
From preschool all the way to university, Japan has a very proud tradition of schools festivals. Every year, the students and teachers work together to transform their school into an array of art, entertainment and food their goal to make the school as fun as possible for everyone who attends. High schools and colleges especially go the extra mile to show that their school is number one by having various cafes, haunted houses, cosplay photography, and performances.
But there’s an event idea that has gone viral because of the amazing efforts of one high school: a manually operated tea cup ride.
Tea cups, love’em or hate’em, they are THE ride for carnivals. If a carnival doesn’t have the tea cup ride, you can’t properly call it a carnival. Maybe soon we will think the same way for high school culture festivals. In 2012, thanks to the extreme efforts of ridiculously determined students at the Otsuka High School in Tsukuba, the first high school tea cup ride was born. Forget your silly haunted classrooms, and lame trick-art rooms, if we aren’t lining up for a human-powered spinny tea cup ride, we aren’t lining up at all!
▼The video and school that started it all!
News of this amazing attraction spread quickly, especially after the class posted a video to YouTube featuring their ride. Commenters inundated them with requests to share how they built such spectacular contraptions all on their own.
It apparently took the Otsuka students about four months to complete construction of this “tea cup” ride, but they weren’t stingy with their blueprints because in 2013, more high schools featured the “manually powered tea cup”.
▼High schools around Japan trying to make them

▼Honey for my…hunny?

This year, the Tokatsu High School in Chiba featured an Alice in Wonderland-themed tea cup ride. They displayed some incredible skill and craftsmanship and their total dedication to the theme was really well received. As you can see, they still powered the ride by hand. To keep the ride running for the whole day, it takes some serious dedication to spinny fun!
▼Welcome to Higashi Katsushika (Tokatsu’s) High’s School Festival!
http://instagram.com/p/soQlOjRXZ4/
An unimaginable amount of time and patience went into these various tea cup rides and we would certainly like to give recognition to their hard work. We can only imagine how this attraction will grow and be improved on in the coming years. Perhaps something even more thrilling will be crafted…like a roller coaster or something.
Oh wait…

Source: Naver Matome
Top image: Hamako and Mimiko’s Argentina Life



High school students’ teacup ride blows up online, looks more fun than the Disneyland one
Japanese high school students build crazy wooden roller coaster at school festival【Video】
Japanese middle schoolers build an awesome real/VR roller coaster for their class project【Video】
Fake police phone scam also highlights dumb stereotype about how foreigners speak Japanese[Video]
Create a tiny Ghibli anime world on your bookshelf with new miniature papercraft art kits
Secret Starbucks sausage customization sparks sweet joy in Japan[Taste test]
Awesome Ghibli Howl’s Moving Castle figure is also a puzzle and an organizer[Photos]
Say hello to Japan’s new generation of adults, fresh from Kitakyushu’s 2023 seijinshiki ceremony
Studio Ghibli releases new action figures featuring Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind characters
The next time you’re feeling stressed out, you could relax on a Pokémon Psyduck chair from Japan
Chance to play Tetris on a massive staircase in Kyoto Station coming in March
This Japanese vending machine doesn’t sell drinks, but you can buy drinks through it
Why you should be adding Calpis to your beer in Japan
Japanese onsen egg maker from 100-yen store Daiso needs to be on your shopping list
Starbucks Japan releases new My Fruit³ Frappuccino at only 34 stores around the country
Cherry blossoms begin blooming in Japan with record-early starts for sakura season
Tokyo government organizes food truck event to clear out delinquent/homeless teen gathering area
Train station platform ramen store closes its doors on half a century of history in Tokyo
Nine amazing off-the-beaten-path cherry blossom spots in Japan for yaezakura and shidarezakura
Stunning central Japan wisteria festival is like a purple fantasy straight out of a Ghibli movie
When will the cherry blossoms reach full bloom in Japan this year?[Forecast]
Studio Ghibli adds new Mother’s Day gift sets to its anime collection in Japan
Starbucks Japan unveils new sakura cherry blossom collection for hanami season 2026
Studio Ghibli releases Catbus pullback keychain that runs like the anime character
Nine great places to see spring flowers in Japan, as chosen by travelers (with almost no sakura)
Starbucks Japan releases first-ever Hinamatsuri Girls’ Day Frappuccino
Virtual idol Hatsune Miku redesigned with look that adds new elements and brings back old ones
Survey asks foreign tourists what bothered them in Japan, more than half gave same answer
Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo
Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
We deeply regret going into this tunnel on our walk in the mountains of Japan
Studio Ghibli releases Kodama forest spirits from Princess Mononoke to light up your home
Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
Japan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]
Major Japanese hotel chain says reservations via overseas booking sites may not be valid
Put sesame oil in your coffee? Japanese maker says it’s the best way to start your day【Taste test】
No more using real katana for tourism activities, Japan’s National Police Agency says