Bandit is a steel terrain roller coaster at Yomiuriland, an amusement park in Inagi, near Tokyo, Japan. Built by the Japanese manufacturer TOGO and opened on March 25, 1988, it briefly held the title of the world’s fastest roller coaster before Cedar Point’s Magnum XL-200 took the record a year later.
What makes Bandit distinctive is its terrain-following design: rather than relying on a tall, freestanding structure, the layout was custom-built into the natural hills of Yomiuriland. The elevation change between its highest and lowest points reaches 256 feet, far exceeding its official height figure, and for a time that made it the tallest complete-circuit coaster in the world as well.
Stats at a Glance
- Park: Yomiuriland
- Manufacturer: TOGO
- Opened: March 25, 1988
- Height: 167.3 ft (51.0 m)
- Top speed: 68.3 mph (109.9 km/h)
- Length: 5,118 ft (1,560 m)
- Inversions: 0
- Duration: 2 minutes, 18 seconds
The Ride Experience
Bandit’s ride unfolds over roughly two and a quarter minutes as trains climb a lift hill before plunging into a course dictated almost entirely by the park’s rolling terrain. Rather than towering drops off a steel superstructure, riders experience sweeping descents and rises that trace the natural contours of the hillside, giving the ride a distinct rhythm compared to typical hypercoasters of its era.
With no inversions, Bandit’s thrill comes from sustained speed and terrain-hugging turns rather than loops or twists. Each of its three trains carries 28 riders across seven cars, moving up to 1,260 guests per hour through the course.
A Brief Reign as the World’s Fastest
When Bandit debuted in 1988, it momentarily eclipsed Six Flags Great America’s American Eagle to become the fastest roller coaster on the planet, a title it held into 1989 before Cedar Point’s Magnum XL-200 surpassed it. That short-lived record cemented Bandit’s place in coaster history as one of the rides that pushed steel coaster speeds into new territory in the late 1980s.
The coaster is also known for a scenic touch unrelated to speed: its track winds through the treetops of hundreds of cherry trees on the Yomiuriland grounds, making it a popular attraction during the park’s annual sakura blossom season.
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Bandit FAQs
When did Bandit open at Yomiuriland?
Bandit opened on March 25, 1988, built by the Japanese manufacturer TOGO.
Was Bandit ever the world’s fastest roller coaster?
Yes, from 1988 to 1989 Bandit held the record as the world’s fastest roller coaster, until Cedar Point’s Magnum XL-200 surpassed it.
Does Bandit have any loops or inversions?
No, Bandit has zero inversions. It is a terrain coaster that relies on speed and elevation changes rather than loops.
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Photo: thecrypt from UK / CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.