Huis Ten Bosch with Kids: My Family’s Experience and Tips

Last Updated on July 28, 2026 by Kay

If you’re looking for a perfectly sized and pretty amusement park in Japan for kids, Huis Ten Bosch is it.

My family spent two days at Huis Ten Bosch, which is located in Nagasaki, and we had such an amazing time that we can’t wait to go back!

In this article, I’ll share everything parents need to know about Huis Ten Bosch so that you can decide whether it’s suitable for your kiddos, and have a memorable time if you go.

So, What Exactly Is Huis Ten Bosch?

Huis Ten Bosch is an amusement park and resort located in Sasebo, Nagasaki. What makes this amusement park particularly unique (and perhaps amusing) is that it is Dutch-themed. Not many Japanese people travel abroad, especially with children, which is why they decided to just bring the Netherlands to Japan! This means it resembles an entire European town, complete with canals, windmills, brick buildings, gardens, restaurants, and hotels.

I get the appeal domestically. Japanese families can feel like they’re in another country without having to get on a flight, which is one of the biggest draws.

In fact, when Huis Ten Bosch first opened, my Japanese mother-in-law dragged my husband there. (He was 18, and he found it incredibly boring.)

There are rides and attractions, but feeling like you’re in a mini-Europe is also a big part of the experience. Depending on when you visit, there might also be seasonal flowers, fireworks, special events, and nighttime illuminations.

Is Huis Ten Bosch Good for Kids?

Huis Ten Bosch is very kid-friendly, especially for elementary school-aged children and younger. In fact, it has an entire section dedicated to Miffy, which was a hit with my daughter and other little ones visiting the park.

What I particularly liked was that the park was nowhere near as overwhelming or crowded as Universal Studios Japan or Tokyo Disney. Most of the waits during our weekday visit were only around 10 to 20 minutes long.

However, Huis Ten Bosch doesn’t have many major thrill rides, so teenagers who are mainly interested in roller coasters may find it less exciting. I think the park is best for younger children and families who enjoy the atmosphere as much as the rides.

My daughter’s favourite experiences were the Fishing Adventure Game, the Miffy area, Kids World: Fantasy Forest, and Rental Cycles Fiets, which I’ll cover in more detail below.

Where Huis Ten Bosch is Located

Huis Ten Bosch is located in Sasebo, Nagasaki.

It’s about 1.5 hours by train from Nagasaki Station, either by bus or train. Thankfully, the stop you’ll need to get off at is easy to remember since it’s named after the theme park: Huis Ten Bosch Station.

If you’re curious, here is what the train we took from Nagasaki Station to Huis Ten Bosch Station, called the Nagasaki Line, looked like.

You can also get to Huis Ten Bosch from Hakata Station in Fukuoka, which takes about two hours. Note that the train from Hakata Station runs about once every hour.

Once you arrive at Huis Ten Bosch Station, you need to walk about ten minutes to reach the Huis Ten Bosch theme park. It’s easy to find, though, since all you have to do is cross a bridge and you’re there!

Huis Ten Bosch Tickets and Prices

We visited Huis Ten Bosch on a weekday and didn’t purchase our tickets in advance because we were staying at one of the five official Huis Ten Bosch hotels.

Staying at an official hotel doesn’t include free admission on the day you check in, so you’ll still need to purchase either a 1-Day Passport or an After 3 Passport for that day. However, once you show your ticket at the hotel reception, you’ll receive a complimentary 1-Day Passport for the following day. If you stay for more than one night, you’ll receive a passport for each remaining day of your stay through checkout.

Since we weren’t planning to spend a full day in the park when we arrived, we purchased the After 3 Passport, which allowed us to enter from 3 PM until closing.

If you’re staying at one of the official hotels, I recommend arriving at around 3 PM so you can make the most of your After 3 Passport. You can explore the park, go on a few attractions and see Huis Ten Bosch illuminated at night. You can then return the following morning with your complimentary 1-Day Passport, which you’ll get after you check in to the hotel.

Of course, you don’t have to stay at one of the official hotels to fully enjoy the park.

Standard 1-Day Passport prices are 7,600 yen for adults (aged 18 and older), 6,600 yen for junior high and high school students (ages 13 to 17), 5,000 yen for elementary school children (ages 7 to 12), 3,800 yen for kids aged four to six who have not started elementary school, and 5,900 yen for seniors (65 and older).

Children aged three and younger can enter for free.

The After 3 PM Passport prices are the following:

• Adults aged 18 and older: 5,900 yen
• Junior high and high school students: 5,100 yen
• Elementary school children: 3,900 yen
• Children aged four to six who have not started elementary school: 3,000 yen
• Seniors aged 65 and older: 4,700 yen

Ticket prices vary on certain dates, so make sure to check the official Huis Ten Bosch website for the price on the day you intend to visit.

The passport includes admission to Huis Ten Bosch as well as almost all of its attractions, shows, museums, and the Canal Cruiser. There are a few experiences and special events that require an additional fee, but we didn’t have to pay separately for any of the regular attractions we went on.

How Many Days Do You Need at Huis Ten Bosch?

We spent two nights at Huis Ten Bosch, but I think one night is enough for most families.

I recommend arriving at around 3 PM, using an After 3 Passport to explore the park and enjoy the nighttime illuminations, and then returning the following morning with the complimentary 1-Day Passport provided to official hotel guests.

One full day is probably enough if you only want to experience the main attractions. However, staying overnight allows you to enjoy the park at a more relaxed pace, especially with young children.

Tips for Visiting Huis Ten Bosch with Kids

Like most major theme parks in Japan, there are a few things I think every parent should know before they go. (Thankfully, though, Huis Ten Bosch isn’t as overwhelming or as crowded as Universal Studios Japan or Tokyo Disney.)

Download the official Huis Ten Bosch app. This will provide you with a map for the park and tell you useful information like wait times, where washrooms and restaurants are, as well as show times.

The park is massive, so make sure the whole family is wearing good shoes.

You don’t need to line up or anything before the park opens. From our experience visiting over two days, it was fairly empty. Wait times for rides were about 10-20 minutes long.

You can buy an Express Pass to skip the line, but I don’t think it’s worth it as wait times are quite short. I’ve heard wait times for certain rides can reach an hour during peak season (summer, Christmas, etc), though, so if you really don’t want to wait over 30 minutes for anything, then maybe you need an Express Pass.

If you like, you can purchase tickets in advance to save time in the morning, but you can also purchase them before you enter the park.

As mentioned earlier, you can choose to stay at one of the official Huis Ten Bosch hotels for a night or two. We stayed for two nights, but I recommend staying one night as I think it’s enough to be able to fully experience the park. If you stay overnight at the park, you’ll get to experience rides in the Miffy area as well as some rides in other areas an hour earlier than regular guests. We did this, but interestingly, the Miffy area was more crowded an hour before opening than it was an hour later! I think it’s because there aren’t many rides open an hour beforehand, and Miffy is also super popular.

However, a huge plus of staying overnight was being able to see all the stunning illuminations and not having to worry about the time since we were staying at the hotel. It was so great to get photos with all the gorgeous lights and hardly anyone else around!

There are a few indoor attractions, but Huis Ten Bosch is best experienced when it’s not raining. So if it’s going to pour, I suggest rescheduling your visit for another day. (And try not to purchase your tickets until the day before because I don’t believe you can get a refund if you’ve already bought them.)

If you want to make the visit extra special, make sure to pick up some Miffy headbands for the kiddos (or even yourself!). These can be found at a store after the entrance or in the Amsterdam Miffy area.

MY MIFFY BOUTIQUE, which is located in the Amsterdam area, also has lots of cute Miffy Huis Ten Bosch T-shirts and other wear for the whole family.

Note that the stores in the Amsterdam area sometimes close at around 5 PM (depending on the season), so if you want Miffy souvenirs, the earlier the better. You can buy some Miffy goods at the souvenir shops near the exit, which is open much later, but the selection is limited.

My Family’s Experience at Huis Ten Bosch

Huis Ten Bosch is massive, so I’m going to organize our experience by area rather than sharing everything in the exact order we did it.

To start off, I found that the atmosphere throughout the park is so cute! I especially loved Amsterdam City, which is Miffy-themed.

If you live in Japan and haven’t been to Europe in a hot minute, like me (I haven’t been in almost a decade, partly due to the weak yen), you’ll probably get a kick out of this park. And for kids like my daughter who have never been to Europe, it’s a unique experience.

However, if you’re visiting Japan from a Western country, you might find some parts a little boring or perhaps even slightly tacky.

As mentioned earlier, we arrived at around 3 PM since we were staying for two nights at the park.

Leaving Our Luggage at the Entrance

If you’re staying at one of the official Huis Ten Bosch hotels, you can leave your luggage at the hotel baggage building before entering the park (pictured above). They’ll then deliver it to your hotel for free, which means you don’t have to waste time checking in before you start exploring.

This was especially convenient for us since we entered Huis Ten Bosch at 3 PM and wanted to make the most of our After 3 Passport.

For those who aren’t staying at one of the official hotels, you can leave your luggage in the coin lockers near the Welcome Gate. If your suitcase is too large to fit, temporary baggage storage is available at the Immigration Information Center for 800 yen per item. Guests staying at an official hotel can also leave their luggage at the hotel baggage counter near the entrance and have it delivered to their hotel for free.

Welcome Area

The Welcome Area is right by the park entrance. This is where you’ll find the Canal Cruiser, Gondola, Teddy Bear Kingdom, and Rental Cycles Fiets.

Make sure to get a picture with Miffy and the Huis Ten Bosch sign as well!

Rental Cycles Fiets

The first thing we did after entering Huis Ten Bosch was purchase a Miffy headband for our daughter from the following store:

Then we rented a four-seater bicycle for an hour from the Rental Cycles Fiets store.

The vehicle basically looked like a little old-fashioned car. It had two sets of pedals in the back and a seating area in the front. Parents and older children can pedal, while younger children such as toddlers can sit in a secure seat in the middle.

One of the bicycles was electric and was basically the one moving the entire vehicle. My husband rode the electric bicycle, I sat on the other bicycle, which seemed to be mainly for show, and our daughter sat on the seat in the front. Sometimes I sat with her in the front, too, since my bike didn’t provide anything necessary to keep the vehicle moving.

This was an amazing way to see Huis Ten Bosch when we first arrived. Since the park is huge, riding around helped us understand the layout before we had to navigate it on foot. There are also parking spots for the bikes so you can get off and look around an area if you like and then hop back on.

The bicycles cost extra and are not included in the Huis Ten Bosch passport. At the time of writing, a four-person bicycle costs 2,000 yen for one hour or 3,000 yen for two hours. Additional charges apply if you return it late. You can see prices for single-seaters and two-seater bikes below:

As you can see in the image above, you can also rent strollers from here for 1000 yen each.

I think one hour was enough for us. We were able to see a large portion of the park, and it gave us a better idea of which areas we wanted to go to afterward.

My Kid’s Score: 5/5
The Parents’ Score: 5/5

Canal Cruiser and Gondola

The Canal Cruiser and Gondola are also an excellent way to get from one side of Huis Ten Bosch to another without having to walk. The boarding point for both is near the entrance behind the Rental Cycles Fiets store.

We rode the Canal Cruiser about three times during our stay, and the Gondola once. For the Gondola, you need to wear an inflatable life belt.

There is commentary during the cruise, but it was only in Japanese when we visited.

My daughter loved enjoyed looking at the birds and fish as we cruised through the canal. Some fish even jumped out of the water! But my daughter said she wanted to see more, so that was a little disappointing for her.

Interestingly, the cruiser also passes houses where people actually live. Yes, people were able to purchase property inside Huis Ten Bosch, which I found fascinating.

Depending on where you board, you may have to wait for the next boat, especially near the park entrance. However, we never had to wait very long.

Note that the gondola may stop operating because of the weather. In fact, in summer it’s typically suspended because of the heat.

My Kid’s Score: 5/5
The Parents’ Score: 5/5

Teddy Bear Kingdom

Teddy Bear Kingdom is an indoor museum that has teddy bears from around the world, which is located right next to the entrance. It looks great for young children and seems like the perfect place to visit when it’s raining or too hot out.

We didn’t get the chance to visit because it was a little too far from the heart of the park, and we didn’t really go to that area until we left!

Park Bus

There is a free, adorable Miffy bus with several stops throughout Huis Ten Bosch.

We never managed to catch it, though, because the schedule didn’t line up with where we were or where we wanted to go.

The frequency varies depending on the date. It ran approximately every 20 minutes during our visit, although it operates as often as every ten minutes on busier days.

I recommend checking the timetable in the app instead of heading to the bus stop if you’re not sure about the times.

Flower Road

Flower Road has windmills and, surprise surprise, seasonal flowers such as tulips and roses.

It’s an amazing place to take photos, especially if you have a Miffy plushie with you.

My daughter didn’t care much about the flowers, but she thought the windmills were interesting since she hadn’t seen one since we moved to Osaka.

There aren’t any conventional attractions in Flower Road, so you probably won’t spend a long time here unless you really like flowers or want to take lots of photos.

Apart from Flower Road, you’ll find lots of different seasonal flowers located throughout the park. We visited at the end of May, and there were lots of beautiful hydrangeas and roses almost everywhere we went!

Adventure Park

Adventure Park is excellent for older and more adventurous children.

The main attractions are Shooting Star and Sky Rail Coaster: Windstorm. The official attraction directory also currently lists Sky Castle in this area.

Shooting Star

Shooting Star is a 300-metre zip line that crosses the canal.

My daughter met the age requirement but not the weight requirement, so she couldn’t go on it. This was totally fine because she didn’t want to ride it anyway!

Guests must be elementary-school age or older and weigh between 35 and 89 kilograms. Children under 13 also need consent from a guardian aged 18 or older.

Our experience: We didn’t ride this attraction.

Sky Rail Coaster: Windstorm

Sky Rail Coaster: Windstorm is a suspended rail course that begins 11 metres above the ground and travels through a forest.

My daughter was technically able to ride this, but she didn’t want to, which was a shame because it looked really fun!

Guests must be at least six years old, at least 110 centimetres tall, and weigh less than 90 kilograms. Children under 13 require consent from an adult guardian.

Our experience: We didn’t ride this attraction.

Sky Castle

Sky Castle is a large outdoor athletic course that reaches up to nine metres above the ground. Guests must be at least 110 centimetres tall, and additional supervision or accompaniment may be required.

My daughter didn’t get the chance to do this attraction because it was closed on the days that we visited the park.

Our experience: We didn’t go on this attraction.

Attraction Town

Attraction Town contains many of the indoor rides and attractions at Huis Ten Bosch, so it’s a good place to head when it’s raining or extremely hot outside.

You can also take the Canal Cruiser to this part of the park.

Evangelion: The Ride  8K

My husband and I are huge fans of Evangelion, although our daughter has never watched it.

This is an 8K motion ride that feels somewhat similar to Soarin’ at Tokyo Disney. You sit in a row with other guests while the seats move to immerse you in the story playing across the enormous screen. In this case, you’re watching a battle between the Evangelions and Angels.

My husband and I thought it was thrilling and really enjoyable. However, even though the battle isn’t gory, the loud sounds and realistic creatures frightened our six-year-old daughter.

According to her, “It was scary because it felt too real.”

Guests must be at least four years old and 100 centimetres tall. Preschool-aged children must be accompanied by an adult guardian.

I recommend this attraction for older children and adults who enjoy Evangelion, but it might be too intense for younger children who are sensitive to loud noises or realistic battle scenes.

Note that you cannot take any photos inside the attraction.

My Kid’s Score: 1/5
The Parents’ Score: 5/5

Mission Deep Sea, Xsense Ride

Mission Deep Sea, Xsense Ride is a motion-based attraction where guests take part in a dangerous deep-sea rescue mission. My daughter didn’t want to go on this.

Guests must be at least 100 centimetres tall, and preschool-aged children must be accompanied by an adult.

Horizon Adventure

I thought Horizon Adventure was going to be really boring at first.

It begins with an old-fashioned video featuring an elderly man talking to his grandchildren about not wasting water. Then, suddenly, everything becomes incredibly strange.

Loud sounds begin playing, real water starts spraying, something that looks like a demon appears, and the bench you’re sitting on starts moving back and forth.

The official description says that the attraction uses 800 tonnes of water, and it certainly becomes considerably more dramatic than the beginning suggests.

My daughter was pretty scared, especially because of the loud noises and frightening imagery. However, weirdly, she liked the seats moving back and forth. And when I asked her later on what she thought of it, she said it was “fun because I liked the moving chair”. (Keep in mind that I’m quoting her directly, so it might sound a little awkward because English is her second language!)

I found it kind of fun in the end, but it was also one of the strangest attractions we experienced at Huis Ten Bosch. Would I go on this again? Probably not, I found the beginning too boring. But my daughter said she would ride it again.

I don’t recommend it for young children who are sensitive to loud noises, darkness, or scary visuals, even though the official website says small children can enter.

Note that you cannot take photos or videos during the ride. I took the photo above before it started.

My Kid’s Score: 4/5
The Parents’ Score: 2/5

Kids World: Fantasy Forest

Kids World: Fantasy Forest is a large forest-and-fairy-themed indoor playground.

There was absolutely no one there when we visited in the morning when the park just opened, so my daughter had the entire place to herself!

There are lots of climbing structures, tube slides, jumping areas, and places to explore. The lighting also changes so that the forest alternates between “day” and “night,” which is really fun.

There is a separate designated area for babies and toddlers as well which has age-appropriate toys and soft play mats.

There is an area for changing diapers and feeding babies as well, which is inside an adorable giant pumpkin.

My daughter was six when we visited and absolutely loved it. I think most children up to around eight or nine years old would enjoy this play area.

Children in third grade and younger must be accompanied by an adult aged 18 or older.

My Kid’s Score: 5/5
The Parents’ Score: 3/5

Sky Carousel

The Sky Carousel is a three-storey merry-go-round and one of the most memorable attractions at Huis Ten Bosch. The carousel is 15 metres tall and is described by Huis Ten Bosch as “Japan’s first three-storey carousel” and is one of the world’s largest.

There are separate lines for each floor. Unsurprisingly, many guests, especially children, head straight for the third-floor line.

The view from the third floor is lovely, and getting to ride such a unique carousel was an unforgettable experience.

According to my daughter: “It had a good view, and I could see Miffy!”

Note that operation may be suspended during poor weather, so check the app before joining the line.

Children younger than five or shorter than 105 centimetres must ride with an adult.

My Kid’s Score: 3/5
The Parents’ Score: 4/5

Count Chocolat’s Mansion

Count Chocolat’s Mansion is a chocolate-themed walkthrough attraction.

It was fine, but I wouldn’t consider it a must-do unless you have extra time or your children really like chocolate. (Although I feel like most kids like chocolate, haha.)

There are giant chocolate props that are fun for photos, as well as different chocolates you can purchase to try. You can also buy a cold chocolate drink that you pour yourself from a tap (maybe they offer hot chocolate during winter?).

I’ve had considerably better chocolate drinks outside Japan, but it’s good for kids. My daughter loved hers!

My Kid’s Score: 5/5
The Parents’ Score: 3/5

Art Garden

Art Garden is a large outdoor area containing the White Ferris Wheel, Splash Field, seasonal pools, and some of the park’s nighttime entertainment.

White Ferris Wheel

The view from the White Ferris Wheel was nice, but the windows in our gondola were somewhat scratched and cloudy. This took away from the experience a little since it was hard to get a completely clear view or take good photos.

I still think it’s worth riding if the wait is short, though, especially if this is your first visit and you want to see how enormous Huis Ten Bosch is from above.

My Kid’s Score: 4/5
The Parents’ Score: 3/5

Splash Field

Splash Field is a shallow outdoor water-play area with fountains.

The water isn’t deep, so it seems especially suitable for babies and toddlers. I recommend bringing a towel and a change of clothes if your children want to play here.

I saw one girl wearing a bathing suit in the water, but otherwise there wasn’t anyone else playing there when we visited. I imagine it becomes much busier during summer.

There are no changing rooms at Splash Field. Children younger than seven must be accompanied by an adult aged 18 or older, and children wearing diapers need to change into water-play diapers.

If you’re staying at one of the hotels inside the park, I think it would be easy to bring your child here to cool off and then return to your room to change.

Shower of Lights: Harmonics with Evangelion

In the evening, we watched an Evangelion-themed fountain show in the Art Garden, which combines music from Evangelion with fountains, coloured lights, live music, and fireworks.

There are seats where you can watch the show, but you’ll need to arrive early if you want one.

We arrived about ten minutes before it began and stood to the side, but we were still able to see everything perfectly well.

The fireworks at the end were phenomenal, definitely the best part. I’m just disappointed they didn’t play A Cruel Angel’s Thesis!

My daughter thought this show was boring, though, because she wanted an actual Evangelion to come out of the water.

My Kid’s Score: 3/5
The Parents’ Score: 4/5

Water Garden

During summer, the Art Garden also has the Water Garden, which includes an open-air pool and a large Mega Slider. This is brand new and just opened this year (2026).

The main summer operating period is from July 17 to September 13, with limited early-opening dates at the beginning of July. Children younger than seven must be accompanied by an adult. To use the Mega Slider, guests must be elementary-school age or older, at least 120 centimetres tall, and weigh between 20 and 100 kilograms.

There are paid loungers, sofa seats, and private cabanas. I suggest booking in advance if you absolutely want one.

Fantasia City of Lights

Fantasia City of Lights has six technology-based indoor attractions, so it’s a good area to visit when the weather isn’t being agreeable.

Groups generally enter each experience at set intervals. Most of the attractions take approximately ten minutes, and personally, I wouldn’t wait longer than ten minutes for most of them.

Art Fantasia

Art Fantasia is a projection-mapping experience that tells a romantic story.

There is a real organ in the first room, but weirdly, it doesn’t actually play the music. Instead, organ music plays from elsewhere while projections are cast onto the instrument.

I wasn’t a fan of this one. The projections were cute enough but I found the whole thing boring, as did my family.

My Kid’s Score: 1/5
The Parents’ Score: 1/5

Playground Fantasia

Playground Fantasia is an indoor digital athletic attraction for elementary-school-aged children and older.

It contains two main experiences: YOKERO and Sky Floor.

YOKERO

In YOKERO, guests attempt to dodge approaching beams of light.

When we went, it had a wait of around 20 minutes because only one group can play at a time, so we didn’t do it.

It looked really fun, though! I think I might head here first the next time we visit Huis Ten Bosch.

Sky Floor

Sky Floor is a netted play area about four metres above YOKERO.

We were able to enter immediately, but I found it really boring. There wasn’t much there apart from the net, a few seats that barely hung above it, and a ball swing.

I was in and out in under five minutes, although my daughter enjoyed it and stayed a little longer with her father.

There is a very short tube slide at the end, but I found that it hurt.

I would not wait for this attraction if there’s a line.

My Kid’s Score: 3/5
The Parents’ Score: 1/5

Space Fantasia

Space Fantasia is a dark walkthrough attraction involving sound, lights, and a digital journey through space.

This was my daughter’s favourite of all the Fantasia attractions. She got to find and step on constellations projected onto the floor and journey through the cosmos through video. The lights in the room reminded me of teamLabs.

As an adult, I found it more boring than I had anticipated. It’s also quite dark, so it may frighten children who don’t like dark places.

My Kid’s Score: 5/5
The Parents’ Score: 2/5

Aquarium Fantasia

Aquarium Fantasia is a colourful digital underwater walkthrough that has some interactive aspects.

My daughter enjoyed this one as well since she likes sea creatures, but don’t expect too much from the projections. It’s more for fun if anything, like this room where our heads turned into fish. My daughter really got a kick out of that while she did a funny dance.

I thought the room containing the megalodon was fun. However, it was a little frightening for our daughter because you don’t know when the shark will appear, and the appearance is accompanied by a loud sound.

My Kid’s Score: 4/5
The Parents’ Score: 2/5

Carillon Fantasia

Carillon Fantasia is an interactive music-themed digital attraction.

In the waiting room, you get to see various bells dating back several thousand years, even to BC, which was quite fascinating. (My kid wasn’t really interested in them, though.)

You then get led to a room that has a real carillon and get to listen to a performance, which I thought was really cool, even though my daughter wasn’t impressed.

After the performance, you’re led to the final room where you can try playing two different kinds of bells, which my daughter liked.

My Kid’s Score: 4/5
The Parents’ Score: 4/5

Flower Fantasia

Flower Fantasia is a multisensory digital flower experience.

We could smell different floral scents in various ways and even see digital flowers bloom in front of you.

My child also liked the room where flowers would appear beneath our feet, which also reminded me of teamLab.

It wasn’t crowded when we visited, so my daughter was able to pretend she was a shop owner and recommend different scents to me. But when I asked her what she thought about it, she said it was disappointing because there were no real flowers.

My Kid’s Score: 3/5
The Parents’ Score: 3/5

Amsterdam City and Miffy Wonder Square

Amsterdam City was probably my favourite area at Huis Ten Bosch, as well as my daughter’s.

This is where you’ll find Miffy Wonder Square, Hotel Amsterdam, the Fishing Adventure Game, the Glass Museum, shops, restaurants, and lots of cute places to take photos.

Here is what the front of the Glass Museum looks like from outside:

If you want to focus a large part of your visit on this area, I recommend staying at Hotel Amsterdam, which is what we did. I think that hotel is best for families, especially if you want to stay in a Miffy-themed room, but my family preferred Hotel Europe. My friend who visited the park several years ago with her two kids stayed at one of the cottages at Forest Villa, and she recommends it because the kiddos can see birds like ducks in the canal.

It was amazing being able to finish breakfast, leave the hotel, and immediately find ourselves in the Miffy area.

The Miffy Birthday Celebration Show

There was a Miffy show twice a day when we visited. The characters give a little performance and then ride on a train through a portion of Miffy Wonder Square.

Make sure to get there at least 20 minutes early if you want a seat.

My daughter loved this performance, and it definitely brought a smile to my face. It was upbeat, cute, and fun. Definitely make sure not to miss it while you’re at the park!

Show names and times change seasonally, so I recommend checking the official app on the day of your visit. The app will also show you where the show takes place, although when we visited it took place behind the Museum of Glass, pictured below.

After the show ends, you have the opportunity to meet and greet the Miffy characters. We decided not to go this since we already met Miffy in the Greeting Gallery earlier on in the day.

My Kid’s Score: 6/5 (that’s right, it got a 6!)
The Parents’ Score: 5/5

Miffy’s Dream Storybook

Miffy’s Dream Storybook is an indoor walkthrough featuring a 360-degree world of Miffy illustrations and storybook scenes.

This is a great place to take photos with the whole family, and my daughter had so much fun posing here.

Before entering, you’re given a wristband that connects to cameras at certain points throughout the attraction. The photos can then be used to make a personalized storybook.

However, the storybook is expensive and cannot be shipped overseas. At the time of writing, it costs 5,400 yen, plus a 930-yen domestic shipping fee, and is usually shipped within 14 days.

You can also take your own photos with your phone, which is what I recommend doing unless you really want the book.

The complete experience takes approximately 30 minutes, and it’s a lot of fun for the family. Sometimes the staff offered to take photos of our family using our phone, which I really appreciated.

And check out this room with a ballpit! My daughter made herself at home here right away.

If you live in Japan and want to make the photo book (or you’re staying more than two additional weeks in Japan and want it sent to your accommodation), head to this building, which is right next door.

It took us two weeks to receive our book, but if you’re here on vacation, make sure to ask the staff before you make one how long it will take and if they can send the book to your accommodation.

My Kid’s Score: 5/5
The Parents’ Score: 5/5

Uncle Pilot’s Flight Adventure

Uncle Pilot’s Flight Adventure is a Miffy-themed flying ride.

We could press a button to make our plane rise, and it descended when we released it. All of the planes have the same design, and up to four people can ride together, so we liked that we could ride it as a family.

It was fairly enjoyable, and we got a nice view of the surrounding Miffy area. (Note that you’re not allowed to take photos while on the ride.)

Guests must be at least 90 centimetres tall. Those shorter than 120 centimetres must ride with an adult aged 18 or older. Each plane can hold up to four people, including no more than two guests who are 120 centimetres or taller.

My Kid’s Score: 4/5
The Parents’ Score: 4/5

Miffy & Friends Yacht Sailing

Miffy & Friends Yacht Sailing is an outdoor spinning ride featuring boats decorated with different Miffy characters.

Only two people can ride in each boat.

When you line up, you’re assigned a number. The boat you ride corresponds to that number, which means you cannot just choose whatever boat you want to ride on. You have to ride the same boat as your assigned number.

The boats move faster than I expected. My husband felt sick when we rode with my daughter, but my daughter and I enjoyed it and we rode it multiple times.

Children must be at least three years old and 90 centimetres tall. Guests shorter than 130 centimetres must ride with an adult aged 18 or older.

My Kid’s Score: 5/5
The Parents’ Score: 5/5 for me, 1/5 for my husband

Greeting Gallery

Greeting Gallery is an indoor Miffy character greeting.

We waited for approximately ten minutes to have our photo taken with Miffy.

The staff member used our phone, so the photo was completely free!

My Kid’s Score: 6/5
The Parents’ Score: 4/5

Fishing Adventure Game

My daughter’s favourite attraction at Huis Ten Bosch was actually the indoor Fishing Adventure Game (釣りアドベンシャー).

At smaller theme parks in Japan, similar games usually cost around 500 yen per play. However, this one was included in our passport, so my daughter played it over and over again.

In the game, players attempt to catch unusual fish using a reel and may even encounter legendary creatures such as whale sharks and Megalodon.

You don’t receive a physical prize if you achieve the highest score (just acknowledgement from the staff), but Japanese children are still completely obsessed with it.

I honestly don’t remember how many times we played, but whatever it was, it still wasn’t enough for our kid. Honestly, I think she wants to go back to Huis Ten Bosch just for this!

This game was also especially useful when it rained a little since the entire attraction is indoors.

My Kid’s Score: 7/5
The Parents’ Score: 4/5 (fun for sure, but tiring after you play it more than ten times)

Tower City

Tower City is located around Domtoren and contains many of the park’s restaurants.

Domtoren Observation Deck

Domtoren is the landmark tower at Huis Ten Bosch. Its observation deck overlooks the park and Omura Bay. When we visited, there was basically no wait for this, but the observation deck is a little small.

The view was lovely, though. It’s a great way to see all the areas of the park from above, as well as the harbor!

If you can, try to visit both during the day and at night. During the night, you can have a bird’s-eye view of all the beautiful illuminations in the park.

Harbor Town

Harbor Town is located towards the far end of Huis Ten Bosch and contains several attractions that are better suited to older children.

There is also a Marine Terminal here that will take you to and from Nagasaki Airport, but only on weekends during certain periods. For instance, there was no service at all in May up until July 17th, and I imagine service will be suspended again from September since summer vacation in Japan is over.

Make sure to check the schedule in advance and make a reservation if you want to use this service, which I believe you can only do via phone.

Jurassic Island

Children who like dinosaurs will probably enjoy Jurassic Island.

You get to go to a real uninhabited island, which is bound to be exciting for adventurous kiddos, and guests take part in an augmented-reality dinosaur shooting activity.

Guests must be at least six years old, and children under 13 must be accompanied by an adult. The experience uses reserved sessions or numbered tickets.

We didn’t make it here, but I think if you want to experience Jurassic Island, I recommend staying overnight at Huis Ten Bosch since the excursion takes up a significant portion of the day.

GO & GO!! Sniper Game

GO & GO!! Sniper Game is an indoor shooting activity using realistic model guns. It is only available to guests aged ten and older.

My daughter was too young for this so we didn’t do it.

Porcelain Museum

The Porcelain Museum focuses on Imari porcelain and its history outside Japan.

We didn’t visit this.

Rental Cycles Fiets Minatomachi Store

There is a second bicycle-rental location in Harbor Town.

I think it was closed when we visited.

Resort Ship Mariera

The Resort Ship Mariera offers separately ticketed cruises on selected dates, including special fireworks cruises. It is not included with a regular passport.

We didn’t go on this.

Palace Huis Ten Bosch

We didn’t have enough time to visit Palace Huis Ten Bosch, which is a recreation of a Dutch royal palace, although we rode by it when we rented our bicycle. It also has a Baroque-style garden behind it, and visiting generally takes around 30 minutes.

There is a museum as well inside Palace Huis Ten Bosch called Huis Ten Bosch Museum, which has seasonal exhibitions.

We didn’t visit but it looks like a good place to explore when it’s raining, although younger children may not find it very exciting.

Food at Huis Ten Bosch

There are numerous restaurants, cafés, and seasonal food stands throughout Huis Ten Bosch.

When we visited, we ate at a seasonal wine festival that had several food booths set up along a canal. The atmosphere and food were excellent, but it was crazy expensive for the amount we received.

Here is a breakdown of the year-round restaurants we visited at Huis Ten Bosch.

Pinoccio

I ate at Pinoccio, an Italian restaurant in Tower City, and had the Bolognese pasta, which was very average.

The restaurant is known for its potato pizza, so if I return, that’s what I’ll try next time.

There can be a wait for this restaurant, so I recommend going at around 5 PM before it gets busy.

This restaurant has outdoor seating, which is really nice when the weather is on your side.

De Rode Leeuw

My husband and daughter ate at De Rode Leeuw, which is known for its Nagasaki-style lemon steak.

They both said their food was good and recommend eating here.

Miffy Restaurants

Amsterdam City also has Miffy-themed dining options, including Everyday Celebration Kitchen and Holiday Picnic Cafe.

My daughter had a kid’s plate from the Miffy area and she liked it. According to her, it was “good!”.

Best Huis Ten Bosch Attractions for Kids

My Daughter’s Favorite Attractions

My daughter’s favourite attractions at Huis Ten Bosch in order from the “super duper best ever!” were:

1. Fishing Adventure Game
2. Miffy area (all the attractions)
3. Kids World: Fantasy Forest
4. Rental Cycles Fiets
5. Space Fantasia
6. Horizon Adventure (note that this is a little loud and scary, though!)
7. Sky Carousel

Best Huis Ten Bosch Attractions for Older Kids

If your kiddos are older and like more thrilling attractions, I recommend the following:

1. Sky Rail Coaster
2. Shooting Star
3. Evangelion
4. GO & GO !! SNIPER GAME
5. Jurassic Island
6. Mission Deep Sea, Xsense Ride
7. YOKERO

Best Huis Ten Bosch Attractions for Toddlers

If I were visiting Huis Ten Bosch with a toddler, here’s where I would go first:

1. Miffy’s Dream Storybook
2. Greeting Gallery
3. Uncle Pilot’s Flight Adventure, if they meet the 90-centimetre requirement
4. Miffy & Friends Yacht Sailing, if they’re at least three years old and 90 cm tall
5. Kids World: Fantasy Forest
6. Sky Carousel
7. Canal Cruiser
8. White Ferris wheel
9. Flower Fantasia
10. Aquarium Fantasia

Best Huis Ten Bosch Attractions for Babies

If you’re looking for baby-friendly attractions at Huis Ten Bosch, here are my recommendations:

1. Miffy’s Dream Storybook
2. Greeting Gallery
3. Kids World: Fantasy Forest
4. Sky Carousel
5. Canal Cruiser
6. White Ferris wheel
7. Flower Fantasia
8. Aquarium Fantasia

Attractions We Would Skip If Short on Time

If you only have one day at Huis Ten Bosch, I would consider skipping:

• Sky Floor
• Count Chocolat’s Mansion, unless your children love chocolate
• all of the Fantasia experiences, although Space Fantasia may be worthwhile for children who are interested in space

This doesn’t mean these attractions are terrible. They simply wouldn’t be my “must-do” list when there are so many other options.

Attractions That May Frighten Young Children

The following attractions may be frightening for young or sensitive children:

• Evangelion: The Ride – 8K – because of the loud sounds and realistic battle scenes
• Horizon Adventure because of the loud noises, moving seats, water, and frightening imagery
• Aquarium Fantasia because of the sudden megalodon appearance
• Space Fantasia because it is dark

Note that during the Halloween season, zombie-like horror characters may appear in designated areas of Huis Ten Bosch at night. However, the exact characters, locations, and events change each year, so check the official Halloween schedule before visiting with young children.

Wrap-Up: Is Huis Ten Bosch Worth It with Kids?

Huis Ten Bosch is absolutely worth visiting with kids!

There are enough rides, indoor attractions, playgrounds, shows, and Miffy experiences to keep children entertained, while adults can enjoy the European-style scenery, restaurants, seasonal flowers, and nighttime illuminations.

What I especially liked is that the park didn’t feel overwhelming or ridiculously crowded. We could take our time, repeat my daughter’s favourite attractions, and enjoy the scenery without constantly worrying about two-hour waits.

If you have young kids (elementary and younger) think the best way to visit is to stay for one night at one of the official hotels. Arrive at around 3 PM, use an After 3 Passport to explore and see the nighttime illuminations, and then return the following morning using the complimentary passport included with your hotel stay.

Although we spent two nights there, I think one night is enough for most families.

I feel like younger children (perhaps ages 10 and under) may enjoy the park more than older kids. There aren’t any thrilling rides, so you mainly go for the atmosphere. I did see some junior high school kids on a school trip visiting, though, so maybe if they’re with friends it might be fun.

As mentioned earlier, my husband found Huis Ten Bosch incredibly boring when he visited as a teenager. However, experiencing it with our six-year-old daughter was completely different, and this time, our family had such a wonderful time that we already want to go back.

Huis Ten Bosch may not be the right choice if you’re searching for intense roller coasters or a high-energy theme park. But if you want a beautiful, relaxed, and family-friendly amusement park with plenty for young children to do, I highly recommend it.

My daughter had a great time here and said she wants to visit again with one of her friends, so I hope to take her once more in the near future!

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