ATTRACTIONS IN JAPAN

Check out our Tokyo Splash Parks and Wading Pool recommendations for 2021. Some of our recommended location are still closed but based on checking websites it seems the following are now open. A free or very inexpensive way to keep cool (er) in the sticky hot Japan summer. Most Tokyo …

We have updated the 2021 Summer Tokyo Museum Exhibits to give you some great artists and cooler outings this steamy Olympic summer. Make sure to buy your tickets online! Have fun and be safe! 2021 Summer Tokyo Museum Exhibits 1. Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum (Ueno) – Isamu Noguchi: Ways of …

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 …

My wedding flowers were irises so I have a sweet spot for them! Here are my favorite top 9 Tokyo Iris gardens.  Irises follow shortly behind hydrangea as the June rain fills the shallow water areas perfect for Iris blooms.  With over 2,000 species of Irises that bloom from late …

Tokyo June 2021 Top Attractions – What Is Open During the Tokyo SEO? The  Tokyo State of Emergency for COVID has been extended to June 20th, 2021 so many Tokyo area attractions are closed, at reduced capacity, or have mandatory reservations. As moms, we know how horrible it is to …

Information：About reopening of free booking ticket acceptance   The schedule for accepting free booking tickets for admission after June 4, 2021 (Friday) is as follows. ・June 4th (Fri) -June 11th (Fri) Admission: June 2nd (Wed) Reception starts ・June 12th (Sat) -June 18th (Fri): Admission: June 5th (Sat) Reception starts ・June …

Hamarikyu Garden Park (浜離宮恩賜庭園 Hama-rikyū Onshi Teien) is one of the largest and most diverse Japanese Garden Parks in central Tokyo. It is also one of the nine Metropolitan Cultural Heritage Gardens. Hamarikyu Garden Park is located on the original edge of Tokyo Bay in Chuo-ku (near Hamatsucho, Shinbashi, and Shiodome). …

We love Hydrangea so here are the Best Tokyo hydrangea viewing spots. Our 2021 hydrangea list is shorter than normal due to COVID but we have confirmed these locations are open! June is the peak hydrangea season and also the rainy season, Tsuyu, in Japan. Grab your umbrella and visit …

Mikawadai Playground Park (港区立三河台公) is a clean and quiet sand park just a short walk from Roppongi Station and Tokyo Midtown. It a quaint spot to relax at while your young kids run around. Beautiful in Spring for their Yoshino Cherry Blossoms it`s a great spot to picnic away from …

I highly recommend you visit the Edo-Tokyo Open-air Architectural Museum to see actual homes and businesses from the 1700’s to the early 1900’s preserved in a beautiful park. Unfortunately due to natural disasters, war and redevelopment much of Tokyo historical architecture has been erased, but at the Edo-Tokyo Open-air Architectural …

The Japan Folk Crafts Museum is a must-see in Tokyo. Not only due to the crafts it houses but the buildings themselves which have been recently renovated to their original glory.   The Japan Folk Crafts Museum is of Mingei style completed in 1936 built by carpenters from Tochigi prefecture. Ceramics, …

Asukayama Park not only has a great water area from early July to September,  but also has an old SL train and fun playground open all year round!  Take a picnic and enjoy the day outside.  Getting there is half the fun – ride the oldest streetcar in Tokyo 1913 – the Toden …

Japan has many amazing theme parks to offer from parks with thrill rides to soothing onsens. Here are our Top 20+ Theme/Amusement Parks in Japan that will have your kids asking for more. 100+ THINGS TO DO WITH KIDS IN TOKYO JOIN BEST LIVING JAPAN FOR A JAPANESE COOKING OR …

On our last visit we found an amazing playground park in Karuizawa, Nagano. Located a short drive from the popular Tsuruya Supermarket lies Yukawa Furusato Park (湯川ふるさと公園). It`s a large and clean park that all families can enjoy, dog-friendly too! Families can be seen walking their dogs, picnicking on the …

The Kadokawa Culture Museum and new TeamLab exhibit opened on August 1, 2020. The Kadokawa Culture Museum designed by Kuma Kengo is part of a new development called Tokorozawa Sakura Town in Saitama. Kadokawa is one of the largest Japanese publishers in Japan producing books, magazines, anime, and movies. Tokorozawa is located …

The Fukagawa-Edo Museum (Koto-ku, Tokyo) is a very hands-on gem of a museum in Tokyo to visit for 1-2 hours. The Fukagawa-Edo Museum is a large hall with about 12 Edo-period houses reconstructed in a village environment. The hall is very compact, and the lighting switches from night to day so you feel …

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 …

Tokyo can be expensive if you have multiple children, but take heart there are some amazing attractions that are awesomely free.  Kids under four years are usually free at most locations, but the list below includes free locations for elementary school age kids and some for junior and senior high …

We love visiting Tokyo antique markets and flea markets. Most markets are held on the weekend, with some on national holidays. The events are a mixture of significant indoor events like the Antique Jamboree, or the Heiwajima show held a few times a year, or what we call “shrine sales” …

If you love history and are planning a trip to Yokohama, please visit the Japanese Overseas Migration Museum. This museum is a hidden gem. I learned so much about a topic I knew nothing, and there is no cost of admission. Over 25 million Japanese have migrated overseas since the …

Tokyo Disneyland is the most popular on our list of TOP Theme Parks in Japan. To make your planning and trip to Tokyo Disneyland easier and more FUN here are our Tokyo Disneyland Visiting Tips. The most frequently ask question we are asked is “When is the least crowded day …

**Presently closed due to COVID precautions.   If you have a Samurai or history buff in your family, you will enjoy a visit to the boutique Samurai Museum in Shinjuku, Tokyo. The museum although quite small is filled with Samurai artifacts, a live action show on Samurai sword skills and …

** 11/2015 Update ** Please visit our updated list of the Top 9 Tokyo Kids Indoor Play Centers. Staying indoors with your kids can be daunting. Here are my favorite places to go with kids on rainy days, and my personal experience at a number of them. We have some great activity …

We needed a simple but bright side table for our kid’s corner, so we did a quick Ikea Lack side table hack. The Lack side table runs between 999-1,500 yen depending on Ikea sales. We had a beat-up black one that was floating around the house so we repurposed it …

Kyu-Shiba-rikyu Garden is one of the oldest serving Japan parks in Tokyo. It a great place to spend 30-60 mins before a trip to the Hamarikyu Gardens or Zojoji. Kyu-Shiba-rikyu Garden (Kaigan, Minato-ku) – 2nd Oldest Surviving Park in Tokyo Picturesque Edo-era landscape garden with a pond & bridges, plus …