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Aobadai, Yokohama
Family Places
Scroll down for a list of nice family
spots in and around Aobadai, Yokohama. Honestly, it's a short
list. Let's face it, we're a family that hasn't gotten around
much yet. My intention is to present you with places that
families who live here actually go to. Come back, because this
list will grow as we get out and do more things.
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Kodomonokuni Kouen
We love this
place! Kodomonokuni (Kids Country) is a large
regional park near Nagatsuda station on the Denentoshi
line. The Denentoshi Line runs from Chuorinkan (where the
Odakyu crosses) all the way to Shibuya. Go to Nagatsuda station then take
the Kodomonokuni Line to the park. The Kodomonokuni Line
only goes one direction, and the park is at the last stop (a
10 minute ride).
The park is
very large, and there are plenty of activities for children and
families. Just remember, it's NOT Disneyland. Things may
seem a bit out of date or not well kept up, but it's a great
hands on place to have fun. You'll
find a petting zoo, a working dairy farm, some simple
amusement rides, playgrounds with really great slides and
places to climb, a pool (for a fee), shallow wading ponds and lots of
open space.
It's a great place to run, walk, ride a rental bike, have a picnic,
enjoy your family, and forget that your in a crowded city.
Pose for a picture in front of the dairy cows, and your
friends back home won't believe your livng in a busy city. If you enjoy making your own fun, you'll love it.
If you want everything "perfect," then this may not be what
you're looking for.
There is an
entrance fee of 600 Yen for adults. Children are two or
three hundred yen,
and kids under 3 are free. The pool costs 1000 Yen or
so. You can buy a combination ticket for the pony ride and
petting zoo from a vending machine located at the pony ride. Buy food
there or bring your own. You can easily spend a few
hours here. It will take you that long just to travel the
place.
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Shikinomori Kouen
This is another large park serving
the Yokohama region. It's completely free. You'll
find it near Nakayama station on the Yokohama line.
There are several wading ponds, room to run and picnic, and a
nice garden with the fountain below.
The slide
pictured to the right is is about 100 yards long, free and
completely unsupervised. I saw kids and adults from
about 1 to 60 years old go down, including some kids riding
crouched on their feet. You sit on rollers and get going
pretty fast, with about three sudden uphill spots that slow
you down somewhat painfully. The rollers have half inch gaps
between them, making for a great deal of vibration and causing
me to wonder what would happen if your fingers slipped between
them. My fingers were fine, but the next day I felt like
I had been on a very long bike ride. You know what I mean? |
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Grandberry Mall
When I first stepped off the
train at Grandberry Mall, I said, "This looks like Disneyland."
It was warm and colorful. The stores had sidewalk displays. It
was like Main Street, USA. After a month in Japan, it was a nice break.
It's located at
Minami-Machida Station (Denentoshi Line) in Yokohama. The
station exit leads right into the mall area, so you can't miss
it.
The outlets are
not necessarily cheap, but nearby you'll find Nitori (a very
cheap store with everything you need to furnish your home) and
Carrefour (a giant "discount" store). Nitori is worth the
trip all by itself. At Carrefour, look for the sale items.
In the outdoor
mall area there is an REI store for outdoors gear and big,
"American-size" bicycles, plus a few shops that cater to other
cravings (see the pictures). There are cheap places to
eat, a Starbucks with a nice fountain outside, lots of dogs (dog
owners of Japan love this place) and an Outback Steakhouse.
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