Jupiter, Wooden roller coaster in Kijima Kōgen Park, Beppu, Japan
Jupiter is a wooden roller coaster in Kijima Kōgen Park stretching over 1,600 meters with peaks at 42 meters (138 feet) and speeds reaching 91 kilometers per hour (57 mph). The track features long runs and sharp descents characteristic of wooden coaster design.
Opening in 1992, the ride marked a turning point in Japanese building regulations that had previously limited tall wooden structures. This opened new possibilities for theme parks across the country.
The ride's name comes from the Roman god Jupiter, rendered in Japanese as ジュピター. Beside the track stand a small Shinto-motif shrine and a display of an example coaster train car, both visible from the queue and often passed without a second look.
The ride is accessible to visitors at least 120 centimeters (47 inches) tall and requires a ticket purchased at the park entrance. Plan time for waiting, particularly on weekends and holidays when lines tend to be longer.
Jupiter was the last coaster designed by Curtis D. Summers, who died in 1992, and one of only two he built with Intamin. It also appears briefly in the 1994 film Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla. Outside the station stand an example coaster car and a small Shinto-style shrine.
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