If you have a child who lives and breathes Hello Kitty, My Melody, Cinnamoroll, Kuromi, or basically anything Sanrio-related, then Sanrio Puroland is probably going to feel like pure magic.
If you are not a hardcore Sanrio fan?
I’m going to be honest: this place is very much geared toward younger kids.
That said… we still had a surprisingly fun half-day there.
Especially because my daughter is a huge Kuromi fan, which definitely made the experience more exciting for her from the moment we walked in.
And honestly, this visit had been years in the making.
Ever since she saw the Tanner family visit Sanrio Puroland on Fuller House, she had wanted to go. So for her, this wasn’t just another Tokyo attraction — it was one of those “finally getting to do the thing you’ve dreamed about forever” moments.
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What Is Sanrio Puroland?
Sanrio Puroland is an indoor Sanrio theme park located in Tama City, about an hour outside central Tokyo. It opened in 1990 and is essentially a giant pastel-colored world dedicated entirely to Sanrio characters.
Think:
- Hello Kitty
- Kuromi
- My Melody
- Cinnamoroll
- Gudetama
- Little Twin Stars
- Keroppi
- And approximately one million opportunities to buy cute merchandise
Because it’s fully indoors, it’s also a very popular rainy-day Tokyo activity.
How to Get to Sanrio Puroland
Getting there was actually easier than I expected.
From central Tokyo, you can take the train to:
- Keio Tama Center Station
or - Odakyu Tama Center Station
From the station, it’s about a 5-minute walk to the park entrance.
The easiest route from areas like Shibuya or Shinjuku is usually:
- Train to Shinjuku Station
- Transfer onto the Keio Line
- Get off at Keio Tama Center
Google Maps handled the route perfectly for us. Check out our full post on Navigating Trains in Japan.
One thing to know: because it’s outside central Tokyo, this is definitely more of a dedicated outing rather than something you casually stop by while exploring nearby neighborhoods.
Tickets & Pricing
Tickets for Sanrio Puroland are called “Passports,” and prices vary depending on the day you visit.
Current pricing is approximately:
- Adults: ¥3,900–¥4,600 ($33-40 CDN)
- Children: ¥2,800–¥3,500 ($25-30 CDN)
- Afternoon passes (after 2 PM): from around ¥2,800 ($25 CDN)
You can buy tickets:
- Through the official Sanrio Puroland website
- At the gate (depending on availability)
- Through third-party sites like Getyourguide
A lot of international visitors seem to use Getyourguide because the tickets are flexible and easier to purchase in English.
I would still recommend buying in advance just in case busy dates sell out.
Dad Sat This One Out… And Honestly, That Was Probably for the Best
My husband decided to sit this activity out and explore Tokyo on his own instead.
And honestly?
That was probably the correct decision.
Unless you are deeply emotionally invested in Sanrio characters, there is only so much pastel, glitter, giant bows, and aggressively cute music one adult can reasonably handle in a single afternoon.
And based on what we observed inside the park… many dads appeared to agree.
There were a lot of exhausted-looking fathers napping on benches throughout Sanrio Puroland while their families continued the serious business of character photos and souvenir shopping.
Meanwhile, my daughter and I fully embraced the chaos.
Themed Headbands Are Basically Mandatory
Like every good theme park experience, there comes a moment where you tell yourself:
“We are absolutely not buying themed headbands.”
And then 15 minutes later you are wearing themed headbands.
Honestly though? When in Rome.
The merch situation at Sanrio Puroland is dangerous if you have even the slightest weakness for cute things. There are entire stores dedicated to every possible Sanrio character accessory imaginable.
My daughter, naturally, got a Kuromi headband.
I ended up with a Cinnamoroll one. More because it’s my favorite pastry than character (of whom I know very little about).
And somehow wearing them immediately made the entire experience more fun.
Even if you aren’t a massive Sanrio fan, leaning into the ridiculousness of it all is kind of part of the experience. By the end, we were fully committed to the pastel chaos.
The Rides (Well… Ride)
If you’re expecting a full-scale theme park with multiple attractions, roller coasters, or thrill rides, this is not that.
There is really only one main ride.
And honestly? It reminded me a lot of Disney’s It’s a Small World.
You sit in a little boat and slowly float through colorful scenes filled with Sanrio characters, music, animatronics, lights, and elaborate displays.
It’s cute, cheerful, and undeniably charming in a very wholesome way.
Kids will absolutely love it.
Adults will probably smile politely while mentally comparing it to every Disney dark ride they’ve ever been on.
Character Shows, Parades & Hello Kitty Herself
Most of the experience at Sanrio Puroland revolves around:
- Character meet-and-greets
- Stage shows
- Musical performances
- Indoor parades
- Photo opportunities
One of the bigger attractions is visiting Hello Kitty’s mansion, where you can meet Hello Kitty herself and take photos inside her extremely pink and glamorous house.
There’s also a parade/show during the day with dancing, lights, music, and giant Sanrio characters floating around the central atrium.
And for Kuromi fans specifically, there’s a surprising amount of Kuromi merchandise and themed decor throughout the park. My daughter was fully in her element the entire time.
Again — if you adore Sanrio characters, this is probably delightful.
If not, you may reach your personal lifetime limit of pastel pretty quickly.
The Food Was Actually Better Than Expected
One thing that genuinely surprised us was the food.
Theme park food can be pretty hit-or-miss, but the themed meals here were actually decent and honestly kind of fun.
We ended up having Gudetama ramen for lunch, because obviously if you’re at Sanrio Puroland, you commit to the theme.
The park has multiple themed restaurants and food courts serving:
- Character ramen
- Curry dishes
- Character-shaped buns
- Cute desserts
- Decorative drinks
- Extremely photogenic sweets
Even if you’re not obsessed with Sanrio, the food is part of the fun.
Did My Teenager Enjoy Sanrio Puroland?
Surprisingly… yes.
My 13-year-old daughter genuinely had a good time — though I think being a massive Kuromi fan played a huge role in that.
Not in a “this is the greatest theme park ever” kind of way — but more in a:
- this is cute
- this is funny
- let’s take photos
- everything is absurdly adorable
kind of way.
There’s definitely enough visual overload, themed snacks, shopping, and photo opportunities to keep teens entertained for a few hours.
But would I recommend it specifically for teens or adults?
Probably not… unless they are already huge Hello Kitty or Sanrio fans.
Is Sanrio Puroland Worth It?
For toddlers and younger children:
Absolutely.
For hardcore Sanrio fans:
Without question.
Teens:
Maybe — especially if they enjoy cute aesthetics, Japanese pop culture, or are obsessed with characters like Kuromi.
For adults with no attachment to Sanrio whatsoever:
Honestly, probably skip it.
We had a good half-day experience, enjoyed the atmosphere, ate some fun themed food, took photos, and checked it off the Tokyo bucket list.
But compared to everything else Tokyo has to offer, this probably wouldn’t make my must-do list unless someone in your group is deeply invested in the Sanrio universe.
Still, if you’ve ever wanted to eat Gudetama ramen while surrounded by giant pastel cartoon characters, this is definitely the place for you.
| The Syps Family Sanrio Puroland Tip Box 🎀 Be sure to purchase your Sanrio Puroland tickets in advance as this place can get crowded really fast. 🎀 This is best as a half-day activity, not a full-day park 🎀 Get the headbands – just do it. 🎀 It’s entirely indoors, which is great during bad weather 🎀 Comfortable shoes are still a must – despite the park being indoors there is still a fair bit of walking. 🎀 Note that most attractions are shows and photo experiences, not rides 🎀 Check parade and show schedules when you arrive 🎀 If you want character photos, line up early 🎀 The line up for the “ride” can get up to an hour wait fairly quickly – if you are not picky about sitting in the front, there is a separate line up for sitting in the back of the car that goes a lot quicker |
The Syps Survival Summary
Did we survive trying to maintain dignity in complimentary character headbands? I’m going to go with No. Dignity was abandoned near the entrance.
Was it Cute? Yes.
Fun for kids? Definitely.
Worth traveling across Tokyo for as an adult with no Sanrio attachment? Probably not.
But as a quirky, uniquely Japanese, pastel-filled experience?
We’re still glad we went.
And for my daughter — who had wanted to visit ever since seeing it on Fuller House and who spent the entire day living her best Kuromi life — it was absolutely worth it.
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