Places – FunFinder, Tokyo & East Tokyo local places

Best Aquarium, Tokyo Sealife Aquarium @ Kasai Rinkai Park and the biggest ferris wheel in Tokyo

2018年2月21日Posted in PlacesTagged aquarium, bluefin tuna, ferris wheel, kids, ParkLeave a comment

Kasai Rinkai Park is one of the largest parks in Tokyo and I really recommend its aquarium and the biggest ferris wheel in Tokyo there. The park has: lawns, walking trails, an aquarium, and a ferris wheel which is biggest in Tokyo.

Access: Kasai Rinkai Kouen Station by JR Keiyo-line. (next to Disney resort station)

more info of the park

Why we love this aquarium is that you can get to see bluefin TUNA tank!!!! it is sooo amazing……

And the entrance fee is cheapest (adult: 700yen, children under 12 years old: free!!) that I know but there are so many kinds of fish and water tank. You’ll need more than 1 hour to see all the exhibitions if you are with kids because there are lots of feel and touch and quizzes and small exhibitions that children love. You may want to bring your own lunch because its food court serves expensive food….(not so yummy) but Trust me, this is the best aquarium in Tokyo.

Sharks and all other funs, small exhibitions for children.

Outside the aquarium, this is the way to go to seaside (they have artificial beaches that you can swim in summer) and a cool observatory, from there you can see Tokyo Disney Resort and Yokohama across the sea, even Mt. FUJI (may be winter time only).

Leandro Erlich @ Mori Art Museum

2018年2月9日2018年2月9日Posted in Central Tokyo, Event, PlacesTagged Art, kidsLeave a comment

This was so cool exhibition of conceptual artist, Leandro erlich.

Don’t miss it!! Go Roppongi hills to the Mori Art Museum! official page

access

And this was the best

Ghost class room…. wow

Personally I liked this boats floating on the sea (boats are programmed to move like that in the darkeness..)

Yes this is Roppongi Hills…(evertying is too expensive I don’t recommend to shop here!)

Odawara Wanpaku Land (Huge playground in Odawara)

2018年1月28日2018年1月22日Posted in Away fom Tokyo (~2 hours), Geography, PlacesTagged kids, Odawara, PlaygroundLeave a comment

If you have kinds, this is place to go!! even if you are not traveling to Hakone from Tokyo.

ODAWARA (name of moderate sized traditional city located near Hakone and you can access easily if you are traveling from Tokyo to Hakone) is famous for its Odawara castle which was established by famous HOJO family, who had power in KANTO area (TOKYO and around city) war period and one of the most famous warrior who defeated by TOYOTOMI HIDEYOSHI who after became on throne as he officially unified Japan at last.

Wanpaku Land has really lots of fun for kinds!! It got Super huge playgrounds (many) that parents also can enjoy! 1 hour is not enough, you’ll need 2~3 hours if you are with kinds.

ODAEARA WANPAKU LAND

ADDRESS: 4377-1, Kuno, Odawara-shi, Kanagawa (神奈川県小田原市久野4377-1)

Map

THE HAKON OPEN AIR MUSEUM

2018年1月21日2018年1月17日Posted in Away fom Tokyo (~2 hours), PlacesTagged Art, Hakone, Hakone sightseeing, kids, MuseumLeave a comment

HAKONE Volcano (Owakudani)

2018年1月17日2018年1月17日Posted in Away fom Tokyo (~2 hours), Cultural things, Geography, PlacesTagged Hakone, Hakone sightseeing, OwakudaniLeave a comment

This year again, we went to Hakone in Kanagawa prefecture. Hakone has been one of the best and popular places in Japan, especially for its hot spring,,, since…..I do not know, so I looked up in internet. It said that In 738, one monk discovered very first hot spring in Hakone. At that time it was not yet in “war period” when everybody (bushi worrier) go on battle to get the territory for their master(Shogunate) to unify Japan, it is called “Nara period” when aristocrats and the emperor hold stronger power and new culture flourished especially the culture associated with buddhist such as temples and statues of buddha… and I think we started to use Katakana in this period too. (oops i said “we” but at that time only aristocrats men could study and read things.. I guess..)

After this, many hot springs has been discovered in Edo period (when Tokugawa Shogunate had its power) of course, then in modern era (like years ago), Hakone has been developed as resort & tourist spot.

Hakone is famous for its hot spring and beautiful view but also there are so many thing to do. One of it is definitely “owakudani”. You get to see this interesting view and Mt. Fuji. The gas (sulphur vents) is coming out from the valley and you can feel that volcanic activity is going on! Actually this is why Hakone has so many great hot springs.

One thing you got to do is eat “black boiled egg” that add “seven years” to your longevity.

I don’t know why but eggs are soooo yummy…. (later I came to know that they boil the egg in the hot spring, that is also the why the eggs turn to black.)

Local Walk By The River (Play Ground and Sky Tree View) in East Tokyo

2017年12月22日2017年12月20日Posted in Kitasenju, PlacesTagged kids, minami-senju, Park, Playground, ShitamachiLeave a comment

My photo explains all. This is my neighbourhood now but I like this place, the park is actually one of the public parks run by TOKYO. Kids love this playground and adults can enjoy a lot of course.

We had a chance to visit Hawaii this summer and we went to playgrounds and beaches…only! (no shopping what so ever.) Because my son insisted to visit local playgrounds to make local friends! If anyone seeking any information for parks in TOKYO, you can check it here, Tokyo Metropolitan Park Association OR, Let’s go to the park (Japanese only at this moment).

Anyway, this park, you can see the HP here. SHIOIRI PARK (OLD EAST TOKYO AREA)

Address: 8, Minami-senju, Arakawa-ku, Tokyo

MAP

View from Tokyo Tower

2017年10月17日2017年10月17日Posted in PlacesTagged Central Tokyo, Tokyo TowerLeave a comment

These are photo from the tower’s observatory, you can see most of Tokyo city. Personally, I like Tokyo Tower more than Sky Tree which is much taller than this. Tokyo Tower : 333m. ( in 1958) Sky Tree : 634m. (in 2012)

If you are Train Buff…. TOBU TRAIN MUSEUM　東武博物館

2017年5月24日Posted in Cultural things, PlacesTagged train museumLeave a comment

Besides the big train museum in Saitama prefecture that everyone else know, TOBU TRAIN MUSEUM is must to go place in East Tokyo if you are Train geeks!! Check out their HP here in English:TOBU MUSEUM

TOKYO TRAINS: As you know, Tokyo is super convenient with its super transportations, Trains!! You can get to go almost everywhere by train. If you live in Tokyo, you don’t have to own cars, you can go anywhere by train and on foot. How many stations in Tokyo? I am not sure but it says there are 635 stations in Tokyo and 495 stations in Tokyo 23 wards !!

See here for almost all stations tokyo_railway

Anyways, TOBU line goes from ASAKUSA to NIKKO, they are famous for its SPACIA. Though it is not JR (JR is biggest railway company used to be owned by a company), there are many TOBU fans!

Where: There is small tiny station called HIGASHI-MUKOUJIMA in TOBU sky tree line. The museum is attached to that station. If you have 1 hour, you can look all the exhibitions and things there. The place is always filled with small boys and their mon and dad…!!

HOW TO GO: You take TOBU SKY TREE LINE, get off at HIGASHI-MUKOUJIMA and from the exist you take right turn and see the MacDonald’s at your left, keep walking 30 sec! you see it on your right!

Dolphine Show in Tokyo (Shinagawa)

2017年3月31日2017年3月30日Posted in PlacesTagged Central TokyoLeave a comment

As far as I know, the only place you can see Delphine show in Tokyo is Aqua Park Shinagawa which is at Shinagawa Prince Hotel in central Tokyo. Just take JR (yamanote or keihintohoku) to go to Shinagawa station and make sure you go left at the exist and go down stairs, it’s in front of you.

Accessibility is good and there is also mid sized aquarium and small rides (merry go around and viking ride only..) so kids would really enjoy it.

Last time I went there was more than 10 years ago…at that time the aquarium is not so good but this time it has been upgraded!

But i say the BEST aquarium in TOKYO is not this one, the best is KASAI RINGKAI KOEN’s aquarium. I get to that later!

Akihabara SAKURA tree (in full bloom) update

2017年3月30日Posted in Cultural things, PlacesTagged Sakura, SpringLeave a comment

This SAKURA tree (cherry blossom) is in full bloom now. It is right at Izumibashi, where you take about only 3min from Akihabara’s SHOWA DORI exit. When you get out of that exit, just make one right turn, then you keep going about 100meters. You’ll find this SAKURA tree soon after crossing Izumibashi (Izumi bridge).