I can’t say that I’ve ever seen a coaster quite like this! It’s a human-powered rollercoaster that actually looks like it’d be tons of fun to ride, as long as you can handle the physical exertion!

Alright – it’s no secret that I’m a huge rollercoaster and amusement ride nut (actually, I just got back yesterday from two week in Florida at Disney World and Universal Studios!) and as much as I tend to avoid exercise, this “coaster” in Japan looks really neat.

The cars are powered by the riders using a bicycle type mechanism on a fairly standard looking rollercoaster type track. The ride appears to provide a bit of thrill through the placement of several turns which overhang a steep hillside and also a few elevation changes. Of course, since the riders are positioned similar to riding a bike, the various elements of the track cannot be too extreme without making the ride unsafe.

Actually, the more I look at the “funny coaster” the more fun it looks! Head over to this site to see lots more photos of this unique amusement ride.

[Thanks to Ubergizmo]