Yomiuri Land – Tokyo's Hidden Gem

Last week we finally got our butts over to Yomiuri Land for the winter Jewellumination, after missing it last year. Yomiuri Land is a scenic amusement park set on the hillsides of Inagi, Tokyo that’s been around since 1964. On a good day you can enjoy views of Tokyo Tower, Tokyo Skytree and Mt. Fuji, and even better ones on its famous ferris wheel.

The amusement park is a laid back, family friendly place that’s a hoot for the kids. But they haven’t forgotten the rest of us – to bring in the starry eyed couples, young and old, they draped the entire park with over 3 million LEDs with the help of famed lighting designer Motoko Ishii, the same person who made Tokyo Tower and Odaiba’s Rainbow Bridge so pretty.

The result of that collaboration is Jewellumination, a winter-only special that brings the park to life after the sun sets. The gorgeous lights spread out to every corner of the park, dotting it like sparkling stones. The atmosphere is as romantic as it gets, with couples snuggling up as they marvel at the amazing scenery.

There’s lots more to do here than just enjoying the view of course – Yomiuri Land has enough rides and attractions to keep you busy the entire day, from thrilling roller coasters with cheeky names like Bandit to kid-friendly haunted houses. We thought the mix of adult and kids attractions was just right – everyone in the family will find something to enjoy here.

And compared to Disneyland or Sea the prices are great value. A one day passport ticket that gives you unlimited access to 28 attractions and a sea lion show is only 4,000 Yen (a similar ticket in Disneyland costs 6,900 Yen). If you’d just like to enjoy the atmosphere and sit on a couple of rides, you can get an Admission Ticket for only 1,200 Yen and pay for the rides as you go.