FUN BY AGE

Do you know about the Azabu Juban sculpture walk?  If you have ever walked down the main Azabu Juban shopping street, you probably have seen a few sculptures. However, did you know there are 16 sculptures that have been collected and installed in Azabu Juban since 1968. These sculptures are …

Space Athletic Tondemi opened their second location in Heiwajima, Tokyo. This is following the huge success of Space Athletic in Makuhari Chiba (トンデミ). Space Atheletic is a great indoor activity center to spend 90 mins bouncing, climbing and running. There is also a Tondemi in Mie-ken and one opening in …

Sayama Berry Land (Saitama-ken) (狭山ベリーランド) has one of the largest blueberry farms in the Tokyo area with over 50 types of berries and 2,000 bushes. The blueberry bushes are in covered mesh houses. Here are other great places to visit in Saitama with kids They have two parking areas; one …

Have a kid who love things that go? Trains, planes & cars we got you covered. Our sons were obsessed with transportation when they were 3-5 years olds so we have first hand experience at all of the recommended locations. Whether a museum, interactive experience or shopping all of our …

Check out our Tokyo Splash Parks and Wading Pool recommendations. A free or very inexpensive way to keep cool (er) in the sticky hot Japan summer. Most Tokyo area wading pools are open from July 1st through mid-September, although there are a few splash ponds that open in June. Here …

Zushi Beach Water Park is holding their 4th annual beach water park opening an inflatable water park at the beach now until Sunday, September 1, 2019. Zushi, close to Enoshima Islands and Caves (25 min by car), is a great day trip from Tokyo. It is the closest natural beach to …

Don’t let the fact that the Sunshine Aquarium is located on the top of a shopping center sway you from visiting. The Sunshine Aquarium (renovated in 2017) is a great city aquarium where kids and adults can view a variety of ocean and freshwater fish and aquatic mammals. The Sunshine …

Zoorasia Japan is by far our favorite zoo outside Tokyo. It`s more like a walking safari than a zoo. It`s spacious and beautifully maintained with a variety of animals from around the world. For 800 yen per adult, 300 yen for middle & high school aged kids, 200 for elementary and …

Meguro Citizens Center is a great place to spend the day. The infant & toddler playroom is equip with balancing equipment, trikes and push cars, piano, rings and more. The Center also holds an outdoor wading pool and pool for older kids and adults, an art museum, library and sports center. …

If your kids love Pocky, a day trip out to the Pocky Factory is a must. The Glico Pia East Factory is where both Pocky and Pretz snacks are produced. You can sign-up for a free one hour tour online. The trip from central Tokyo takes about 2 hours, so …

The Tokyo Water Science Museum is a great FREE hands-on, educational museum – a great spot to take the kids on a hot, rainy or cold day. The museum takes about 60 – 90 minutes to tour depending on how much Japanese you can read and how much time the …

Harbor Circuit (Chiba) – Indoor Go-Carting for 4 years and up!  Harbor Circuit in Chiba is a great place to spend a few hours for indoor go-carting.  If you have a speed demon in your family, this is a great family outing or a location for a birthday party. You …

Kids and Firefighting fans will enjoy a few hours at the Fire Museum in Yotsuya, Tokyo. This  free five-floor museum run by the Tokyo Fire Department both explains the history of fire and earthquake prevention and protection in Japan and is a fun, interactive environment for kids to climb on …

Cheer up in all this rain by making decorated umbrellas. Not only will you have a fun umbrella it will decrease the chance of being taken by other folks. Japanese clear umbrellas are great since they are so inexpensive and 100% see through. Everything can be purchased at your local …

On our first visit to Kodomo no Kuni (Children`s Land) we explored the various rides and numerous playgrounds. On our second visit we BBQ`d, went on a pony ride, fed the cows and sheep, and explored the zoo. This place is huge so multiple visit are highly recommended. Every season offers something different from outdoor pool …

Looks like a perfect rainy day weekend to make Teru Teru Bozu. A cute custom and craft in Japan is the Teru teru bozu (てるてる坊主). “Teru” is a Japanese verb which describes sunshine, and a “bōzu” is a Buddhist monk.  The dolls are handmade with white cloth that children make …

The Tokyo Police Museum 警察博物館 will inspire all youngsters to be a person in blue. If you are a fan of the Tokyo Fire Museum, the Police Museum is a must visit. The museum reopened in May 2017 following a one year remodel. Five floors of Tokyo police history, criminal investigation techniques …

Shinagawa Children’s Adventure Park is one of those places you find about after years living in a city and say “wow, I have been missing out.”  The park located adjacent to the Shinagawa Aquarium is amazing. The Park has a modern and super toddler-friendly playground with soft foam ground covering …

If you need to stock-up for your new apartment or a new seasonal wardrobe for you or the kids, there are 10 greater Tokyo area outlet centers. Japanese outlets usually offer a 30-50% discount off of department store prices – although most of the product is made specifically for outlets …

If you have raised kids in Japan you know summer equals watermelon, water play, summer festivals, and Japanese beetles.  Kabutomushi and Kuwagatamushi hatch in early summer and can be found in the wild or at your local home center (D2, Super Viva or Cainz). My kids have all enjoyed raising …

If you have elementary and above kids in the Tokyo area, they will love the Top Tokyo Area Adventure Sports and Activity Centers listed below. We have visited all of these Adventure Sports and Activity Centers and give the moms thumbs up for quality and value. You could also leave the …

If you have a daredevil kid in your house, then I highly recommend the FlyStation in Saitama. FlyStation is Japan’s first indoor skydiving space. Kids ages 4 and move can enjoy with a coach. My seven and 15-year-olds both LOVED it.  You can sign-up for 1-10 flights; we did two …

If you are looking for a great day or weekend trip from Tokyo, I highly recommend Minami Boso (the southern area of Chiba) and the Kamogawa Sea World. Kamogawa Sea World is a 1.5-2 hour trip from central Tokyo where you can enjoy the sea breeze, beach and learn about …

If you want to educate your child about animals and walking in the outdoors, you will love the Tama Zoo. Tama Zoo is huge at 129 acres (52H) which is about four times Ueno Zoo size. If you were to see everything, you would have walked over 8K in one …

The Railway Museum (鉄道博物館ミュージアム) is a great place to visit for families and railway enthusiasts rain or shine. Opened in late 2007 the museum features railway cars, train car simulators for would-be-train drivers, model dioramas, miniature trains, train rides, an outdoor playground and indoor playrail area, cafeteria, museum shop, train …