Originally published on metropolis.co.jp on April 2013
This year is one of those irritating ones where the Golden Week sprinkling of days off falls hither and thither and on weekends, meaning those without generous employers will be unable to get any sustained period off.
Why don’t they just fuse them all together into one big public holiday love-in? Why was the Showa Emperor born on that day and not another? Why does Hello Kitty have no mouth?
When you’re done with the futile questions, here are three Tokyo-based family-friendly activities for the days you can get.
Jurassic Adventure at Tokyo Dome City (1-3-61 Koraku, Bunkyo-ku) offers kids the chance to gawp at the terrible lizards up close from April 27-May 6. Key attractions include the 5m-high T. rex, and an almost-as-high Triceratops parent-and-child combo, all animatable at the touch of a button. Kids can pronounce the word “paleontologist” with abandon as they hunt for fossils in a faux river setting (¥500 a go; closed Apr 30-May 2), and can be snapped as they emerge from a dino egg.
Hit up Tokyo Midtown for Open The Park (Apr 16-May 6) with Guinness World Record challenges based on Japanese cultural activities, art displays, and a reading in the park activity—where baskets are lent out with leisure sheets and three similar-themed books (in Japanese) for you to “meet.”
Hotel New Otani (4-1 Kioi-cho, Chiyoda-ku) is opening up its Garden Pool “Mai Tai” to the public (Apr 27-May 6). The pool is one of Tokyo’s largest at 2,000m2, and there is also a 3m-deep play pool and 50cm-deep kids’ pool available. Access will cost non-guests ¥6,000 for adults and ¥5,000 for kids aged 4-12, including towel, locker and deck-chair rental. Hotel resto Trader Vic’s will open up poolside activity during this time serving up Hawaiian goodies like the 180g Big Island Burger (¥2,800) and a three-burger Sliders set (¥2,300).
