10 Family-Friendly Vacation Destinations in Japan
Choosing the best destinations for your family vacation can be a struggle. We recognize the difficulties in balancing your unique interests, the age of your children, and your family’s dynamic. So we’ve put together a list of destinations around Japan that cater to various interests, so you can create the best family vacation which offers something for everyone.
Family-Friendly Destinations in Japan:
– Legoland
– Tokyo Disneyland & Tokyo Disneysea
– Nagoya City Science Museum and Planetarium
Locations in Japan For Families Looking for Fun:
Amusement parks offer a wide range of attractions suitable for different age groups, from gentle rides for toddlers to thrilling roller coasters for teenagers and adults. Fortunately, Japan has a wide variety of amusement parks offering a combination of entertainment, convenience, and plenty of opportunities for bonding—making them a popular and enjoyable option for families looking to spend quality time together.
Legoland
Legoland Japan is one of Nagoya’s most family friendly attractions. Primarily aimed at children, there’s enough in the park to also keep adults entertained including large-scale Lego models and rides. The park is divided into seven themed areas—reflecting different worlds in the Lego Universe. Like any good theme park, there are plenty of places for shopping and dining, and even a hotel on-site to fully immerse you in the world of Lego.
1 Day Tour
| 1-Day Tour: Eat Like a Local in Nagoya | |
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| Period | All Year Round |
| Time | 8:00-16:30 |
| Meeting Place | JR Nagoya Station |
| Adult Rate | ¥17,800 |
| Child Rate | ¥11,000 |
Tokyo Disneyland & Tokyo Disneysea
There are no amusement parks more iconic than Disney’s—and Japan just so happens to have two of them: Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo Disneysea.
Tokyo Disneyland offers everything you’d expect, and has similarities to the other Disneyland parks globally, with bigger rides and smaller rides to suit all ages. Tokyo Disneysea is an original concept only found in Japan. Both parks host amazing seasonal events for Halloween, Christmas and New Year—with spectacular trees, lights, props, and plenty of magic.
We highly recommend booking your Disneyland or Disneysea tickets in advance, as some days can sell out and be very popular. The parks release tickets 3 months in advance.
Ghibli Park
For families who are fans of Japanese animation, Ghibli Park is a theme park which brings to life the beloved works of Studio Ghibli. The park consists of five areas with a wide array of shopping, dining, children’s rides, exhibits, and movie screenings. It is important to note that tickets are not sold at the park, but must be purchased in advance.
Best Museums in Japan For Families Who Love Learning:
Japan is a fantastic destination for families who love learning and exploring. It offers a rich mix of cultural, historical, and educational experiences. Here are some of our favorite locations which are both fun and educational for families:
Dinosaur Museum
The Fukui Prefectural Dinosaur Museum is widely regarded as one of the world’s best dinosaur museums and research facilities with displays aimed at both adults and children. The expansive museum is spread across four-floors and includes a permanent exhibition space—boasting more than 40 dinosaur skeletons along with reconstructions and animatronics—along with a special exhibition area, observable research laboratory, restaurant and gift shop. Just outside the museum, the forest park features 44 life-size reconstructions, including some animatronics, of dinosaurs organized into eight themed areas
1 Day Tour
| 1 Day Tour from Kanazawa: Fukui’s Stunning Cliffs, Spiritual Island and Historical Port | |
| Period | All Year Round |
| Time | 08:45 – 17:40 |
| Meeting Place | Kanazawa Station |
| Adult Rate | ¥25,300 |
| Child Rate | ¥14,500 |
Train Museums
Japan is known for its excellent trains—particularly its bullet trains. An exciting museum for kids and train lovers alike, the SCMAGLEV and Railway Park in Nagoya showcases the history and technological ingenuity of the Central Japan Railways Company. A collection of 39 train cars and locomotives—ranging from older, retired models to ‘maglev’ prototypes—sit on the first floor, while the second floor is dedicated to interactive learning experiences for children and train simulators. The museum also houses some of Japan’s largest model train sets including highly detailed recreations of Tokyo, Osaka, and, of course, Nagoya.
1 Day Tour
| 1-Day Tour: Nagoya’s Industrial Legacy and Toyota’s Innovation | |
| Period | All Year Round |
| Time | 10:00-17:00 |
| Meeting Place | JR Nagoya Station |
| Adult Rate | ¥17,800 |
| Child Rate | ¥11,000 |
Snow Monkey Park
Located at the base of Joshinetsu Kogen National Park, the Jigokudani Monkey Park (Jigokudani Yaen Koen, 地獄谷野猿公苑), often referred to as the Snow Monkey Park, is home to a very special troop of monkeys. Created in 1964, the park was established as a conservation area in which the monkeys, Japanese macaques to be exact, would have a refuge within what was already their natural habitat. Once in the park, the naturally-curious monkeys observed humans using the hot spring of a nearby guesthouse and before long, started copying the behavior. The rest, as they say, is history.
1 Day Tour
| 1-Day Tour: Snow Monkeys & Snow Fun In Shiga Kogen | |
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| Period | December to March |
| Time | 08:45 – 17:30/18:00 |
| Meeting Place | Nagano Station Snow Monkey Park Area |
| Adult Rate | ¥21,800 |
| Child Rate | ¥13,300 |
Science Museums
Guaranteed to amaze and educate children and adults alike, the Nagoya City Science Museum is a great place to visit on a rainy day—or any day. The museum is housed in three buildings with exhibits on technology, astrology, and life sciences. Permanent exhibits include a Tornado Room with a 9m high artificial tornado, a -30℃ Polar Room which allows visitors to see an aurora display, and the world’s largest planetarium.
Koka Ninja House
Located in Shiga Prefecture, the Koka Ninja House is an authentic ninja house built during the Edo era. It was the residence of the Mochizuki family, a family of ninjas, and as such, contains many tricks, traps, and secret escape paths for you to explore. You will also be able to view a collection of ninja weapons, tools, and artifacts. Once you’ve uncovered all the tricks to the Mochizuki residence, you can test your ninja skills as you throw shuriken (ninja stars) at distant targets.
1 Day Tour
| 1-Day Tour from Nagoya: Myths and Mystery of Ninja and the Tokaido Road | |
| Period | all year round |
| Time | 9:00-17:00 |
| Meeting Place | JR Nagoya Station |
| Adult Rate | ¥24,900 |
| Child Rate | ¥12,900 |
Activities in Japan For Active Families:
For active families who love to stay on the move, Japan has plenty of destinations and activities offering a mix of adventure, outdoor activities, and opportunities for family bonding:
Canyoning
A combination of climbing, swimming, hiking and even abseiling along waterways through rock formations, canyoning is tremendous fun and can be enjoyed by both children and adults making it a great family activity. For recommendations of the best water destinations and experiences in Central Japan, see our ‘Canoeing, Kayaking, Rafting, Canyoning & SUP’ page.
Skiing and Snowboarding
Nagano alone is home to more than eighty ski resorts with more on offer in other regions of Central Japan including Niigata, Gunma and Niigata. Needless to say that you’re spoiled for choice when it comes to choosing which resort suits you best. Our ’30 Best Ski Resorts in Japan’ page has our suggestions for the best resorts in Nagano, Niigata, Tohoku and Hokkaido while our ‘FAQs & All the Answers!’ page has lots of great tips of which resorts are best for you.
How to Plan your Family Vacation to Japan:
For those interested in traveling to any of the locations listed on this page, we can arrange both private tours with an English-speaking guide or a private charter to these locations. With door-to-door service, we can pick you up from where you are and take you to where you want to go anywhere in Central Japan and the neighboring regions.
Our drivers and vehicles are fully certified, allowing us to transport you to and from your preferred destinations in combination with any activity that suits your schedule. All vehicles are well-maintained and in good condition, allowing you to relax and enjoy your ride to wherever you are going.
For more information, please click HERE to check availability and pricing for your trip. We’d love to be part of your adventure in Central Japan and help you discover even more!
