Brazil boasts the largest population of Japanese people outside of Japan. Many Japanese began moving to this South American country in the early twentieth century following the abolition of slavery and the subsequent need for laborers to harvest coffee. Japan and Brazil have since exchanged and blended cultures through many ways including agriculture, festivals, and Jiu-Jitsu. Although quirky, it is not too surprising that you can find a Brazilian theme park in the city of Okayama located in the southern region of Okayama prefecture. Washuzan Highland Amusement Park features the SkyCycle, a unique roller coaster requiring passengers to pedal from beginning to end on side by side tandem bicycles. Though the course is simple, without any drops or loops, moving at a significantly slower rate than a normal roller coaster while suspended four stories above ground can be quite terrifying. While there are seat belts provided, there are no guard rails. We cannot say for sure, but we assume that the SkyCycle is in some ways an attempt to incorporate the elements of adventure travel that are popular in Brazil. Take a look of the photos below and let us know if you would be so daring to hop on!
