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
Photo: Twitter
▼Honey for my…hunny?
Photo: Twitter
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…
Photo: Otsuka Senior High School
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】
Gundam teams up with 300-year-old daruma maker for wood-carved anime mecha figures[Photos]
Tokyo’s new extra-expensive ramen restaurant is dividing opinions, so we tried a bowl
Japan’s instant ramen snack theme park features an athletic course even adults can enjoy
Used chopsticks upgraded from “waste” to “valuable material” by Kawasaki City thanks to ChopValue
Krispy Kreme releases new limited-edition fox doughnuts at only four stores in Japan
Pizza Hut Japan’s drinkable curry pizza is here – Is it all we dreamed it would be?[Taste test]
Two new Sailor Moon art manhole covers are coming to Usagi’s real-world Tokyo neighborhood
Japanese temple burns to the ground, fire burning inside for 1,200 years unharmed
Bizarre Japanese vending machine sells “Peace and Equality” and “Angels and Demons”
Kanji ice cream becomes a sell-out hit in Japan
Japan has a new cute and clever sunblock for cat lovers
This Tokyo Station sweets sensation sells out daily, but we finally got our hands on it
Krispy Kreme Japan is bringing two special donuts to the most-forgotten big city in the country
Japan’s izakaya pubs closing at record pace, failing to attract foreign tourists
Tokyo’s life-size Gundam anime mecha statue will be removed this summer
The average age of Japan’s hikikomori shut-ins is getting older, survey shows
Japan enters Golden Week vacation period, survey shows one in three plan to ride it out at home
Ichiraku Ramen-inspired ramen sets from Naruto anime pay homage to Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura
Japan’s new Pokémon jackets give you the look and powers of the Kanto starter trio
Japan now has gyoza doughnuts, and they taste like no other doughnut we’ve tried before
New Kyoto Converse sneakers celebrate Japan with traditional kimono fabrics for your feet
Studio Ghibli releases new anime keychains that are like miniature figurines
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
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
Japan reportedly adding Japanese language skill requirement to most common foreigner work visa
Japan’s 5.3 million beautiful Hitachi Nemophila flowers are now in full bloom[Photos]