
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】
A visit to Sri Lanka’s knockoff knockoff Uniqlo (no, we didn’t stutter) to see its rare “Pikachus”
New Mt. Fuji overnight bus takes travelers from downtown Tokyo straight to the most popular hiking trail
7-Eleven Japan now has Vietnamese banh mi sandwiches, but how do they taste?[Taste test]
Tokyo revises accommodation tax amidst tourism boom, Airbnb rentals now included
Salomon releases Japan-exclusive Mt. Fuji hiking gear that doubles as an amazing souvenir
Japan moves to enforce language requirements for foreign nationals seeking permanent residency
7-Eleven Japan releases chocolate cookies that taste like freshly baked melon bread
Yoshinoya and Dragon Quest slaying scalpers with shift to made-to-order collaboration merch
Japan to get new high-speed train connecting Haneda and Narita airports, ease overtourism
Potato-Chip-Flavored Dressing coming to stores in Japan
Japan triples departure tax, foreign tourists and locals now must pay more to leave country
Sanrio Character Poll announces winners, Hello Kitty absent from top 10 in many countries
Japanese overnight sightseeing train returns for summer with ramen stops and ocean views
Starbucks Japan teams up with Converse Tokyo for a new limited-edition collection in honour of Tanabata
Don’t judge this Kiki’s Delivery Service book by its cover, because it’s not actually a book!
Tokyo has only two barley tea makers, and we visited one to see how mugicha is made
Sleep at Hoshinoya Nara Prison, one of the most unique hotels in Japan
Live-action Spirited Away stage play announces world tour with first-ever U.S. and Canadian dates
Japan announces sudden 400-percent increase in visa fees for foreigners entering the country
Japanese ninja certification exam attracts 131 candidates from Japan and abroad
Studio Ghibli store Donguri Republic announces opening of first-ever store in America
New Japanese overnight train coming to connect Tokyo with Tohoku in sleep-travel style
Japan launches first overnight Shinkansen bullet train between Tokyo and Osaka this summer
Japanese sweets shop sells an ohagi so exquisite it sells out by noon
Forget Tokyo go-karts – there’s a new way to sightsee on four wheels in Japan
Japanese sweets brand creates new drinkable Cigare and we’re totally here for it
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
Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
Japan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]
Put sesame oil in your coffee? Japanese maker says it’s the best way to start your day【Taste test】
We deeply regret going into this tunnel on our walk in the mountains of Japan
Japan reportedly adding Japanese language skill requirement to most common foreigner work visa