Moominvalley Park

The colourful entrance inviting visitors into the nature rich Moominvalley Park. ©Moomin Characters™

In the decades since, Moomin has become a household name across Japan, and more recently a reality in the form of the Moominvalley Park in Hanno, Saitama. The park, a real-life imagining of Jansson’s fantasy world, allows visitors to relax amongst nature and experience the sights and sounds of Moominvalley as though having stepped into a page from her world-renowned books.

Keeping in theme with the imaginary world of the Moomins, Moominvalley Park is also surrounded by forest and rolling hills that perfectly compliment the attractions and play areas within.

Throughout the park, numerous locations seen within the books and television series can be found presented in stunning detail. These include favourites such as Moomin house, the lighthouse the Moomins once lived in temporarily and even the waterside bathing hut built by Moominpappa, home to Moominvalley resident, Tootikki.

Hemulen’s Playground creates the perfect place for children to enjoy the charming world of the Moomins together. ©Moomin Characters™

Continuing up to Moominvalley Park’s picturesque Lonely Mountain area, visitors will find the enormous Hemulen’s Playground. Based on a treehouse built by the character of the same name, this charming play area is designed for children ages 6-12 and features a number of slides and multiple levels on which children can climb and explore.

For those who’d like to relax and enjoy a show, Emma’s Theatre from the story of Moomin also holds live shows throughout the day. Encouraging audience participation, these shows include dancing and singing designed to be enjoyed by both children and adults alike.

Riders on the Hobgoblin’s Zipline can enjoy fast-paced views of Moominvalley Park unlike any other. ©Moomin Characters™

Also catering to the thrill seekers in attendance, the Hobgoblin’s Zipline gives visitors the chance to see Moominvalley Park like never before. Beginning amongst the treetops, riders quickly find themselves zipping across the lake, providing a bird’s eye view of the surrounding area that is sure to get hearts racing.

Within a three-story museum known as Kokemus, which translates to “experience” in Finnish, visitors to Moominvalley Park can explore a world of interactive art and experiences that include many of the locations and characters from the Moomin stories.

Here there are exhibits such as Moominvalley Nature, where visitors move through life-sized recreations of Tove Jansson’s original picture books, allowing you to feel as though you’ve stepped directly into one of the pages.

The lakeside bathing hut as built by Moominpappa in the Moomin stories creates a serene view across the lake. ©Moomin Characters™

Further on, an enormous Moominvalley diorama with changing weather effects inspires awe, while Tove’s Memory Theatre, located within a recreation of the island hut that Tove Jansson spent her summers in, is the perfect place to catch screenings of Moomin shows.

Highlighting the life of both the Moomins and their creator, a number of gallery style exhibitions here also allow visitors to learn the history behind Tove Jansson and her charming artworks.

Whether you’re stopping for lunch or rounding out a day of exploring with a meal, Moominvalley has a number of great themed options to help you relax and refuel.

While takeout stands are available within the park for a quick pit stop, it’s the Moominvalley Food Hall and the Library Café, both located within Kokemus, that create the most memorable dining experiences.

Lucky visitors can also catch real-life Moomin characters throughout the park who are more than happy to pose for pictures. ©Moomin Characters™

Paying homage to Tove Jansson’s Finnish roots is the spacious Restaurant Moominvalley. Here, visitors can choose from a delicious menu of Nordic inspired meals, ranging from salads and kids’ meals inclusive of take-home souvenirs, to more hearty items such as a meatball set.

Nearby at the Library Café, guests can relax amidst a cosy atmosphere and choose from one of the hundreds of books available to read both on Moomin and the country of Finland itself. For those keen on some friendly competition, an assortment of board games are also available to play, while coffee and baked goods can be purchased in the café area to enjoy either while reading or on the trip home.

For a one-day pass to Moominvalley Park, tickets can be purchased either in advance online, or at the gate, but it is recommended that tickets are bought in advance as they are not only cheaper, but the number of tickets sold on the day of admission is limited.

One-day pass advanced sale ticket prices:

Adults (including children in junior high school and above) – ¥3000

Children (over 4 years, in elementary school or below) – ¥1800

One-day pass regular sale ticket prices:

Adults (including children in junior high school and above) – ¥3200

Children (over 4 years, in elementary school or below) – ¥2000

Please note that while the above tickets will gain admission to the park, tickets for the Hobgoblin’s Zipline ride come at an additional cost of ¥3000 per person.

Moominvalley Park is open from 10am to 5pm Monday-Friday and 10am to 6pm on weekends.
Official Website: https://metsa-hanno.com/en/fee

A map of Moominvalley Park, where easy accessibility and a wide variety of attractions ensure there’s something for everyone to enjoy. ©Moomin Characters™

For those travelling by public transport, Moominvalley Park can be reached in approximately 1.5 hours from Shibuya Station by taking the Yamanote Line to Ikebukuro Station, then the Seibu Ikebukuro Line to Hanno Station. From Hanno Station, bus services are available to the park.

For those travelling via car, Moominvalley Park is approximately 1.5 hours from Tokyo, located specifically at:

Saitama, Hanno, Miyazawa 327-6 Metsa, 357-0001

Parking is available on site for free on weekdays and ¥500 per hour up to a maximum of ¥1500 on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays.

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