Late June to early September is blueberry picking season in Japan. Here are our recommended Tokyo Area Blueberry Picking Locations for Summer 2020. We have chosen six gardens for great half-day or one-day trips; two in Chiba-ken, two in Saitama-ken and two in Kanagawa-ken. Many of these gardens run through …
Read More »
Dirty Dishes is well known amongst the Tokyo & Yokohama expat community as the “Best” place to stock up on Japanese tableware. Dirty Dishes is a family owned dish trading company actually called Okuno Shokai located in a sleepy residential area of Kawasaki, Kanagawa-ken. If you have a car and …
Read More »
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 …
Read More »
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 …
Read More »
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 …
Read More »
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 …
Read More »
Took the kids to the Enoshima Aquarium (新江ノ島水族館) the other day and it was AWESOME! A great aquarium right on the beach with many indigenous fish from the Sagami Bay and the Pacific Ocean, great educational exhibitions, and touch pool. I can’t believe I have been in Japan for so …
Read More »
Kart Racing at F-Dream Hiratsuka” (F.ドリーム平塚) is a great way to get your adrenaline pumping and test your kart racing skills. Located just an hour from Tokyo Roppongi Hills it`s a popular spot to unwind and compete with friends and family. F-Dream Hiratsuka karts run on a 200cc engine, and can go …
Read More »
Two hours via car or train from central Tokyo, you can experience a great Day Trip to Western Kanagawa & Shizuoka Kawagawa-ken outdoor day trip from central Tokyo. About five hours of driving out, between sites and back but great fun for the family. Kids will sleep all the way …
Read More »
Plan to visit Yokohama with Kids? Take the stress out of planning with our 1 day in Yokohama with Kids. Read our complete itinerary with 15+ activities on what to see and do during your stay. Then select your favorite activities and have fun! Brief History: Yokohama is the first …
Read More »
Only a 33 min express train ride from Shibuya station MARK IS Minato Mirai Mall in Yokohama is a family shopping paradise. MARK IS is a six-story building connected to the Minato Mirai train station where you can shop close to 200 stores, enjoy every type of Japanese and international …
Read More »
Hamley`s entertainment toy store is a fantastic spot to spend a couple hours. Hamleys is the oldest and largest toy shop in the world. It is named after William Hamley, who founded a toy shop called “Noah’s Ark” in London in 1760. Currently, Hamleys operates over 110 stores all over the …
Read More »
Yokohama Cosmo World is a family friendly amusement park in the heart of Minato Mirai – a scenic spot during the day and romantic at night. Admission is free to enter and customers pay by attractions or rides via ticket vending machines located throughout the park. Prices range from 300 – …
Read More »
Yokohama Chinese New Year celebrations in Yokohama run between January 25 – February 8, 2020. Great fun and food! Yokohama has one of the largest Chinatowns in the world with over 140 years of history. Although this is still quite new vs. Manila’s Chinatown established in 1590 or London’s in …
Read More »
Amazing World Kohoku is an indoor play center for kids ages 0 to 12 years. Amazing world branches house plasma cars, inflatable castles, climbing equipment, slides, educational toys like the Trix Track, Wammy and building blocks. They have large drawing walls, kitchen town, crafts, baby room and nursing area, and rest areas for …
Read More »
January to late March is a great time for a family trip for strawberry picking in the Tokyo area. Here is our updated 2020 list of top strawberry picking gardens you can enjoy in the Tokyo area on a half-day or one-day trip. We have chosen four gardens; two in …
Read More »
AsoBuild Yokohama an entertainment facility for all ages. Located in the Renovated Yokohama Post Office Annex the building holds a a variety of food shops: The Unko Museum (now open until September 30, 2019), Escape from The NINE ROOMS and VR game, Puchu! Indoor Kids Park, Handmade goods floor and …
Read More »
Late October – November is a great time to visit the Tsukuihama Tourist Farm (津久井浜観光農園) in Yokosuka. You can dig for sweet potatoes then pick mikans all in one trip! The farm also offers strawberry picking from January to May and potato digging from May to June. Sweet potato season starts from September …
Read More »
*** 2019 UPDATE: Amazing World FUNABASHI has closed it`s doors *** Amazing World is an indoor play center for kids ages 0 to 12 years. Amazing World branches are located inside malls so it`s a great place to stop in between shopping, a meal or both. Stop in for an …
Read More »
The baby-friendly 100 Spoons Family Restaurant inside The Museum of Contemporary Art in Tokyo (MOT) is fantastic. The interior is clean, with minimal furniture and spacious. They have natural light coming in from two large windows with views of the MOT’s exterior structore and a warmer family-friendly section in the …
Read More »
If you are heading out to Hakone or Gotemba Outlets, you will want to save two hours to visit Parcabout tree nets. Parabout is a huge trampoline, and net climbing system suspended 4-10 meters in the air between huge trees. Each climbing session is for 2 hours, and you will be …
Read More »
*** 2019 UPDATE: The Pokemon Center Mega moved to the 8th Floor in the Marui next to Sogo at Yokohama Station.*** If your child is a Pokemon fan we recommend a quick trip to Landmark Tower in Yokohama. Although the store is a smaller version of the Pokemon Center Mega …
Read More »
Orbi Yokohama is a great spot for young animal lovers. They reopened after a renewal in April 2018 and now offers more opportunities to cuddle with your favorite animals from hedgehogs to bunnies, geckos to snakes, birds, owls, cats and more. They also offer interactive learning through digital animal selfies, …
Read More »
If you`re looking for affordable furniture and inspiration to decorate your home, garden or office look no further than IKEA Japan. IKEA has 9 locations in Japan; Tachikawa (Tokyo), Kohoku (Yokohama), Tokyo Bay (Chiba), Shinmisato (Saitama), Tsuruhama (Osaka), Kobe, Fukuoka, Kumamoto, and Sendai (Miyagi). They carry everything from ready to assemble furniture, kitchens, …
Read More »
I took my youngest daughter to the Anpanman Museum a few years, and she loved it. Ages 2-4 is the perfect age for Anpanman! The museum has been closed but it reopened on July 7, 2019. Three floors of Anpanman characters in a sparkling new facility. All of my …
Read More »
Best Living Japan – Tokyo Travel Guide Tokyo with Kids Guide for Globally Minded Families