Step into the forest of a Moomin story
Hanno, a green town about 40 to 50 minutes from Ikebukuro by train, has two places that bring the world of the Moomin books by the Finnish author Tove Jansson into the woods. One is a free park with mushroom-shaped houses among the trees, and the other is a lakeside valley where the Moomin house and lighthouse from the stories have been rebuilt. You can walk both in one unhurried day.
A free park in the woods that grew out of letters exchanged with Tove Jansson, with round, mushroom-shaped houses you can step inside, a small exhibit on the author and a Nordic-style cafe. There are no rides or costumed characters, so it feels more like walking into a picture book than a theme park. Opening days change by season, so check the city's website before you go.
A valley beside a lake where the Moomin house, the lighthouse and the bathing hut from the stories have been rebuilt, so you walk through scenes from the illustrations. With the free audio guide, the characters seem to speak to you at each spot. Tickets can be bought online in advance, and a bus runs from the north exit of Hanno Station.