19 Recommended Family-Friendly Places to Visit in Yokohama, Fun for Every Child’s Age

19 Recommended Family-Friendly Places to Visit in Yokohama, Fun for Every Child’s Age

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Written by :  GOOD LUCK TRIP

Yokohama is a city where the charm of a historic port town blends with modern architecture.
It also has a wide range of leisure spots, including zoos and aquariums, making it easy to enjoy in different ways depending on your child’s age.
Use the family-friendly attractions and recommended places to stay introduced in this article to plan a memorable outing for the whole family.

For family sightseeing in Yokohama, make the Yokohama Station area or Minato Mirai your base

When traveling with children, you’ll want to keep getting around to a minimum.
To reduce travel time and make things easier, we recommend using either the Yokohama Station area or Minato Mirai as your base.
Yokohama Station is a major transportation hub served by the Shinkansen, local train lines, and buses, making it convenient for getting around both the city and beyond.
The area around the station also has plenty of shopping malls, restaurants, and accommodations, offering excellent convenience.
Meanwhile, Minato Mirai is home to many popular sightseeing spots, along with plenty of family-friendly facilities, dining options, and accommodations.
You can visit a variety of attractions on foot, so you can enjoy the area while keeping travel time and effort to a minimum.

Yokohama, where many facilities are concentrated and transportation is highly convenient
Yokohama, where many facilities are concentrated and transportation is highly convenient
Minato Mirai, home to many of Yokohama’s most popular attractions
Minato Mirai, home to many of Yokohama’s most popular attractions

Great for family outings! 13 places to visit in Yokohama that the whole family can enjoy

Yokohama is full of appealing sightseeing spots that are perfect for family outings.
Here, we’ll introduce leisure-focused spots such as theme parks, museums, zoos, and aquariums, along with places where you can play in nature and enjoy good food with your children.
Another plus is the wide selection of indoor facilities, so there are plenty of places to have fun without worrying about the weather.

1. Yokohama Anpanman Children’s Museum

A museum (3F) where you can experience the world of “Go! Anpanman” and meet Anpanman and his friends.
Popular characters such as “Anpanman” and “Baikinman” appear in shows and on stage, where children can sing and dance together with them.
There are also plenty of play equipment and play areas where children can explore, move their bodies, and pretend to run shops.

A museum where you can enjoy the world of the popular animated series “Go! Anpanman”
A museum where you can enjoy the world of the popular animated series “Go! Anpanman”

2. Kodomo no Kuni

Opened in 1965, this vast 1,000,000-square-meter play area makes use of the natural Tama Hills and stretches across Aoba Ward in Yokohama and Machida in Tokyo. It offers a ranch, mini zoo, pool, skating rink, plenty of playground equipment, cycling, athletic courses, and more.
An outdoor pool opens in summer, and an outdoor skating rink opens in winter.
The soft-serve ice cream made at the ranch is also a local specialty.

A vast play area that makes the most of the hills’ natural setting, perfect for a full day of family fun
A vast play area that makes the most of the hills’ natural setting, perfect for a full day of family fun

3. Yokohama Cosmo World

An urban amusement park packed with everything from thrilling rides like a giant Ferris wheel and roller coaster to games, a haunted house, VR and 3D attractions, as well as a merry-go-round and character cars that children can enjoy.
Inside the park, you can also buy food and drinks for eating on the go, along with Yokohama souvenirs.

An amusement park marked by the giant Ferris wheel often called a symbol of Yokohama
An amusement park marked by the giant Ferris wheel often called a symbol of Yokohama

4. Yokohama Zoological Gardens Zoorasia

With “symbiosis of life and harmony with nature” as its main theme, this zoo exhibits, cares for, and breeds wild animals from around the world.
You can see around 100 species of animals from across the globe, from Indian elephants to polar bears.
The zoo is divided into zones by climate and region, such as “Asian Tropical Forest,” “Japanese Countryside,” and “African Savanna,” making a walk through the park feel like a journey around the world.
The gift shop is also well stocked with cute and humorous okapi sweets and goods.

One of Japan’s largest zoos, where you can meet wild animals from around the world
One of Japan’s largest zoos, where you can meet wild animals from around the world

5. Kanazawa Zoological Gardens

Located in the lush Kanazawa Nature Park, Kanazawa Zoological Gardens mainly keeps rare herbivores from around the world. The animals are exhibited by habitat across four continental zones: the Americas, Eurasia, Oceania, and Africa.
Popular animals such as koalas, giraffes, and elephants are here, but there are no carnivores such as lions, as the zoo keeps only herbivorous animals.
Other popular features include the “Friendly Plaza,” where you can interact with ponies, goats, and sheep, as well as a stag beetle corner in summer.

A zoo in a lush park that focuses mainly on herbivorous animals
A zoo in a lush park that focuses mainly on herbivorous animals

6. Nogeyama Zoo

Nogeyama Park sits on a hill with sweeping views of central Yokohama, and Nogeyama Zoo is located within it.
Opened in 1951, the zoo is home to about 1,800 animals of around 80 species, including giraffes, lions, and red pandas. Even though it is located in central Yokohama, admission is free, which is part of its appeal, and the “Nakayoshi Plaza,” where visitors can interact with small animals such as guinea pigs and mice, is especially popular.

A zoo where you can see animals up close for free
A zoo where you can see animals up close for free

7. CupNoodles Museum Yokohama

Through a wide range of exhibits, you can experience the “creative thinking” of Momofuku Ando, the founder of Nissin Foods and inventor of the world’s first instant ramen.
The “Chicken Ramen Factory,” where you can make Chicken Ramen by hand, and the “My CUPNOODLES Factory,” where you can create your own custom Cup Noodles, are especially popular.

An interactive food education museum where you can see, touch, play, eat, and learn hints for invention and discovery
An interactive food education museum where you can see, touch, play, eat, and learn hints for invention and discovery

8. Yamashita Park

A waterfront park just a short walk from Yokohama Chinatown. It opened in March 1930 on land reclaimed from the sea using rubble from the Great Kanto Earthquake.
The 7.4-hectare grounds feature wide promenades, flower beds, fountains, and more, making it a relaxing place for both Yokohama residents and visitors.
The beautiful views of Yokohama, including Yokohama Port and the surrounding skyline such as Landmark Tower, are wonderful, and the night view is just as popular as the daytime scenery.

A relaxing spot facing Yokohama Port
A relaxing spot facing Yokohama Port

9. Osanbashi Pier, Yokohama Port

A passenger terminal where cruise ships from around the world call.
The first floor is a parking area, the second floor has the immigration lobby and hall, and the rooftop has an open plaza and observation deck for seeing people off and welcoming them.
The rooftop is designed to evoke rolling waves, while the building interior has an open feel with no columns.
Various events are also held on the rooftop, where you can enjoy views of the sea and ships.
On the second floor, there are restaurants, cafés, and shops, so you can also enjoy dining and shopping.

A terminal where you can enjoy a seaside stroll while watching luxury cruise ships
Photo: Osanbashi Yokohama International Passenger Terminal / Kanagawa Shimbun A terminal where you can enjoy a seaside stroll while watching luxury cruise ships

10. Yokohama Hakkeijima Sea Paradise

Located in Kanazawa Ward, Yokohama, “Yokohama Hakkeijima Sea Paradise” is a multi-purpose marine leisure complex with aquariums, attractions, restaurants, shops, and a hotel.
Affectionately known as “Sea Para,” its main highlights are four aquariums with different themes, including “Aqua Museum,” home to 120,000 creatures of 700 species, and “Dolphin Fantasy,” where you can observe dolphins from a variety of perspectives.

One of Japan’s largest aquariums is packed with highlights! A theme park themed around the sea, islands, and living creatures
One of Japan’s largest aquariums is packed with highlights! A theme park themed around the sea, islands, and living creatures

11. Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse

The Red Brick Warehouse once served as one of Japan’s most advanced warehouses from the Meiji through Taisho periods, admired around the world.
Today, the two warehouse buildings retain the atmosphere of that era and have been transformed into a culture and shopping spot with shops, restaurants, and a multipurpose hall.
Building No. 1 includes a hall for dance and theater, event spaces, and shops selling products from long-established Yokohama stores and Yokohama souvenirs.

A cultural and commercial complex created by renovating retro red brick warehouses by the port
A cultural and commercial complex created by renovating retro red brick warehouses by the port

12. Shin-Yokohama Ramen Museum

A ramen-themed museum that brings together famous local ramen shops from around Japan and the world. You can enjoy the flavors of well-known shops from different regions without getting on a plane.
Each shop also offers mini ramen, so trying and comparing different bowls is recommended.
Inside, a retro townscape from 1958 has been recreated. There is also a gallery where you can learn about the history and culture of ramen.

The world’s first food amusement park where you can enjoy carefully selected ramen from Japan and abroad
The world’s first food amusement park where you can enjoy carefully selected ramen from Japan and abroad

13. Yokohama Chinatown

Yokohama Chinatown, one of Japan’s three major Chinatowns, is a district lined with many Chinese restaurants.
From affordable dishes you can enjoy as takeout or all-you-can-eat meals to authentic Chinese cuisine, there are options to suit a range of budgets.
There are also plenty of souvenir shops where you can buy delicious Chinese ingredients and miscellaneous goods.

One of Japan’s three major Chinatowns, where you can enjoy authentic Chinese cuisine
One of Japan’s three major Chinatowns, where you can enjoy authentic Chinese cuisine

14. Sankeien Garden

A Japanese garden created by businessman and man of letters Hara Sankei.
Within its vast 175,000-square-meter grounds, historic buildings including nationally designated Important Cultural Properties relocated from places such as Kyoto and Kamakura are skillfully arranged.
The outer garden features highlights such as a three-story pagoda from the Muromachi period relocated from Kyoto, as well as beautiful seasonal flowers including cherry blossoms and irises.
At the museum shop, you can buy cute Japanese accessories and wagashi sweets with beautiful traditional patterns.

A Japanese garden where seasonal nature and traditional Japanese architecture create a beautiful harmony
A Japanese garden where seasonal nature and traditional Japanese architecture create a beautiful harmony

15. Hamagin Children’s Space Science Museum

A science museum where visitors can experience the fun of space and science inside a building designed to resemble a giant spaceship, stretching from the 5th floor to B2.
Each floor has exhibits based on a different theme, including the “Space Captain’s Room,” where you can experience the mysteries of space, and the “Space Training Room,” where various exhibits let you feel like an astronaut.

A science museum where you can discover space and science while playing and using your body
A science museum where you can discover space and science while playing and using your body

16. Keikyu Museum

A museum that opened in 2020 as part of the Keikyu Group’s 120th anniversary project, based on the concept of “See, touch, and enjoy the real thing.” Inside are a variety of exhibits and attractions, including the historic “Keikyu DeHa 230 Series” train car, which was active from the early Showa period and underwent about two years of restoration work, the “Keikyu Line Diorama” that faithfully recreates the railway line area, the “Railway Simulation” driving experience corner, and the “My Train Factory” where visitors can enjoy hands-on crafting.

Real train cars, dioramas, and driving experiences, a museum filled with the appeal of Keikyu
Real train cars, dioramas, and driving experiences, a museum filled with the appeal of Keikyu

17. Hara Model Railway Museum

A museum showcasing the railway models and railway-related collection produced and owned by Shin Taro Hara, a world-renowned model railway creator and collector.
The railway models made by Hara himself faithfully reproduce trains from Japan as well as Europe, the United States, and elsewhere around the world. The museum houses Approx. 1,500 cars, with Approx. 1,000 on display. Powered by electricity taken from overhead wires, the models run along iron rails with a clattering sound just like the real thing. Among them, the massive “Ichiban Tetsumo Park” diorama, with a total track length of 450 m and considered one of the largest in the world (*), stands out for its realistic townscapes and trains and its impressive scale.

*About the size of one tennis court / One of the world’s largest publicly exhibited indoor dioramas in Gauge 1.

A vast collection by a world-renowned model railway creator and collector
A vast collection by a world-renowned model railway creator and collector

18. Yokohama Landmark Tower 69th Floor Observation Floor “Sky Garden”

A symbol of Yokohama, the 70-story, 296-meter-tall Yokohama Landmark Tower is a complex facility with a shopping mall, restaurants, clinics, and more.
Located on the 69th floor, “Sky Garden” is an observation floor where you can enjoy a 360-degree panoramic view.
You can see not only Yokohama, but also Tokyo Tower, Tokyo Skytree, the Boso Peninsula, the Izu Peninsula, and on clear days even Mt. Fuji.

Blue sky, wide sea, enjoy spectacular views from the 69th floor!
Blue sky, wide sea, enjoy spectacular views from the 69th floor!

19. YOKOHAMA AIR CABIN

“YOKOHAMA AIR CABIN” connects the station building “Sakuragicho Station” in front of JR Sakuragicho Station and the station building “Unga Park Station” at Canal Park in the Shinko district. It has a total length of Approx. 630 m, a maximum height of Approx. 40 m, and the one-way ride takes Approx. 5 minutes.
It passes over sightseeing spots such as the Ooka River, famous for its cherry blossoms, and at night you can enjoy Yokohama’s beautiful night view from above. The gondolas are fully glass-enclosed, allowing you to take in 360-degree views of Minato Mirai from the air.

Ride one of the world’s most advanced urban circulating ropeways and enjoy the attractive scenery of Yokohama and Minato Mirai
Ride one of the world’s most advanced urban circulating ropeways and enjoy the attractive scenery of Yokohama and Minato Mirai

A great base for a family trip! 3 recommended places to stay in Yokohama

From among Yokohama’s many accommodations, here are hotels with excellent family-friendly facilities and services.
All are close to stations and offer easy access to Minato Mirai, where many sightseeing spots are gathered, making them perfect bases for a family trip.

1. Comfort Hotel Yokohama Kannai

A Choice Hotels International franchise property located Approx. 1 minute on foot from Kannai Station on the Yokohama Municipal Subway Blue Line.
All guest rooms are non-smoking, clean, and highly safe, and children up to 6th grade in elementary school can stay free when sharing a bed, making it a great deal.
The beds are spacious, and with comfortable bedding and humidifying air purifiers fully provided, you can rest easy.
Another recommended point is the free breakfast buffet, with freshly baked bread, waffles, yogurt, fruit, and more.
Enjoying a nutritionally balanced, healthy breakfast together is a lovely way for the whole family to start the day.

Relax body and mind at this worldwide hotel filled with cleanliness and peace of mind
Relax body and mind at this worldwide hotel filled with cleanliness and peace of mind

2. Yokohama Sakuragicho Washington Hotel

A hotel located at the gateway to the Yokohama Minato Mirai 21 district.
It has a great location, Approx. 1 minute on foot from JR Sakuragicho Station and Approx. 3 minutes on foot from Bashamichi Station on the Minato Mirai Line. Its exterior also stands out, rising 24 stories above ground (hotel floors are the 5th and 9th to 23rd floors) / 102.8 m, so you are unlikely to have trouble finding it.
There are 553 guest rooms in total. Ten room types are available, including Twin Rooms, Family Rooms, and Double Rooms.
Guest rooms facing the sea and the hotel-operated restaurant on the 5th floor offer views of the dazzling Minato Mirai scenery.

A high-rise hotel in front of JR Sakuragicho Station with excellent views
A high-rise hotel in front of JR Sakuragicho Station with excellent views

3. Navios Yokohama

A unique accommodation facility operated by the Japan Seamen’s Welfare Association and also used as a welfare facility for seafarers and people in maritime-related fields.
Within walking distance of JR Sakuragicho Station and Bashamichi Station on the Minato Mirai Line, it boasts an excellent location overlooking Yokohama Port.
Nearby are many spots where you can have fun with children, such as the CupNoodles Museum and Yokohama World Porters.
The property’s 135 guest rooms are divided into 10 types, including rare Japanese-style rooms, so you can choose the room that best suits your family composition and ages.
The restaurant in the building also offers kids’ lunch plates, so families can dine comfortably.

Another one of its attractions is the chance to fully enjoy the beautiful Minato Mirai scenery
Another one of its attractions is the chance to fully enjoy the beautiful Minato Mirai scenery

Centered on leisure spots! A 2-day model course to enjoy Yokohama with your family

If you are unsure how to plan your sightseeing, be sure to use the following plan as a reference.
Because it focuses on leisure facilities, you can spend longer at each spot and keep travel between places to a minimum.
That means even families with small children should be able to get around comfortably and have plenty of fun.

Day 1
Yokohama Station → Yokohama Hakkeijima Sea Paradise → CupNoodles Museum Yokohama → Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse → Navios Yokohama
Day 2
Yokohama Anpanman Children’s Museum → Yokohama Zoological Gardens Zoorasia → Yokohama Station

FAQ about sightseeing in Yokohama with children

Q

What season is recommended for sightseeing in Yokohama with children?

A

If you plan to visit outdoor leisure facilities, spring and autumn are recommended for their comfortable weather.

Q

Are there indoor places in Yokohama where children can play?

A

Yes. There are plenty of places where children can have fun even on rainy days, including hands-on facilities that nurture creativity and museums where they can learn while playing.

Q

Do I need a rental car for sightseeing in Yokohama?

A

If you mainly plan to sightsee around Yokohama Station and Minato Mirai, you can get around conveniently without a rental car.

Summary

In this article, we introduced sightseeing spots in Yokohama that parents and children can enjoy together, along with recommended places to stay.
We hope you make the most of your family outing in Yokohama, where there are many different ways to have fun.
Beyond the places introduced here, Yokohama has many more appealing spots to discover.
If you’d like to learn more, be sure to check out the article below as well.