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Family Friendly Spots in Fukuoka

Traveling with children brings new experiences, excitement, and the chance to make family memories together. It’s fun, but challenging at the same time (from deciding where to go, what to pack, to how to get there, and many other potential worries, not to mention the children may become bored or fussy). Fortunately, in Fukuoka, there are many places that both you and your children can enjoy together (which are safe, clean, and full of fun, educational and fascinating activities for both children and parents). In this report, we will introduce our favorite spots with some tips and guide on things to do, children’s activities and child-friendly services. Hopefully, it will be helpful for family with small babies and makes your travel time in Fukuoka a pleasant and enjoyable experience.

If you have any ideas about other places to add into the list, contact us using this form or add a comment below this report.

Fukuoka Municipal Zoo and Botanical Garden

Children love animals, and the zoo is definitely a popular place. Inside Fukuoka Municipal Zoo, there are elephants, monkeys, tigers, giraffes, penguins, hippopotamuses, otters and many more animals in various exhibits located on a spacious hilly area. There are many indoor exhibits too. Your children can also enjoy interacting with and petting ducks, turtles, rabbits and guinea pigs. At the top of the hill, there is a merry-go-round and a playground area.

You might have to walk uphill quite a bit. That’s fine for some people but might be tiresome for others. It’s a good idea to bring your own water and some snacks for the children to rest sometimes. Sneakers or easy-to-move shoes are recommended.

A unique thing about this zoo is that it is located next to the city’s botanical garden, a very peaceful and relaxing place in the city. This place is definitely worth a day visiting even during the humid summer of Fukuoka. There is a short tram ride connecting the zoo and the botanical garden section, and you can take it for free.

The garden is full of greenery and stunningly beautiful with blooming flowers in each season. Here you can find many kinds of plants and some of them will absolutely amaze your children, such as the large rose garden, an area of giant cactuses, and Victoria Amazonica, one of the largest species of water lilies in the world. There is a greenhouse with volunteers who will educate your children about the plants and teach them how to make handmade toys (in Japanese only). There is a giant swing and a grass playing field for the children to enjoy. At the end of the day, you might relax with a BBQ meal at a restaurant on the top of the mountain and find a great view of Fukuoka City (advance booking recommended on busy days such as weekends).

Tips:
• If your children want to visit often, buy the one-year ticket (¥1,500/adult, free for children) which covers both the zoo and the botanical garden.
• Go via subway or bus since the parking area is full almost everyday. Free shuttle rides from Ohori Park to the zoo are also available every weekend (check their official website for detailed schedule).
• During summer the zoo is open at night, so we recommend spending the afternoon at the botanical garden first before exploring the zoo at night when it’s less hot and humid.
• Bring bug repellent to avoid mosquitoes bites during summer.

Fukuoka Municipal Zoo and Botanical Garden
1-1 Minamikoen, Chuo-ku, Fukuoka
• Tel: 092-531-1968
• Adult: ¥600, HS: ¥300, JHS and under: free
• Open: 9:00~17:00 (last entry 16:30)
• Closed: Mon. (or next day if Mon. is hol.), New Year hol. (12/29 ~ 1/1) *open on the last Mon. of March
Fukuoka Municipal Zoo
Fukuoka Municipal Botanical Garden

Ohori Park

Considered as one of the symbols of Fukuoka City, Ohori Park surrounds a large beautiful pond, with some small islands connected to each other and to the rest of the park by an elegant stone bridge. This park has beautiful and peaceful scenery and is a very relaxing place for strolling in every season. There are two playgrounds inside the park. One is “Whale Park” located near the front gate, which is very popular among local families not only for playing, but also for picnics and camping. This is a perfect place for energetic children to run around, with a large slide and dome, and many other facilities like swings, jungle gyms, see-saw, sandbox, and more. The second playground is called “Acorn Park” which is more suitable for small babies. It is quite small, but well equipped and shady, with some resting place under the trees. Both of my children never get bored of the playgrounds in Ohori Park and they can spend hours just playing here.

The park also offers rental swan and row boats in case you and your children want to get into the water. This was the most fun part of our visit. If you are hungry, there are food vendors inside the park and a restaurant near the front gate called “Royal Garden Cafe”, which has a nice children’s menu too.

A huge firework festival is held here on the first of August each year. There are also many other recommended sightseeing spots nearby that you might take into your one day itinerary in Fukuoka, including Fukuoka Art Museum (will reopen in March 2019), Japanese gardens, and Fukuoka Castle Ruins.

Ohori Park
1-2 Ohorikoen, Chuo-ku, Fukuoka
• Tel: 092-741-2004
• Free (boat rental fees apply)
• Open: Every day
http://www.ohorikouen.jp/en/

Boat rental
• Water strider boat (2 persons): ¥1,000/30 min., swan boat (2 persons): ¥1,000/30 min, row boat (2 persons): ¥600/30 min.
http://www.oohoriboathouse.jp/rental-boat/

Uminonakamichi Seaside Park

As one of Japan’s national parks, this huge, six km long and 300 hectares park requires at least a full day to explore it. It’s a must for any family with children to visit in Fukuoka. It offers everything that you and your children will love, from flower gardens and flower hills (a popular place for flower viewing with gorgeous flowers blooming in each season), countless playgrounds, an amusement park (with many fun attractions that both children and adults will love), a water park and splash fountain (great for cooling off in hot summer days), an animal forest and a hill to practice cycling, to large open areas and lawns perfect for camping and taking picnics. When the weather is good, this place will surely make a great day out for your family.

This park is so family-friendly because it offers many facilities for parents with babies, including a breastfeeding room, many diaper changing rooms, and you can rent baby strollers for free at the entrance gate.

For my children (1 and 4 years old), the animal forest is one of the highlights of our visit. This open space animal forest contains about 500 animals of 500 species (including capybara, kangaroo, flamingo, and more). The children can interact with the animals up close too. They can feed goats, sheep, rabbits and waterfowls, and hold guinea pigs on their lap in the “Petting Animal Farm.”

For lunch, you have at least a few options to choose from. There are a variety of restaurants inside the park, and most of them have children’s menus. If you decide to go camping or to have a picnic, you can bring your own food and drinks and choose a place to leisurely rest. There is also a BBQ campsite inside the park where you can make a reservation with the park management to buy food and rent every equipment needed (very convenient for parents of young children). From the campsite you can enjoy barbeque with a view of Hakata Bay, feeling the fresh sea breeze and the bright sunshine.

The park holds many events throughout the year. You can check out their website to know more about the events and festivals for each month.

The first time we came here was not in peak season so it was very easy to rent a bicycle. However the second time was during a busy period (Golden Week) and we came in the afternoon, so the bicycles were out of stock. Our advice is that you get here early, or bring your own bicycle since getting around on foot is quite tough, especially for families with small children.

Uminonakamichi Seaside Park
18-25 Saitozaki, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka
• Tel.: 092-603-1111
• Adult: (15 y.o. and above) ¥450, 14 y.o. and under: free
• Open: Mar. ~ Oct.: 9:30~17:30, Nov. ~ Feb.: 9:30~17:00
• Closed: New Year’s period (12/31 and 1/1), 1st Mon. and the following day in Feb.
https://uminaka-park.jp/en/

Marine World Uminonakamichi

Rated as one of the best aquariums in Japan, this large and dynamic aquarium is based on the theme of “Sea of Kyushu”, and should not be missed if you are in Fukuoka with your children. Inside the three-story building, there is a vast variety of sea creature exhibitions (including very large sharks, turtles, jellyfish, coral reefs with colorful fish, and more). The most entertaining and impressive part, and a must-see experience in my opinion, is the dolphin and sea lion show, which is included in the entrance ticket. Both children and adults will love it. There is also a sea otter pool where you can observe and feed the otter, which is adorable and fun (my children loved it). Seeing and interacting up close with the penguins, sea lions and seals in the outdoor section will also bring glee to many children’ faces.

Marine World is also baby-friendly. You can borrow a baby stroller for free (¥500 deposit, however there is only a small number of strollers available, so arrive early if you want to borrow one), all sessions are easily accessible, many chairs and resting areas are available, and you can bring in your own meals too. There are three diaper changing beds for babies, and four nursing rooms with hot water for milk available.

During Golden Week, summer vacation and Christmas time, the aquarium opens at night until 21:30, with nighttime dolphin shows.

Marine World’s annual passport offers unlimited admission for one year. Here’s one more special offer that people may not know about. During your child’s birth month, they can experience dolphin touching and receive many other privileges like souvenir gift, coupon tickets, free drink at the restaurant and more.

Marine World Uminonakamichi
18-28 Saitozaki, Oaza, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka
• Tel.: 092-603-0400
• Adult: ¥2,300, 60 y.o. and above: ¥1,840, HS: ¥2,300, JHS: ¥1,200, ES: ¥1,000, below ES: ¥600, infants: free
• Open: Mar. to Nov. 9:30~17:30, Dec. to Feb. 10:00~17:00, Golden Week 9:30~21:30, summer vacation 9:00~21:30, Christmas (Dec. 23, 24, 25) 10:00~21:00
• Closed: 1st Mon. (1st Mon. and following day in Feb.)
https://marine-world.jp/en/

Mo Mo Land, Aburayama Farm

Watching cows leisurely grazing along vast green fields of grass is something your children might only see on TV, but now you can show them that fairytale scenery in Fukuoka. Take your children out of the city to enjoy some natural beauty while having fun at Mo Mo Land, a ranch located in Minami-ku, Fukuoka City, just 30 minutes south of Tenjin by car (or bus). There are a lot of activities that both parents and children can enjoy in this immense farm. It’s located on the hill sides of Mount Aburayama, and surrounded by forest, which makes it a vast area filled with greenery. Lots of open green space to stretch little legs made this farm a favorite spot for our family.

Visitors can enjoy interacting with animals such as cows, horses, sheep, chickens, goats and rabbits. When the weather is good, visitors can feed grass to cows and ride ponies (pony riding is for children from 4 y.o.). Another unique experience that you might have in Mo Mo Land is cow milking (¥100) or butter making (¥300). The milk obtained here is processed at the farm factory and turned into many freshly made, tasty dairy products, which are sold to visitors. One special product you shouldn’t miss here, which is our favorite, is the special Mo Mo Land soft ice cream, a great treat for a hot summer day.

Mo Mo Land is not just a livestock farm. It also has a much-loved children’s playground where not only children but adults can have fun as well. You will find a big roller slide with a height of 10 m and length of 48 m. While sliding along people can have a great view of the whole farm. For energetic children, the spacious grass ground is a safe place to run around. It also makes a great picnic spot for families as well.

The barbecue restaurant located at the top of the hill, which uses the farm’s livestock, is also a popular spot to eat while enjoying fresh air and the magnificent beauty of Fukuoka City. (Note: the restaurant is closed from Dec. to Feb.) For families travelling with babies, a nursing room located near the restaurant is also available.

Admission to the farm is free, which makes it even better for everything it offers to visitors.

Mo Mo Land, Aburayama Farm
710-2 Kashiwara, Minami-ku, Fukuoka
• Tel.: 092-865-7020
• Free entry (*separate fees for cow milking, horse riding, and other activities)
• Open: 9:00~17:00
• Closed: Wed.
http://www.mo-mo-land.com/

Fukuoka City Disaster Prevention Center

Have you experienced an earthquake, flood, tsunami or fire before? Well, you can experience them all here – in safety! At the Fukuoka City Disaster Prevention Center, visitors can experience these kind of disasters and learn relevant survival skills. Knowing how to take action in case of emergency is as important here in Fukuoka as it is anywhere in the world. And with these interactive demonstrations, it can be fun, too! At the reception, you will receive a plastic sheet with a pen that you can use to get English interpretation to help you understand the main ideas while entering each site within the center.

The children will absolutely love trying on fireman costumes, riding the fire truck, sitting on a real rescue helicopter and of course, experiencing fire fighting (which is safe because the fire is not real).

General Experience Course (1 hour):
1. Guidance theater
2. Heavy rainfall and flood experience
3. Strong wind experience
4. Earthquake experience
5. Escaping a burning building
6. Fire extinguishing course for children and adults

My 4-year-old boy was very excited and enjoyed exploring the center a lot, but my 1-year-old baby had nothing to play around with and fell asleep after a while. We came here on a weekend but the center wasn’t so crowded. If you want to explore the full experience course, you should arrive early in the morning or afternoon.

Fukuoka City Disaster Prevention Center
1-3-3 Momochihama, Sawara-ku, Fukuoka
• Tel.: 092-847-5991
• Free entry
• Open: 9:30~17:00 (last entry 16:30)
• Closed: Mon., last Tue. of every month (*open if hol. and closed the next day), New Year hol. (12/28 ~ 1/4)
http://119.city.fukuoka.lg.jp/bousaicenter/centerinfo

Milky Way (Bayside Place Hakata)

Milky Way is an indoor amusement playground for children from zero to 12 years old, located inside the commercial complex Bayside Place Hakata next to Hakata Port, only a 15-minute bus ride from Tenjin or 20 minutes from Hakata Station. Parents can relax there while children play freely in a wide space without concern for rain or summer heat. Milky Way is located on the 2nd floor of Building C within the complex. Entering this building, a big two-story aquarium with turtles and many colorful fish is in sight. My children watch the aquarium with great excitement every time we visit.

At the reception, you must register your child’s information and pay the fee (¥200/family). One day passes or monthly passes at reasonable prices are on offer. Lockers are available at the entrance gate, so arriving with big bags is not a problem. There is one separate room for babies from zero to about 3 years old to play in, and a larger room for older children filled with various toys including playground equipment and educational toys like building blocks, track trains, children’s books, and cooking toys. A tree house, a fishing bridge and a hide and seek corner can also keep the children busy.

For more dynamic games, a climbing wall with climbing mat and ball or a brave and exciting challenge with a big slide will surely make the children happy, especially when parents can slide together with them. The large jumping bed is also really enjoyable; children and adults can jump and run back and forth together, or even touch the ceiling.

The “Dream Aquarium” is a creative digital zone equipped with a large screen attached alongside a real aquarium. Your children can paint, draw or take pictures of themselves on the digital tablet and move it onto the big screen just by using touch. My children are amazed by this corner; they felt as if their dreams could be moved to the blue sea, like a fairytale.

One more special point of Milky Way is the helpful staff who instruct and play with children for long periods. A wide range of activities and classrooms are also held inside Milky Way regularly, including storytelling, singing, physical education classes, crafting experiences and more.

As for amenities, there is a children’s toilet, changing tables for babies and many resting chairs for parents. On weekdays, you can take a free shuttle bus directly from Tenjin and Hakata to Bayside Hakata and spend a fun time there with your little ones. Plus a great view of Hakata Port outside the building will make it a great weekend getaway destination for your family.

Milky Way (Bayside Place Hakata)
2F Bayside Place Hakata Bldg. C, 13-6 Tsukimoto-cho, Hakata-ku, Fukuoka
• Tel.: 092-283-5006
• Child: ¥900 (60 min.), additional 60 min.: ¥600; 1-day weekday pass (1 child + 1 adult): ¥1,700, additional 1 child (siblings only): ¥1,000; Sat., Sun. & hol.: ¥1,800 (1 child + 1 adult), additional 1 child (siblings only): ¥1,100; monthly weekday pass (1 child + 1 adult): ¥4,000
• Open: 10:00~18:00 (last entry: 17:00), Fri., Sat., Sun. & hol.: 10:00~19:00 (last entry: 18:00)
• Closed: 12/31 ~ 1/1
http://www.baysideplace.jp/entertainment/milkyway/

Fukuoka City Central Children’s Center “Aikuru”


Located in bustling Tenjin, Aikuru (Fukuoka City Central Children’s Hall) is a place where children of all ages as well as their parents can have fun together, and for free! The center occupies four floors of Tenjin Class Bldg. (5F to 7F and the rooftop). On the 5th floor, there are two separate playing rooms; the first one is where babies from zero to three years old can freely play and run around with plenty of toys are available for babies to discover. There is also a picture book corner (Japanese books), where mothers and babies can sit down and read together (one person can borrow up to three books each time for two weeks). The second playing room is called the children’s exercise room, which aims children from four years old to elementary school. The room is filled with gymnastic equipment, a bouldering wall and a wooden ball box. Before entering the playing spaces, you will need to register at the reception table (with your name, your child’s name, and your address). Parents can also enter the playing room and rest with a peace of mind as the appealing toys will keep the children busy for a long time. In terms of amenities, a nursing room, children’s toilet and baby stroller parking space are available within this floor.

The 6th and 7th floors are more suitable for older children (elementary to high school students). On the 6th floor, there are study booths with computers, a library with lots of children’s books, and a lounge which is also a food and drink area where vending machines and microwave ovens can be used. Here you can also borrow unicycles and roller skates for use in the open-air rooftop play area. On the 7th floor, there is a music room, an arts and crafts room, a study room, a multipurpose room, and a sport room with table tennis where both adults and children can play together. On the rooftop, there is an open-air space where children can play and enjoy roller skating, riding unicycles, tricycles (for infants) and more.

Another important role of the children’s center is the provision of childcare support services. There is an hourly drop-in childcare service for infants and toddlers (when parents have ceremonial occasions, hospital visits and more) as well as occasional child-rearing consultations and seminars. If you want to use the temporary childcare service, you must register at the 5th floor reception; the usage fee is ¥600/hour for zero to 2-year-olds and ¥500/hour for 3 to 6 year old children. The center frequently holds a wide range of events throughout the year such as children’s festivals, handmade workshops, club activities and more. At the first floor you will find a bicycle parking and a car parking area next to the building.

Fukuoka City Central Children’s Center “Aikuru”
1-19-22 Tenjin Class Bldg., Imaizumi, Chuo-ku, Fukuoka
• Tel.: 092-741-3551
• Free entry (*separate fees for childcare services)
• Open: 9:00~18:00
• Closed: Mon., last day of the month (open if Sun. or hol.), New Year hol. (12/28 ~ 1/3)
http://www.jidoukaikan-aikuru.or.jp/

Fantasy Children Resort Fukuoka

On a super hot or rainy day in summer, an indoor playground can offer something delightfully refreshing to your family. Fantasy Children Resort Fukuoka is a huge facility with enough fun for a full family day out, a spot that you should definitely check out with your active little ones.

Fantasy Children Resort is a group of large indoor amusement playgrounds located in many cities in Japan, including Fukuoka. It is super family-friendly with lots and lots of children’s facilities and plenty of attractions that parents and children can fully enjoy together. Some of their main facilities include:

• Fluffy area: Giant inflatable facilities in animal shapes with slides which children and even their parents can climb, jump and roll around in.
• Mini-car racing corner: Where children can race electric motorcycles or jeep cars with their siblings (100 m long).
• Event area: Where you see a lot of people gather every day. Events and contests, games with prizes and more are held here daily.
• Antibacterial white sandboxes: Children can enjoy their favourite activity of playing in the sand without parents’ concern for hygiene.
• Fashion photo studio: An area with a variety of girls’ and boys’ fancy clothes. Your child can enjoy selecting costumes and photo shooting with a professional lighting system.
• A separate room for babies from zero to 2 years old, equipped with smaller toys, slides, pool of balls, see-saw, tricycles and more. Equipped with nursing room and changing tables too.
• Games corner: Plenty of arcade games that everyone can enjoy, such as rhythm or action games (drums and dance), shooter games, and car racing games.
• Graffiti room: Children can draw on the wall with special crayons that can be easily removed by wet cloths. Therefore, children who love painting can freely create their piece of art with their great imagination.
• Projection mapping: Using projection technology with computer to bring fascinating graphics on walls and floors. Children can interact with these graphics by touching the image, which furthers their curiosity and excitement.

My children had really a good and sweaty time playing here for four hours and still regretted having to leave. And what amazed me even more was how spotlessly clean the whole place was even when it was crowded.

As for amenities, there are breastfeeding rooms, an eating area with 100 seats (you are welcome to bring your own food and there are vending machine so you don’t even need to go out), plenty of kid-friendly toilets, free lockers for bags and shoes, free massage chairs for parents, and plenty of toys to buy for children who areunwilling to go home without a gift.

Fantasy Children Resort Fukuoka
2F Aeon Fukuoka Higashi Shopping Center, 2-14-1 Befukita, Shishin-machi, Kasuya-gun, Fukuoka
• Tel.: 092-260-7010
• Fantasy pack: weekday ¥990, hol. ¥1,200, Twilight pack: weekday (15:00~19:00) & hol. (16:00~20:00) ¥760; Per hour: weekday ¥430 (additional ¥215/30 min. extension), hol. ¥540 for first hour (additional ¥270/30 min. extension); infant (1 y.o. below): free
• Open: weekday 10:00~19:00, weekend & hol. (incl. summer, winter, & spring vacation) 10:00~20:00
http://www.fantasyresort.jp/fukuoka/

Cha Cha Club


While travelling to Hakata Station in the middle of Fukuoka City, you just want to get rid of the summer heat or want to stay dry on a rainy day. Consider taking your child to JR Cha Cha Club, an indoor amusement facility where children and adults can play together inside Hakata Station.

This place is a popular playing spot among local parents, thanks to their reasonable fees. The facility is a wooden room with large glass windows. Inside is divided into six playing sections including a baby space where there are plenty of wooden toys, picture books, kitchen toys, and a slide leading to a wooden ball pool. Your children can play while seeing many trains coming and going to Hakata Station. My children who love vehicles always get excited when seeing the trains passing by.

This place is more fitting for children under elementary school (zero to 5 years old). Visits are limited to one hour. It is recommended to use this amusement facility while waiting for or after a train ride, or else you must purchase a ¥140 (¥70 for child) ticket to enter the platform area.

Cha Cha Club
Platforms 1 and 2, Hakata Sta., 1-11-1 Hakataeki-chuogai, Hakata-ku, Fukuoka
• Tel.: 092-409-6506
• Adult + Child: ¥300, adult: ¥200, child: ¥100, under 2 y.o.: free (*one hour time limit)
• Open: 10:00~17:00 (last entry: 16:30)
https://www.jrhakatacity.com/kids/toy/

Tsubame no Mori Hiroba

Tsubame no Mori Hiroba is an open rooftop garden, located on the top of AMU Plaza (JR Hakata City) at Hakata Station. In the middle of the garden there is an open space for children to play, surrounded by many kinds of flowers and plants. A number of chairs and tables are available here for people to rest and enjoy colorful flowers and rich greeneries every season.

You can find the “Tsubame Mini Train”, a cute little train for babies and children to ride on and travel twice around the garden (¥200 ticket for both parent and child). There is also “Kurochan Hiroba”, a playing area enclosed with a fence where children under 6 can play while parents rest with a peace of mind. The children can use tricycles for free here.

There is also an observation deck offering a view 60 meters from ground level. From this spot, you can look down and watch shinkansen trains arriving or leaving the platform, which makes it a must-see place for train lovers. The rooftop also features Tetsudo Jinja or “Railway Shrine” where people pray for safe train journeys. Overall, this a great place for families to relax, get some fresh air, and take a break before or after shopping in the bustling area of Hakata.

Throughout the year, Tsubame no Mori Hiroba also hosts many events for children, most of which are free of charge. Some of the events include firefly festival, potatoes or rice planting and harvesting, handicraft activities, mini cinema festival, children’s picnic and more (you can find event details on their official website).

Tsubame no Mori Hiroba
1-1 Hakataeki-chuogai, Hakata-ku, Fukuoka (JR Hakata City AMU Plaza rooftop)
• Tel.: 092-409-6506
• Free
• Open: 10:00~23:00 (*mini train and other equipments: ~18:00)
https://www.jrhakatacity.com/tsubame/

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About the author: Nguyen Tuyet Nhung (Jenny) is a mother of two children, a four-year-old boy and a one-year-old baby girl. “Exploring Fukuoka with my children is one of my favorite things to do. We just came here since August, 2017, but we were already in love with the city and people here.”

Copyright Fukuoka Now – including all text, photos and illustrations. Permission required to re-use in any form. Meanwhile, feel free to link to to this page.

NOTE: The information presented here was gathered and summarized by the Fukuoka Now staff. While we have done our best to check for accuracy, there might be errors and details may have changed. If you notice any errors or changes, please contact us. This report was originally written in July 2018.

Category
Things To Do
Fukuoka City
Published: Jul 23, 2018 / Last Updated: Aug 24, 2018

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