Tabletop games for kids

We play a lot of games at home, especially when the weather is not good or when he have friends visiting us. Although I didn't play many tabletop games growing up, there has been something of a Renaissance in game design over the last several years, especially with games designed in Europe (particularly Germany).

Among the incredibly popular titles such as Settlers of Catan and Carcassonne there are a number of excellent card and board games that have been made with children in mind. Some of our favorites are Dixit, Labyrinth, Aufbruch ins Abenteuer, and Hey That's My Fish! One of the best points of these games is that they don't require any reading, so you can play them with very young children while using any language.

The difficulty lies in finding these games, as large toy and department stores in Niigata don't stock them, and ordering online can be quite expensive with shipping (many are only available shipped from overseas). Fortunately, there are two excellent shops which carry a wide variety of games, and both have opened copies that you can try out in the store, as well as friendly staff who will explain each game and show you how to play.

1) Atelier Tonton is a small shop located in a residential area in the Higashi-Ku part of Niigata.  In fact, the "shop" is actually the first floor of the owners' home! While it is primarily a workshop for teaching how to make jewelry, there is a large cabinet full of European games. The couple who own the shop are very friendly and more than happy to sit down and play any of the games with you. There is no parking available at the shop, but there is a large parking area at the nearby convenience store and Aming.

Atelier Tonton website: http://ateliertonton.com/gift/board-game.html



2) Krtek is another shop where you can find a lot of great tabletop games.  It is located in the downtown area of Niigata city, very close by the city hall.  In addition to a large selection of tabletop games, they also specialize in beautiful wooden toys, puzzles, and decorations (when we went they had many handmade Christmas items imported from Germany).  The shop can be a little cramped if there are more than 2 or 3 families, but the staff are very helpful and take time to explain the games.

Krtek website: http://www.krtek.ne.jp/

Niigata Racecourse

We recently stopped by the Niigata Racecourse in the northern part of the city to check out their facilities for kids.  I was pleasantly surprised to find quite a few things for families to enjoy.

On weekends you can enjoy the playground, go-karts, a small train, a bouncy castle, and pony rides.  These are available during different times throughout the day, but while we were there around noon we were able to take advantage of almost all of them.  There is also a horse-drawn carriage that the whole family can ride.  The best part is that all of these are completely free!

It's probably best to visit the racecourse with your kids when there are no races taking place, so as to avoid crowds and a lot of cigarette smoke.  On these days, there is plenty of parking (also free), and lots of space on the grass around the track itself.  It's a great place to have a picnic and watch the races in other parts of Japan being broadcast on the giant screen in the middle of the track.

Information and hours for the kids' activities: http://jra.jp/facilities/race/niigata/news/fureai.html

Location of the Niigata Racecourse:

Havan Dining

Located just down the street from Marinepia, Havan Dining is a nice and relaxed buffet-style restaurant that specializes in vegetarian Indian curry.

Apart from the several types of curry, which change throughout the week, there is also salad, rice, inari sushi, some desserts (the ice cream is good!) and of course naan.  The drink area has a great mixed fruit and vegetable juice, as well as hot chai.

One corner of the restaurant is a kids' area, with books and toys to keep them busy while parents can enjoy their meal.  There is also a seating area with low tables and floor space for families with infants.

We usually go on Saturdays, as the restaurant is pretty quiet and it's easy to get a table by the windows with really comfortable chairs.  Sundays tend to be very crowded, though, and you may need to wait some time for a table.

Children's Creative Learning Center and Ikutopia Shoku Hana Park

The Children's Creative Learning Center, in the Ikutopia Shoku Hana Park (close to Big Swan Stadium), is a beautiful new facility full of things to do and see with kids.  It's also free!

The first floor has an arts and crafts studio where you can draw, paint, and make all kinds of projects with the supplies and tools that the Center provides.  The second and third floors have books, toys, and several large play areas designated for various ages.  The big slide and the climbing wall (the wall is only available at specific hours) are especially popular.  The top floor has a large room with kid-size tables and chairs for lunch/snack time, and also outside spaces for enjoying nice weather.

The animal center, right next to the Learning Center, is also a lot of fun.  Kids can pet and (at certain times of the day) feed sheep, goats, and alpacas, as well as see dogs, cats, rabbits, and capybaras.

On the other side of the Learning Center is the food and flower center, which has some interesting exhibits about our food and where it comes from.  Kids are mostly interested in the balanced meal "game", in which you grab a tray and put some items from shelves full of realistic plastic food on it.  When the tray is placed in front of the screen, it analyzes your selection and gives feedback about your choices (in Japanese).

Ikutopia Shoku Hana Park also has a farmer's market, a garden supplies store, and very nice buffet restaurant, called Kira Kira Restaurant.  Parking by the Learning Center is free for the first 30 minutes, but if you park on the other side of Ikutopia (a very short walk to the Learning Center), by the market and restaurant, you can get 90 minutes for free.

Ikutopia Shoku Hana map: http://www.ikutopia.com/access/

Niigata City Science Museum

The Niigata City Science Museum is another of our favorite places to visit, especially on those rainy Niigata days.  Some of the exhibits show their age a bit, but it's still a great place for hands-on learning, as everything is designed to be touched, pushed, and manipulated by curious kids.

When the museum has special exhibits, such as a giant cardboard maze or an interactive computer art show, it can be very crowded, but on normal days it is mostly quiet.  In addition to areas focused on dinosaurs, space, physics, and robotics, there is a planetarium that features various movies.

Entrance to the museum is only a few hundred yen, but a parent can enter for free with their small child if they show their Child Health Handbook (Boshi Techo).  The planetarium and the special exhibits cost extra, so check on what is currently showing before you go in.  Parking is free and readily available on several sides of the museum.

If the weather is decent, kids can explore the outside area of the museum, which is full of decommissioned vehicles such as an airplane, a helicopter, and two trains.  One of our favorite areas of the museum is on the second floor, where you can find a wonderful collection of wooden puzzles, games, and toys.  The staff are very friendly and happy to explain and demonstrate everything.

There is a restaurant on the top floor of the museum, but it doesn't look very impressive.  Instead, I recommend walking to the nearby Saffron bakery, where you can buy delicious sandwiches and breads.  The museum has several large areas set aside for eating and resting, so you can bring your lunch and eat it there.

Niigata City Science Museum map: http://www.sciencemuseum.jp/niigata/6-1.php

Marinepia Nihonkai

Marinepia Nihonkai is the name of Niigata City's aquarium.  It's not as big or flashy as some of the other aquariums in Japan (Okinawa's Churaumi Aquarium is amazing!), but Marinepia is still a lot of fun for kids, especially on a rainy day (Niigata has a lot of those).

Their website has a good amount of information in English, as well as a number of other languages, and there are multilingual maps and guides available at the entrance.  In addition to the varieties of fish, seals, and penguins, there is a dolphin show several times a day, as well as an area for children to touch starfish, sea cucumbers, and hermit crabs.

The annual passport prices are very reasonable, especially for children, and passport-holders can get a 10% discount at the aquarium restaurant on the top floor.  If you'd prefer some non-Japanese food, Havan Dining, an excellent Indian vegetarian buffet, is right across the street.

Marinepia Nihonkai Aquarium: http://www.marinepia.or.jp/mlg/en

Welcome to Kids in Niigata!

Hello!  My name is Martin, and I'm an English teacher living in Niigata City, in Niigata Prefecture.  I've lived in Japan for about 10 years.  My wife and I are always looking for fun things to see and do with our very energetic 4 year old son.

Niigata is a great place to live, and it has many events, parks, museums, and restaurants that are perfect for families.  However, there is very little information about them available in English, so I decided to make this blog!  I'll be writing about our favorite spots, and including pictures, maps, and links to websites, so please check them out.  Of course, please let me know about any places in Niigata that you've enjoyed with your family, so I can add them to the list!