Asakusa Hanayashiki: Japan's Oldest Amusement Park Near Sensō-ji Temple
Asakusa Hanayashiki is an amusement park with a nostalgic atmosphere at 2-28-1 Asakusa, Taitō-ku, Tokyo, just a short distance from Sensō-ji Temple.
With a history stretching back to an Edo-period flower garden, it is known as Japan's oldest amusement park.
Rides and traditional festival games are packed into the compact grounds, creating a classic amusement park atmosphere.
This guide covers what to know before visiting Asakusa Hanayashiki, including prices and ticket options, ride height and age restrictions, useful facilities for families, and how to get there.
Hanayashiki's History Began with a Flower Garden in 1853
Hanayashiki opened in 1853, founded by landscape gardener Rokusaburō Morita as a flower garden called Hanayashiki, mainly featuring peonies and chrysanthemum displays.
Play equipment was added during the Meiji period, followed by displays of unusual birds and animals such as tigers, and for a time it became popular as a zoo-like attraction.
In 1944 during World War II, its wooden buildings were demolished as part of wartime building clearances, and operations stopped.
It reopened as an amusement park in 1947 after the war and developed into the park of varied rides that visitors enjoy today.
Knowing the origin of the flower reference in its name adds another way to appreciate Asakusa's entertainment history as you explore.
Enjoy the Rides and a Stroll Around the Park
Choose the attractions you want to ride first, then enjoy the park scenery and festival atmosphere between rides to spend the day at your own pace.
It also makes sense to choose different tickets depending on whether you want lots of rides or mainly plan to take photos and stroll.
Asakusa Hanayashiki Admission Prices and Ticket Options
The key point when budgeting is that admission and attraction fees are separate.
Understand the differences between admission-only tickets, ride tickets, and passes that include both.
Check Admission Fees and What Your Entry Ticket Includes
Standard admission is 1,600 yen for adults from junior high school age through age 64, 800 yen for children age 5 through elementary school, and 800 yen for visitors age 65 and older; children age 4 and younger enter free.
Visitors with disabilities receive free admission by presenting a disability certificate accepted by the park, but attraction fees are charged separately.
An admission ticket does not cover rides, so you will need separate ride tickets, an unlimited ride pass, or a similar option to use the attractions.
Even if you mainly plan to stroll, allowing for extra charges in case you decide to try a ride can help you choose your ticket.
Ride Tickets, Unlimited Ride Passes, and One-Day Passes
Individual ride tickets cost 100 yen each, or 1,000 yen for a strip of 11, and each attraction requires a specified number of tickets.
For example, the Merry-Go-Round requires 5 tickets (500 yen), while the Roller Coaster and Haunted House require 8 tickets (800 yen).
Tickets are available inside the park, so if you only want a few specific rides, check how many you need before buying.
Ride tickets have no expiration date, although their use may be temporarily suspended in some circumstances.
The unlimited ride pass does not include admission and is sold at the entrance or the ticket house inside the park for 3,000 yen for adults and 2,600 yen for children and seniors.
The ticket combining admission and unlimited rides is called the One-Day Pass.
Standard One-Day Pass prices are 4,600 yen for adults and 3,400 yen for children and seniors.
Buying admission and an unlimited ride pass separately costs the same in total as a One-Day Pass, so you can buy admission first if you prefer to decide how many rides to take once inside.
At 100 yen per ride ticket, about 6 trips on a 5-ticket ride or 4 trips on an 8-ticket ride bring your spending close to the adult unlimited ride pass price, which can serve as a guide to how many rides you plan to take.
Cash-operated activities such as Maruhana Ennichi festival games and Panda Cars are excluded from unlimited rides, while the children's Nin Nin Park can be used only once with an unlimited ride pass and also requires a numbered ticket distributed on the day.
Some activities are excluded or have usage limits, so check what is covered rather than assuming everything in the park is available without extra charges.
How to Buy Online Tickets and Check Their Conditions
Admission tickets can be purchased through the official online ticket service or at the entrance on the day.
Advance tickets are also available through services such as Asoview in addition to the official online ticket service.
Official online tickets can be refunded without a cancellation fee if the purchaser completes the cancellation process by 11:59 p.m. on the day before use, but tickets bought at the ticket window are nonrefundable.
When buying in advance, check the valid date, what is included, and the conditions for changes and cancellations rather than choosing by ticket name alone.
If choosing a special event ticket, also check how it differs from a regular admission ticket.
The official website is available in English, Korean, and Simplified Chinese as well as Japanese, so international visitors can check prices and opening days before their visit.
Popular Asakusa Hanayashiki Rides and Their Height and Age Restrictions
When choosing rides, height, age, and accompanying-person requirements matter as much as their appearance and your appetite for thrills.
Having someone accompany you does not always mean you can ride, so read the guidance before joining the line.
Notice the Design of Japan's Oldest Surviving Roller Coaster
The Roller Coaster began operating in 1953 as the Yomiuri Rocket Coaster and is Japan's oldest surviving roller coaster.
Its rocket-like cars also have a nostalgic appearance.
As well as riding it, you can enjoy looking at the cars' design from elsewhere in the park.
It requires 8 ride tickets (800 yen), and the unlimited ride pass is also accepted.
Riders must be at least 110 cm tall, and visitors age 65 and older and pregnant visitors may not ride.
Children age 4 and younger may also ride for a fee if they are at least 110 cm tall.
Anyone below the required height cannot ride even with an accompanying person, so take particular care when visiting with children.
Merry-Go-Round: Check the Requirements for Accompanying Children
With horses circling to music, the Merry-Go-Round offers a classic amusement park scene.
There are 3 seating types—horses, carriages, and ponies—and a ride requires 5 tickets (500 yen).
Children can ride alone from age 5, while those age 4 and younger need an accompanying person of junior high school age or older; the horses require one accompanying person per child, and the ponies require one per child age 0–1.
Visitors age 65 and older and pregnant visitors cannot ride the ponies; riders may also be turned away depending on their height or weight.
Even for attractions without age restrictions, check the accompanying-person requirements separately.
Haunted House: Choose Based on Your Scare Tolerance
Obake Yashiki: Kubizuka no Noroi, or Haunted House: Curse of the Head Mound, opened in July 2025 and centers on a curse connected to a ruined mansion and shrine.
It is a walk-through attraction where you explore the mansion on foot, costing 8 ride tickets (800 yen), with the unlimited ride pass also accepted.
Children can enter alone from age 5, while those age 4 and younger need an accompanying person of junior high school age or older.
It suits visitors who enjoy theatrical storytelling, but if you dislike dark spaces or jump scares, discuss it with your companions before deciding.
Distinguishing between the minimum permitted age and whether someone can comfortably enjoy the experience makes planning easier with children.
Read the Ride Restriction Signs Before Joining a Line
The ride list summarizes the number of tickets needed for each attraction, height restrictions, eligibility by age, and accompanying-person requirements.
If a Japanese sign is unclear, point to the relevant information and ask staff.
Here are some terms you may encounter in ride requirements and operating information, along with what to check.
| Term on signs | Meaning | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Shinchō seigen (height restriction) | Eligibility based on height | The rider's height |
| Nenrei seigen (age restriction) | Eligibility based on age | The rider's age |
| Tsukisoi (accompanying person) | Someone who rides or enters with you | The required number and age of accompanying people |
| Unkyū (service suspended) | The ride is not operating | The day's operating information |
Asakusa Hanayashiki with Kids: Facilities and Rest Breaks
When visiting with children, decide who will accompany them and where you will take breaks before trying to fit in lots of rides.
Separate Free Entry for Children Age 4 and Younger from Accompanying Adults' Fees
As a general rule, rides are also free for children age 4 and younger, but some attractions charge a fee.
For example, children age 4 and younger can use the Roller Coaster, Disk-O, and Little Star for a fee if they meet the height requirements, while Nin Nin Park charges from age 3.
Accompanying riders must pay, so free admission for a child does not mean the whole family can use the attractions for free.
Requirements such as the accompanying person's age vary by ride, so check whether an older sibling is eligible as well.
Most rides that require an accompanying person specify junior high school age or older, but children age 2–4 on Pyon Pyon need someone age 16 or older, and Nin Nin Park requires an accompanying person age 20 or older.
If the children in your group differ in height or interests, choose attractions each can enjoy rather than planning for everyone to ride the same things.
Locate Nursing Rooms, Diaper-Changing Facilities, and Coin Lockers First
The park has nursing rooms, diaper-changing facilities, and coin lockers, with locations shown on the park map.
There are 7 diaper-changing locations and 2 locations with nursing facilities.
Diapers can be purchased from vending machines inside the park, and hot water for preparing formula is available from the information desk.
There are 4 women's restrooms, 3 men's restrooms, and 1 multipurpose restroom.
Coin lockers are in 4 locations: beside Asakusa Gate, beneath Disk-O, beside the Roller Coaster boarding area, and next to the exit in front of Little Star.
Luggage too large for a locker can be stored at the information desk for a fee.
Strollers are not available to rent, but the information desk can store a stroller if it is folded.
After arriving, organize your belongings so essentials are easy to reach, making it simpler to switch between rides and breaks.
Rather than waiting until everyone is tired to find a place to rest, plan early breaks while watching how your children are doing.
Check Whether You Can Bring Lunch and How to Pay
You may bring a packed lunch and eat at the park's tables and benches.
There are also dining options such as a food court, so you can combine a meal with a rest break.
Admission and other fees can be paid in cash, by credit card, electronic money, or QR code payment, although the methods available vary by location.
There are no ATMs inside the park, but machines for changing Japanese yen notes and coins are installed at various locations.
Pets are not permitted, except for guide dogs, hearing dogs, and assistance dogs.
Asakusa Hanayashiki Photography Rules and Retro Photo Spots
You do not need to apply in advance to take souvenir photos with family or friends for personal enjoyment.
However, restrictions apply to locations, equipment, and photography on rides, so prioritize consideration for others and the park's guidance.
Photo Spots with the Maruhana Logo and Colorful Backgrounds
Popular colorful backdrops include the door bearing the Maruhana flower logo outside the park and the pink-striped wall on the side of the Carnival attraction inside.
Take both close portraits and wider photos with more background to capture people's expressions as well as the amusement park atmosphere.
When choosing a backdrop, also check that you can take the photo without making passing visitors wait.
The park's approximately 70-year-old Somei-yoshino cherry tree tends to bloom about 1 week later than Tokyo's forecast blossom date, and in early April you may be able to photograph the rides together with cherry blossoms in spring.
Check Prohibited Photography, Including Livestreaming and Drones
Livestreaming and similar filming, as well as photography targeting visitors outside your group or park employees, are prohibited.
Drone photography and taking pictures while doing anything considered dangerous are also prohibited.
Commercial photography and media coverage require prior permission and are subject to fees.
The following location-based guidance can help you decide how to act when taking photos.
| Situation | What to do | Prohibited behavior |
|---|---|---|
| Souvenir photos on a walkway | Keep pedestrian traffic flowing | Blocking the walkway to take photos |
| Near flower beds or fences | Take photos from permitted areas | Standing on or entering flower beds |
| While riding an attraction | Check first whether photography is allowed | Taking photos on rides where it is prohibited |
| Taking photos in the same spot | Make room for others afterward | Occupying the area for a long time or with a large group |
Tripods and photography accessories may be used only if they are compact enough to fit in one hand when folded.
If you plan to bring equipment, check its conditions of use in advance.
How to Get to Asakusa Hanayashiki from Asakusa Station and Opening Hours
Asakusa Station is in different locations depending on the line, so check which line you will use as well as the station name.
Walking Times from Asakusa Station and the Asakusa Gate Entrance
The park is a 5-minute walk from Asakusa Station on the Tsukuba Express, or a 10-minute walk from Asakusa Station on the Ginza Line, Asakusa Line, and Tobu Skytree Line.
When arranging a meeting point or searching for a route, specify the line as well as the station name.
There is only one entrance, Asakusa Gate on the Sensō-ji side, while the exit is toward Kokusai-dōri Street.
The park has no dedicated car or bicycle parking, so check nearby facilities if arriving by car or bicycle.
Roads nearby can be busy during events, making public transport a convenient option.
Check Opening Hours and Which Rides Close in the Rain
Usual opening hours are 10:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m., but they vary with the season, weather, and other factors, with last admission 30 minutes before closing.
On rainy days, attractions generally operate except for Swan, Sky Ship, and Disk-O.
Operating conditions may still change with the weather, so do not assume every attraction will run as usual.
Check the following information before visiting so you can adjust your plans for the day.
- Opening hours and closing days on the operating calendar
- Operating status and waiting times for your chosen attractions
- Announcements for events or stage shows you want to attend
You may get wet on outdoor rides, so bring rain gear and follow the day's operating information as you explore.
Arrange Reentry Before Leaving the Park
If you want to reenter, speak to the staff at the exit as you leave and receive a reentry ticket.
You will show it at the entrance when you return, so complete the procedure before going out of the park.
Since there is no ATM inside, arrange reentry before leaving to use an outside facility if you need to withdraw cash.
Plan Your Asakusa Hanayashiki Visit
Asakusa Hanayashiki is Japan's oldest amusement park, where you can enjoy rides and nostalgic scenery.
Understanding the difference between admission and ride fees and choosing attractions that meet your group's requirements makes it easier to plan a visit that suits you.
Check opening and ride information, follow the photography and reentry rules, and enjoy your visit to Hanayashiki in Asakusa.
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