Looking for the best Japanese shows for babies and toddlers? Here is a list of shows that my toddler (and I) loved to watch!
This list of Japanese shows for babies and toddlers is comprised of things that my toddler (now 2 years old) used to or currently watches. They include educational shows for learning Japanese language and culture, as well as being entertaining. It is in no way an exhaustive list as we do limited screen time and haven’t watched every Japanese children’s show. I hope to add more as he gets older and we find new shows to watch.
While these shows are also made for children, I think some would be useful for beginning Japanese learners as well!
Want to watch these shows? Check out my blog post on how to watch them outside of Japan.
1. Okaasan to Issho (おかあさんといっしょ)
Okaasan to Issho means With Mother and is one of the most classic children’s shows in Japan. It airs on weekday mornings on NHK and has been running since the late 1950s. I have many happy memories of watching this with my mom as a toddler. Whats also wild is my father-in-law remembers watching the show when it came out, too! This show is aimed for ages 2-4 but is enjoyed by babies and toddlers alike.
There are 4 hosts who are called oniisan and oneesan (brothers and sisters) who sing songs, dance, and do skits. The show uses both traditional Japanese children’s songs as well as creating original songs (that often become popular among children). It teaches a variety of concepts, language, and culture, syncing up with cultural events and holidays.
Airs weekday mornings on NHK. Check this blog post for ways to watch outside of Japan.
2. Inai Inai Baa (いないいないばあっ！)
Inai Inai Baa means Peekaboo and has been airing for over 20 years, also on weekday mornings on NHK. This was easily Rei’s favorite show from when he was about 1-2 years old. This show is also aimed for ages 2+ but babies still love it.
The hosts are a little girl with her puppet friends and a dog named Wanwan. It has small segments of songs, animation, dancing, and cultural information. Compared to Okaasan to Issho, I think Inai Inai Baa is a little more interesting, especially for a parents. A lot of parents like Wanwan’s character since he is a little more free and fun.
Airs weekday mornings on NHK. Check this blog post for ways to watch outside of Japan.
3. Synapusyu (しなぷしゅ)
Pronounced Shinapushu, it is a play on the word Synapse + push. This show was created by child development experts at the University of Tokyo and has been running for over 5 years. Synapusyu airs on TV Tokyo as well as uploads all episodes to their YouTube channel at the end of each week. It is aimed for ages 2 and under.
The show is meant to expand your baby’s vocabulary and imagination. It is mostly made of a variety of musical segments (mostly using original songs).
Airs weekdays on TV Tokyo. They also upload the episodes on their YouTube channel.
4. Soreike! Anpanman (それいけ！アンパンマン)
The TV show, which means Let’s Go! Anpanman originated from the Anpanman picture books and manga from the 70s. The tv anime started in the late 70s and is beloved by both children and adults. Anpanman was easily my favorite tv show as a toddler and was one that I was most excited to share with Rei.
The series follows the adventures of Anpanman, a superhero who has a head made of anpan (red bean bread) who protects his community from a bad germ named Baikinman. It sounds weird, and honestly, watching it as an adult I feel like it is a little weird, but kids LOVE it. The shows focus is on being a helpful member of society and persevering through hardship with the support of your friends.
The Anpanman IP has spread across all platforms, with movies, museums, games – pretty much anything! He is such an iconic symbol of childhood in Japan.
Airs on Nippon TV. Check this blog post for ways to watch outside of Japan.
5. Bom Bom Academy (ボンボンアカデミー)
Bom Bom Academy is a YouTube channel that specializes in children’s songs paired teasobi (手遊び). Teasobi means hand-play or hand-games, and refers to the simple movements and dances that go along with songs or games. Teasobi is very popular in Japan and Bom Bom Academy is probably the most popular teasobi channel with over 1 million subscribers.
The two hosts, Naru and Icchi, have probably covered almost every song imaginable and they collaborate with other popular kids shows (even some on this list!).
All episodes can be viewed on YouTube.
6. UtaSTAR (うたスタ)
UtaSTAR is a YouTube channel that uses (mostly) animal videos to teach Japanese nursery rhymes and children’s songs. Its a very popular channel with over 700,000 subscribers!
All episodes can be viewed on YouTube.
7. Go! Go! Norimono Town (ゴーゴー！のりものタウン)
This is a YouTube channel and the name means Go! Go! Vehicle Town. Just like the title mentions, it is centered on vehicles in Japan. While this channel might only be appealing for kids who like vehicles, episodes are well put together and show really cool vehicles. Rei loves it and started watching it since we stumbled upon it when he was a little over 1. It is probably more suited for ages 3+ because the explanations can get a bit complex, but younger children can easily enjoy watching all the fun vehicles!
All episodes can be viewed on their YouTube channel.
8. Shimajiro (しまじろ)
Shimajiro is an animated show about a tiger named Shimajiro and his friends. Each episode has a lesson and covers every day life scenarios. It is extremely popular in Japan. It is aimed at toddlers and while Rei doesn’t watch it yet, I am sure he will soon.
Airs on TV Tokyo. Check this blog post for ways to watch outside of Japan.
9. Miitsuketa! (みいつけた！)
This is another daily show on NHK that means Found it! It is aimed toward ages 4-6 but for some reason Rei has always loved it.
The main characters/hosts are a little girl named Sui-chan, a cactus named Sabo-san, and a chair named Kosshi. It sounds weird, and makes no sense, but it is very fun. Sabo-san is a fan favorite for the adults as he likes to crack jokes and his lines sound almost unscripted. There is so much personality and spunk in the show.
They have songs, skits, games, and I love the segments that go out in the community to showcase different things: how artisans make a specific item, how stunt actors work, how a firetruck works, etc.
Airs on weekdays on NHK. Check this blog post for ways to watch outside of Japan.
10. Genki Genki Nontan (げんきげんきノンタン)
Genki Genki Nontan is a CG show from the early 2000s that are based off the popular Nontan book series. Rei currently is enjoying this show a lot. It is made up of short segments of catchy songs, shor stories to teach you about playing well with others, and educational material like counting, hiragana, shapes, colors, and even English.
I will warn you that the graphics feel old and aren’t great, but the show is fun.
Episodes can be watched on Netflix Japan. Check this blog post for ways to watch outside of Japan.
Other Popular Japanese Shows for Younger Children
These are some shows that Rei hasn’t watched yet but are popular:
Pretty Cure (プリキュア): This is a magical girl anime aimed for toddlers. It is insanely popular. Rei has not shown interest in it so we don’t watch it. However, my two nieces LOVES it when they were young. Every year the show changes to a brand-new story and new characters so it keeps it exciting.
Kamen Rider (仮面ライダー): The name means Masked Rider and is a popular classic live-action hero show. It has been around for decades and the characters and storylines change yearly. Rei is just starting to get into Kamen Rider but hasn’t watched any full episodes.
Super Sentai (スーパー戦隊): If you know Power Rangers, that is the western version of Super Sentai. This long-running classic live-action series is all about heros who fight space villains.
Other Shows Popular in Japan (but not necessarily from Japan)
There are a handful of western shows that are very popular in Japan. A couple of these Rei also watches in Japanese and looooooves.
Kikansha Thomas (きかんしゃトーマス): This is the Japanese dub for Thomas & Friends (Kikansha means Steam Engine). For some reason Japan loooooves Thomas, and Rei is no exception. The newer animated series is super cute! When Rei watches Thomas we watch it mostly in Japanese, but sometimes in English. Its fun having the option of two languages!
Mickey Mouse Clubhouse (ミッキーマウスクラブハウス): This is the Japanese dub of the US show. Japan loves Mickey Mouse. We watch this show both in English and Japanese.
Osaru no Jooji (おさるのジョージ): This is the Japanese dub for Curious George (the Japanese title means The Monkey George). We watch this primarily in Japanese.
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