The density of tall buildings in Tokyo cause an Urban Heat Island in the warmer months, which leaves many people dreading the feeling of stepping outside on a hot summer’s day. Going to the beach or swimming pool are great ways to cool down. However, if you are concerned about being sunburnt or getting heatstroke from being outside for an extended period of time, I recommend trying indoor activities to stay cool instead.
Indoor Activities to Stay Cool in Tokyo
From art museums to theme parks, Tokyo has a range of indoor activities in the city. Most places can be easily accessed by train and are close to the station so you don’t need to worry about walking for long. If you plan to stay in Tokyo this Summer, here is a list of indoor activities to keep you busy.
Joypolis
Photo credits: Author
Located in Decks Tokyo Beach, Joypolis is an indoor theme park that has a range of different rides, from Virtual Reality to more interactive rides that require some movement. Despite being inside a shopping centre, it is a relatively large theme park, spanning from the 3rd floor to the 5th floor. There is even a roller coaster in there. On the top floor is a big eating area, where you can see a great view of Tokyo Bay. If you enjoy horror, there is an attraction featuring Sadako that includes actors and lighting effects that makes it feel realistic. You can pay for admission and then per ride, or you can get a day pass for unlimited rides. It is easy to access from Tokyo Teleport Station on the Rinkai Line or Odaiba Kaihin Kouen Station on the Yurikamome Monorail.
Ikebukuro Sunshine City
Photo credits: Author
Ikebukuro Sunshine City is a collection of buildings formed together to make a shopping mall that has a variety of indoor activities to keep you busy throughout the day. There are live performances to enjoy as you browse between stores. Tourists often come for the big Pokemon Centre that is located on Sunshine City Alpha 2F because it has a large range of goods and sells limited edition items. Nearby is the indoor theme park Namja Town by Bandai Namco, which hosts the popular Namja Gyoza Stadium, with a retro-style theme and a dozen stores that all serve gyoza. There is also an aquarium within the mall, which is on the rooftop of the World Import Mart Building. Since Sunshine City is so big, they have created a couple of videos to help guide people to the aquarium from the station so that they don’t get lost. Sunshine City also made a video of how to get to the observatory from the aquarium, as they sell a special combo ticket so that you can experience the aquarium and Sunshine 60 Observatory at a discounted price. This year, the Sunshine 60 Observatory got a renovation and created a park on the observation deck to give it a more natural feel.
Mori Art Museum
Photo credits: charlesdeluvio
The Mori Art Museum has been showcasing great exhibitions from domestic and international artists for the past 20 years. It is located on the 53rd floor of the Roppongi Hills Mori Tower and for those who are curious about the city skyline from this height, the floor below provides a great view of Tokyo Tower in the Tokyo City View Section. Exhibitions run for around 5 months at a time and they have a schedule online to check the current and upcoming events in the museum. The Mori Arts Centre Gallery, which is located on the 52nd floor, also has some interesting exhibitions, such as the Disney Animation: Immersive Experience. Although tickets are sold separately, you can stay up in the tower and admire all the different exhibitions for the whole day.
Sanrio Puroland
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Are you a fan of Hello Kitty or any of her Sanrio friends? Then Sanrio Puroland is the place for you. Located where the Odakyu line and Keio line intercept at Tama Centre, this indoor theme park has a grand entrance that cannot be missed from the station. In the station itself, there are motifs of Sanrio characters covering the walls and floors and there is even a special Sanrio train on the Keio line. There are many indoor activities to join in, including performances that run multiple times a day and meet and greet with your favourite character. Families with young children can enjoy the rides, as children in preschool are allowed to ride if they are accompanied by an adult. Puroland is a popular attraction, loved by adults and children alike, and being all indoors makes it the perfect place to spend all day at.
Konica Minolta Planetaria Tokyo
Located on the 9th floor of the Yurakucho Mullion, a large shopping mall, the Konica Minolta Planetaria Tokyo is the third installation by Konica Minolta, a projector company that specialises in planetariums. There are two separate domes, the first allows patrons to sit back, relax and watch the stars with a 360-degree view. This one has a seasonal show to enjoy. The second dome has a timetable of different shows, similar to a movie, that needs special tickets and a seat number. After the show is finished, Yurakucho Mullion has a range of shops and facilities where customers can spend the rest of the day browsing, including a Kimono Showroom and music theatre.
Diver City Tokyo
Photo credits: Author
Diver City is well known for its giant Gundam statue that stands at the entrance of the mall. It is short walk from Daiba station on the Yurikamome Line or Tokyo Teleport Station on the Rinkai Line. There are plenty of shops to browse in if you are coming for a shopping spree. If you prefer to move your body, Round 1 Stadium offers Bowling, Darts and other sports. There is even Karaoke available if you are looking to sing your heart out in a private room.
Photo credits: Author
A personal favourite attraction found in Diver City is the Unko Museum. Unko, which is poop in English, has never looked so cute and fun before. Upon entry, you will be asked to sit on a toilet and a colourful poop will appear. It is yours to keep and you receive a stick to turn it into a magical poop wand. Everything within the small theme park is poop-related and there are lots of fun games and activities to try.
Which Indoor Activities Will You Try?
The range of indoor activities that are listed above should cover the interests of most people. However, this is just a small selection of places you can find in Tokyo, as the city has plenty more to offer. These venues are open all year round but host events and exhibitions that change periodically, or even seasonally, to encourage customers to come back again. Which place will you go to first?
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Summer in Japan Series 5: 10 Interesting Water Parks in Japan
Featured image credits: Photographer K
