Iwate Children's Forest
The prefecture's free children's center runs from indoor play areas out to hills and a campsite.
piggybackjapan.com
Iwate Children's Forest
SaveThe prefecture's free children's center runs from indoor play areas out to hills and a campsite.
Inside, the play areas have names: an adventure tower, a dark tunnel, a doodling street, a picture-book room.
MoreWhat kind of place
Iwate Children's Forest is run by Iwate Prefecture and sits in the town of Ichinohe, about 5 km (3 miles) from Okunakayama-Kogen Station.
Inside, the play rooms have names of their own — a dark tunnel, a doodling street, a picture-book room — and outside there are hills, a shallow water area and a fort, plus a campsite with tipi tents and a pizza oven.
The main hall indoors is the size of a school gymnasium and holds about 300 people, and the children's theater seats 32 and costs nothing.
One room is a snoezelen room, built around gentle light, sound, texture and scent for calming down rather than playing; the approach began at a Dutch facility for people with intellectual disabilities, and the room has to be booked in advance.
Sources and evidence (12)
- The indoor side has the information desk and a quiet room for anyone feeling unwell, the play ship (Kids Ship Kaze-no-Tani), the wind deck, the dark tunnel, the sewing house (Chikuchiku House), the toy bath (Omocha-yu), the job train (Oshigoto Train), the doodling street (Rakugaki-dori), the main hall (Nandemo Hiroba), the picture-book room (Yomu Yomu) and the studio (Ton Ton).source
- There is a nursing room inside, number 13 on the indoor facility map.source
- The outdoor side has the cloud-viewing hill (Kumomi-no-Oka), Roller Roller, the water area (Mizu-no-Hiroba), the open meadow (Nobinobi Harappa), the play park (Wakuwaku Play Park), Mori-no-Megane, the fort (Morimori Toride) and the secret forest (Himitsu-no-Mori).source
- The campsite has tipi tents from around the world, a pizza oven, a management building, a shelter, an outdoor campfire area, a cooking area, a fire spot you can use any time, and restrooms.source
- Indoors you can eat in the main hall (Nandemo Hiroba) or anywhere there are benches, and you cannot save a spot in advance.source
- The main hall (Nandemo Hiroba) is like a school gymnasium and holds about 300 people.source
- There is a restaurant inside (Hara-hetta-tei Mogu Mogu).source
- An official notice dated July 17, 2026 says the usable part of the water area is limited while its paving is being repaired.source
- It is 5 km (3 miles) from Okunakayama-Kogen Station on the IGR Iwate Ginga Railway, about 10 minutes by car, and an Iwate Kenpoku bus runs from that station to Iwate Children's Forest.source
- By car it is 40 km (25 miles) from the Takizawa interchange on the Morioka side, 55 minutes on Route 4, and 28 km (17 miles) from the Ichinohe interchange on the Ninohe side, 40 minutes on Route 4.source
- Workshops fall into four kinds, enjoying nature, making things, sound and food, and the ones outside those four set no limit on age or numbers, so anyone can join at any time.source
- The making-things workshops are not about turning out a well-made piece; they are about children freely expressing what they felt.source
With kidsThe part that matters
Admission is free at this prefectural children's center, so a short visit costs nothing if the kids fade fast.
The adventure tower (Noppii) takes children 4 and up, and any child not yet in first grade needs an adult climbing with them, so if your five-year-old wants to go up, one of you is going up too.
Children under 4 have a smaller tower of their own in the toddler corner, so the little one is not left at the bottom watching.
There is a restaurant inside and you can eat your own food in the main hall, a room the size of a school gymnasium, but the nearest shops are about ten minutes down the road, so buy what you need on the way in.
Check the calendar before you set off, because the nearest expressway exit is 40 minutes away and the center closes on Tuesdays and for maintenance in February, April, August and November.
Sources and evidence (4)
- Only children 4 and older can play on the tower (Noppii), and to prevent accidents the center asks that an adult go along with each child who is not yet in first grade.source
- An hour and a quarter by car from Hachinohe, then 20 minutes on to Ishigami-no-oka and 25 more to the town observatory.source
- Three free loan strollers, three nursing spaces, 393 parking spaces; the yokai stamp rally is ¥100 for ten stamps.source
- Meals are at Hara-hetta-tei Mogumogu in Hello House, with curry and ramen for children; wave sounds fill the book room.source
By age0-1 / 2-3 / 4-6
- Ages 0-1Indoors there is a toddler corner called Piyo Piyo, and children under 4 play on the smaller tower inside it, Mini Noppii. The picture-book room, Yomu Yomu, is indoors as well. Admission is free, so you can stay exactly as long as the good mood lasts and go home without having paid for a day you did not use. There is a nursing room inside, and a quiet room next to the information desk.Indoors, eating is allowed only in the main hall, Nandemo Hiroba, and wherever there are benches, and no one saves a spot for you. There is no supermarket near the center; the nearest shops are about ten minutes down the road near Okunakayama-Kogen Station, and there are two convenience stores along Route 4. Bring the baby food and the drinks with you. Hours are 9:00-17:00, and it closes on Tuesdays (the next day when Tuesday is a public holiday), from December 29 to January 3, and for maintenance in February, April, August and November.
- Ages 2-3The indoor side is a set of named play places: the dark tunnel, the doodling street, the toy bath, the job train, the sewing house, the play ship Kaze-no-Tani, the studio Ton Ton and more. Children under 4 climb the smaller tower, Mini Noppii, in the Piyo Piyo toddler corner. Outdoors, Mizu-no-Hiroba is shallow water meant for barefoot splashing, not for swimming. The children's theater, Poketto, seats 32 and is free.An official notice dated July 17, 2026 says the usable part of Mizu-no-Hiroba is limited while its paving is repaired, so check before you go. After the water, the shower room costs 150 yen per person per use, so pack a change of clothes. Outdoors you may eat anywhere, except that the campsite is only for people who have booked it. Pets go indoors in a carrier and on a leash elsewhere on the grounds, and no pet may go into the water at Mizu-no-Hiroba.
- Ages 4-6The adventure tower, Noppii, opens up at age 4. Outdoors there are the cloud-viewing hill, Roller Roller, the open meadow Nobinobi Harappa, the play park, Mori-no-Megane, the fort Morimori Toride and the secret forest, and volleyball and soccer are played on the meadow. The novelty bicycles are 150 yen a ride for a one-seater and 270 yen for a parent-and-child bike. Workshops come in four kinds — enjoying nature, making things, sound and food — and the ones outside those four set no limit on age or numbers, so anyone can join at any time. The making-things workshops are not after well-made work; what they care about is the child freely expressing what they felt.On Noppii, to prevent accidents, each child not yet in first grade needs one adult climbing with them — two siblings aged 4 to 6 means two adults go up. Diving and swimming are banned at the raft pond, because you can get tangled or pinned in the raft ropes. You cannot bring your own bicycle in to ride, so riding means renting one of the novelty bicycles. The snoezelen room has to be reserved, and so do the lodging (Manten House), the campsite and the tents; book by phone the day before at 0195-35-3888, between 9:00 and 17:00 on a day the center is open.
By weatherRain, heat, cold
- Rainy dayThe indoor side, called Play Inside, holds Kids Ship Kaze no Tani, the Kurayami Tunnel, Rakugaki Street, and the picture book room Yomu Yomu. Kumomi Hill, the Roller Roller slide, and the Mizu no Hiroba water area belong to the outdoor side, Play Outside.
- Hot dayNot checked yet
- Cold dayNot checked yet
Time needed4 h
How was it with your kids?
Not greatGreat
- ElevatorElevator：not checked
- Stroller OKStroller friendly：not checked
- RentalStroller rental：not checked
- NursingNursing space：with conditionsconditions
- ChangingDiaper changing table：not checked
- Family WCFamily restroom：not checked
- Own foodOutside food allowed：with conditionsconditions
- EnglishEnglish support：not checked
* Other not checked (2)
Diaper disposal bin, Kids' toilet seat & step stool
Green = we confirmed it. Gray = not checked yet. Gray with a line through = the place does not have it.
Worth a look before you go
Japanese · opens translatedGuide
An hour and a quarter by car from Hachinohe, then 20 minutes on to Ishigami-no-oka and 25 more to the town observatory.
To Okunakayama Kogen, Iwate: a day trip where the children lead
Japanese · opens translatedGuide
Three free loan strollers, three nursing spaces, 393 parking spaces; the yokai stamp rally is ¥100 for ten stamps.
Iwate Children's Forest is full of play that grows the senses
Japanese · opens translatedGuide
Meals are at Hara-hetta-tei Mogumogu in Hello House, with curry and ramen for children; wave sounds fill the book room.
Autumn is short, so travel Iwate: fun is waiting at Iwate Children's Forest
Iwate Children's Forest · Links & reads ▾
Where it is
1468-2 Okunakayama, Ichinohe-machi, Ninohe-gun, Iwate 028-5134source2
Before you go
- Admission is free, but there are use fees for the overnight rooms (Manten House), the meeting and training rooms, the tent sites, and some of the equipment and attached facilities, such as the novelty bicycles and the shower room. The overnight rooms, the campsite and the tents all have to be booked ahead.source
- Reservations are made by phone no later than the day before, and the line is open from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on days the center is open (0195-35-3888).source
- The water area is shallow and meant for barefoot splashing, and swimming is not allowed there.source
- You cannot bring your own bicycle in to ride.source
- Coming off the expressway at Ashiro instead leaves you 23 km (14 miles) of narrow mountain road, one sharp curve after another, with no signs for the center along the way, so take one of the Route 4 approaches if you can. The mountain stretch of Prefectural Route 30 is closed through the winter, so check that it has reopened before an early-spring trip.source
More notes (6)
- Booking opens six months ahead, on the first day of that month, for people who hold a physical disability, intellectual disability or mental health certificate (carers included) and for groups such as schools and child welfare facilities. For everyone else it opens three months ahead, on the first day of that month.source
- The snoezelen room has to be reserved.source
- Diving and swimming are banned at the raft pond, because you can get tangled or pinned in the raft ropes.source
- You can barbecue at the campsite tent sites, which have to be booked and paid for, and fires straight on the ground are not allowed.source
- Outdoors you can eat anywhere, except that the campsite is only for people who have booked it.source
- Pets go indoors in a carrier and stay on a leash elsewhere on the grounds, and they cannot go into the water area.source
Basics
- Fee：Admission is free. A few things inside cost money: the shower room ¥150 per person per use, the novelty bicycles ¥150 for a single or ¥270 for a parent-and-child machine. The children's theater Poketto is free. Overnight rooms, meeting rooms and tent sites are charged.source
- Hours：9:00-17:00. Closed Tuesdays (the next day if the Tuesday is a holiday) and 29 Dec-3 Jan, plus maintenance closures in February, April, August and November.source
- Time to allow：4 h
- Booking：Nothing needs booking to come and play. Booking by phone the day before is required for the overnight rooms (Manten House), the campsite and tent sites (0195-35-3888, 9:00-17:00 on open days), and the Snoezelen room.source
- The water play area is shallow paddling, not for swimming, and diving or swimming in the raft pond is forbidden. Paving work has limited which parts of it can be used (17 July 2026). Bicycles cannot be brought in. There is no supermarket nearby.source
Basics in detail (9)
- Snoezelen is an approach that began at a Dutch facility for people with intellectual disabilities, and the room is built around gentle light, sound, texture and scent, with relaxing as the point.source
- There is no supermarket near the center, the nearest shops are about ten minutes down the road near Okunakayama-Kogen Station, and there are two convenience stores along Route 4.source
- Iwate Children's Forest is a children's center run by Iwate Prefecture, at 1468-2 Nishitago, Okunakayama, Ichinohe Town, Ninohe District, Iwate 028-5134, phone 0195-35-3888.
Once you've decided
evidence & sources (4)
- Official: Best-fit ages (guide)
- Official: Outside food allowed
- Official: Indoor / outdoor
- Official: Nursing space
- Official: main site
Indoors are an adventure tower called Noppii, a kids' ship called Kaze no Tani, a dark tunnel and a picture-book room. Nandemo Hiroba, a gym-like hall holding about 300, is where packed lunches are eaten. Outside, the ground splits into a hill, a shallow water play area, an adventure playground and a secret wood. Workshops cover nature, making things, sound and food, and are not about making something well. The campsite has tipi tents and a pizza oven; a nursing room and a 32-seat children's theater are indoors.
| Indoor / outdoor | Indoor & outdoor | An indoor play building and an outdoor area with hills, a water play area, a playground and a campsite. | Web-checked | checked Aug ’26 | iwatekodomonomori.jp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nursing space | Yes | A nursing room is listed on the indoor facility map. | Web-checked | checked Aug ’26 | iwatekodomonomori.jp |
| Outside food allowed | Yes | Indoors you can eat in the Nandemo Hiroba hall (a gym-like room holding about 300) and on the benches; places are not reserved for you. Outdoors you can eat anywhere except the campsite, which is for people who booked. | Web-checked | checked Aug ’26 | iwatekodomonomori.jp |
| Stroller friendly | Not checked yet | ||||
| Diaper changing table | Not checked yet | ||||
| Family restroom | Not checked yet | ||||
| Diaper disposal bin | Not checked yet | ||||
| English support | Not checked yet | ||||
| Kids' toilet seat & step stool | Not checked yet | ||||
| Elevator | Not checked yet | ||||
| Best-fit ages (guide)Extra info — guide only | 未就学児から | Guide only. The adventure tower Noppii is for ages 4 and up, and a preschooler needs one adult with them; under-4s use the Mini Noppii in the toddler corner Piyopiyo. | Web-checked | checked Aug ’26 | iwatekodomonomori.jp |