Recommended points
・Kamogawa Sea World offers unique experiences such as getting to watch orca performances and offering rare encounters with beluga whales.
・Recommended for those who love interacting with animals.
・A two-hour train ride taking the Limited Express Wakashio from Tokyo Station.
・A two-hour express bus ride from Tokyo Station’s Yaesu Exit.

Around two hours away from Tokyo is Kamogawa Sea World, a famous aquarium that is the largest in Chiba Prefecture. One of the facility's characteristics is that it offers environmental exhibits that showcase creatures in their natural habitat.

Here you will be greeted by 11,000 sea creatures from 800 different species! As the entire aquarium is baby carriage and wheelchair friendly, it’s extremely easy to get around. There are also three nursing areas and diaper-changing stations, making it a welcoming place for families with small children.

You absolutely cannot miss out on Kamogawa Sea World’s orca performance during your visit! This is the only orca show in the entire country. Orcas that are five meters long and weigh over two tons work with their trainers to provide a dynamic performance. You’re bound to get splashed if you take a seat in the front row, so be sure to bring a raincoat!

In addition to the orca show, there are many other exciting events, such as acrobatic dolphin performances and sea lion performances.

We also recommend visiting the aquarium’s Tropical Island Area. Centered around the theme an underwater walk in the southern seas, here you’ll find a coral atoll replica as well as colorful creatures that usually inhabit the tropics. You can even take some photos that make it look like you’re snorkeling!

Another great aspect of Kamogawa Sea World is, on top of its impressive exhibits, there are many restaurants and souvenir shops to choose from! Three restaurants (as of April 2022, two out of the three are only open on weekends and holidays) are available to those who visit the facility.

Out of the three, we highly recommend stopping by Ocean. With it also being the only restaurant open on weekdays, its main allure is getting to dine while watching the orcas!

A restaurant favorite among children and adults alike is the spiny lobster curry (2,310 yen). It’s a superb dish that has compressed all the umami of Chiba Prefecture’s spiny lobster into a flavorful curry roux.

Besides this, items on the menu change throughout the season - and unique courses are even offered, too!

A souvenir you can get only at Kamogawa Sea World is a beluga whale-inspired chocolate-filled marshmallow called Beluga no Odeko (740 yen)! Each packet comes with 26 pieces, so they're great for sharing.

Another popular treat is a manju steamed bun that's filled with a black sugar anko bean paste - known as Shofuku Sea Lion Manju. These adorable treats are instant mood-lifters as they are stamped with smiling sea lion faces!

*There may be restricted entry depending on how crowded each performance facility gets.
*Cancellations or changes in content may be made to performances and events depending on the weather as well as the condition of the animals.

Hours During Golden Week 2022
・April 29: 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
・April 30: 8:00 a.m. - 6:30 p.m.
・May 1 and 2: 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
・May 3 and 4: 8:00 a.m. - 6:30 p.m.
・May 5: 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
・Open all day, every day during Golden Week.

Recommended hotels nearby

Recommended points
・This facility’s charm is getting to interact with as well as being up close and personal with a variety of sea creatures.
・Recommended for those who want to make new discoveries through feeding experiences and explanations given by aquarium keepers.
・Located an approximately 40-minute train ride from Tokyo Station, Shinagawa Aquarium is a short walk away from either Omorikaigan Station or Omori Station.

Located in Tokyo’s Shinagawa City, Shinagawa Aquarium can be found on the grounds of Shinagawa Ward Residents Park.

This compact facility has two floors, fittingly naming the first basement floor the seabed level and the first floor the sea-surface level.

Overall, the Shinagawa Aquarium has a welcoming and homely atmosphere that allows you to get close to the animals. Here you’ll find over 450 kinds of creatures, including some kid favorites such as turtles and manta rays!

We highly recommend seeing the dolphin and sea lion show held at Dolphin & Sea Lion Stadium! You won’t be able to help cheering as dolphins gracefully fly through the air using their exceptional physical abilities! A performance showcasing sea lions’ balancing skills is also quite impressive.

Additionally, another popular activity is feeding fish, seals, and otters for a separate fee of 500 yen per person (*children age four and up can participate).

It’s inspiring to see these animals come up to you and gobble up the feed you hand them! There’s also an event hosted by the aquarium’s keepers called Shina-Sui Ikimono Talk.

Here, keepers dive in deep to explain the charm of sea creatures such as sea anemones, penguins, electric eels, and fish of the coral reef! By gaining knowledge of each animal's characteristics and ecology, you’re sure to see them in a different light!

Don’t miss out on taking some photos at the Seal Tunnel Tank, a section of the aquarium where you’ll feel as though you’re walking on the ocean’s floor! You might get a surprise visit from some seals as they swim close to the tank’s glass barrier!

Also found on the aquarium’s wooden deck is the Dolphin Cafe. This cafe offers some delicious and delightful desserts, including the Jumping Dolphin Sundae (Chocolate, 550 yen), which is topped with a cute, handmade dolphin cookie; as well as a rainbow cream sodas (580 yen), which come in seven different flavors that represent each color of the rainbow.

Outside of the aquarium, there’s also Marine Shop Seagull. Here, we recommend getting the Three-Tiered Sea Life Sweets Can (950 yen). Inside each tier is a different type of sweet! Not limited to this fun gift-there are many other adorable options to check out at this shop!

Lastly, this is a highly recommended spot for foreign visitors as it’s only about 20 minutes away from Haneda Airport.

Hours During Golden Week 2022
・April 29th (Friday)~May 8th (Sunday): 9:30 a.m.~5:00 p.m. (last admissions are at 4:30 p.m.)
・Open all day, every day during Golden Week.

Recommended hotels nearby

Recommended points
・Here you’ll be able to experience a world just like the one in the Moomin series!
・Located in a verdant area right by Lake Miyazawa, you can enjoy the fresh air of the great outdoors. Not limited to Moomin fans, it’s a great spot for those who want to spend a relaxed day in nature.
・Around 65 minutes from Ikebukuro Station when taking both the train and bus. There are also express buses that leave from Tokyo Station (express buses only operate on weekends and holidays).

On March 16th, 2019, Moominvalley Park opened right by Lake Miyazawa in Saitama Prefecture’s Hanno City. This theme park is divided into four areas: Hajimari no Irie, Moominvalley, Kokemus, and Osabishiyama.

Also, scattered throughout the park are facilities, cafes, and shops meant to follow various themes and scenes found in the original Moomin series.

A must-see is the stand-out Moominhouse! Starting with the storeroom in the basement all the way to the study where Moominpapa works, you can also enjoy a facility where the world of Moomin has been faithfully recreated. Even items such as Moominmama’s sewing tools and Moomintroll’s x-rays are displayed, allowing you to further delve into this fantastical Moomin world!

Nearby Moominhouse is Emma’s Theater. Here you can enjoy a musical act by Moomintrolls and Little My called Dance Dance with Moomin (there are two 15-minute performances daily starting at 12:00 p.m. and 2:30 p.m.)!

Also, on top of a steep hill is the Osabishiyama (Lonely Mountains) area. It boasts an athletic playground and treehouse (for ages six to 12) inspired by the "The Hemulen Who Loved Silence" story in the "Tales from Moominvalley."

Furthermore, at the must-see exhibition facility Kokemus, there are many photo opportunities at displays showcasing scenes from the “Tales from Moominvalley.” Make your way to the Moominvalley Food Hall located on Kokemus’ first floor for lunch.

This food hall offers traditional and authentic Scandinavian home cuisine such as the meatball meal (with soup, side dishes, and bread, 1,600 yen) as well as the salmon pancake meal (with soup, side dishes, and bread, 1,600 yen). The salmon pancake meal tops a pancake with an original marinade and Atlantic salmon!

If you’re looking for souvenirs, we recommend heading to the Moominvalley store also on Kokemus’ first floor. Some great take-home options are the Moomintroll Plush Doll Nervous Face (3,080 yen), House-Shaped Canister Can Chocolate Cookies (1,700 yen), and the Glass Jar of Candy (caramel, raspberry, cashew) (1,200 yen)!


Hours During Golden Week 2022
・April 29 to May 8: 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
・Open all day, every day during Golden Week.

Recommended points
・With a townscape reminiscent of the 1960s, a characteristic of this amusement park is that it embodies the excitement of Japan’s Showa era! What’s more, the Let’s Go! Leo Land area offers fun for the whole family!
・Offering popular rides such as Godzilla the Ride: Giant Monsters Ultimate Battle, there are many spots fantastic for photo taking! It’s the perfect park for those looking to experience something new.
・Approximately an hour-train ride from Seibu Shinjuku Station.

Located in Saitama Prefecture’s Tokorozawa City, Seibuen Amusement Park reopened in the spring of 2021 with the concept of “a world wrapped in heartwarming happiness.” This park is filled with attractions, facilities, food, and treats where you can feel the excitement, liveliness, and vigor of Japan’s 1960s (Showa era).

What’s more, it’s also filled with many unique quirks, such as sudden live performances on the main shopping street or its own Seibuen currency only available for use inside the facility.

Additionally, on April 27, 2022, an attraction based on the explosively popular children’s book and animation known as Fushigi Dagashiya: Zenitendou, The Real opened. This attraction lets you experience the world depicted in the “Fushigi Dagashiya: Zenitendou” series!

Upon arrival, you’ll first want to stop by Yuhigaoka Shopping Street! Here you can take a stroll while experiencing the atmosphere of Japan’s 1960s. In addition to street performances, there’s food and shopping to enjoy on the main street!

Also available are entertaining events held by the shopping street’s locals. This includes a talkative bargain sale performance held at the greengrocers, and a fun performance by the charming salesgirl at a record shop!

Of course, another attraction you can’t miss out on is Godzilla the Ride: Giant Monsters Ultimate Battle! You’ll be blown away by the visual beauty of a 3DCG Godzilla model made from over 380 million polygons! This is countless times more detailed than what you would see on a standard movie screen. Prepare for a sound system that shakes you to your core along with awe-inducing scale and quality!

For lunch, we recommend stopping by Sukeroku-ya. Here you can enjoy a classic menu of classic dishes such as curry and rice, Chinese noodles, and omurice - fried rice topped with a blanket of scrambled eggs.

There’s also a cafe, Victoria, where you can rest to enjoy Instagrammable drinks such as cream soda and fruit punch jelly.

Other standard attractions for kids to enjoy include a giant Ferris wheel, Octopus Adventure, where up to three people can enjoy taking a ride on an octopus arm, a swing ride, and a merry-go-round!

Lastly, we recommend getting souvenirs at the Let’s Go! Bazaar found in the main square of Let’s Go! Leo Land. This shop offers souvenirs perfect for handing out to multiple people at once. These include cookies decorated with Godzilla ride prints, manju decorated with Godzilla ride prints, and chocolate-filled Astro Boy cookies.

Hours During Golden Week 2022
・April 29 to May 2: 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
・May 3 - 5: 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
・Open all day, every day during Golden Week.

Recommended hotels nearby

*The information found in this article is from the time of our visit.
*For updated information, please refer to the official sites.