After almost two years since the last trip to Tokyo, we took our 4Y1M daughter to try KidZania for the first time. KidZania is an international company from Mexico with a few locations worldwide, focusing on job simulations for kids. We considered KidZania in Singapore earlier this year, but the price was too steep (182 USD for two adults and one 4yo+ child when I last checked in April 2025). There are three locations in Japan, and we visited the one in Tokyo, which is in the LaLaport Toyosu shopping mall. Our daughter had a blast, and we thought the experience was quite unique. There were some local elements as well, since the jobs were mostly sponsored by Japanese companies. Learning about the job booking process beforehand was helpful, and our daughter tried 6 jobs in the morning session from 9 AM to 3 PM.
Transportation
From our apartment hotel in Tawaramachi/Asakusa, we took the Ginza metro line (G line), then transferred to the Yurakucho metro line (Y line) to Toyosu Station. At Toyosu Station, one exit is connected to one of the three Lalaport buildings (Lalaport is mentioned in the exit details on the sign). From there, signs started appearing for KidZania, leading to another Lalaport building. There were staff at the base of the escalator to KidZania on the third floor, and the path was straightforward as everything else in the mall was still closed and roped off. Everything took longer than the Google Maps estimate. Thankfully, the crowd on the Monday we went was reasonable when we arrived only 15 minutes before it opened.
Tickets
There are two sessions every day, 9 AM-3 PM and 4-9 PM. The price is cheaper for the later session, and weekdays are cheaper than weekends as well. We booked the tickets in the mobile app for easier access, and the app had a nice UI that showed the available jobs at different times. For us, two adults and one 3-12-year-old child, the tickets were 9300 (4500 + 2 × 2400) yen (63 USD at the time of booking). The iOS app was only in Japanese, it could take some time to set up an account at first. For checking job details like whether a job is “English OK,” I still found the webpage easier with English or translation support.
Language barrier
Every Wednesday is English Wednesday, and about half of the activities are conducted in English. However, our only Wednesday this trip was reserved for DisneySea, and we went on a Monday. Even though most of the educational explanation was in Japanese, the instructors made sure all kids completed the tasks with some English when needed. It would certainly help to understand the language, but for preschoolers, the actions might speak more than words. They also offered an English activities program on all days at a higher cost.
Job booking process
Each activity booking is made at the check-in counter in person. No online reservations. For some activities, the check-in counter might be in a different place, as noted in the Japanese sign. For example, the theater check-in desk is at the soap factory.
The crucial rules are:
- Up to two upcoming bookings
- With one upcoming booking, one can only book the second one that ends before the start of the existing one
Therefore, to maximize the number of activities, we tried picking two activities at a time that have about at least 5-10 minute break in between; book the later one first, then the earlier one.
Popular jobs
The ones that I noticed were popular were firefighting, airline pilot, and the confectionery store staff. Some of the hospital jobs were also hard to book, but most of them didn’t seem English-friendly.
Wages
Each kid receives 50 dollars (kidZos) upon entry. Most jobs earn 10 dollars, except for some customer experiences and certain job types like ice cream staff that cost money. There are a few ways to spend the money, our daughter spent it by taking a tour bus as a customer and buying a sushi eraser (70 dollars) at the department store. No parents can center the department store, I communicated with our daughter a few times at the entrance so that she understood what she could get and how to pay. There is also a bank to deposit the paycheck, but we just kept the remaining cash in our wallet for next time if we come back.
Photos
For select activities, they had photographers take photos of each kid at an angle that parents cannot take from the outside. Most of the photos are 1500 JPY, which includes the digital file download. A few activities, like fashion models, have a special frame that costs 2000 JPY. They knew how to get a good shot, and we ended up buying two photos. At the end of the session, 3 PM for the morning one, the line for the photos could get long.
Experiences
Since we did not go on English Wednesday, we tried going to activities marked as “English OK” on the activity website. Some activities involve heavy communication and require understanding Japanese. For each activity, we made sure to arrive earlier. Our daughter was very patient with the wait on the bench. For most activities, parents can only observe from the outside.
Dentist
We went over the jobs with our daughter beforehand, and she wanted to be a dentist since one of her preschool classmates had a cavity. Thus, we tried signing up at the dental clinic as a dentist (there is also an option as a dental hygienist). It was sponsored by Lion, known for its oral care products. We were the first in line around 10 minutes before they opened. The staff was friendly and patient. The kids first learned about the teeth, then went to check on the model patient in pairs of two.
Tour bus as a customer
We had a break before the next activity, and thought she could spend some of her salary by going on a tour bus. With just two customers, the bus went through the first floor while the guide was in Japanese only. We followed the bus, and got some bearings of the place.
Burger chef at MOS Burger
The salary of this job is half of most jobs, but each kid gets the burger they make. Next to the burger station, there is also a real MOS Burger kiosk. They first put on the work uniform like other jobs, washed their hands, and stood before their station to assemble a burger. At the end, they wrapped the burger and took it home.
Lunch from MOS Burger
We planned the MOS Burger activity to end around lunchtime, so that we could get the burger takeout when our daughter came out with the burger she made. The MOS Burger shop just had one type of rice burger that I got, and my husband had the cheeseburger. The fries and onion rings were fresh, we brought some of them to the theater when we sat in the audience.
Theater – fashion model
The only English-friendly activity in the theater seemed to be fashion modeling. Our daughter loved dressing up like a princess, and she liked the idea when we asked her. There were only two girls, including her, both at 4 years old. It was an activity where parents could have a bit of a break, as it took some time for the theater staff to prepare for the fashion show. The theater also allowed food and drinks. We were excited about the fashion show, even though the kids both looked serious, and our daughter did not understand the concept of “pose.” Perhaps showing the kids what a real fashion show is like in a video would help. According to her, kids cannot pick the outfit and accessories.
Toys & hobby factory
The most amusing part of this activity for us is the Bandai uniform. For this job, each kid learns how a gacha toy is made and gets a gacha they assemble in addition to the 10-dollar wage. The staff first introduced the manufacturing process with some interactive elements, though it was all in Japanese. Later, the kids started putting a Pac-Man together from pieces and adding stickers. Our daughter and other younger-looking kids struggled with the process a bit, and the staff helped them quickly.
Flight attendant at ANA – food service
Originally, we wanted to sign up for the pilot activity, but the spots ran out. We discussed with our daughter and went with the flight attendant activity. There were two staff categories to choose from, food service and announcing staff. We picked the food service since the announcement might require more Japanese knowledge. For the flight attendant activity, each kid can have up to two parents on the plane. After we got boarded with a boarding pass, the announcing staff started the safety announcement. Then, our daughter came out with another kid and KidZania staff with a cart and asked two passengers about their food and drink choices. It was quite fun for us as well, and we got a free casual photo on the ANA website after logging in.
Hospital – nursery staff
All hospital jobs are on the second floor, this is the only activity we did on the second floor. The nursery staff was the only hospital job that was marked as English-friendly. Each kid is assigned a newborn doll, and learns how to take care of their baby – giving a bath, wrapping in a towel, and putting on a diaper. Parents can watch from the window outside the nursery.
Early omurice dinner at Salon Tamago to Watashi
After resting at a Starbucks and shopping at a few stores in the same Lalaport building, we decided to get an early dinner nearby to avoid the dining rush hours. We picked a chain omurice restaurant for the convenience, despite the lower rating. It was almost empty when we went right before 5 PM, and we liked the food a lot. Our daughter had the kids meal for 600 yen with cute utensils and a strawberry ice cream at the end. I got a shrimp omurice that I enjoyed a lot. The bay view from the restaurant was extra nice as it transitioned into the dark hours.
Wrap Up
KidZania is in 17 countries at the time of writing and expanding to more, including the city we live in. The one we visited was integrated with local established brands, and it was truly a unique experience. 6 hours flew by, and our daughter seemed to enjoy all of the activities. Her favorites were the dentist and fashion model. The mall it was located in, Lalaport, also had big stores like Akachan to spend some time at afterward. Our daughter fell asleep in the stroller within 5 minutes in the calm mall. We had so much to talk about for the rest of the day and the trip, and we all looked forward to checking out another location or activities next time.
Other than KidZania, here is the full itinerary and lists of places that we considered for the 8-day Tokyo trip: