Sabrina's Brochure Spotlight: Tokyo Dome City 200?

When it comes to print media in general and park brochures in particular, I'm an observant person. I observed, for instance, that this Tokyo Dome City brochure was not about to translate itself. (The nerve!) I also observed that it's very much like a lady: Unwilling to reveal its age. (I don't think I need to expound upon how I feel about THAT.)

Keen eyes have gotten me far in life, but alas, they are no match for the likes of Kanji, Hiragana, and Katakana! I hope you enjoy a challenge as much as I do, because we're about to venture into uncharted SBS waters.

We'll begin with two things that are universally loved: Roller coasters and the Big O. (Get your mind out of the gutter--I'm talking about the Ferris wheel! Sheesh.) Both the Big O and the critically acclaimed Intamin hypercoaster known as Thunder Dolphin burst onto the Tokyo scene in 2003, so we can safely assume that this brochure is rather recent. The Big O's claim to fame is that it was the world's first "centerless" Ferris wheel. Research showed that a much more stable design could be achieved by replacing the central hub with a roller coaster track.

Thank goodness for the universal language of photography, because the information on the right panel might as well be written in Japanese. At least they hired English-speaking graphic designers to create their ride logos. Otherwise, how would we ever know that this complex features a Horror House in addition to the Big O?

More visuals! Now that's what I'm talking about. This map provides a great illustration of Tokyo Dome City's many attractions. The Dome itself, a.k.a. the "big egg", is the home of the Tokyo Giants baseball team and a popular venue for concerts and other large events. The complex surrounding the Dome consists of shops, restaurants, a baseball hall of fame, and of course, amusement rides.

The newest section of Tokyo Dome City is LaQua, which is the area marked in blue at the top of the map. This complex within a complex was designed around a natural hot spring and can best be described as a nouveau fusion of theme park and spa. It even features a fountain which dances to music.

In addition to Thunder Dolphin, three other roller coasters appear on this map: An Intamin impulse called Linear Gale (#16), a Maurer Sohne spinning coster called Spinning Coaster Maihime (#12), and an enclosed TOGO called Geopanic (#7). (Geopanic was removed in 2008.) Other notable attractions include the Tower Hacker drop tower (#11), the Wonder Drop flume (#3), the aforementioned "Horror House" otherwise known as The 13 Doors (#4), and another dark ride called Zombie Paradise (#9).

And finally, we'll end with some classic Japanese advertising. I'm not entirely sure what Active Diet will do for me, but apparently I better not run after drinking it lest my torso catch on fire. So I'll be sticking with the roller coasters, thank you very much. Domo arigato for the brief tour, Tokyo Dome City! I bow to your fine collection of rides.