The best things to do in Tokyo Japan with kids
Honestly, there are so many things to do, I don’t know where to start. But just follow your interests. There’s things for foodies, anime lovers, theme parks, temples and culture or all of the above.
So in this section I will cover our own must do’s and let you know some of the other things we didn’t quite fit into this trip, but are on our next Tokyo to-do list.
Shibuya Scramble Square
I’m sure you would have seen the crazy pedestrian crossing that is the Shibuya Crossing and if you want to cross here, you’ll need to head to Shibuya Station.
This pedestrian crossing is the largest pedestrian crossing in the world and it’s one of those places that will just blow your kids minds with all of the crowds of people. Well at least it did for our kids from little ol New Zealand.
After you cross a few times, check out the Hachiko memorial of the famous Japanese dog. It’s a symbol of loyalty and goodness in the world and it has a cool wee story. Hachiko’s owner would walk with his dog to the station every day and his dog would meet him and walk home again. Unfortunately his owner died suddenly but Hachiko turned up every day after to work to wait for him to come home (so sad)
Probably one of the best free things to do in Tokyo with kids and mine still talk about the crazy crosswalk.
Harajuku and Takeshita Street: Fun things to do in Tokyo with kids
Harajuku is touted to be an area with crazy fashion and Japanese anime and Kawaii (cute) culture. It was a very busy area, perhaps because of Takeshita Street and all the popular shopping spots around.
If you’ve ever seen Tokyo food on tiktok or instagram then you’ve likely seen Takeshita Street, famous for all its crazy street food including rainbow grilled chilled sandwiches, candy floss as big as your head and candied strawberries that were actually amazing, just expensive.
Most treats were in the 600-1000 yen mark which is about NZ$6.50-$11. If you tried everything and purchased one for the whole family, this would be an expensive afternoon, but we spent about $50 and tried 5-6 different items and shared our treats.
All were fun to try and this was our “activity” for the day. The kids will definitely remember this and of course they make for good photos. The area is extremely crowded so be prepared for the hustle and bustle.
Happy Pancake
So after looking at all the awesome things to eat in Tokyo on Tik Tok the kids decided that Happy Pancake had to be one of them. Thanks to Tina from @hangrybynature, they were obsessed.
We visited the Shibuya branch and rocked up at 12.30pm on a Saturday and nabbed a table straight away, but by 1pm there was a line out the door. Quite unassuming on the 3rd floor of the building, it didn’t look like much, but happy to say we found it.
Happy Pancakes are like a souffle pancake, with more of an eggy consistency and taste. They are soft and wobble and are quite delicious. Not cheap by Tokyo meal standards, about 1200-1500yen but I’d say $15 for brunch or lunch in NZD to be pretty good
Rent a kimono and visit Sensoji Temple
Now I was a little nervous about how I’d feel about hiring a kimono and walking around the city, but it was so fun and I’m so glad we did. What was also so interesting is that we were the only foreigners renting a kimono that morning (which is totally fine of course) so not a tourist trap like we thought it could be.
There were so many girls dressing up, some with their friends/boyfriends and visiting the temples and taking photos and we found this all over Japan. I love that we can also share in this fun, just like they do.
Getting dressed in a kimono is such an experience and it was fun to do this with Emilia. She lit up as she got her hair done and put on a white wrap, which turned out to be an undergarment and then the dressing process began.
So many layers and ties, the lovely Japanese girls dressed us with such speed and precision. Then handbags were added and japanese sandals put on and we were off into the city to explore.
We hired from Miyabi in Asakusa which was part of our Klook Tokyo Pass. I just booked in the womens special for everyone, then paid the difference (and extra 500yen for the kids and 2000 yen for my husband) The location was just a 5 minute walk from Sensoji temple which was a great place to take photos too. It ended up being one of my favourite family activities in Tokyo and I love looking back on my photos of this.
You can see prices and option for Miyabi here (side note: there was no option to book kids online but I just booked a womens special and they changed it to kids when we arrived. Maybe another $5)
Sensoji Temple
Wow, the hustle and bustle of the market area as you walk down to Sensoji Temple is pretty intense. I mean you wouldn’t want to make it anywhere in a hurry, but you’ll be glad to know that by the time you reach the temple and get away from the main gate where everyone is taking photos, that you’ll be able to find some space.
Sensoji is a great place to have a first temple experience, including washing their hands in sacred water, lighting incense to wash away sins and bad spirits, and getting a fortune.
You can try your luck at our omikuji fortune. For 100yen you can shake a small metal box where a wooden stick will pop out the bottom with a number. Your number is related to your fortune and here they also have an english translation. If the fortune is good, you keep it and if it’s is bad, not to worry they say, you tie the fortune up at the temple and wish it away. A cute wee experience fora $1 or two.
Sensoji Temple was built in 645, making it the oldest temple of Tokyo.
Teamlab Planets: Easily one of the top things to do in Tokyo with kids
Anyone who has social media has probably heard about Teamlab Planets (or Teamlabs Borderless predecessor) and it really is a must do experience. In essence, this place is experiential art.
Teamlab Borderless also opened up just after we left and I’m sure it will be an equally amazing experience. Its on our must do in Tokyo list when we go back for our next Japan family holiday.
Now I know a lot of kids aren’t the greatest appreciators of art but they will enjoy this hands-on experience which is both incredibly random, amazing and surprising. We walked through rainbow water with “fish”, sat in a room full of moving flowers, lay back and watched art on the ceiling.. Very different, very cool.
I’d say to allow about 2 hours for the whole experience and there are a few tips you’ll need to know to make the most of it
- Tickets book out well in advance, so make sure you secure a booking early. We used Klook for this one and it was the first thing we booked in Japan. See if they have your dates here
- You will get wet up to your knees. There’s a water exhibition where you wade through warm water. Make sure you have pants you can roll up, or shorts. They also don’t recommend dresses or skirts as there are mirrored floors in some places so you don’t want anyone to see up your dress. Shorts are free to hire if you need
- They have lockers and even in winter it is very warm inside. Shorts and t-shirts would honestly be fine and you can leave your gear in a free locker. Lockers are big enough for backpacks etc, but not for carry on or checked luggage
- While you have an admission time, you can stay as long as you like. Our admission time of 1pm allowed us to enter between 1-1.30pm.
- No food or drink inside so make sure you eat before you arrive. There is a seating area outside if you have your own snacks
I won’t ruin exactly what’s inside, but it was something unlike I’d ever seen before and one of the best things to do in Japan with kids, I highly recommend it.
Take a look at TeamLab Planets and Teamlab Borderless
Joypolis: VR entertainment
Even when I looked online, I wasn’ exactly sure what this place was. But the kids did have a ton of fun and I’m pretty sure we don’t have anything like this place in New Zealand.
Joypolis is an entertainment gaming area of three floors, with a combination of arcade style games, rides and virtual reality rides. The arcade style games were pay as you go, but there were a whole lot of “rides/activities” that were included in the all access passport.
The virtual reality games saw us on a plane or 4wd truck, head into a room with a screen and fly and bump our way through an adventure. It wasn’t a roller coaster as it didn’t go anywhere, but like a 4D adventure, without the horrible glasses. Our 5 year old found these fun and not scary at all.
We shot zombies with guns, did virtual athletics on a treadmill with Sonic and the kids even did a coaster that shot around the building and tipped upside down.
A great thing to do in Tokyo on a rainy day and ton of fun. A must do, no but still super fun.
You can get a single pass to Joypolis here or as part of the Greater Tokyo Pass
Cool Things to do in Tokyo Japan with kids – RED Tokyo: VR entertainment
Tokyo Tower is the red Eiffel Tower looking building where you head up the top for a view of Tokyo City. Since we had already been up the Tokyo Skytree, we skipped the sightseeing experience and headed to RED Tokyo, a VR world which the kids really enjoyed.
It wasn’t busy on the day we were there and I think long lines would have been really draining, but we flitted from activity to activity with less than 10 minutes waiting all day.
The kids got to try out some traditional VR experiences with a headset, shooting all the dinosaurs and zombies which was really fun.
We played virtual dodgeball with headsets that looked like we were throwing coloured balls and we even put up shields. And the kids loved a game where you threw the soccer balls against the wall to pop the bubble targets. This was a game we could all play together and we got so hot and sweaty. Tons of fun!
We booked this as part of our Klook Tokyo Pass or you can buy individual tickets here
Tokyo Skytree Observation Tower
One of the best things to visit in Tokyo is an observation deck for all those city views. The Tokyo Skytree is the tallest tower (not building) in Tokyo and actually the third tallest in the world at 634 metres tall.
Our Airbnb was only a few subway stations away and we spent the week looking at it. There are a number of observation decks around the city and many buildings where you can see the view but we chose this one.
You can visit the 350m observation deck and the 450m observation deck. The 350m deck had a big area to walk around, so quite expansive but I don’t know if it was just because we were there at Christmas, but there were lots of displays that blocked the main vantage points.
The 450m deck was obviously higher up, but I’m not sure if the view was any better to be honest. But it is always nice to say you went up as high as you could right?
We did manage to see Mt Fuji poking out around sunset so for me, this is one of the best things to see in Tokyo. (Okay I am a little mountain obsessed). Again, it’s much easier if you have already purchased tickets online and do make sure you book it the day before at least.
Big tip: We could have saved about $40 for our family if we decided to book our ticket the day before instead of on the day. If only we had been that organised. I think it’s worth going up at least one observation deck while you are in Tokyo. It gives you a good sense of the city.
Check out booking times and prices at Tokyo Skytree here
Ginza Art Aquarium
The Ginza Art Aquarium was perhaps the only activity we did that I wouldn’t recommend in Tokyo. I mean, it is what it says it is, but it’s not worth the money for me.
The fish in all the cool fish bowls and aquariums do look pretty cool, but for us, it was a 30 minute experience and not worth the effort.
But if art is definitely your thing, you might find it interesting. Good to know though is that we had our full luggage with us and could just walk this through with all our gear.
Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo Disneysea
I have another full post of this place but if you’re wondering whether Disneyland is a Tokyo must do with kids, then yes, it definitely is.
We spent two full days here, one day in each park and I’d say we hit about 75% of it and are very happy with that. If you wanted to add another day, I’d do a second day at Disneyland. I felt it had more rides and things to see.
We spent most of the time flitting between rides, but with an extra day at Disney I think we could have taken the time to appreciate a lot more, take in the parades and redo a couple of our favourite rides.
Overall we found Disneyland to be rather reasonably priced for a big attraction. Food wasn’t overly inflated like it would have been in New Zealand. We paid $3.50 for an iceblock, $5 for an american style hotdog and about $15 for a curry and rice set with a drink.
If you’re choosing between the two parks, Disneyland is the traditional style Disney with Minnies house to explore and lots of fun storybook rides. It’s a great place for your very first time visit to Disneyland. I’d say choose this one first, however if you’ve been to Disneyland Anaheim (California) then you might like to choose Disneysea.
This is the only Disneysea in the world right now and its a different sort of experience. It has some more adult themed areas such as Venice and the American Waterfront. The activities are less cutesy and there are a few more thrill rides here compared with Disneyland (but by no means a scary attraction)
One thing you will want to do is book your Disneyland tickets in advance and many foreign credit cards have issues on the official Disneyland site. We booked our tickets through Klook and the process was seamless. I highly recommend. Check out Klook here
Warner Brothers Harry Potter Studio Tour
Oh my goodness, if you have any interest in Harry Potter at all, the Warner Brothers Studio Tokyo: The Making of Harry Potter is an absolute Tokyo must do. I was just blown away by how huge this was and it was every bit as magical as I had hoped.
The Harry Potter Studio Tour is a mixture of museum like exhibitions where you get to see costumes and props, whole sets of areas like the Gryffindor and Slytherin common room, and interactive activities such as being in the crowd of a Quidditch match, and flying on a broomstick.
It was a ton of fun and while I don’t want to give everything away, I will say it was a highlight of our trip to Tokyo
Here are a few tips:
- Tickets sell out so make sure you book yours in advance.
- Kids under 4 years old are free.
- We were there for almost 6 hours and we still didn’t get to read everything, so book for an early timeslot and allow yourself plenty of time
- You can enter the building up to an hour earlier than your allocated timeslot. So we booked at 3.30pm (only slot left) and we could enter at 2.30pm
- There’s an outside area and we were there when it was dark so what could have been some cool photos, weren’t…. So go earlier to avoid this
- There is restaurant access at halfway and you will need it if you’re going to be there for a while. We made sure we ate before we came as well.
- We got an audioguide but honesty I don’t think we needed it. All of the info boards were in English and Japanese
- There is a baggage and coat area which is complimentary but you won’t have access to it until you get out, so if you need water or a jacket for outside, then take this with you.
More things to do in Tokyo that we didnt quite have time for
Legoland Discovery Centre Tokyo
The Legoland Discovery Center Tokyo is a fun thing to do in Tokyo with kids who are a little younger. It has some Lego and Duplo play spaces, a few rides, a mini city and indoor playground area.
We chose to skip this one as we had just done Disneyland and it didn’t seem like a must do activity for us. However if you have younger kids and were staying in a while, it might be a great thing to do in Tokyo on a rainy day
Another option if your kids are lego mad is head to Legoland Japan Resort in Nagoya. You can take a bullet train from Tokyo to Nagoya and easily make this a day, or overnight trip. Or its a little closer if you are staying in Tokyo or Osaka. It’s much bigger and is filled with lots of rides and I’ve heard its fantastic for kids under 10 (or the big kid Lego lovers)
Learn more about Legoland Discovery Centre Tokyo here
Animal Cafes in Japan
If you want to visit Tokyo for the weird and the crazy, then a Tokyo animal cafe might be right up your alley.
While wandering about, we saw cafes for otters, hedgehogs, owls, micropigs and cats. What can I say, they love the cute, weird and wonderful.
If you think this might be something you and the kids would enjoy, check out these strange things to do in Tokyo.
Hedgehog Cafe Experience in Tokyo Shibuya
Kotsumate Animal Room: see otters and flying squirrels
Tsukiji Fish Market
Trying out all different types of Japanese food is a must do in Tokyo and we missed out on the Tsukiji Market and Toyosu Market.
The Tsukiji Fish Market was one of the most famous markets in the world, with the inner market selling all types of fish to local restaurants and suppliers and the outer market a foodie haven with everything you can think of.
The fish market has now been relocated to the Toyosu Market so head there if you’d like to check out the famous Tuna auctions early in the morning.
Ghibli Museum
While my kids aren’t interested in Japanese anime like what Studio Ghibli produces, its possible that your kids are so its worth mentioning here. The Ghibli museum is super popular and has interactive exhibits, play areas and short films.
So while we didn’t visit here, the number one piece of advice from my travel family friends is to BOOK THIS EARLY as it does sell out and can be incredibly hard to get tickets. There are no onsite sales and tickets open on the 1st-5th of the month for the FOLLOWING month.. So good luck everyone.
Check out the calendar and prices here
Imperial Palace
I had this place on my list as it wasn’t far from Tokyo Station where we transited a few times, but we just ran out of time (and we were here a week – so many things to do in Tokyo, I know)
The Imperial Palace is the residence of the Imperial Family, aka Japanese royalty and its the sight of the old Edo Castle. Japanese castles and temples have had some trouble with fire, so they aren’t too many original original buildings if you know what I mean.
While you can’t enter the inner grounds (except on Jan 2 and February 23 (Emperors birthday) you can enjoy the outer palace grounds and gardens
Ueno Park
If you’re looking to get away from the busy city streets, a stroll in Ueno Park might be a great way for the kids to burn off some steam. It’s a popular place to stroll and take photos during Cherry Blossom (sakura) season.
There are a number of temples in Ueno Park or the kids might like a visit to Ueno Zoo, the oldest zoo in Japan. There are over 3000 animals at Ueno Zoo and is one of only three places to see Giant Pandas in Japan.
A great kid friendly thing to do in Tokyo and very budget friendly at only 600 yen for adults and under 12’s are free (as at 2024)
Tokyo Museums
While we didn’t have time for museums on this trip, they would be great things to do in Tokyo on a rainy day.
There are actually lots of museums in Tokyo but here are a few that might interest you and the kids
Tokyo Toy Museum: Lots of hands on exhibits here and there are toys from all around the world
Yokohama Cup Noodles Museum: As far as weird things to do in Tokyo goes, this is up there. See, play, touch and eat your own speciality cup noodles, made just by you.
National Museum of Nature and Science: Free for high school kids and under, the best section is the Global Museum with the dinosaur exhibits (2 floors of them)
There are other museums such as the Tokyo National Museum but for me seem more standard museums that wouldn’t have a lot of kids unless they were particularly interested in Japanese history and art.
Things to do in Tokyo at night with kids
Christmas Illuminations: These are my favourite things to do in Tokyo in December. We were lucky enough to visit Japan at Christmas and there are a number of areas around Tokyo city that light up at night. We visited Roppongi Hills which is essentially a street of trees all lit up. Pretty, but very busy. The Tokyo Skytree area also has an illumination display but you do have to pay for that one. It is nice to have some things to do at night in Tokyo after all the main Tokyo attractions have closed, so this was super fun.
Gundam Statue at Odaiba: The Gundam statue from Japanese anime is like a transformer and at certain times through the day and night, it will transform. In the evenings there’s a bit of a night show and its all lit up. We missed this one unfortunately as a few activities took too long, so don’t be like us and plan this one in.
Tokyo Observation Towers: Head up to an observation deck just before sunset and see the Tokyo skyline at night as well. Especially if you aren’t from a big city, its a pretty cool thing to do with kids in Tokyo.