Tokyo Disneyland and DisneySea are popular must visit theme parks in Japan. There was even a point in time where the attendance at the parks were greater than the one in Anaheim, CA. At Tokyo Disneyland, there are seven areas to enjoy, which are World Bazaar, Tomorrowland, Westernland, Adventureland, Toon Town, Critter County, and Fantasyland. It was the first Disney theme park to be built outside of the United States and is modeled after both the California and Florida Disney parks. DisneySea is unique to Japan and themed around the legends and myths of the sea. There are several ports of call, which are known as Mediterranean Harbor, Mermaid Lagoon, Arabian Coast, Lost River Delta, American Waterfront, and Mysterious Island. The water themed park is targeted towards an older audience, but is still a fun place to go around.
Legoland Discovery Centre, located in the Decks Mall in Odaiba, is a fun indoor theme park featuring the popular plastic blocks. The areas you can enjoy with your family include Miniland, Kingdom Quest, Lego 4D Cinema, Lego Factory Tour, Duplo Village, Lego Ninjago City Adventure, Lego City Builder, Merlin’s Apprentice Ride, Lego Racers: Build & Test, and Lego City Train World. Of course, you can stop by the shop where they have over 400 products along with the latest items from Lego. Also in Miniland over 1.5 million Lego bricks were used to create all the miniature models.
The Tokyo Trick Art Museum can be found on the 4th floor of the DECKS Tokyo Beach complex. The great thing about this place is that you can take some entertaining photos with the murals all around the museum. You can choose how you would like to place yourself with the artwork in the background. There is a section dedicated to the myths and culture of the Edo period, which makes for a fun photo opportunity. These visual illusions are not limited to Japanese culture as you can find scenes from around the world. If you need help finding the best spot to take a photo there are marks on the floor to indicate where the people taking the photo should stand.
The Sunshine City International Aquarium is located on the 10th floor of World Import Mart. The World Import Mart is found inside the gigantic Sunshine City complex that houses hundreds of stores, restaurants, and businesses in Ikebukuro. Out of the many attractions available in the complex it recommended to check out the Sunshine Aquarium. Walking around the dimly lit rooms of the aquarium you can see the unique lighting techniques the facility uses to illuminate the tanks. There you can see so many different marine life and in the outdoor area you can see the Sea Lion Performance, which is about 10 minutes long. There are also performances that are only available for a limited time frame throughout the year.
The Panasonic Center is located near Ariake station in Tokyo. The first floor consists of advertising campaigns and sponsorships Panasonic is currently running. The Wonder Life-Box area in the first floor showcases the latest products to the visitors. On the second floor is the hands-on museum that focuses on mathematics and science known as RiSuPia. There is a charge for the discovery area on the third floor and consists of an interesting 3-D show. In addition to the RiSuPia on the second floor, there is the Nintendo Game Front. It is a place you can play some of the classic to the latest Nintendo games on Panasonic high-resolution screens.
Sega Joypolis in Odaiba is an indoor amusement park with various immersive games. The different categories of entertainment include thrill rides, shooting, 3-D action, and simulation games. One of the most popular things to do is ride the indoor roller coaster. Since it is a Sega amusement park you will find many of the attractions featuring their characters as well as collaborations. For example, the Tokyo Ghoul horror maze, which is based on the popular manga and anime series by Sui Ishida. There are plenty of stuff at the indoor amusement park that is suited for both adults and children. Another game of interest is the fully simulated Initial D racing game, where you actually enter life sized cars in order to race.
Miraikan, also known as the National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation, consists of four themes, which are “Technological Innovations and the Future,” “Global Environment and Frontiers,” “Information Sciences and Technologies for Society,” and “Life Science and Humans.” To promote these themes there are many interactive exhibits as well as demonstrations like a virtual trip in a space shuttle overlooking the Earth. One of the main highlights of the museum is the demonstration with the ASIMO robot, which interacts with the crowd. Aside from their permanent exhibits there are also special exhibitions throughout the year.
The Edo Tokyo Open Air Architectural Museum preserves and restored 30 buildings from various periods. The 30 structures spans over an area of 7 hectares in their original condition. Not only can you look at the buildings, but you have the opportunity to enter them too. While exploring the open-air museum you will find farmhouses, merchant buildings, the home of the assassinated prime minister Korekiyo Takahashi, bath house and many more. It is a great learning experience for both adults and children. There are ample English explanations inside each structure. Also, the museum provides a good photo opportunity with buildings from a bygone era.
The Ninja Trick House is located in Shinjuku, Tokyo and is styled after a karakuri (trick) house, which allowed ninja to defend against incoming enemies. While there you will learn about the difference between ninja and samurai. Then you will have a chance to practice throwing shuriken (ninja stars) at targets. Your guide will take you through hidden walkways and help you find concealed compartments. They will also show you the different types of weapons ninjas used and the purpose of their shape. It is quite informative and great for people who love anything related to ninjas.
The Toyota Mega Web Showcase is great place for car enthusiasts who want to share the experience with their children. On the first floor is the show room where you can see the latest models and have the opportunity to enter them. There are also virtual driving simulators for you to try out. On another floor, there is an area dedicated to test driving some of the Toyota models. The bigger tracks for adults require the driver to have a Japanese or international driver’s license. On the smaller track, there are staff members instructing kid drivers how to maneuver around the cones in the designated area. Also the History Garage is a great place to see the various models associated with the automotive giant over the years.
