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By Torimonn · Visited September 2026 with children ages 7 and 5
Our verdict: Oyatsu Town is a fun half-day stop with younger children who like energetic indoor play. Our two enjoyed making a flavored Baby Star Ramen snack to take home. The place felt smaller than we expected, so I would pair it with another Mie stop rather than reserve a whole day.
Decision Card
Our take: A lively indoor play stop for younger children; the take-home Baby Star snack was a hit, though the facility felt smaller than expected.
- Children on our trip: Ages 7 and 5
- Time we allowed: About half a day was enough for us
- Snack activity: Our hands-on portion felt around 30 minutes; the current official program timing is listed separately below
- Transport we used: Our own car
- Best for: Families with preschool and elementary-age children who enjoy active indoor play
- Trade-off: Admission and some workshops are separate; pair it with another Mie stop rather than expecting a full-day factory tour
- Firsthand visit: September 2026
FIRSTHAND Our visit and snacks. RESEARCHED Current ticket, bus and workshop terms are linked below.
What kind of place is it?
Baby Star Ramen is a crunchy noodle snack familiar to many people in Japan. Oyatsu Town is the brand’s colorful indoor play and food facility beside the company’s factory in Tsu, Mie. We saw a display explaining production, climbed through play areas and did a snack-flavoring activity. Treat it as a play attraction, not a guided tour through a live production line.
The activity our kids liked most
At the workshop, our children flavored prepared plain Baby Star noodles: choose from several seasonings, shake them together, then wait while the snack is dried. The cup and triangular bandana came home with us. There was not much hands-on cooking, but taking the snack home made it feel worthwhile to them.
Our hands-on part felt roughly 30 minutes. The official FAQ (Japanese) currently describes its “My Special Baby Star” program as about 40 minutes and lists a separate fee; use that figure when planning a timed booking. Workshops can sell out in advance, so reserve the specific activity that interests your family rather than assuming entry includes it.
Play, snacks and the honest downsides
The large indoor play equipment was a hit. I can see children up through the middle elementary years having fun here, although every child has different energy and interests. Check the official height rules (Japanese) for the larger climbing structure before promising a particular level to younger children.
The soft-serve ice cream sprinkled with Baby Star noodles was surprisingly good: the crunchy topping suited it. We also tried a separate freshly fried Baby Star snack; to me it did not taste especially different or essential. If you do the flavoring workshop, its take-home snack may be enough.
Access and tickets
The official access guide (Japanese) places Oyatsu Town about five minutes by car from Hisai interchange and says parking is free. It also gives a public-transport route: about 15 minutes by Mie Kotsu bus from Kintetsu Hisai Station, then a five-minute walk from Oyatsu Town-mae. Check the return bus before committing to a visit without a car. Open Oyatsu Town in Google Maps.
Admission prices vary by date, and workshop tickets cost extra. See the official ticket page (Japanese) and the operating calendar linked from Oyatsu Town’s official homepage (Japanese). The standard hours shown in the FAQ can change for holidays and events; plan from the date-specific calendar.
Combining Oyatsu Town with other stops on a Mie road trip? Compare rental cars on QEEQ (affiliate link). Check pickup, child-seat availability and the total rental terms before reserving.
We drove our own car; QEEQ is an optional comparison. We may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Where this fits in a Mie trip
We stopped here after a service-area meal on our drive into Mie, then slept at Hotel Econo Kameyama. For the next day we switched to a food-and-walking stop at VISON. That mix suited our 7- and 5-year-old better than asking them to enjoy restaurants and shrines all day.
We also put this visit into our three-day Mie road trip, with the next day’s VISON and Takihara Shrine stops.
Visited in September 2026. Play-area impressions and food opinions are ours; access, admission and workshop details were checked against Oyatsu Town’s official pages in September 2026.