Kijima Kogen Park, Beppu – Hubby is now a fan of thrilling rides, thanks to me! So when he learned about Kijima Kogen Park, he knew he couldn’t let it pass.
One of the reasons why hubby advised we stay for a few nights at Nishitetsu Resort Inn Beppu, was because it was nearer to Kijima Kogen Park. Of course, you want to arrive at a theme park the earliest possible time to maximize your stay, so it’s better you travel a shorter distance!
And while Kijima Kogen Amusement Park isn’t as famous as Disneyland or Universal Studios, I can tell you that it’s worth the visit. Want to know why? Read on!
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Kijima Kogen Park getting there
First things first.
I’m sure you’re curious about how to get to Kijima Kogen Park. If you’re like us, who are staying in Beppu, you only need 1 hour to travel, but if you’re coming from Fukuoka, you need to allot at least 2 hours to ride the Beppu theme park rides.
But we had one BIG problem.
We’re so used to riding Japan’s train, but we’re total idiots when it comes to riding bus.
And the easiest way (if not the only way) to get to Kijima Kogen Park is by riding a bus.
So, we left very early in the morning to get to Beppu station ASAP. In there, we wanted to ride the earliest bus to Kijima Kogen. We looked for West Exit 1 of Beppu station, and there we found a line of tourist waiting for the bus.
Not all of them are going to Kijima Kogen Park, but the same bus route also heads to Yufuin, Horita Onsen, and Beppu Ropeway. We’re pretty sure most of the people are heading for either Yufuin or Beppu Ropeway because they’re more famous Oita attractions.
And after standing for almost 40 minutes (we were able to sit after the majority of the people have already gone down), at about 10 AM, we went down to Kijima Kogen Park bus stop. The amusement park is only a 2-minute walk from the bus stop.
Kijima Kogen Park rides
At first look, you might think that Kijima Kogen Park is just a mini Beppu theme park. Since it’s not as popular as its other counterparts, you might feel like you won’t enjoy your stay there. But behind the affordable Beppu theme park tickets, you’ll soon know why I’m still writing to tell you about our experience.
But to tell you the truth, I was amazed at how vast the place is, and how much attraction were inside.
Apart from thrilling rides for adults, there are also many kiddie rides and activities, so your little ones won’t get bored.
Go Kart
The first ride we saw upon entering was the Go Kart. Children below 135 cm are not allowed to ride this thing, and when we rode it, we already knew why. Go Kart runs fast and it might be dangerous for youngsters.
But it was one nice ride, because you’re going to drive through a 1 km course. And you’ll surely feel the cool breeze slapping your face!
Moon Parade
The next ride we chose was the Moon Parade. In it, you can enjoy the scenery as you drive through the long course. Best of all, it has no height restrictions, so your children can ride along with you!
Kijima Ru
More commonly known as a pirate ship ride, Kijima Ru is where you can enjoy a nice 60-degree swing at a maximum height of 13 meters. Go ahead and ride it if you want!
Merry Go Round
I don’t think any amusement park would miss a Merry Go Round. Kijima Kogen Park was built to make kids of all ages to enjoy!
Kite Flyer
Children 105 cm or higher can enjoy Kite Flyer without adults by their side. This ride rotates and brings you up and down, so it’s not really that scary!
Tea Cup
Since 3, our son has been in love with tea cup rides. He isn’t afraid of the rotating motion, so the more you drive the wheel round and round and round, the more he enjoys the ride! He even rode the tea cup 3 times!
Wave Swinger
If you’re feeling hot, then it’s a must you ride the wave swinger! Surely, the wind will cool you off on this ride!
Okira Museum
In Okira Museum, each person is given a piece of paper where you can draw and then you can watch your drawings turn to life as it gets scanned to the screen.
We could’ve given all the papers to our son for his enjoyment with drawing, but since we still want to check other parts of Kijima Kogen, I had to complete some of his drawings.
Totem Pole and Newton
Kijima Kogen Park has two different height abyss-like rides called Totem Pole and Newton. The Totem Pole has shorter distance from the ground, and Newton will raise you 40 meters above ground.
Convoy
Our son spent most of his time riding Convoy. His love for trains has made him want to be the driver of this Kijima Kogen Park ride. Best of all, there weren’t many people so he could ride it no matter how many times he wants.
Dragon Boat
For starters, you can ride the Dragon Boat if you want a slow and steady roller coaster ride. While short, you’re gonna enjoy it because it lets you go around 3x! Look at them enjoying the ride!
Kiddie Plane
My son had been eyeing this airplane ride, but he was dumbfounded upon learning he’d be piloting his plane all by himself. Nonetheless, he made it through, but didn’t want to repeat the ride again!
Poseidon 30
Poseidon 30 is one thrilling ride wherein you can feel like going down the waterfall without getting wet.
Wooden Coaster Jupiter
The most famous Kijima Kogen Park ride is the Wooden Coaster Jupiter. Branded as the first wooden roller coaster in Japan, Jupiter is ranked the 7th longest wooden roller coaster in the whole world. Definitely not to be missed!
Ferris Wheel Sky Palette
One of the chilling rides should try is the Ferris Wheel Sky Palette. As usual, you get to relax while enjoying a panoramic view of the whole Beppu park, and it’s air conditioned so it’s especially needed during summer.
Super L&S Coaster
This one’s really nice and thrilling! Though short, you’ll surely get your adrenaline rush when you ride Super L&S Coaster. Also known as the Super Loop and Spiral coaster, this ride will wake your senses up with its somersaults, so be sure to include it in your rides bucket list!
Ice Skate
If you love ice skating, then you must play on Kyushu’s largest outdoor ice rink. Don’t worry about gears because you can always rent there as needed. We also saw someone who seemed like practising for a competition.
Beppu Hatto Onsen Road (at least that’s what Google translate said)
It seemed like a foot bath where you can take a dip, but it said that it’s currently under construction, so maybe you can’t use it yet. But, it’s actually nice to take a foot bath especially during winter.
Souvenir shop
Of course, a theme park can’t be complete without a souvenir shop where you can buy many cute stuff as a remembrance. Staying inside the souvenir shop was also helpful since it was warm inside and we were freezing out in the cold!
Kijima Kogen Hotel
Now that you know what attractions are included in the ticket Kijima Kogen Park has, you’ll definitely want to get there the soonest possible time right? So why not stay in a hotel that’s just a 15-minute drive to the theme park?
Kijima Kogen Hotel is also a 20-minute drive to Beppu and Yufuin. How cool is that? And then they have the tatami style bed or the traditional Japanese bed that’s on the floor so you can really feel being like a Japanese.
Beppu amusement park
Apart from Kijima Kogen Park, there was another amusement park I’ve been looking at, but we didn’t push through. I saw Beppu Rakutenchi and wanted to go there too! The oldest Kyushu amusement park which was built in 1929, also has lots of unique attraction unlike any other theme parks.
Included in the Beppu theme park attractions are animal interactions like that in a farm or zoo. There’s even a duck racing contest, so your kids will surely enjoy the trip!
Kijima Kogen Amusement Park review conclusion
While not all the attractions are included in this Kijima Kogen Park review, I hope you enjoyed the photos I took and probably visit the place someday. We enjoyed our trip because not only the amusement park wasn’t that crowded, we can ride the rides no matter how many times we want!
Some of my Kijima Kogen Park photos might not have made justice to the beauty of the place, but I hope you’ll love it after watching the video (included above). What are your thoughts? Will you visit this place too?
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What to do in Beppu and Yufuin
Adding Beppu and Yufuin as things to do in Fukuoka is a wise choice especially if you’re traveling there for a long time. By long time, I mean more than 1 week. And since you’re already in Fukuoka, you might as well visit some neighboring cities, because, why not?!
Yufuin Floral Village and Yunotsubo Street
Cute stuff everywhere! That’s how I would like to describe Yufuin Floral Village.
You’ll find many animes, Sanrio, Totoro, Snoopy, and any cute cartoon, in that tiny packed village. It might not be that big, but you’ll be surprised at how much you can buy there!
Apart from that cute village, there is so much to shop also at Yunotsubo Street. From yummy food, to useful souvenir items to Yufuin and Beppu special items, you’ll find them at the shopping street as you leave Yufuin station.
Read more about my Yufuin review here.
African Safari
We went to African Safari thinking we could see the animals upclose. However, sadly, we weren’t able to feed most of the animals and rode the safari bus – because when we got there, the time slots were already full!
However, commuting to the area is a bit hard because there isn’t really a direct ride to reach African Safari Wild Life Zoo. Hence, we decided to book a tour to be able to experience it.
Choose among the different tours below:
- Nature of Kyushu African Safari Wild Life Zoo, Mt Yufu & Yufuin (Check here)
- Kyushu Wildlife Park African Safari & Yufuin Day Tour from Fukuoka (Check here)
- Kyushu Beppu Aso Mountain｜Yufuin & Kuju Flower Park & Aso Mountain & Kusasenri Day Tour (Depart from Fukuoka) (Check here)
Beppu Hells
Get to see the 7 Hells of Beppu if you book this tour. And you know what’s even better? You can soak your foot in 4 out of 7 hells, then eat eggs cooked in the hot spring water! Then check great souvenirs at Umi Jigoku and Chinoike Jigoku for gifts for your families and friends!
Don’t forget to print your vouchers before you go, so you can easily exchange them with the staff.
Beppu Tower
Of course, something you shouldn’t miss when going to Beppu is standing at a tower looking at the whole Beppu. Book at Klook, and you can get 20% off the Beppu Tower entrance fee! When you’re done visiting Umitamago Aquarium, you can head on to Beppu Tower and wait for the street lights to turn on since it’s open until 10 PM.
Want more discounts? Use my promo code HAPPIKLOOK before checkout! Not sure when to use the code yet? Redeem NOW and use LATER!
