Fujiyama is a steel out-and-back hypercoaster at Fuji-Q Highland in Fujiyoshida, Yamanashi, Japan, rising in the shadow of the mountain it’s named after. Built by TOGO and opened in July 1996, it remains one of the tallest and longest coasters ever built without a single inversion, and it’s still the ride most enthusiasts name first when they talk about Fuji-Q.
Because so many riders arrive with the same basic question — exactly how tall is Fujiyama, and how does it stack up today — this guide leads with the verified numbers before digging into the ride experience, its record-breaking history, and where its unusual name actually comes from.
Quick Answer
Fujiyama’s official height is 259 feet (79 meters), with a 230-foot (70-meter) first drop and a top speed of 81 mph (130 km/h). It’s a TOGO-built steel out-and-back hypercoaster that opened in July 1996 at Fuji-Q Highland, runs 6,709 feet (2,045 m) of track in 3 minutes 36 seconds, and has zero inversions.
How Tall Is Fujiyama, Really?
Fuji-Q Highland’s own specifications list Fujiyama’s maximum height as 79 meters (259 ft) — the figure most commonly cited — while the lift hill’s hoisting height is slightly lower at 71.5 meters (roughly 235 ft), since the highest structural point sits a bit above where the train actually crests the lift. Either way, at 259 feet Fujiyama is taller than the Statue of Liberty including its pedestal, and its 230-foot first drop is steep enough that riders fall at a 65-degree angle before the train levels out into the rest of the layout.
For comparison, that height put Fujiyama roughly on par with today’s tallest hypercoasters when it opened, and while several modern giga coasters (built to exceed 300 feet) have since passed it, 259 feet still ranks Fujiyama among the tallest steel coasters ever constructed and the tallest most riders will ever experience without inversions.
Stats at a Glance
Park: Fuji-Q Highland • Location: Fujiyoshida, Yamanashi, Japan • Manufacturer: TOGO • Opened: July 1996 • Height: 259 ft (79 m) • Drop: 230 ft (70 m) • Top Speed: 81 mph (130 km/h) • Length: 6,709 ft (2,045 m) • Duration: 3 min 36 sec • Inversions: 0 • Max G-force: 3.5G • Trains: 7 cars, 28 riders per train • Capacity: about 1,100 riders per hour • Height restriction: 110 cm minimum (110–130 cm requires an accompanying junior-high-age or older rider) • Maximum rider age: 64.
The Ride Experience
Fujiyama follows a classic hypercoaster blueprint. After a long climb to the 259-foot apex — with clear-day views straight across the park to Mount Fuji itself — riders plunge 230 feet at a 65-degree angle before the train sweeps through valleys, tight turns, and a series of low-to-the-ground ‘headchopper’ elements, where the track passes just inches beneath structural supports to create an intense illusion of impact.
The final stretch layers in rapid-fire bunny hills that throw sustained airtime at riders right up to the brake run. It’s a long ride by coaster standards — nearly three and a half minutes — and the 7-car, 28-rider trains keep the line moving at roughly 1,100 riders per hour, which is efficient for a ride this physically demanding.
A Record-Breaking Legacy
When Fujiyama opened in July 1996, it simultaneously held four world records: tallest roller coaster, fastest roller coaster, longest first drop, and fastest closed-circuit coaster — a combination almost no coaster has matched since. It held the tallest-coaster and fastest-coaster titles until January 1997, when Superman: The Escape at Six Flags Magic Mountain surpassed both. Its fastest-closed-circuit-coaster record lasted longer, standing until February 2000.
Modern giga- and strata-coasters have since pushed height and speed well past Fujiyama’s numbers, but its four simultaneous records at debut remain a rare benchmark, and it continues to anchor Fuji-Q Highland alongside its record-chasing siblings Takabisha and the now-retired Do-Dodonpa.
Where Does the Name “Fujiyama” Come From?
The name is a play on Mount Fuji itself. In Japanese the mountain is properly called Fuji-san, but ‘Fujiyama’ — reading the same character for ‘mountain’ with its alternate pronunciation — became the more common rendering used by foreign visitors, and the park leaned into that familiar international name for its flagship coaster. It’s also why the ride’s Korean name, 핿지야맑 (Hujiyama), is simply the Korean transliteration of the same word — one reason the coaster shows up so often in Korean-language travel guides to Fuji-Q Highland and Mount Fuji day trips.
The result is a name that translates cleanly across languages, which is part of why Fujiyama is instantly recognizable to international riders even before they know anything about its stats or history.
Tips for Riding Fujiyama
Riders must be at least 110 cm tall, and anyone between 110 and 130 cm needs a junior-high-age or older companion in the same row; there’s also an upper age limit of 64. The headchopper sections look far more dangerous from the platform than they feel in the seat, but they’re a good reason to keep arms inside the restraint at all times. Because Fujiyama has zero inversions and a fairly gentle 3.5G peak, it’s a good litmus test for riders who want intense airtime and speed without loops.
Fujiyama requires a separate ride ticket or ride pass on top of Fuji-Q Highland’s park entry, and both the ride’s operating hours and current ticket options can change seasonally, so check the official Fujiyama page on Fuji-Q Highland’s website before you visit.
Fujiyama roller coaster stats and height FAQs
How tall is Fujiyama?
Fujiyama’s official height is 259 feet (79 meters), with a lift hoisting height of about 71.5 meters and a first drop of 230 feet (70 meters).
How fast does Fujiyama go?
Fujiyama reaches a top speed of 81 mph (130 km/h) during its initial 65-degree drop.
Why is the coaster called Fujiyama?
It’s named after Mount Fuji. “Fujiyama” is an alternate reading of the same characters used for “Fuji-san,” and it became the name commonly used by international visitors — which is also why its Korean name, 후지야마, is a direct transliteration.
Is Fujiyama still one of the world’s tallest roller coasters?
It no longer holds any world records, but at 259 feet with zero inversions, it remains one of the tallest and longest steel coasters ever built, even though modern giga coasters have since surpassed its numbers.
Does Fujiyama have any loops or inversions?
No. Fujiyama has zero inversions — it’s a traditional out-and-back hypercoaster built around height, speed, and airtime rather than loops or corkscrews.
What is the height restriction for Fujiyama?
Riders must be at least 110 cm tall. Those between 110 and 130 cm need an accompanying rider of junior-high-school age or older; there’s also a maximum rider age of 64.
Where is Fujiyama located?
Fujiyama is located at Fuji-Q Highland amusement park in Fujiyoshida, Yamanashi, Japan, near the base of Mount Fuji and roughly 60 miles southwest of Tokyo.
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