Yasai Shokudo Cafe, Books, wood museum, play area and Suichurakuen Aquarium – Tokinosumika, Gotemba, Shizuoka Prefecture
Formerly called “Books and Cafe”, the Books and Aquarium is a leisure area of the excellent Tokinosumika resort in Gotemba. The books area is part of a cafe now called Yasai Shokudo Rafu. If you are eating in the cafe you can use the book area. There is a play area in the cafe. It used to be free to use, but at the time there was no aquarium next door. Now, to use the play area you either need to be a patron of the cafe or of the aquarium.
The play area in Yasai Shokudo Rafu was free until Tokinosumika added the aquarium in 2015. Now if you want to play in the wooden play area in the cafe, but are not eating, you can get a ticket that allows you entry to both this play area and the play area in the aquarium. There is also a museum of wood carved statues, that is included in the entry price.
Book Cafe, Yasai Shokudo Rafu
Yasai Shokudo is a really lovely space in the Tokinosumika resort. I love to visit there due to the ambiance and the earthly vibe of the wooden structure. It’s a nice place to relax over a coffee and a book. They serve lunch too. The menu isn’t particularly large, but the food is delicious.
Reading / play area
They’ve a great selection of photo books as well as a good selection of kids books. There are seats, benches and cubby holes in the book area. There is a wooden ball pool in the book area of the cafe. They also have wooden toys and crafts for kids. The cafe and the book area are slightly separate, so you can hang out in the “books” part without eating, if you have paid in to the aquarium.
“Suichurakuen” Aquarium Tokinosumika
Suichurakuen means underwater paradise. It is the name of the aquarium in Tokinosumika. Suichurakuen initially opened in 2015 as a pop up. It became a permanent fixture in 2016. There are 4500 fish of 200 different species. They have a sketch aquarium like the one in TeamLab Islands, where you draw a picture that is projected onto a wall aquarium.
| Suichurakuen Aquarium Tokinosumika | |
|---|---|
| Address: | 719 Koyama, Gotemba, Shizuoka 412-0033 |
| Phone: | 0550-87-5016 |
| Hours: | Weekdays ~ 10 am to 5 pm Weekends ~ 10 am to 6 pm |
| Cost: | 1000 yen for adults 300 yen for children >6 years old ※Includes entry to the wood museum and wooden play area Goldfish scoop 300 yen per go Crafts 800 yen for adult and child pair |
| Online: | Official web page |
Books and Aquarium official website
Opening hours: 10.00-19.00
More information on the Tokinosumika resort:
https://insaitama.com/?s=tokinosumika
You can find access and other pertinent information for the Tokinosumika resort, also known as Gotemba Kogen, on this blog post:
Wow, looks lovely!!
I hope you are making a list, Sarah!!
Cat cafes are definitely on the list – now I have to add book cafes too!! 😀
Oh yes, definitely cat cafes. How about Cat Island? Do I have that on my blog.. can’t remember; even the lodgings on the island are cat shaped
Nope, just checked I don’t, but here’s a link to a blog about it https://lifetoreset.wordpress.com/2012/11/03/cat-island-tashirojima-miyagi-prefecture-japan/
Cat Island looks like paradise!! 😀 Have you ever been to Rabbit Island?
There’s a rabbit island!!!!???
Haha yes, in Hiroshima prefecture!! I saw a documentary about it in TV! 😀 https://zoomingjapan.com/travel/rabbit-island-japan/
Now that you say it; I think I have heard of it before. Actually, yes I do know of it – I just remembered there’s a girl I know who goes to it annually!
what an amazing place!
Its a nice space, but you – you’ve been to the places!! Thanks for commenting, it was a reminder to catch up on your wonderful adventures.
The wooden ball pool looks great 🙂
I could live here Food and books! Heaven!
Right!? And somewhere for the kids to play. Ticks all my boxes right now!