattles and shoves the way wooden coasters do. It has height and age limits and does not run in rain.

Around it are some 40 attractions, seasonal ones included: Poseidon 30, which drops a boat into a pool, the Sky Palette Ferris wheel, go-karts, a maze and small children's rides, plus an outdoor ice rink in the colder months. Admission and the ride pass are sold separately. The park closes on some weekdays, and on quiet days a ride or two may be down for maintenance, so check the calendar and the day's notices before going up.