Welcome to Moominvalley Park, a magical world where the dreams of a Moomin fan come to life! This article will guide you through everything you need to know about the theme park, including some insider secrets that will help you make the most of your visit. 🤫 🤩
New! Moominvalley Park celebrates its 5th anniversary in March 2024.
Jump here to different parts of the article – it’s truly packed with aaaall kinds of wonderful tips!
➡️ Moominvalley Park’s 5th anniversary events 🥳
➡️ On arrival
➡️ Moominvalley area (including the Moominhouse!)
➡️ Exhibition facility Kokemus
➡️ Lonely Mountain Area (including an adventurous zip line!)
➡️ Food and drinks in the park
➡️ Special events
Where is Moominvalley Park?
Moominvalley Park is located by Metsä Village, a Nordic-themed outdoor activity and entertainment area. If you’re into forests and lakes, or Scandinavian design and treats, consider booking some time to enjoy Metsä also!
The entire park is located in Hanno City, Saitama, Japan – an easy train ride away from Tokyo. The park is easily accessible by public trains or car.
💡 Insider tip!
The direct trains to Hanno depart from Tokyo Ikebukuro station. You can choose between:
- a more expensive train Seibu Ikebukuro Line Limited Express, which will take you 40 minutes, or
- a cheaper local connection Ikebukuro Line, which takes 50 minutes.
If you prioritise comfort, go for the Express line – the train has adjustable seats, phone charging points and a toilet. Once you arrive, you’ll see plenty of signs directing you to the Moominvalley Park coach (you can also walk, but the distance is about 3 kilometres, or 1.8 miles). There is a coach every 30 to 60 minutes.
What is Moominvalley Park?
So, what is this theme park about? An obvious answer: it’s all about the Moomins! Opened in 2019, the park’s landscaping was inspired by Finnish nature and many of the buildings were modeled after the illustrations in the original Moomin books. As soon as you arrive, you can step into a different world with charming houses and whimsical decorations everywhere, inspired by the adored Moomin stories.
What can I do in Moominvalley Park?
The park is divided into several areas, each with its own unique attractions and activities: Moominvalley Area, Exhibition Facility and Lonely Mountain Area.
💡 Insider tip!
Dogs are also allowed in Moominvalley Park.
On arrival
To get to Moominvalley Park, you need to walk through Metsä Village. The entrance is about 5-10 minute walk from the bus stop and car park. This lovely lakeside walk with Nordic-themed shops and restaurants on the way is the perfect way to immerse yourself in the Finnish nature and culture.
💡 Insider tip!
Look out for the signs and attraction names in both Metsä and Moominvalley Park – everything is named in Finnish! How many Finnish words do you know? 🇫🇮
Entrance gate
Let’s start with the entrance. As you arrive to Moominvalley Park, you walk through a welcome gate shaped like the original Moomin books: a visual reminder that the Moomins aren’t just iconic characters but that it all started with a series of beautiful novels by Tove Jansson. This is a great photo opportunity at the start of your adventure!
💡 Insider tip!
Don’t miss the original Swedish quotes and illustrations behind each of the book gates!
Tickets and the Beginning store (Alkukauppa)
You can buy your ticket after the book gate at the entrance shop. Now, it might be too soon to go crazy on Moominous shopping…but as you make your way back, keep in mind the Alku shop that you’ll find here (Alku means Beginning in Finnish). From cute plushies to Moomin confectionary, you’ll find wonderful things to take with you as souvenirs.
Bathing hut (Uimahuone)
In the Moomin stories, the bathing hut is built by Moominpappa for the entire family to swim, fish and relax during the summers. In the winter, this is the home of Too-Ticky. You’ll find the first Story Room of the park here: “a video room” explaining the background of the attraction in the original Moomin stories.
💡 Insider tip!
Can you spot the wooden benches near the bathing hut? Perfect for taking a little rest, you’ll find Swedish book quotes carved on them!
Moominvalley Area (Muumilaakso)
You’ll now enter Moominvalley Area. Whilst exploring the attractions, you’re likely to meet the Moomin family and their friends. You might find Moomintroll and Snufkin at the bridge pondering about life, or Little My running around being mischievous – all happy to pose for some great pictures with you!
Emma’s theatre (Emma-teatteri)
If you’re a Moomin fan, you’re probably familiar with Emma the Stage Rat and her theatre. In the Moomin stories, the Moomin family are forced to move into the theatre due to a flood. With the lead of Moominpappa and Emma, the family get together to perform a play on stage – and this is exactly what this attraction is about!
You can sit back and watch original Moomin stories played by the Moominvalley Park characters, or join in on sing and dance sessions. Performances are at 12:00 and 14:30 every day.
Moominhouse (Muumitalo)
A highlight of the park for many, you can take a stroll through the Moominhouse, exploring a detailed depiction of the cosy interiors and learning more about the characters through interactive exhibits. Entering through the basement, you’ll embark on four floors of exquisite details from the Moomin stories. There’s also a Meet and Greet area by Moominhouse – a guaranteed opportunity for some pictures with the Moomin family, if you’ve missed them exploring around!
💡 Insider tip!
This attraction is very thought-through… Pay attention to details like Moominmamma’s pancakes and Moominpappa’s attic office to take it all in – some of the items you’ll find were collected from flea markets in Finland!
New in 2024! Theatre of Moominvalley (Muumilaakso Teatteri)
As part of the park’s 5-year-anniversary celebrations, Little My’s Play Spot has been updated into a new animation theatre The animation is based on Tove Jansson’s picture book Who Will Comfort Toffle?, which will be seen for the first time in all of Japan here!
Little My’s shop (Pikku Myyn kauppa) 🔸 Nibling’s shop (Tahmatassun kauppa) 🔸 Post office (Posti)
Near the play spot, you’ll find a specialty store solely dedicated to Little My. Shop here for all things Little My, with some goods only available in this very store! Next to Little My’s shop, you’ll also find Nibling’s shop and the Post office.
💡 Insider tip!
Don’t miss Hemulen’s stamp collection at the Post office! Choose your favourites with other stationery items and postcards, and send a warm greeting to your family and friends.
Oshun Oxtra theatre (Merenhuiske)
Another immersive theatre experience in Moominvalley Park, the Oshun Oxtra theatre, is themed based on some of the key values in the Moomin stories: courage, challenge, friendship and family. In this unique experience, you get to join on an adventure with a young Moominpappa, Snufkin’s dad the Joxter and Sniff’s dad the Muddler.
Exhibition facility KOKEMUS
This three-floor exhibition facility interweaves the life of Tove Jansson and the Moomins. The name comes from the word Kokemus, which means experience in Finnish.
As you enter, you can watch a welcome film from Tove’s niece, Sophia Jansson – who was also closely involved in the development of the park – and admire a four-metres-high reproduction of one of Tove Jansson’s frescos, originally commissioned in 1947 to decorate the restaurant in Helsinki City Hall.
Exploring between the three floors, you can then enjoy a variety of exhibits, including Japan’s first permanent Moomin exhibition space, interactive experiences and a giant diorama of Moominvalley measuring over 8 metres.
Moominvalley Main shop
The biggest shop in all of Moominvalley Park is a must-visit before your return home. From international Moomin products to plushies and confectionary to Moominvalley diorama figurines, it’ll be hard to choose what to take home with you!
💡 Insider tip!
Did you know there is a Moomin mug dedicated to Moominvalley Park? The latest edition Moominvalley Park mug is only sold at this shop – the perfect souvenir!
Moominvalley Playground
KOKEMUS is also the home of a newly opened Moominvalley Playground, an indoor playground with three areas: the Ball Pool of Ocean Orchestra, the Moominvalley Sky Track and the Groke’s Rolling Wheel. A fun opportunity to play whilst learning about the Moomin stories!
Lonely Mountain Area (Yksinäiset vuoret)
Ready for adventure? The Lonely Mountain Area is where you’ll find hidden paths whilst discovering the secrets of the forest, with some fun play and adrenaline-filled activities. The journey into the forest and its paths was designed to be a surprise at every turn, with hidden sculptures and installations that reflect the whimsical nature of the Moomin stories.
Hobgoblin’s zipline (Taikurin Seikkalupaikka)
Do you like adrenaline? Inspired by the Hobgoblin’s magical powers and the original novel Finn Family Moomintroll, this exciting experience lets you glide through the forest and over the lake to the other side of Moominvalley Park, and then back to Lonely Mountain Area – as if you’re riding Hobgoblin’s black panther in the sky!
💡 Insider tip!
- The Hobgoblin’s zipline is currently only open on the weekends.
- You need to buy a separate ticket for this attraction but it includes a guide to help you through it.
- You need at least an hour for this experience.
- The zipline is about 400m long.
Hemulen’s playground (Hemulin leikkipaikka)
Hemulen is known to like quietness, so it makes sense that his playground is located at the back of Lonely Mountain Area, about half an hour walk from the entrance. The playground for kids has two areas where you can walk along wooden bridges, peek into Hemulen’s tree house, enjoy different slides, draw on a blackboard, and more! Peaceful but filled with fun things to do, Hemulen’s playground is a unique spot for kids to play, whilst the adults can enjoy the forest surroundings.
Lighthouse (Majakka)
You can find a peaceful moment and enjoy the lake view from the lighthouse inspired by the original book Moominpappa at Sea. In this story, Moominpappa doesn’t feel needed by his family and wants a fresh start. So, he moves his family to this lighthouse. If you’re visiting the park at sunset, the lighthouse will be beautifully lit.
💡 Insider tip!
Spot the bathtub outside the lighthouse! There’s another Story Room with a video about this attraction. Do you remember the story?
Snufkin’s tent (Nuuskamuikkusen teltta)
Venturing into the back of the entire park, you’ll find Snufkin’s tent. If you’re lucky, you’ll also meet Snufkin there!
💡 Insider tip!
You can take a secret path in the forest, called “Huuliharppupolku”, straight to Snufkin’s tent. You’ll hear tunes of Snufkin’s harmonica on the way until closer to the tent, the music stops so that you can enjoy the natural sounds of the forest.
What can I eat and drink in Moominvalley Park?
The food and drinks in Moominvalley Park are an attraction of their own! With many restaurants, food stands and cafes on the site, you’ll find plenty of imported Scandinavian and Nordic-themed treats as well as dishes inspired by the original Moomin stories. Here are a few highlights to keep in mind…
Lettula Lounge (By the entrance)
Before entering the park, opposite the Alku shop, is Lettula Lounge – a Nordic creperie with an à la carte menu filled with yummy dishes.
💡 Insider tip!
This is the most scenic food spot in the park with a terrace and a beautiful lake view. There is also a wonderful kids’ playground on the site.
Moominvalley Area’s food stands & arcade games
Perfect for a fun break in-between attractions, this is an area dedicated to Moomin-themed arcade games, such as Fishing with Too-Ticky, and delicious food and drinks inspired by the Moomin stories. From Moomin-themed desserts to Finnish-style hot dogs, there’s something for everyone.
💡 Insider tip!
Don’t miss the Hattifatteners Ice Cream Sticks!
What else should I know about Moominvalley Park?
Moominvalley Park 5th anniversary in 2024
Moominvalley Park celebrates its 5th anniversary on 16 March 2024 with a host of special events taking place in the spring!
1️⃣ Everyone visiting the park on the anniversary (16h March) will get a Japanese “tenugui” cloth decorated with the park’s anniversary logo!
2️⃣ Anniversary fireworks will take place on selected days between 2nd-31st March (the most special show, of course, on the anniversary of 16th March)
3️⃣ Special guests, including Japanese media personalities and actors, will visit Emma’s Theatre every Saturday.
4️⃣ New feature, Theatre of Moominvalley, will show an animation based on the book Who will comfort Toffle?.
5️⃣ Five new photo opportunities with character statues of Snufkin, The Groke, Little My, Hemulen and Moomintroll have been placed around the park.
All the Moominous details!
Moominvalley Park is full of little details related to the characters and original books, not only in the attractions but the entire park area!
💡 Insider tip!
Keep an eye out for things like original Swedish quotes on wooden benches, small Moomin silhouettes on the lamps around the park, as well as quirky things that might seem odd at first, but on a closer look, have a meaningful story. You can find plenty of story-related items around the park that come with a sign explaining which Moomin book they come from. Can you spot them all?
Metsä Umbrella Sky
To mark Moominvalley Park’s first anniversary in 2020, the theme park created an installation made of umbrellas. This unique installation, the Umbrella Sky, returns occasionally so keep an eye out for the Moomnvalley Park event calendar! The installation starts at the gate of Metsä Village.
In 2023, the Umbrella Sky was inspired by Little My’s soap bubbles! The aurora-coloured umbrellas glow in different colours depending on the sun light and time of day.
Other events
Moominvalley often hosts wonderful seasonal events. In 2023, visitors could experience the wonderful Winter Wonderland, and in 2024, the park celebrates spring.
During the Spring Festival between 1 March – 14 April 2024, you can feel the season with beautiful flower decorations and a new photo opportunity Green Wall right at the park’s entrance. This spring is also time for Moominvalley Parks 5th anniversary events!
Moominvalley Park has also celebrateed harvest season in the autumn with beautiful berry-like installations and harvest-themed treats and menus.
Moominvalley Park staff uniforms
Moominvalley Park staff’s uniforms were designed by a Finnish brand, Ivana Helsinki. The colours and unique patterns worn by the park’s staff, from attractions and stores to security, capture the authentic Nordic flavour.
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Psst…
An official Moomin shop in Ginza, Tokyo!
Whilst you’re nearby Tokyo on a Moomin fan venture, make sure to visit the new Moomin Shop in Ginza, Tokyo. With a thousand different Moomin products, this shop even has a selection of imported Nordic brands and some exclusive Moomin goodies only available there!
Address: 3-1 Ginzanishi, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, 104-0061
Exclusive behind-the-scenes look at the making of the new Moominvalley Park
Dreaming of visiting Moominvalley Park in Japan? You can now visit it in Hanno, in the Saitama prefecture. Learn more about its design!
Moominvalley Park celebrates the autumn harvest
Take an autumn stroll in Moominvalley Park in Japan, and celebrate autumn and harvest time – check out what it looks like!
Moominvalley Park mug available on November 3rd – answers to frequently asked questions
The beautiful Moominvalley Park mug, launched in 2019 by Moomin by Arabia, comes for sale on the Moomin webshop on November 3rd.