Kagawa with a toddler (2–3) 3 spots
Kagawa is Japan's smallest prefecture and it runs on udon: shops everywhere, bowls out fast, nobody waiting. Offshore, Naoshima is an island of art you walk between outdoors, yellow pumpkin on the pier and all.
An aquarium at the water's edge, where dolphins swim with the Seto Inland Sea behind.
Stroller OK · Nursing room · Changing table · checked Aug ’26
A noodle school where you take Sanuki udon from flour to bowl in twelve steps.
Nursing room · Family restroom · checked Aug ’26
The largest of Japan's cultural-property gardens, with six ponds and thirteen landscaped hills.
Stroller OK · Nursing room · checked Aug ’26
Shukokun, the aquarium's mascot, shows up in animation to talk to visitors and play riddles and rock-paper-scissors with them. In the Suiyu Zone there are penguins and sea lions, with a program where you feed the animals yourself. There is no fixed viewing route, so you can go back to a favourite tank as many times as the child wants.Admission is 700 yen from age three; under-threes are free. There are small urinals sized for little boys in three places, and four multipurpose restrooms. Visitors are asked not to walk the exhibits carrying kick scooters, balance bikes, tricycles or suitcases, so leave those in the car or a coin locker (400 yen small, 500 medium, 700 large). There is no space for eating a packed lunch inside, and bringing food and drink in is discouraged. Part of the exhibit is outdoors, so bring an umbrella on a wet day - none are lent. Re-entry is possible: take the re-entry stamp near the exit before you leave and show it to the gate staff on your way back.
In the step where the dough goes into a bag and everyone stamps to music, children bounce on the bag in time to the song. After the rolled sheet is folded screen-style and cut, there is a photo step with props where you pose with the noodles you made. When all the steps are done, you get a diploma mounted as a hanging scroll with a rolling pin attached.The school says any age can join but that, because knives are used, elementary school age is the guideline, and it recommends preschool children work paired with an adult. If things run long because you are with a small child, there is no extra charge. Figure about 50 minutes for the class plus take-home, and about 30 more if you eat there. Say at reception whether you will eat your noodles or take them home; changing after the class may not be possible.
From age three a child can ride the wasen boat around the south pond. A boatman rows one lap of Nanko with commentary, about 30 minutes including getting on and off. The boat is 420 yen a ride for children through junior high, and garden admission is free below school age.The wasen boat takes children from age three, and a guardian must come along for anyone of elementary school age or under; the boat holds six. Tickets are sold only for the same day, from 8:30 at the boat ticket window, and sales close once the day's capacity is reached. You can also book ahead by phone on 087-833-7413 (8:30-17:00) or through the Ritsurin Garden website, but even then the booking lapses unless you buy the ticket by 30 minutes before your departure time. The paths are laid with gravel. Balls and other play equipment may not be brought in. The three nursing rooms are in the east wing of the Shoko Shoreikan, at the Kobusha restroom, and at the tourism office.