One of the things in our itinerary for the Yakult Japan Journalist Tour 2015 was a trip to Kidzania Tokyo (they pronounce it Kid-za-nia, a as in apple). You guessed it, it’s because Yakult has a stall there.
We went to Kidzania on a Wednesday (it was May 27, 2015). Every Wednesday is English Wednesday in Kidzania Tokyo. Everyone is encouraged to speak English and this is the day when there are 30 activities conducted in English. Most of the time, almost everything is in Japanese. So if you’re a non Japanese-speaking tourist or foreigner, Wednesday is the perfect day for you to visit.
We were all given Kidzania Tourist Passes. How I wish I was still young enough to try out the activities, lol. Anyhow only kids aged 3-15 years old can participate. I was there merely to observe.
Look who welcomed me to Kidzania Tokyo! Anyhow, Kidzania Tokyo has 2 shifts: 9am to 3pm and 4pm to 9pm. There’s a one hour break in between shifts.
Okay so the first stall I saw shortly after setting foot in Kidzania was the Shiseido boutique.
OMG. It’s a full-scale Shiseido boutique. Everything is REAL. The skin care products, makeup, handheld skin analysis gadgets… they actually ask the kids to put on the trademark black and red-trimmed Shiseido uniform and then teach them proper skin care and makeup application techniques. Kidzania really means business.
We were ushered inside while the kids were getting briefed outside for their scientist/researcher career at the Yakult Science Lab.
Just like in the Shiseido boutique, all the equipment you see here are real.
Yes, the microscopes are all real. They even have lactobacilli they can look at.
The Japanese kids inside the Yakult Science Lab are actually all taller than me, lol!
If you’re more into the entertainment scene, you can go work in a TV studio.
You can work in Mitsukoshi too, Kidzania’s official department store. This is where kids go to spend their hard-earned Kidzos (Kidzania currency).
Mitsukoshi is both staffed and patronized by kids. You can buy things like stationeries, accessories, toys, etc. with your Kidzos.
Want to be a fireman? Go to the Fire Station and apply. You get to ride a fire truck!
I watched these kids go down from the fire truck, grab a hose, and then aim for the fiery areas of the building until it went out.
The kids assembled afterwards, went back to the truck, and took a ride back to the Fire Station where they got paid for their hard work.
Or work in a pizza place, making pizza for real! You even get to take home your pizza afterwards.
At Kidzania, you can open a bank account where you can deposit and withdraw Kidzos you earn. Deposit your Kidzos before you go home so you can withdraw and use them next time you go back.
Check out the kids giving their customers a shave at the Barber Shop.
If you work in the Newspaper Office, you get to make your own paper and take it home!
Oh but this is no ordinary clinic. You’d think they’d be working on stuffed toys but no… they get ROBOT animals as patients.
These robot animals look like and act the real thing. I saw this dog move, wag its tail, bark… wow.
There were so many stalls I couldn’t take pics of them all. There was a flower shop, a Mos Burger store, a police station, a dance studio, etc. There are well over 50 activities!
I love the concept of Kidzania — teaching kids real life skills and the value of hard work, as well as managing their finances. It’s sheer genius really. I hope my kids can experience all of this too when Kidzania finally opens in Manila.
Kidzania Tokyo
Tokyo-to, Koto-ku, Toyosu
2-4-9 Urban Dock LaLaport Toyosu,
North Port 3F, 33200
http://www.kidzania.jp/tokyo/en/
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