FUN BY AGE

To weather the lockdown we are recommending some great Indoor Activities.  Colder temperatures and blowing rain makes for perfect family cuddle time. Also make sure to sign-up for the Best Living Japan weekly newsletter to find the best activities and living info for global families in Japan. Lockdown Day Activities – …

Yomiuriland is one of our favorite water & ride parks on our list of TOP Theme Parks in Japan. Yomiuriland Amusement Park is an all inclusive amusement ride and in the summer months water park. A 30 train ride from Shinjuku, your family can enjoy a hot day at one …

Looking for a quick fun craft to keep your tribe busy and cool this summer? Try a summer fans craft. I bought a few paper fans at the local Daiso 100 yen store and had fun with the kids. A quick and cheap craft which will also be very useful over …

Looking for the Best Tokyo Parks for Kids’ Bicycling? Before heading out to the sidewalks and streets of Tokyo try practicing in a safe kid-friendly environment.  Here are our favorite parks that we love taking our kids. Once your kids are bicycle veterans, try the Rainbow Bridge/Odaiba adventure  If you …

When my out of town friends with elementary and teenage eater ask me for Tokyo sushi recommendations, I always recommend Genki Sushi in Shibuya. Why? Simple it is decent quality, great entertainment, and super value. We all love being able to order just what we want, plus the fun of …

The Dominos Pizza Academy course is a fun 1-hour session where kids learn how a pizza is made and how the pizza store works. The best part? They get to take their creation home and eat it! My son and his kindergarten friends spent their first summer holiday at a Dominos Pizza-making course. …

If you love nature walks, bird watching or insect hunting then Rinshi no Mori (林試の森公園) is the park to visit. The 120,762.91 sq m park is home to several hundred Japanese and foreign trees, some as old as 100+ years! There are a number of walking paths and large signboards …

The VR Park Tokyo located near Shibuya Station is an excellent virtual reality park for people on a schedule. You can reserve your spot for 110 mins of an unlimited experience of action fighting and thrill sports games. We arrived at 10:00 and were second in line to buy tickets …

Yutenji Temple is holding their annual Yutenji Mitama Matsuri (祐天寺み魂まつり)  this week, July 16, 17 & 18, 2019. Parents and children from the neighboring kindergarten, participate by dancing in colourful yukatas every year. Grab lunch at Midorie Organic Cafe, stop by the Temple grounds late afternoon to learn about the …

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building in Shinjuku has one of the best views of Tokyo, and it is free (well Taxpayers are footing the bill). From Tokyo Tower on a clear day, you can see the fantastic size of Tokyo from Mt Fuji in the west, Tokyo Bay to the …

Myoukenzan Yutenji Temple is a Jodo (pure) Sect of Buddhism established about 300 years ago. The temple launched a free smartphone app, a bilingual (English and Japanese) video guide to the history and origins of the Temple buildings. Download the app, obtain an app map at the main temple office, …

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 …

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 …