Fuji‑Q Highland has always set the upper benchmark for thrills. This time I went as an onlooker, bringing the kids to feel its intense attractions. Amid my composed frame of mind, I reconnected with that long‑lost sense of excitement.
This excitement, however, was both impulsive and indecisive. We were uncertain about the weather and whether the two young people could cope with intense rides. We originally planned to go on July 21, but the forecast called for occasional rain. We switched plans at the last minute and headed there on a Sunday, braving huge crowds. While shopping alone in Shinjuku, Mrs. Mak booked four round‑trip bus tickets and two one‑day passes. Thanks to her efforts, this trip came together.
As a supposedly responsible blogger, it was time for me to explain the theme‑park rules and arrangements.
1. Official Fuji‑Q App
Installing the app is an extremely important preparation! (As the trip planner, my biggest mistake this time was not installing it beforehand. No sales platforms or online resources contain information as complete as the app.)
You can buy park tickets, bus tickets, purchase “Zekkyō Priority” (i.e. Fast Pass), check real‑time waiting times for rides, use navigation and look up opening hours — the Fuji‑Q app is incredibly useful. One key point to note: the app can only be found if your app‑store region is set to Japan. For details, please refer to my earlier pre‑trip article:
Tokyo Planner Diary 2026 (I): Trip Preparation Overview
Tokyo Trip Planner Diary 2026 - Pre-Trip Preparation Checklist
Bear in mind that installing the app early and learning how it works is vital for your trip. One special feature of Zekkyō Priority is that it can be purchased via the app three days in advance, so you can be well‑prepared.
(Afterwards I found myself researching information and kicking myself for my blunder.)
2. Weather
Fuji‑Q Highland is not a park you have to avoid on rainy days. Experiencing all rain‑proof attractions alone can already justify the cost of a one‑day pass.
Still, flagship rides such as Fujiyama, Takabisha, Eejanaika and Zokkon may shut down due to weather conditions. Without these roller coasters, the park can hardly be called Fuji‑Q for thrill‑lovers.
3. Tickets
Ticketing rules have changed greatly over the years. The one‑day all‑access pass is straightforward. There is also a ticket that includes three ride entries, and most interestingly, a park‑entry‑only ticket with no ride privileges. Mrs. Mak pre‑bought two youth one‑day passes, since we had not yet decided whether my wife and I would merely observe or join in the fun ourselves.
Within the app I spotted a “virtual queue service” for an extra 2000 yen on top of the one‑day pass. You may sit comfortably in an air‑conditioned café while a “virtual proxy” queues for you. Waiting times are not shortened, yet you are spared from physically standing in line. One cannot help admiring Japanese commercial ingenuity.
Individual rides can also be paid separately. The most popular roller coasters cost 2000 yen, and the Ferris wheel 800 yen. This means Zekkyō Priority can cost more than paying for single‑ride entry.
One important reminder: facial‑recognition registration is required for every ticket upon park entry. Afterwards you do not need to present your ticket for each ride. In the old days the rule was “ticket‑bound, not person‑bound”. Technology has reversed this to “person‑bound, not ticket‑bound”.
4. Transport
Transport has always been the trickiest part of visiting Fuji‑Q. Direct highway buses from Shinjuku to Fuji‑Q and Kawaguchiko are the most convenient, with journeys under two hours. To make the most of your day, take the 7:00 a.m. bus to arrive around 9:00 a.m.
Return departures bring another headache. I assumed the park closed at 5 p.m. and suggested my wife book the 16:45 return bus. Yet on Sundays it stays open until 8 p.m. (and as late as 23:00 during summer vacation). Always check closing hours before booking buses. Google information is often inaccurate — please refer to the Fuji‑Q app for operating hours.
Fortunately we changed our tickets to the 17:45 service at Fuji‑Q Highland Station. Visitor numbers were huge that day, and all direct buses after 6 p.m. were sold‑out.
Below are screenshots of bus‑ticket purchases done on the app afterwards.
(Screenshot: The app bus‑booking page shows round‑trip time options.)
(Screenshot: Traffic jams are common on the route back to Shinjuku from Fuji‑Q. There may be little difference between a 20:00 and 21:00 departure. One day is often insufficient for Fuji‑Q; book your return bus according to the park’s actual closing time.)
5. Attractions not included in the one‑day pass
Even with all‑access passes, several attractions require extra payment. The Super Haunted House has a distinctive and rather costly pricing scheme. One‑day‑pass holders pay an extra 4000 yen for a timed‑entry ticket valid for up to four people, and all four guests must be one‑day passes holder. Visitors without park passes pay 8000 yen for the same group ticket for four. After weighing up the costs, my wife and I also got one‑day passes.
(Screenshot: List of extra‑charge attractions. Some AI sources incorrectly claim Attack on Titan costs extra, but it is covered by the one‑day pass. Only Fujiyama Walk, Slider and the Super Haunted House require additional fees.)
6. Popular Rides
If you want to find out which rides are popular, do not listen to those "supposedly responsible bloggers". Check the official app instead. Enter the main gate and three major roller coasters sit on your left. Together with Takabisha on the right‑hand side of the map opposite Fujiyama, these form what I regard as the park’s four most intense roller coasters.
(Screenshot: Fujiyama near the main gate, typically with 60‑80‑minute waits, an iconic ride.)
(Screenshot: Zokkon, launched in 2023, consistently draws 100‑minute queues. Its 3000‑yen Zekkyō Priority may well be worth buying.)
(Screenshot: I still clearly remember its backward climbs and plunges from years ago, when my limbs were thrown all over the place. It offers decent value; waiting times are usually under one hour.)
(Screenshot: Takabisha. The app gives thorough descriptions, so read it yourself. Expect a minimum 60‑minute queue.)
(Screenshot: Real‑time waiting‑time data. It clearly shows which attractions rival the four big roller coasters in popularity.)
(Screenshot: Even on Sundays, many attractions only need 10‑20‑minute waits, so the one‑day pass is easy to get value from.)
Much of this information I only learned after the event. Our actual day at the park would bring many unforeseen moments. That is all part of travel experience. A perfectly seamless trip is nice, yet minor setbacks are to be expected. I am happy to act as a cautionary tale so readers can avoid my mistakes.
Our tough Sunday journey begins: 5:45 a.m. wake‑up call, leave home at 6:00 a.m., arrive at Shinjuku Station at 6:30 a.m., and board the early‑morning bus bound for Kawaguchiko.
Inside Shinjuku South Station concourse, I stood before the large digital board clearly displaying each bus, departure times and boarding bays. Returning after more than a decade, I could already sense how much Fuji‑Q had changed, even before boarding the direct bus.
I still recall the days before Google. Back then, my then‑girlfriend and I rode a bus with no clear idea when we would reach Fuji‑Q. Listening to one unknown Japanese station announcement after another, we feared we had boarded the wrong vehicle. Then came the first English announcement on board: “Next Station is Fuji Q”. The huge sense of relief remains vivid in my memory.
Eighteen years later, at 9:09 a.m., I am married to that former girlfriend, and here we are with our two children. Our thrilling day has officially begun!
Tokyo Planner Diary 2026 - To be continued
Next post: Thrills and Horror Unleashed
Tokyo Trip Planner Diary 2026 (Busily working on my write-up...)
Tokyo Trip Planner Diary 2026 - Pre-Trip Preparation Checklist NEW2026!!!
Tokyo Trip Planner Diary 2026 (Part 2) – Arrival: The Hotel in Ueno NEW2026!!!
Tokyo Trip Planner Diary 2026 (Part 3) – Disneyland vs DisneySea Ultimate Showdown NEW2026!!!
Tokyo Trip Planner Diary 2026 (part 4) Tokyo Disneyland – Pre-Trip Preparations NEW2026!!
Tokyo Trip Planner Diary 2026 (part 5): Full‑Day Field Log at Tokyo Disneyland NEW2026!!
Tokyo Planner Diary (part 6) - The Akihabara Dad Squad NEW2026!!
Tokyo Planner Diary 2026 (Part 7): Complete Guide to Shibuya Sky NEW2026!!!
Tokyo Again 2025
Tokyo Again 2025(1) - 72 hours of traveling in Tokyo (3 -days Itinerary plan, plus 7-days in 2024) NEW!!
Tokyo Again 2025 (2) - Tokyo Transportation - Simplified Package for Dummies NEW!!
Tokyo Again 2025 (3) -APA Hotel Ueno Ekimae - with Movie NEW!!
Tokyo Again 2025 (4) The First Night in Ueno（GYU STAR All you can eat BBQ / Donki in Ueno) NEW!!
Tokyo Again 2025 (5) - Karuizawa Day Trip (Part 1 - How Did We Go?) NEW!!
Tokyo Again 2025 (6) - Karuizawa Day Trip (Part 2 - Leisurely Stroll......Kumoba Pond) NEW!!
Tokyo Again 2025 (9) - Under the cherry blossom trees (Ueno Park / Tsukiji Market) NEW!!
Tokyo Again 2025 (10) - First Avenue Tokyo Station - Tokyo Character Street NEW!!
Tokyo Again 2025 (11) - Shopping Paradise (Ginza) NEW!!
Tokyo Again 2025 (12) - Ueno Again NEW!!
Tokyo Again 2025 (13) - Prepare for Next Tokyo Trip NEW!!
Tokyo 2024
Tokyo 2024 - 7 days itinerary (Family of 4 - Attractions and Shopping Experience) NEW!!
Disney Sea Tokyo 1 - Basic Information and Tips for your journey NEW!!
Dinery Sea Tokyo 3 - Busy Second Half Having fun (Peter Pan / Toy Story Mania)
The Making of Harry Potter (Tokyo)
Hotel in Ikebukuro (Hotel Hisoca Ikebukuro)
USJ Osaka 2023
Universal Studio Japan (Osaka) 1 - Basic Information and Some Tips for your journey
Universal Studio Japan (Osaka) 2 - Preparation with Kids
Universal Studio Japan (Osaka) Part 6 - Harry Porter and His Magic Wand
Universal Studio Japan (Osaka) Part 7 - Our Forbidden Journey
Universal Studio Japan (Osaka) 8 - Universal Wonderland and Others
Those below are articles about Japan Visit, written in Chinese. Please feel free to leave your comments or questions. I am glad to reply and give advice according to my limited experience.
2024 Tokyo (in Chinese)
七年無事又東京（二）新宿事變（六歌仙新店 + 歌舞伎町Tower)
七年無事又東京（四）進擊的上野 （上野Yamashiroya + 阿美橫丁）
七年無事又東京（五）迪士尼海洋Disneysea1 - 簡單易明基本概念及小提議
七年無事又東京（六）迪士尼海洋Disneysea2 忙於操作的上半場（驚魂古塔 / 地心探險記 / 樂佩公主天燈盛會）
七年無事又東京（七）迪士尼海洋Disneysea3 總動員的下半場
七年無事又東京（十）天旋地轉與膽量挑戰 (台場Joypolis1F）
七年同事有東京（十一）動感（台場Joypolis 2F - VR, House of the Dead, Transformer）
七年無事又東京（十二）獻出心臟"爸"！（台場Joypolis 3F - 進擊的巨人 + 全日通結算 + 輕鬆推介）
七年無事又東京（十三）雨中的陽光（池袋Sunshine City）
七年無事又東京（十四）池袋的超強CP值酒店（Hotel Hisoca 池袋 - 有片）
七年無事又東京（十五）與機場進餐（Marroad Hotel International)
七年無事又東京（十六）最後分組活動（酒酒井OUTLET / 成田機場T2)
七年無事又東京（十七）東京遊2024 總結 + 後記 （各景點評分）
2023 Osaka (in Chinese)
2019 Kyushu Self-Driving Tour
九州日誌（二）互動（九州野生動物園 / Hello Kitty Harmony Land )
九州日誌(四) - 雨天（湯布院大街 / 福崗OUTLET)
九州日誌(七) - 天地（天神地下街 / MARK IS......)
2018 - Okinawa Self-Driving Tour
自駕衝衝沖繩之旅(二） Day1,2,3 沒有浪花的季節 (谷茶灣Rizzan海洋公園酒店)
自駕衝衝沖繩之旅(三） Day 2 「魚」出驚人 (沖繩美麗海水族館 + 大家 + 水果樂園 + 萬座毛)
自駕衝衝沖繩之旅(四） Day 3 在水中央 (海中展望塔 + 伊波公園 )
自駕衝衝沖繩之旅(五） Day 4 雨程 (琉球之牛，Aeon Mall Okinawa Rycom)
自駕衝衝沖繩之旅(六）- Day 5-1 與小象的約會 (沖繩動物王國)
自駕衝衝沖繩之旅(七）- Day 5-2 沖繩最強「浦」點 （浦添大公園 - 有片 + 美國村）
自駕衝衝沖繩之旅(八）- Day 6-1 人人彈起（中城公園)
自駕衝衝沖繩之旅(九）- Day 6-2 Round 1 Fight!!（Round 1 Stadium)
自駕衝衝沖繩之旅(十）- Day 7-1 最後的公園（國際通 + 第一牧志市場 + 奧武山公園）
自駕衝衝沖繩之旅(十一）- Day 7-2 「瀨」住唔走 （瀨長島溫泉酒店）
自駕衝衝沖繩之旅(十二）- Day 8 來去沖沖 (ASHIBINAA OUTLET + 給自駕者的話)
2017 - Yokohama and Tokyo
「橫東」直撞七天遊二 (Day 2-1) - 全包宴 (橫濱麵包超人館)
