White Canyon (roller coaster)

Prior to 1994, when White Canyon was constructed, there was only one wooden roller coaster, Jupiter (built in 1992), which had ever been built in Japan. This was largely due to strict, earthquake-related building codes which restricted the height of wooden structures in Japan.[1]

White Canyon was built as a collaboration of Roller Coaster Corporation of America, TOGO, D. H. Morgan Manufacturing, and John Pierce Associates. The coaster was constructed out of 2,360 cubic meters (one million board feet) of southern yellow pine and the construction involved extensive prefabrication in the United States before the components were shipped for final assembly at Yomiuriland.[2]

The layout of the White Canyon was quite similar to the famous Coney Island Cyclone.[3] Before White Canyon was closed in 2013, it was the longest—1,100 metres (3,600 ft)[4]—and tallest—35 metres (115 ft)[5]—Cyclone-layout roller coaster in the world. The ride produced fairly high lateral G-forces of up to 1.5 lateral Gs.[6]

Before it closed in early 2013, a single ride on the White Cyclone cost ¥900. The ride was restricted to individuals who were above 1.3 metres (4 ft 3 in) in height. It was also restricted to riders under 60 years of age and at least in junior high school.[6]

White Canyon was closed on January 14, 2013. A total of 5.35 million people rode on White Canyon during its 19 years of operation. In its last year of operation, Yomiuriland organized a "White Canyon Thank You" campaign that involved the planting of thousands of trees. The campaign received funding from several environmental and government organizations.[7]