Oh… and by ‘playcentres we love’ I really mean ‘I love!’ because, let’s be honest, I’m the one who:
– has to get us there
-decides if it is/was worth the money
-decides if it is safe
-decides if it is clean
-decides if it’s easy enough to keep my eyes on two kids at a time
So I guess… these are MY favourite playcentres (I’m such a rockstar, right?)
1. SHIBUYA PLAYGROUND 4 KIDS
This is my new favourite inner-city playcentre! Shibuya Playground 4 Kids.
Reservations are required but can be done on the day, in English, viathe Shibuya for kids website. Although the best thing to do is have your hotel make a reservation via phone on your behalf (just easiest and quickest.)
It’s so central! (You can pop in here after running an errand in Daikanyama or Shibuya)
It’s not big (which means that I can keep tabs on them both at all times – woop woop!) but it is brand new and the staff keep it so pristine.
My 4 year old loves the gigantic sandpit (and the cutest little spray-tan looking cubicle to blow the sand off feet and hands too), the climbing wall and jumping castle.
While my little boy loves the imaginative play area with a pretend kitchen and shops as well as the cars & trains table.
It is located pretty much smack-bang in the middle of Shibuya and Daikanyama so it’s a great stop-off for a day of sightseeing. (Take a look here if you decide to walk to Daikanyama or here if you’re exploring Shibuya and are looking for ideas with kids. )
Please note that this playcentre is only for 0-5 year olds. Babies under 6 months are free. Entrance is via the Konami Sports Club so registration (ie. they just want you to write your name down) is sometimes required at the ground floor before taking the elevator.
They sometimes close early on Fridays or Weekends for parties so call ahead if you’re visiting on these days (English is ok.)
As the playcentre is up high, sometimes you’ll even spot Fuji from the window!
KONAMI SPORTS CLUB BUILDING, 9th FLOOR, 18-11 SHINSEN-CHO
神泉町18-11コナミスポーツクラブ渋谷9F
OPEN 10AM-6PM (CLOSED FRIDAYS)
FEE: 1000 YEN PER HOUR FOR CHILDREN OLDER THAN 6 MONTHS (1200 YEN ON WEEKENDS)
500 YEN SET FEE PER ADULT. ADDITIONAL 300 YEN FOR THE FIRST VISIT.
WEBSITE
For things to do beforehand or afterwards, see my Shibuya with Kids post here or Daikanyama with kids post here.
2. LEGOLAND, ODAIBA
Legoland in Odaiba is ‘sold’ as a ‘Land’ but I’d think of it more as a big playcentre.
(Legoland in Odaiba is not to be confused with Legoland in Nagoya – that is proper, large amusement park. For my write up on Legoland Nagoya, see here. )
Legoland in Odaiba is, essentially, a lego-themed playcentre.
There is a Harry Potter Lego ride, a cool minature Tokyo made of Lego, lots of lego building opportunities, a small playground, a little karaoke machine and a jungle gym. Oh and there is a small 3D movie, all in Japanese, but hard-core lego warriors probably wouldn’t care about the dialogue too much, I assume.
There is a small cafe inside Legoland (or you could wait and eat something else in the department store afterwards, of course.)
They don’t allow outside snacks (with the exception of baby food.)
Check out this minature Shibuya Crossing made of Lego! So cute!
LEGOLAND DISCOVERY CENTER TOKYO
DECKS TOKYO BEACH, SEASIDE MALL 3F, 1-6-1 DAIBA, MINATO-KU
港区台場1-6-1デックス東京ビーチ シーサイドモール3F
OPEN: 10AM-8PM WEEKDAYS, 10AM-9PM WEEKENDS
3. ASOBONO, TOKYO DOME
This large playcentre Asobono is just by Tokyo Dome. It is the largest, cleanest and most multi-dimensional playcentre I have ever visited.
My kids get so excited when we go here but.. I must admit, I have a love/hate relationship with this place. Just because it is massive. We do have to have a bit of a ‘team meeting’ about staying together and going through each section – bit by bit. Don’t worry, kids can’t leave the play centre without you but.. still.. I don’t like not being able to see both kids at the same time. But if your kids are “runners” – this probably isn’t the place for you (or bring a parent per child.)
That being said – this place is a sight to be seen!!!!!! It’s unlike anything you’ve ever seen! A play supermarket, a play restaurant, a doll section, a train room, a jumping castle, a ball pit, slides… everything.
If it wasn’t for the long lines to get in I would go much more often. I strongly recommend arriving 15-20 minutes before opening time. Especially on weekends and rainy days.
My kids love the jumping castles, giant ball pit, pretend supermarket and restaurant and the model train room.
ASOBONO
1-3-61 Koraku, Bunkyo
文京区後楽1-3-61
OPEN: 10AM-6PM WEEKDAYS, 9:30-7PM WEEKENDS
WEBSITE
There is a food court just across from Asobono! which makes it easy for a meal afterwards. 6 minutes walk from the exit is Shake Shack Tokyo Dome, too.
4. KEIO RAIL-LAND, HINO CITY
*This playcentre/small museum is outside of the city.
Keio Rail-Land is approximately an hour by train or car out of the city centre ( you need to get to Tama-Dobutsu-koen station), entry costs approximately 250 yen and is a museum for buses and trains of the Keio transport company. This is a good half-day activity for little ones.
Downstairs are climb-in trains and buses and a mini train outdoors too. In the outdoor section is a library carriage with picture books and upstairs near the playcentre section is a model train room for a set amount of children for 30 minutes at a time. You’ll need to wait for a new “session” to start and is probably better for kids 5+ as my little guy was in destructo-mode and I don’t think we were very popular with the hard-core train-goers….
There is the Tama Zoo across the road (I haven’t been yet though) if you need something to do afterwards.
There is another playcentre called Hug Hug directly next door too.
One of the highlights for my two are the “real” ticket gates at the entrance. Got to love those details!
The gentlemen that work there are just divine. So patient with train-crazed crazies !!!
The main section upstairs is more like a playcentre with a small eating area with some vending machine snacks & juice boxes ( we usually take our own snacks.)
3-36-39 HODOKUBO, HINO
日野程久保3-36-39
OPEN: 9:30AM – 5:30PM (CLOSED WEDNESDAYS)
KEIO RAIL-LAND WEBSITE (JAPANESE ONLY)
If, like my kids, your children are train-obsessed, you’ll love my post on all fun transport related things to do in Tokyo.
5.ASOMIX, LALAPORT EBINA
*This playcentre/small museum is outside of the city.
The LaLaPort Department Stores almost always have a whole section of their complex devoted to Children’s Entertainment. At the Ebina store is AsoMix a children’s playcentre that is set up for children from 6months up until 12 (although I, personally, believe that kids over 8 or 9 might not find this place that exciting … or at least not for long. )
The highlight here is the ocean image projected onto a gorgeous white sandpit. What a clever idea!! It’s visually beautiful and my kids loved pretend swimming here for so long!
There is a baby playpit, pretend kitchen and ice-cream shop, ride on motorized cars and emergency vehicles, a big bouncy dome, slides and climbing frames and train tables. There is even free wifi.
Unfortunately you’ll need to get a pass out to use the restrooms but they are about 100 metres from playcentre entrance. (i.e. make them go beforehand)
I found that a day pass was handy for us as it’s located within the department store and we could leave, have lunch* and a little shop around before returning for more play.
If you’re travelling from the centre of town it does take over an hour but whether you travel by car or train (Ebina Station on JR) you can arrive undercover so don’t need to worry about getting wet on the way. I can also justify the distance on a yucky rainy season weather day as it is a full day activity – and low stress for me!
A full day pass for children is 1500 yen and 630 for adults. If you prefer to go for short amount of time, the rate is it 630 yen for each person for 30 minutes and 150 yen each additional 10 minutes (adults don’t need to pay for the additional minutes just for children.) They do have all of their prices and guidelines in English at the front reception desk.
No outdoor snacks allowed (they don’t mind baby food) but there is an eating area inside and vending machines with snacks, drinks and ice-cream.
AsoMix PLAYCENTRE, LALAPORT EBINA
神奈川県海老名市扇町13-1 ららぽーと海老名4F
4F LALAPORT DEPARTMENT STORE EBINA, 13-1 OGICHO, EBINA, KANAGAWA
OPEN 10AM-7PM
WEBSITE (Japanese only)
*AFTERWARDS, we eat lunch at the Hawaiian restaurant (same floor) Kailua Weekend. It has an exceptional kids menu. My daughter loved the chocolate pencil to decorate her own pancakes. I loved the Organic Spinach Eggs Benedict.
Children can choose one take-home toy from a toy basket.
BONUS NUMBER 7 !!!
7. TEAM LAB, LALAPORT FUJIMI
*This playcentre/small museum is outside of the city.
With my love for LaLaPort Kid’s facilities continuing.. .check out the Lalaport at Fujimi in Saitama (also a bit over an hour from the Centre of Tokyo.)
The incredibly clever projection/installation/design geniuses that are Team Lab have a whole play area just for children. It’s so much crazy, bouncy, rainbow fun for kiddlie-winks but also educational and oh so aesthetically pleasing.
The artists at Team Lab have amazing pop-up exhibits all over Japan all the time but this is one of their permanent exhibitions. They have a beautiful English website. (See HERE. )
A full day pass is 1200 yen but I think an hour or so is more than enough (we filled in more of the day with the arcade games and rides that I’ve listed just below. ) Instead I paid 500 yen each person for 30 minutes and extended for an additional 30 minutes after that.
If you’re nearby and don’t even go in there is an interactive video wall to play with near the entrance.
TEAM LAB LALAPORT FUJIMI
1-1313 YAMAMURO, FUJIMI-SHI, SAITAMA
OPEN 10AM-6PM
WEBSITE
After the Team Lab visit we made use of the play arcade fun right out front.
We also just potter around and shop and snack too.
Just near the arcade store is this old-school Japanese sweet & toy shop. We left with a wheel-along balloon dog and elephant – which actually lasted us a few months! (Cost about 300 yen each)
Within this LalaPort Complex, my kids really liked eating at the hamburg (bun-less hamburgers) restaurant called ‘Ishigamaya Hamburg‘ on the 3rd floor. They had a great kids plate and the kids could choose one toy each. There was also a vegetarian tofu salad for me!
There is also a steam locomotive themed cafe that we need to try asap and report back.
LALAPORT FUJIMI
1-1313 YAMAMURO, FUJIMI-SHI, SAITAMA
WEBSITE
Also…
Did you know there is a BRAND NEW playcentre in Odaiba for kids in Diver City Department Store called LITTLE PLANETS.
Review and details COMING SOON.
In the latest news : there is a fantastic new playcentre in Yokohama called PuChu!
Check out the PuChu! details here (and I’ll get a write up out to you as soon as possible.)
