Tuesday 9 April 2019

6 family-friendly places in Japan

6 family-friendly places in Japan
Traveling with the family can prove something of a challenge. Despite its reputation for crowds and manic city life, Japan is actually an incredibly family-friendly destination with something for everyone. Want to know where the best spots are for the young and the young-at-heart?

Odaiba District

6 family-friendly places in Japan
A visit to Odaiba is like a visit to the future. First you jump on a monorail which glides you smoothly past weird futuristic skyscrapers and eerily unpopulated streets and then you alight at Miraikan, Japan’s National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation. The building itself is out of this world and this is also the home of the famous Asimo the humanoid robot. Within the museum you will find Asimo who does plenty of shows daily demonstrating his abilities to talk, run and kick a ball.

Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation

6 family-friendly places in Japan
A second museum which is worth a family visit is the Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation in Tokyo where children can get a chance to interact face-to-face with human-like robots. Just like its name, the museum focuses on innovative science and inventions which is, undoubtedly, packed with high-tech modern exhibitions and display.

Upon entering the museum, visitors will be greeted with a huge digital globe entirely made of small high resolution screens with continuously changing display. The museum is divided into different sections based on its themes such as earth, art, and one popular theme like labs and robots where children get to see a performance made by the robot Asimo. Along these themes, visitors are to expect astonishing modern innovations combining the latest technology and science for astronomy, space and natural disasters among other things which will keep you and your little one amused for hours.

Disneyland

6 family-friendly places in Japan
Last but not least, a family trip to Japan will not be complete without a stop at the renowned amusement park, Disneyland. Japan has not one but two Disney theme parks, Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo Disneysea. However, the latter has more challenging rides and would rather suit older visitors while Disneyland has more family-oriented attractions, so it is more suitable for younger kids.
Besides the unquestionably amusing rides in Disneyland, kids will have the time of their life visiting Disney’s castle, meeting Disney characters and enjoying a fun-filled Disney parade. One parade not to miss is the Electrical Parade Dreamlights which showcases dazzling LED-lit floats with Aladdin, Cinderella, and other Disney characters.

Hanayashiki

6 family-friendly places in Japan
While Tokyo’s Disney Resort and Osaka’s Universal Studios may boast the titles of the biggest players on the amusement park scene, Hanayashiki has the impressive title of being Japan’s oldest. Located a short five-minute walk from Asakusa Station in central Tokyo, Hanayashiki has been taking up residence in the historical suburb since since 1853, when it originally opened as a flower park.

A visit to Hanayashiki is a lesson in space utilization, with classic style rides weaving around each other packing in a lot of entertainment in a rather compact space. If you do not have the time to leave the city or you’re watching your budget, this is an ideal option as entry is 1,00 yen ($10USD) for adults and 500 yen ($5USD) for children.

Moominvalley

6 family-friendly places in Japan
Though it is only a little over an hour out of central Tokyo, hop on a train out to Moominvalley in Saitama prefecture and you will swear you have stepped into a whole new universe. Tucked into the mountainside of Saitama, this free and public park was built around the world of Moomins, fictional Swedish, hippopotamus-looking characters. Here you can explore Moomin houses, climb the playgrounds and explore the neighboring forests and rivers. If the weather is good, pack a picnic and head out for a wholesome day in the sun.

National Museum of Nature and Science

6 family-friendly places in Japan
Japan has quite a lot of museums to offer as a great tourist destination and one of them is the National Museum of Nature and Science located in Ueno Park in Tokyo. It is one of the oldest and largest integrated museums in Japan which will take more than a few hours to explore.

Packed with breathtaking natural exhibits and scientific experiments, the museum is divided into two sections, the Global Gallery and the Japan Gallery. In the Global Gallery visitors get the chance to learn more about the Earth’s behavior and evolution and also amazing displays and fossils of animals on earth, ranging from gigantic real-size dinosaur skeletons to the tiniest organism on display. Children can also experience first-hand interactive and engaging exhibits which are definitely both fun and educative at the same time. The Japan Gallery offers as much fun as it focuses on the history of Japan and its evolution and innovations.

Read more: Tips to save money when travelling to Japan

Source Internet

Friday 22 March 2019

7 best spots in Tokyo to visit at night

Tokyo is one of the best cities in the world for nightlife. Not only for drinking and partying, but also the streetscape and photography are one of the best things to enjoy in Tokyo at night. Actually, many landmarks in Tokyo have even better views at night than day time.
7 best spots in Tokyo to visit at night


Roppongi Hills Mori Tower

7 best spots in Tokyo to visit at night
Roppongi Hills Mori Tower owns one of the city’s best observatories, which is supposedly the best place to observe Tokyo Tower.

Hours: 10:00 am to 11:00 pm (to 1 am on Friday and Saturday)
Access: Direct access is available from Tokyo Metro Roppongi station 1C Exit

Tokyo Sky Tree

7 best spots in Tokyo to visit at night
The new symbol of the city, Tokyo Skytree is the highest building existing in Japan today. The 634 m tower was built in 2012 as a broadcasting tower and is located in Asakusa area, Tokyo.

Hours: 8:00 am to 10:00 pm
Access: a short walk from Tokyo Skytree Station or Oshiage Station

Sensoji Temple

7 best spots in Tokyo to visit at night
Tokyo’s oldest temple, Sensoji glows at night. It's one of the most popular tourist sites in Tokyo and extremely crowded during the day, however, you can also enjoy the silent temple after it gets dark.

Access: a short walk from Asakusa Station

Odaiba

7 best spots in Tokyo to visit at night
The large artificial island on Tokyo Bay, Odaiba is connected with Rainbow Bridge to the center of Tokyo, and famous for its sophisticated night view.

Shibuya

7 best spots in Tokyo to visit at night
The district of Tokyo that never sleeps, Shibuya is known as the center of the young culture of Japan. The district entertains and sometimes takes you by surprise even at deep night. The famous scramble crossing and Center Gai Street are the most vibrant area.

Tokyo Central Station

7 best spots in Tokyo to visit at night
Located at the heart of Tokyo city, Tokyo Station is the city’s biggest transportation hub with numerous railway lines, and it’s actually an amazing object to photograph especially at night.

Shinjuku 

7 best spots in Tokyo to visit at night
Another district of Tokyo which never sleeps. In fact, this one is even wide awake at night. Shinjuku is the biggest red-light district in Tokyo and famous for its glaring neon lights, especially around Kabukicho area.

Read more: Catch up with some Tokyo’s major districts
Source: jw-webmagazine