Travel Report with Kids (Aeon Shin-Rifu Edition)
(The thumbnail is just some random Aeon)
With my two youngest in a maximum bad mood and
carrying a mountain of luggage,
we left the Anpanman Museum
and checked the time; it was around 2:00 PM.
Our ferry was at 7:30 PM.
Assuming we need to be at the terminal by 6:00 PM...
If we leave after 5:00 PM, we'll make it, right?
Even if we're at the ferry terminal...
Yeah, that's true...
Just as I was wondering what to do, my husband said,
“Should we try going to that huge Aeon?”
You see, while we were driving on the highway from Morioka to Sendai,
we had spotted a massive Aeon and shouted,
“What is that?! It’s a giant Aeon!!!”
“Come to think of it, XX (my husband's classmate)
said there’s a huge Aeon in Miyagi,
and that if we had time,
we should check it out,”
he added.
And when I looked it up, it turns out it’s the third largest in Japan...
It’s way too big...
In Asahikawa, where I live,
we also have a relatively large Aeon,
and I was satisfied with it, or rather,
I used to brag, “We have a huge Aeon here,”
but it doesn't even compare.
I looked it up and found out there’s a North Building and a South Building...
At that point, it’s just two Aeons.
We have time, so let’s go!
While looking things up in the car on the way there,
I found something called “Kandu”...
It seems like you can experience different jobs there.
KidZania...?
And adults can participate too...???
Doesn't that mean we have to go???
When I searched for Aeon Shin-Rifu on the map app,
・Aeon Shin-Rifu North Building Parking
・Aeon Shin-Rifu South Building Parking
Wait? The parking lots are separate too?
Well, I guess that makes sense.
If it’s that big, of course they would be.
Kandu is...
Okay, it’s in the South Building.
I set the navigation and we headed there.
When we got close, it was seriously huge.
I see, it really feels like two separate buildings.
It’s just two giant Aeons, really. (Second time saying this)
We got into the parking lot smoothly,
and off we went!!! To the giant Aeon!!!
Well, Aeons are everywhere in the country,
so the layout should be the same...
As we walked in...
“Hagi no Tsuki”
Oh, I see!!!
Just like how our local Aeon has shops like Rokkatei, this one has local companies like that. Interesting.
Ah!!!! I want to drink a Zunda shake.
"Can we stop by on the way home?"
"Sure, I knew you were going to say that."
And, I looked for Kandu, but...
I couldn't find it.
Where on earth is it???
Thinking that, as I was looking for a floor map,
I heard some noisy music.
When I looked up,
"VS PARK"
What on earth is that???
My second child was curious about it.
However, on this trip,
the bottom two went to the Anpanman Museum,
the second child went to the Pokemon Center,
and the oldest couldn't even do the pearl extraction experience they were looking forward to, so while they are probably having fun, I haven't been able to grant their requests.
"Oldest, you decide.
The second child went to the Pokemon Center, but
we haven't gone anywhere the oldest likes."
When I said that,
they thought for a moment and said, "I want to go there."
Alright, decided!!!
So, we headed to the 3rd floor.
I didn't really understand it, but
it's like an adult version of Spo-cha.
When I heard the explanation, they said preschoolers can enter but
cannot participate in the experiences, so
the ones entering were me, the top two, and the youngest who was sleeping.
Dad and the third child
went to the arcade across the way.
Aeon is helpful because it has everything.
So, we went in.
The place was reasonably crowded.
Was it a school holiday or something??
The attractions included
things I've seen in videos,
like the one where you jump over or crouch under poles to avoid them
(do you get what I mean?)
things like a simplified version of SASUKE,
and surfing experiences, etc.
Even the ones you do alone
looked fun because the screen and you are synchronized! I thought,
Mom might have wanted to try them too.
And, what the top two got hooked on was
Nigekiru (Escape).
Can you outrun the speed of wild animals or dinosaurs!?
It's a 10-meter dash.
If you actually tried racing against animals,
your life would be in danger, but
it's realized in this form!
Interesting!!!
We played for about 2 hours,
and the top two were drenched in sweat.
Since my husband just called me,
we left VS PARK,
bought some Hagi no Tsuki on the first floor,
and while we were at it, I bought the Zunda shake I'd been longing for!
When I took a sip...
It's delicious!!!!
The first flavor that hits you is like a regular shake,
but there's a hint of Zunda flavor in the background.
When I gave some to my eldest child,
they said, 'Yeah! It's good!'
My husband, who doesn't like Zunda, seemed a bit curious, so I handed it to him and he said,
'Wait, what!? This is actually pretty good.'
That's what he said.
For people who are curious about Zunda
but are hesitant about something too intense from the start...
I think this might be an easy-to-try
local specialty, don't you?
Then, we went back to the car
and headed to the ferry terminal!
But at that point...
I got greedy and bought the large size shake,
thinking it was just a drink,
and thinking it's better to have too much than too little,
but it actually fills you up quite a bit.
I gave the rest to my husband.
Lessons learned
・You can spend a whole day just at the massive Aeon.
I don't think you can even get around all of Aeon Shin-Rifu in one day.
It's perfectly fine to include it in your one-day itinerary.
There's parking, places to eat,
snacks, souvenirs, and more...
For a trip to Miyagi,
maybe just Aeon is enough.
・Are there any hands-on indoor facilities in Hokkaido...?
Maybe it's because of the vast land in Hokkaido,
but there are plenty of places to enjoy outdoors,
like athletics in the summer
and winter sports like skiing in the winter,
but are there any indoor hands-on theme parks like this?
Maybe I just don't know about them,
but I thought that places like this might be one of the charms of being outside Hokkaido!
The trip is finally reaching its final stage!!!
Next time!!
The long Pacific Ferry journey!