My wife and I recently ventured out for our first trip with our sons, who are 4 and 0. We ended up in Tokyo at Disney, which was oodles of fun, but now we’re looking for something else.
I’m open to basically any location in Japan, but walking around visiting historical sites for 8 hours a day doesn’t exactly seem fun for a four year old. Plus, those historical cities have issues with diaper changes and harder-to-access bathrooms.
I’m very open to hearing about people’s successes with trips with their kids!
by Jaded_Permit_7209
9 comments
The Sanrio Puroland (ie, Hello Kitty World) was a wonderful day when ours were that small; it has the same magical feel & perfection as Disneyworld without the massive crowds
Don’t really remember if my nephews would have still been into all this at age 4, but for anyone else reading I’d recommend. Pretty sure any small child would enjoy themselves.
No rides, just shows and interactive areas[https://en.puroland.jp/language/](https://en.puroland.jp/language/)
If your oldest is into Lego, the small Legoland in Odaiba is fun for small kids.
https://maps.app.goo.gl/b4pgfFzjdHpbCp8m9
https://maps.app.goo.gl/JsP3YuWWzSR9jcwT7
Assuming the 0 year old is happy to hang out in a pushchair/ carrier, the 4 year old will probably enjoy:
Galaxsia
Showa memorial park (you can rent bikes with baby seats or a kids bike to get around)
Kidzania (I think they even have some sessions with all the activities in English)
Kids Plaza Osaka
Nara (kids will love the deer park)
Hakone (kids love taking the funicular railway/ cable car/ pirate ship route)
Train museum in omiya
Lego discovery center
Osaka Aquarium was a hit with kids! I’m sure you can’t go wrong with whale sharks, dolphins and seals.
There’s also the National Museum of Nature and Science in Ueno, and its by Ueno Zoo.
We love おもちゃ王国 (Omocha Oukoku/ The Toy Kingdom) in Okayama, and I think there are various park locations across Japan with different offerings! As for the Okayama location, there’s a great hotel nearby too, right on the sea, and you don’t have to worry about your kids bothering the other guests since they cater to those visiting the park. They even have a little “shorty” buffet at the hotel that your four-year-old can grab their own food at.
I’ve heard good things about the Ghibli Park in Aichi but haven’t been there myself. Lots of walking as well.
Edit: Yes there are even activities for 0-year-olds at おもちゃ王国!
Yomiuri land in the evening with all the illuminations. Our 3yo loved it. There are also quite a few rides for little kids, plus you can end the day with onsen and/or Curry next to the park.
Izu shaboten Zoo for kids might be a good idea. You can feed most of the animals, and the zoo is very big