Yokohama is the perfect family-friendly city, just a short train ride from central Tokyo. You’ll be in awe of the wide waterfront views, gleaming cruise ships, and expansive green spaces on offer for your kids to roam free. Yokohama is full of an array of quirky museums, world-class aquariums, and some of the most interesting attractions. All across the city, you’ll feel the kind of relaxed, seaside vibes of some quaint seaside town, but with a distinctly Japanese spirit. Discover all the things that the whole family will enjoy with this helpful guide and you’ll soon realize why Yokohama is such a family-friendly destination.
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Orbi Yokohama
Orbi is a wildlife theme park in Yokohama that was planned and developed by Sega. Orbi provides an amazing entertainment experience that allows visitors of all ages to enjoy the world of nature and animals through all five senses. Orbi offers an extraordinary experience with nature rarely encountered in urban environments. Using Sega's innovative interactive entertainment and technologies that fuse digital and real-world together. It also features some of the world's most stunning images of nature and living, breathing representatives of the animal kingdom, to create a unique place for both play and intuitive learning. The indoor park is home to over 12 exhibitions, a shop, and an 80-seat café so there’s something for the whole family.
Nippon Maru
Docked just in front of Sakuragicho Station, directly below the Landmark Tower is the mighty Nippon Maru. Originally used as a training ship, Nippon Maru has helped almost 12,000 cadets learn the ins and outs of sailing. Today you can explore the decks and discover her history in more detail while you see what life on a ship is really like. Volunteers on board are there to answer your questions, and explain how the various parts of the ship actually work. You can even go below deck and view a Cadet’s Room, the Officer’s Day Room, the Officer’s Saloon.
NEKO-Cafe Leon
Just a one minute walk from JR Ishikawacho station and conveniently located within walking distance from the popular sightseeing spots such as the Yokohama Chinatown, Yokohama Marine Tower, and Yokohama Stadium. This cafe is the perfect place to stop and relax with a cup of coffee or tea while your little ones are entertained by all the cute cuddly cats. Be sure to meet the Shop Manager, "Leon" (Munchkin), and then enjoy spending time with around 30 cats at the cafe.
Yokohama Cosmoworld
A compact but varied amusement park with enough entertainment for both kids and adults to spend an afternoon having fun altogether. Cosmoworld has 27 rides in all, including a water rollercoaster but the highlight for the whole family to enjoy is the 112.5m high Ferris wheel. The Cosmo Clock 21, formerly the tallest Ferris wheel in the world has now become an iconic feature of the Yokohama skyline and an absolute must-visit if you’re looking for things to do in Yokohama with kids.
The CupNoodles Museum
The CupNoodle Museum is one of the most unique places to visit in Yokohama. It has something for everyone with its huge variety of activities and exhibits all dedicated to the history of how CupNoodles came to be. Children can enjoy the huge athletic facility that offers the virtual experience of being a noodle in a huge factory where they can go through the entire manufacturing process from making the noodles to shipping the. You could try your hand at making your own Chicken Ramen by hand in the factory or create your own completely original CupNoodles package, which is unavailable anywhere else in the world. Learn about its inventor, Momofuku Ando, and browse the museum shop for the perfect souvenir.
Yokohama Hakkeijima Sea Paradise
This is a large theme park that includes Aqua Resorts, shops, restaurants, and also a hotel. Aqua Resorts includes three distinct major attractions, Aqua Museum, Dolphin Fantasy, and the Fureai Lagoon. The Aqua Museum aquarium consists of several floors that house a lot of marine life including penguins, sea otters, polar bears, sharks, and many, many more. Dolphin Fantasy is an aquarium filled with dolphins, viewable through a glass tunnel. It feels like you are underwater as dolphins swim above you with the sun glistening through the water. If you’re looking for something even more interactive for the whole family then the Fureai Lagoon is the place to go, where you can pet a dolphin, beluga whale, and walrus.
Yokohama Marine Tower
The Yokohama Marine Tower is one of the highlight spots in the Yokohama Bayside area and a great place to enjoy the views of the city. It was built in 1961 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Yokohama port’s opening. The best time to visit is just before sunset, buy your tickets on the 1st floor then take the 2nd floor elevator to the top to enjoy the breathtaking view. As you head to the top you’ll be able to see the Hikawa-maru Ocean Liner and the Yokohama Bay Bridge as well as the Queen's buildings, Cosmo 21, and the Intercontinental Yokohama Grand.
Yokohama Anpanman Children's Museum
Immerse yourself and the whole family in the world of Anpanman, the hero of popular TV animation and the hero of illustrated books by Takashi Yanase. The 1st floor of the Museum is free and will find various Anpanman-themed shops such as bakery, photo studio, book shop, restaurants, and food court. On the 2nd and 3rd floor of the museum recreates the world of Anpanman with various attractions and hands-on exhibits. Apart from the daily shows at the main stage, there are also various activities where your little ones can meet the Anpanman and friends.
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Shin-Yokohama Raumen Museum
Shin-Yokohama’s Raumen Museum is home to a collection of quirky and rare ramen shops. Visitors can enjoy as many bowls of regional ramen as their stomach can handle. The “museum” part comes in the form of the blast-from-the-past small recreation of Tokyo in 1958, the year instant noodles were invented. The museum is devoted to the Japanese ramen noodle soup and the stores that created the noodles back then. It was founded on March 6th, 1994 as the world's first food-themed amusement park and is a must-visit for any ramen or history-lover.
Yokohama Doll Museum
The Yokohama Doll Museum was opened in March 1979 after a very large collection of dolls belonging to Hideko Oono was donated to the city of Yokohama in September 1978. You can always enjoy yourself and find something new at the Yokohama Doll Museum no matter how old or young you are. Uncover hidden gems as you explore the exhibition halls. The Yokohama Doll Museum exhibits dolls that come from over a hundred countries including ethnic dolls and Japanese traditional dolls crafted by artists revered as Living National Treasure in Japan. The dolls seem to beckon you to learn about the histories and stories behind them as you explore the exhibition.
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