Yokohama Cosmoworld is a really nice little park by the sea in the port town of Yokohama. Not a big park but it is clean, well kept, and generally a nice place to be. Don’t expect the same rides as one of the larger parks, but for a small park there are some really fun rides here. Great little date spot.

Sanrio Puroland, to the west of Tokyo in Tama New Town is Hello Kitty land (although many other popular characters such as Pochacco and Keroppi are present).  Prepare to be overwhelmed by Japanese Manga Kitsch.

There are a number of shows aimed at young children and they are mezmerized by the actors dressed up as their favorite cartoon characters. There is a Sanrio Character Boat Ride and a couple of other tame rides that the kids will absolutely love.

Toshimaen is a very popular amuesment park located in Nerima-ward. In summer there is a huge pool complex with water slides which is extremely popular with families and young adults. The park itself is all action with exhilorating ride after ride. This is a really fun park if you like rides and there is plenty to keep you busy for most of a day. Can get extremely crowded on weekends, especially in summmer.

Universal Studios is almost an exact copy of the Florida Universal Studios. The park is well run, tidy, and well presented. All of the popular rides are there and there are plenty of restaurants to enjoy. The Snoopy themed kids area is great and covered to protect them from the weather. Good fun for the whole family.

Fuji-Q, which takes its name from Mount Fuji in the backgound is hyped as on of the big funparks in Japan. It has a couple of quite mean looking roller coasters but in reality the park doesn’t really live up to the hype. In recent years the roller coasters only have one or two carriages running.

Lines can be upwards of 90 minutes and the rides are not worth waiting that long for. You get the feeling that times are tough and they are trying to cut costs by running as little as possible. Ok for a look but some of the Tokyo parks such as Toshimaen and Yomiuriland are more fun.

Hanayashiki in the back of Asakusa near the ROX is very old (Japan’s oldest, in fact) and cheesy. It is so old and rickety that it is kitcsch-cool and has more of a carnival atmosphere than that of an amusement park.

The rides are all pretty small and there is a shakey old roller coaster which is quite scary simply becuase if feels like you are going to derail any second. This is a fun place to take young kids or a date for a bit of fun. The side shows are the real attraction here.

Yomiuri Land is a great sprawling amuesment park in the west outskirts of Tokyo. It has a strong leaning towards rides and has three fun roller coasters. There are also shows put on for the kids which oftern feature charaters from the Japanese kids TV shows such as Maji Ranger.

Yomiuri land also boasts a pool complex and a big waterslide for endless hours of pool fun in summer. Just outside the park is an Onsen if you feel like taking a refreshing spa after your day of exertions. The park is perched high up on a hill and the top of the roller coasters give sweeping views of the Tokyo metropolis.

Videos

Located near Suidobashi Station and the Tokyo Dome, Laqua is divided into three main areas; a spa, an amusement park, and a restaurant and shop area. The spa is a five floor complex with various spas, saunas, bubble massages, a dining and relaxation area and more.

The centrally-located amusement park has the world’s first center-less ferris wheel which looks like a huge donut seemingly rotating in the air. The Thunder Dolphin rollercoaster is an exciting ride with a great view over Tokyo Dome and the broader Tokyo city. This is a fun park, bang in the center of Tokyo.

Disney Sea is targeted at the adults. It has an overall nautical theme and the rides are faster and scarier. The shows have a more adult theme. The main areas are a Mediteranean Harbor, Mysterious Island, Mermaid Lagoon, Arabian Coast, Lost River Delta, Port Discovery, and American Waterfront.

Punters can enjoy everything from Indiana Jones themed roller coaster rides to aquatic shows under the water. There are hotels to stay in, and the restaurants are more adult and liquor is served within the park. For those with young children in tow there are several attractions for them and a babysitting service.

How to get there: Tokyo station – one train to Maihama station on the Keiyo Line
15mins. Get out at the South exit.

The park is broken into 7 different theme parks. Made up of the World Bazaar, the four classic Disney lands: Adventureland, Westernland, Fantasyland and Tomorrowland, and two mini lands, Critter Country and Mickey’s Toontown.

Not much needs to be said about Disneyland. Obviously the native language here is Japanese although you can get headphones to listen to the attractions in English if you wish. A great day’s entertainment for the kids. Continue Reading