Keio Asobi no Mori HUGHUG

Right by Tama Zoo Station on the Keio Line, Keio Railway’s indoor play facility “HUGHUG”. Indoor, but the scale is generous — zones are split between infants and elementary-aged kids, and taking my 2-year-old here for half a day still leaves time to spare. The standout trait: most of the equipment is wooden — specifically local hinoki and sugi from Tama. The feel, and even the smell, are obviously different from the plastic-heavy indoor facilities you usually see.

The facility’s icon is a massive net structure, about 12m tall. Looking up, your neck actually starts to hurt — that tall. Watching a kid climb it from below is honestly a little thrilling. Socks required, skirts not allowed, so check outfits before you go.

Most of the other equipment is wooden too — jungle gyms, slides, all with the warmth of real wood. Not as slippery as plastic, and collisions hurt less. A quiet but real plus.

Here’s the floor map. The layout spans two floors with age-based zones color-coded, so the flow is clear and you, as the parent, aren’t constantly getting lost.

The infant zone (0–2): hinoki flooring, gentle through and through

The 0–2 infant zone has hinoki flooring that’s genuinely soft underfoot. The ball pit, the tiny wooden jungle gym — everything is wood. Nothing hard to bump into. A space where you can let a still-uncoordinated baby explore without constant hovering. My son visibly relaxed here.

The 2–6 preschool zone, a step up

The 2–6 zone has wooden ball pits and slides made with Tama-area sugi and hinoki, plus a play-house corner and a block-building area. A size up from the infant gear, so once a kid has some stamina, they can really go here.

“HUGHUG Train” — catnip for train-loving kids

The ~200m indoor train looping the 2nd floor is the “HUGHUG Train”. It crosses bridges, passes through tunnels, with light and sound effects along the way — kids sit absolutely glued to the windows. There’s even a photo spot for capturing your child mid-ride. Classic Keio; they went all in on the train theme.

The 45,000-ball pit, ages 2 to 12

Finally, the most age-inclusive zone, for ages 2 to 12. This is where you find the 45,000-ball giant ball pit and a large combined play structure. A 2-year-old can have a blast, but it’s still big enough that elementary schoolers stay engaged — siblings with an age gap can both thrive.

It feels less like “rainy-day rescue” and more like a place you go to genuinely burn energy for half a day. The warmth of real wood, mixed with Keio’s trademark train obsession, made for a well-balanced visit.