WARNING: If you are in a car or on a bus …. I recommend arriving early and avoid being on the road on a Sunday afternoon or National Holiday after 3pm. Traffic is crazy – especially if it has been a beautiful day.
You may want to look into staying somewhere close overnight to break up the travel.
Note: We have been here three times and had most luck spotting Fuji clearly on a clear winter day. We were able to see her for a little while on a Summers Day once but not for a long time (and wasn’t so photo worthy)
This adorable little farm is perched on the side of a hill and makes for a brilliant trip with kids and a wonderful view of Fuji on a clear day. Incase you find the 2 hours in each direction a bit much you could always hunt down accommodation in Fujinomiya, Shizuoka Prefecture, and make a lovely full day of it.
Makaino Farm, apart from its stunning backdrop, has a hillside area with sheep & cows, a dog run, petting zoo, climbing and athletic area for toddlers and separate area for small children, an observation point, sheep shearing shed, pony rides, dairy, a large bbq area and an entire field set up (on sunny days) for just hammocks. It is possible to also take a goat for a walk – if that tickles your fancy too.
They have also just opened a new flower garden. I can’t wait to get back there to see it for myself. Sun Patiens were just planted on the hillside at the start of July 2017.
Entry is cheap. 800 yen for adults. 500 yen for adults. Pony rides and lots of added extras cost a few hundred yen at a time. The ticket includes free entry for one month from the date of purchase.
Another option is to purchase an ENTRY + EXPERIENCE ticket for 1400 yen. This includes a number of once time experiences like trampoline use, sheep races, butter churning experience etc.
There are lots of places to buy food (even some restaurants outside of the entrance) but the whole park is set up with lots and lots of different scenic spots for picnics if you prefer to bring in your own treats.
If you forget your stroller you can rent one of theirs for 300 yen.
There are 3 baby rooms within the farm facilities.
The on-site restaurants do not have baby food but do have boiling water and microwave facilities available.
There are indoor activities so the day won’t be a complete loss if it begins to rain (not ideal though.)
Being close to Fuji I found it to be considerable colder than Tokyo City Centre. Wear clothes that can get dirty. Make sure you have cash too. This is a country-life experience and credit card machines haven’t quite made it here yet.
Public transport is also an option though: A bullet train from Tokyo Station to ShinFuji Station (70 mins) and then a Fujikyu Bus to Makaino Farm (60 mins)
*If you decide to explore the area over the weekend, other sightseeing spots nearby include Shiraito Falls and Otodome Waterfall.
静岡県富士宮市内野1327-1
1327-1 UTSUNO, FUJINOMIYA, SHIZUOKA
OPEN 9AM-6PM (CLOSES AT 5PM BETWEEN NOV 21-MAR 20)
CLOSED WEDNESDAYS BETWEEN DEC 1 – MAR 20
WEBSITE (JAPANESE ONLY)
THIS ENGLISH WEBSITE MAY BE OF MORE USE
For other views of Mt Fuji that are actually fun for kiddies, see my post here.
