Aeon Fantasy Kidzoona is an indoor play center for children under twelve. It is officially spelt Kidzooona, but in English it is most commonly written as Kidzoona. There are various Aeon Fantasy branches in Japan and Asia. However, most are just amusement centers, only a select few have a Kidzoona play area. The parent company, which has been around since 1997, is a branch of Aeon (the retailer giant) called Aeon Fantasy. Molly Fantasy is the name of the amusement center. And the play area is called Kidzoona!
The Saitama branch of Kidzoona is in the Nissai Molly Fantasy branch in Omiya City, Saitama Prefecture, Japan. In my experience, toddlers and preschoolers up to the age of six enjoy this branch of Kidzoona best. Adults must accompany children; they are no staff supervising children in the play areas.
Aeon Fantasy Kidzoona, Japan
The center has a variety of toys, equipment and make-believe play areas, with dress up costumes, for children to engage in creative play. They used to have a dedicated area for babies, but when they made some big changes in 2015 they removed it. Nowadays, they occasionally have an area zoned off, but rarely during busy periods.
There is a convenience store located within the play centre. The centre has a baby room with a nursing area and changing facilities, but no toilets. To use a toilet you must leave the play area and need to obtain a re-entry pass first. Further information including address, access and price is below the photos.
The ball pool area pictured above with a pirate ship in it, which has climbing and slides, was added after this post was first written in 2014. It replaced a giant trampoline and some of the zorbs. It is now the focal point of the play centre and I dare say the favourite for a lot of young children.
Dress-up and Make Believe Exhibits
Young children will be creatively inspired by the great selection of pretend shops, restaurants and work places on offer. Moreover, each come with outfits for them to dress-up in. They can try, for example, a nurses outfit, a baker’s outfit, a fireman’s outfit, to name but a few.
The post office area allows children to deliver post at a number of little post boxes within the creative play area. They can also collect the post from these boxes and then sort them in the “sorting office”!
There is also an area with push along rides and construction site costumes and mini diggers.
Kidzoona Bouncy Exhibits
As you come in the entrance of Kidzooona there is a flat bouncing castle without walls, which is safe even for toddlers. There are a few zorbs close by. The exhibits on the lower part of this collage both have ball pools within the bouncing castle.
—Aeon Fantasy Saitama Japan—
Kidzoona Areas for babies / toddlers
During busy periods the area below is restricted to babies and toddlers who are not yet walking.
The below area is for all ages, but it is a hit with toddlers as they can draw on anything and everything in this exhibit designated to free drawing.
Kidzoona Toys and Sandpit
Below is just a sample of the toys. There are many not pictured, including some musical instruments and building blocks.
Kidzoona Amusement Area
All of the video games and rides in the amusement area are included in the price. For some you need to insert a special coin, which are readily available in big storage bins within the area.
Dining
There is a MiniStop shop on the premises, with seating areas beside it, one of which is Japanese style with zabutons for sitting at on low tables. These areas are dedicated eating areas; there are other seats throughout the play centre.
Aeon Fantasy Kidzoona further information:
Official name: Kidzooona by Aeon Fantasy, Official website.
Address: Aeon 3rd floor, 2-574-1 Kushihikicho, Kita Ward, Saitama
Train access: 12 minutes on foot from JR Nisshin station, 10 minutes walk from Tetsudo hakubutsukan (Railway Museum) station.
Opening hours: 10am to 7pm.
Price: Please check the website for up to date details. 2014 prices: One hour: 600 yen for children, 300 yen for accompanying adult
Monday to Friday (excluding public holidays): 1 day pack 990 yen for children over one; 490 yen for accompanying adult
Weekends and public holidays: 3 hour pack 990 yen for children; 5 hour pack 1,290 yen for children (includes a small drink), 1,490 yen for adult
Other indoor play centres in Saitama featured on this blog:
Preschooler fun at Bornelund Kid-o-Kid in Cocoon 2 | OMIYA
Saitama’s #1 free children’s centre? Ageo Kodomo-no-Shiro
Kid’s US Land in Kamifukuoka
Team Lab Islands | Lalaport Fujimi
Cats Eye Play and Sports Centre | SAYAMA
The girls zorb! | Sakado Jidokan
Soyu Himitsu No Mori, “Secret Forest”; at Mallage, Kuki City
I am going to bring the kids, they will love this
PS Do you know if it is busy during school holidays?
Good question! I don’t know, but I plan to find out this summer. 🙂
Interesting to see a softplay area Japanese style 🙂
You can often find free softplay areas within shopping centres. They are usually quite small, but suitable for toddlers and babies. Hopefully on your next visit you will see for yourself. 🙂
That’s cute! My daughter is nearly eight now but might still be tempted…
Yes, I think that it is fun for all children, but the younger ones in particular are mesmerised by it! Do you know of Kidzania in Tokyo? We haven’T been yet, but its really popular with elementary school age children and it is much bigger than this place. YOu can experience the exhibits in English too. Here is the official website in English https://www.kidzania.jp/tokyo/en/ It looks really fun, I want to try it!!
Wow! My daughter would have loved this but we had no idea it existed 🙁
Next trip 😉
Yes!!!
It is like asobono and kidzania put together! Such a nice place!
That is it! I thought the same thing. 🙂 Although, we haven’t actually been to Kidzania yet! But from what I read about it, it seems similar; on a much larger scale. Have you been? It looks a little complicated on the website, like you have to know in advance which experiences you want to try? THe kids love Asobono, but it’s a little far. This place is only 40 minutes from us by car. 🙂
hi hi,
I would love to bring my kids there during our september vacation to tokyo. However, im not too sure if this place is convenient to reach from Ikebukuro where my hotel is. Any advise?
thank you!
Hi Phyllis,
Thank you for your comment. Kidzoona is accessible from Ikebukuro on the JR Saikyo line, it takes 30 minutes on the train, and then about a 15 minute walk, or a short bus ride, from Nisshin station to Aeon where Kidzoona is. However, there is an even better children’s play centre close to Ikebukuro, called Asobono. THere are some photos and cost information on this blog post; https://daysofourlivesjapan.wordpress.com/2013/05/29/a-day-out-in-tokyo-with-toddlers/ and the official website is https://www.tokyo-dome.co.jp/e/amusement_facilities/ Kidzania is another great place in Tokyo, here is the link to info in English https://www.kidzania.jp/tokyo/en/
All the best,
Elle