Travel period Jan 2017
Japan’s Oldest Amusement Park
A mere 5-minute walk from Asakusa Station, there was an amusement park. This homegrown Japanese theme park called Hanayashiki, Japan’s first and oldest amusement park.
In front of the amusement park, we were standing and wondering what is the inside of Japan’s first and oldest amusement park looks like?… Then out of curiosity, we purchased admission which costs 1,000 yen for adult, 500 yen for elementary students and senior citizens. In addition to admission, we have to pay 100 yen per ride (although most rides require at least 2 tickets).
Hanayashiki has been around since 1853, when it originally began as a flower park. Being a tiny, densely packed amusement park surrounded by tall buildings that are extremely close to the rides, and with rides that have seen better days, its age is evident, but it’s worth a visit for a glimpse of an old-school Japanese amusement park.
Hanayashiki is one amusement park that knows how to maximize its minimal space, with some attractions weaving around one another. They’ve got the standard amusement park fare: a merry-go-round, panda cars that go around the park, a Ferris wheel (which is quite small, so don’t expect it to be scenic), a dark ride called Thriller Car, a 3D theatre, some kiddie rides, a spinning ride called Disk ‘O’, and a roller coaster.
We loved a drop ride called the space shot the most, it was exhilarating and fun, but not so much with the haunted house. If you intend to make the most of your visit, you might want to get a free ride pass, which costs 2,300 yen (you’ll still have to pay for admission). Since not all attractions are worth checking out, we recommend just paying for admission and each ride.
Getting to Hanayashiki:
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- From Tokyo Station: Take the JR Yamanote Line to Kanda Station (2 minutes, 140 yen) and transfer to the Ginza Subway Line for Asakusa (10 minutes, 170 yen).
- From Shinjuku Station: Take the orange JR Chuo Line to Kanda Station (10 minutes, 170 yen) and transfer to the Ginza Subway Line for Asakusa (10 minutes, 170 yen).
The amusement park is about 5 minutes’ walk from Asakusa.
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Opening hours: 10:00 – 18:00 daily
General admission: 1,000 yen
Note: The information provided in this post was correct at time of publishing but may change. For final clarification please check with the relevant service.