Unsafe at Any Speed

Spotted on the roof of Kichijoji's Tokyu department store: a trio of less than thrilling rides for kids, flocked in the grubbiest, grimiest fake fur this side of Kabukicho. Although this sort of thing can be found all over Japan, I don't recall ever seeing similar rides in American kiddy-corners or amusement parks, which may explain why they creep the living hell out of me. Ride 'em, Hiroko!

Comments

[JJsan]

Wow, that is awful. Were the kids afraid to touch them? And Japan is usually so clean...

[Matt]

There were plenty of kids around, but they were mobbing the Hamtaro and Godzilla rides instead of these sad old fellas. In their defense (now I'm defending grubby amusement park rides) they weren't unclean in the sense of being totally filthy; think of it more as a sort of wabi-sabi from long years of hard use.

[Steve Harrison]

Well, I will note that while the fur has miles of use ground into it, the saddle, or seat, seems in surprisingly good maintainance.

But I need more details, because it's unclear. Are these merely 'rocking' rides, or are they electric carts under furry bodies? Because they look like something you drive, not just rock back and forth on....

yeah, I'm envisioning furry bumper cars, why? ;)

[Matt]

I believe you can ride them, very, very slowly, around the area. They're like furry go-karts... Minus the thrills.

[Sexy Patrick]

They had legions of these things rolling around at the Hanayashiki amusement park in Asakusa. I can't imagine Ueno zoo not having them either.

Someone should do a photo essay on depressing rooftop amusement centers in Japan. The one on top of Yuzawa-ya in 'Joji is like a combination homeless shelter and Tamiya car race track...

[Matt]

Now, if only I can locate that dolphin-shaped boat the kid rides in the beginning of Godzilla vs. Megalon...

[Sexy Patrick]

I believe that one is called the "Baby Rider." You can probably go to jail for 20 years for it.

[Matt]

Is that like Cutie Honey's "Honey Rider"?

[hillsy]

I thought the "baby rider" was that little motor bike the kid was driving. Man...thinking of that piercing voice in the American dub is making the hair on my neck stand on end...