Things to do with kids in Okayama

Things to do with kids in Okayama

1. 
   SeeMuseum

   Hayashibara Museum of Art

   林原美術館

   A small museum which houses the private collection of the Ikeda Family, the former Lords of Okayama. The collection features Japanese and Chinese works, primarily calligraphy and scrolls. Pottery, beautiful textiles, samurai armor, and other works may also be on display; however, because the museum is not large enough to display the entire collection at once, the exhibits are rotated often.

   Tue-Sun 09:00-17:00·¥500
2. See

   Ikeda Zoo

   池田動物園

   Ikeda Zoo offers many of the typical zoo animals: elephants, giraffes, tigers, lions, and a variety of birds and monkeys. The most unique animals here are perhaps the tapirs and the red pandas. It's a short distance northwest of JR Okayama Station.

   Apr-Oct: daily 09:00-17:30, Nov-Mar: daily 09:00-17:00·¥1080 for adults, ¥840 for high school students, ¥630 for middle school and elementary school students, and ¥315 for children over 3 years of age

3. 
   SeeHistory;local museum

   Okayama City Museum

   岡山シティミュージアム

   Formerly known as the Okayama Digital Museum, the permanent exhibit uses modern technology to showcase the city's history, local culture, and nature, but it's the special exhibits that attract most visitors. The special exhibits cover a wide range of subjects from classic famous art exhibits to interactive exhibits for children. To determine whether or not this museum is of interest, it's best to check their website to see what will be featured during your visit.

   Closed · opens 10 am·Prices vary depending on the exhibit
4. SeeRailway museum

   Okaden Museum & Mitooka Eiji Design

   おかでんミュージアム＋水戸岡鋭治デザイン

   The Okaden Museum is a museum dedicated to Okayama's Okaden tram. Inside you can see the tram's "station master" cat, Momo along with videos, train models, and artwork. Overall, it's more of a fun place to take children who like trains/the tram than a museum. It really doesn't have any objects or information but instead features train and other toys that kids can play with. It's at the terminus of the Higashiyama Line so outside there are out-of-use trams and you can also see the trams coming and going.

   Closed · opens 10 am·¥1000

5. 
   See

   Kōrakuen Garden

   後楽園

   The name means "Garden of Pleasure After", a reference to a famous Confucian quote stating that a wise ruler must attend to his subjects' needs first and only then attend to his own. Construction started 1687 and was completed 13 years later. Despite slight changes, Korakuen largely keeps its form from the Edo era, with waterfalls, tiny shrines, teahouses, miniature maple forests, a lotus pond, and even a greenhouse filled with orchids and cacti. The rare red-crested white cranes are another notable feature. They are released for flying exhibitions on special occasions throughout the year. The large wooden building called the Enyo-tei was used to host daimyo (feudal lords), Emperor Meiji, and other members of the imperial family. The view from the veranda (usually off-limits to the general public) is considered the best in the park, and the strategic location of trees and hills/mounds in the park act as a natural frame. A local ordinance prevents high-rise buildings that would encroach on this view. The roof of a temple can be seen on the side of the distant Mt. Misaoyama, but it was built to enhance the view from the porch. There are two entrances to the garden: across from the Okayama Prefectural Museum, and across the Moon-Viewing Bridge (月見橋 Tsukimi-bashi).

   Closed · opens 7:30 am·¥400
6. See

   Yahata no Sato

   やはたの里

   Three interesting yet completely unrelated sites. First up is a Yogurt Factory (ヨーグルト工房) where you can see how they make yogurt and then taste it, too. From there, the Toy Museum (おもちゃの宿) has displays of traditional Japanese toys and some for children to play with. Finally, there is the Killifish Research Center (めだかの学校), which studies the fish of the same name. Yahata no Sato is most enjoyable for those travelling with kids, particularly if they understand Japanese.

   Closed · opens 9 am·¥300, yogurt ¥150 extra

7. Do Not mapped

   Momotarō Festival

   桃太郎祭り

   Held annually in commemoration of the lead character of the children's fairytale and his rival, Ura the ogre. The festival involves Okayama's biggest display of fireworks and numerous public dances and parades throughout the city and its numerous shopping malls. The largest dance parade, the Uraja Dance (うらじゃ), is held in the center of Okayama on the street leading from Okayama Station towards City Hall (Shiyakusho-suji). Dance participants paint their faces to look like ogres and each team has its own unique homemade costumes. Some dance teams are active all year round, performing at smaller local festivals or as Uraja ambassadors at festivals throughout Japan. Free parking for the event is available around Okayama Dome.

   Two days at the beginning of August

8. DoArcade

   アミパラ 岡山店 入口②

   1 Chome-13-14 Aoe

9. DoArcade

   アミパラテクノランド店

   北区大和町1丁目7-12

10. DoArcade

    ラウンドワンスタジアム岡山妹尾店

    南区妹尾3413-1

11. DoZoo

    池田動物園をおうえんする会

    南区福成3丁目10-43-1

12. DoArcade

    ゲームアイビス岡山店

    中区高屋308-1

13. DoArcade

    スーパーハリウッド青江店

    北区青江2丁目8-52

14. DoArcade

    ハリウッドパチンコ店 スーパーハリウッド 800

    北区岩田町4-7

15. DoAmusement park

    モーリーファンタジー

    北区下石井1丁目2-1

16. DoArcade

    ゲームセンターファイブ

    南区大福１３４－４

17. DoZoo

    Codyのいす

18. DoTheme park

    スカイガーデン跡地

Listings from the Wikivoyage guide to Okayama (CC BY-SA 4.0). Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Place data from Overture Maps.