Ok so Fuji with kids is a bit of a big deal. Climbing Fuji with them is going to be something of a challenge, if not impossible. The best you can do for their efforts is to reward them with a relaxing day nearby, or not climb at all. In that case you are going to need something else to do.
Fuji with kids then is also going to mean some kind of entertainment. There are three things you can do in one day that are all basically in the same area. One is the ice cave (See my other post), the other is the waterfalls, (See other post) and the third is Makaino Farm Resort.
If you are at Fuji with kids, or are planning to go, there are a few tips that you will need to consider.
- Driving up in a hire car? Small children must be seated in a child seat which you should rent in advance, especially if you need more than one.
- Try to get there early in the day. Although Makaino Farm Resort has a big parking area out front, you sometimes need to park on the other side of the extremely busy, main road and trying to cross it with little kids is not much fun.
- Also most of the animal experiences on hand at the resort are held in the morning so going early means that you won’t miss out.
Now I’m not going to go into all the details about the farm except to say that as far as farm resorts go this one is quite good. In fact votes on Tripadvisor give it 77% as being “very good”. You can easily spend 2 or 3 hrs there, even 4 if your kids are at the right age.
If your going to Fuji with kids and you want to fully check out their website it’s at www.makaino.com
The site can be switched to English. The Japanese/English style of writing is typically cute (“Freshly squeezed milk anyone?”) or how about a ride in the “Suttle Taxy” There is a detailed map and sections on Animals, Craft and Food.
Fuji with kids, actually inside the farm area, is not my gig anymore. My family and I have been regular visitors for years but my kids are all grown up now so we don’t actually enter the farm area any more. Instead, we shop for food, souvenirs, and the like as well as eat at the various restaurants and eateries in front of the main ticket gate.
In fact, the biggest draw card at Makaino Farm Resort still attracts us. This is the AMAZING ice cream made from the milk produced at the farm. My adult kids have been totally hooked on it since we first started going there more than 15 years ago. There are various flavors, seven to choose from, including GREEN TEA!
Fuji with kids is actually so much more enjoyable when the whole family has something to do. When kids are fully focused, they are totally enthusiastic and this makes it much easier as a parent. When kids are following what interests them then their life learning also goes sky high. Entertainment AND education is something that’s hard to beat. Experiences like milking a cow and bottle feeding a calf will likely stay with them forever.
Fuji with kids, or just travelling with them to Japan, is probably one of the most important experiences you can give them. Young minds are most easily shaped between the ages of 3 and 8 so doing this kind of thing at a young age will keep them on track to becoming open minded adults.