Family-Friendly Activities in Tokyo, Japan
The capital of Japan is famously crowded, colorful, and charismatic. Tokyo is also great fun for families, with a host of attractions that offer maximum amusement for tiny travelers, from giant video game arcades to the anime-focused Ghibli Museum.
Tokyo is a parents’ dream when it comes to the logistics of travel: the city is clean, safe, and comes with every modern convenience. Although the sheer mass of people can be overwhelming and some of the city’s top attractions may not appeal to younger kids, there are plenty of sights and activities that are guaranteed to keep the whole family entertained.
From Disneyland to the gaming arcades of Akihabara, here’s a guide to the top things to do in Tokyo with kids, emphasizing the practicalities for exploring with pint-sized travelers in tow.
Is Tokyo a Good Place to Visit for Kids?
Visiting Tokyo with kids is not without its challenges: navigating one of the world’s most complex railway systems and trying to extol the virtues of raw fish are just two of the obstacles you may need to overcome. However, Tokyo makes up for it with its sheer variety of excursions and the childlike energy that permeates modern Japanese culture.
A deluge of never-ending gaming arcade halls, cartoon-character-themed street art, cosplay costumes, stores stacked with saccharine confectionery, pulsating amusement parks, and the vibrant absurdity of life in Tokyo are all sure to keep the little ones entertained.
Best Things to Do in Tokyo with Kids
Kids (and kids at heart) will get a kick out of Tokyo’s kidult obsession with toys, anime, manga, and everything to do with pop culture. Here’s a kid-friendly Tokyo starter pack.
1. Discover a Real-Life Toy Town in Odaiba
Typified by imposing landmarks such as the manga-tastic Unicorn Gundam Statue, a miniature Statue of Liberty, and the polychromatic Rainbow Bridge, Odaiba is Tokyo’s vision of a utopian future. This high-tech district, dominating a patch of reclaimed land in Tokyo Bay, is filled with a hefty assortment of kid-friendly diversions.
For kids with an engineering mindset, Legoland Discovery Center has the potential to supply hours of brick-building fun. With kids in tow, don’t miss out on Joypolis, a SEGA-themed indoor amusement park that features fairground games, iconic characters such as Sonic the Hedgehog, roller coasters, virtual reality experiences, and arcade machines.
2. Find Favorite Anime Heroes on Character Street
In the depths of Tokyo Station, the corridor known as Character Street is like an Asian version of an emporium of fantastical toys. Even if your kids aren’t familiar with all the characters, the colorful chaos of anime soundtracks, action-figure heroes, daikaijū (giant monster) toys, cartoon character teddy bears, and gachapon (capsule toy) machines is sure to be a hit.
With 30 shops on offer, the Studio Ghibli store and the Pokemon Center are arguably the most recognizable to a global audience. Look for merchandise relating to Hello Kitty, Doraemon, and Ultraman to introduce the kids to some Japanese favorites.
3. Get the Full Theme Park Experience at Disneyland and DisneySea
Japan has a child-like fascination with theme parks, and Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea, located just outside the city in Chiba Prefecture, are its two most popular parks. Both Disneyland and DisneySea are well connected to the Tokyo metropolitan area by public transport.
Tokyo Disneyland, following a similar architectural blueprint to the original Disneyland in California, caters well to younger children, with family-friendly attractions like Roger Rabbit’s Car Toon Spin and Buzz Lightyear’s Astro Blasters. DisneySea, meanwhile, accommodates older kids and adults with its seven themed areas reflecting a nautical facade, offering excitement for the whole family.
4. Dive into a Vision of the Future on Tokyo Bay
Tokyo is famously obsessed with the future, and the world depicted in robot-themed manga comics feels tantalizingly close at the National Museum of Emerging Science & Innovation (Miraikan). Here, kids can view the latest in robot technology, including demonstrations by the remarkably human-like ASIMO.
Teens will appreciate the remarkable digital art installations at teamLab Borderless and the interactive journey into space at TeNQ, creating a sense of wonder with their engaging exhibits.
5. Take in All of Tokyo from the Top of Tokyo Skytree
At 634m (2,080ft), Tokyo Skytree is the second tallest free-standing tower on the planet. From its two observation decks, kids can enjoy a genuine ‘floating in the sky’ experience as they observe the vastness of Tokyo sprawled below and, if the skies are clear, catch sight of Mt Fuji.
6. Find Anime Heaven at the Ghibli Museum, Mitaka
The Studio Ghibli anime empire is a central pillar of Japanese pop culture, and a trip to the Ghibli Museum in Mitaka-shi offers enchantment for both adults and tiny cartoon fans alike. The museum showcases objects from iconic films such as My Neighbor Totoro and Spirited Away, making it a delightfully immersive experience in the world of anime.
Best Neighborhoods for Kids in Tokyo
Exploring Tokyo’s diverse neighborhoods is part of the fun. While Akihabara is crammed with video game iconography, take care to steer clear of more adult-oriented venues by sticking to the first few floors of buildings and following English-language signage.
Meanwhile, the Nakano district is great for older kids interested in Japanese pop culture, filled with stores offering rare collectibles. Harajuku offers a colorful array of crepe shops and sweet stores, but avoid weekends due to overwhelming crowds.
How to Get Around Tokyo with Kids
Tokyo’s train system is an efficient method of getting around the city, though it can be complex to navigate. Most lines are color-coded, all stations have English signage, and station officials are helpful despite language barriers. To avoid overwhelming the kids, try to travel outside peak times, such as morning and post-work rush hours.
