Synopsis

The setting is a roller coaster at Hanayashiki, a venerable amusement park in Asakusa, Tokyo. For sixty-two years, it has carried passengers at a maximum speed of 42 kilometers per hour, its rattling and creaking frame lending a distinctive thrill that continues to draw crowds. It is the adults who are most frequently seen here, surrendering to the gentle ascent and descent with an enthusiasm that suggests a rediscovery of youth. What compels people to seek out these aging rides? This seventy-tw