Here’s how to get the most out of Tokyo with kids

Tokyo is as crowded, colorful and charismatic as you’ve heard. Which means your kids will love it.

Indeed, this one-of-a-kind metropolis has a countless attractions offering maximum amusement for tiny travelers, from giant video game arcades to the anime-focused Ghibli Museum. It’s simply a delight to visit Tokyo with kids.

What’s more, Tokyo is a parents’ dream when it comes to the logistics of travel. The city is clean, safe and packed with every modern amenity (those snack-packed convenience stores will be lifelines). Though the sheer mass of people can be overwhelming and some of the city’s more staid sights may not appeal to little ones, the sheer scope and buzz of the place will keep the whole family entertained.

From Disneyland to the gaming arcades of Akihabara, our guide covers the Tokyo spots your kids will be happy to be dragged to, as well as the practicalities for exploring Tokyo with pint-sized travelers in tow.

Is Tokyo a good place to visit for kids?

Visiting Tokyo with kids is not without its challenges. You’ll have to navigate one of the world’s most complex railway systems. Then you’ll need to sell the pleasures of eating raw fish. Yet family travel to Tokyo has much more upside than down, thanks to the variety of excursions that await, as well as the childlike energy that permeates contemporary Japanese culture.

A deluge of never-ending gaming arcade halls, cartoon-character-themed street art, cosplay moments, manga, stores stacked with neon-colored confections, pulsating amusement parks...all this plus the aliveness of the place are sure to keep the kids entertained. Kids at heart, too: Japan is the land of the kidult, after all.

Best things to do in Tokyo with kids

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. Even better, this high-tech district that dominates a patch of reclaimed land in Tokyo Bay is filled with a hefty assortment of child-friendly diversions.

For kids with an engineering mindset, the Legoland Discovery Center has the potential to supply hours of brick-building fun – and will appeal to AFOLs (Adult Fans of Lego), too. With kids in tow, you can’t skip out on Joypolis, a Sega-themed indoor amusement park with fairground games, icons such as Sonic the Hedgehog, roller coasters, virtual-reality experiences and arcade machines.

2. Dive into a vision of the future on Tokyo Bay

The world depicted in robot-themed manga comics feels tantalizingly close at the National Museum of Emerging Science & Innovation (Miraikan) on the edge of Tokyo Bay. Here, while exploring with a video-game-themed smartphone app, kids with a scientific bent can view the latest in robot tech, including regular demonstrations by the startlingly human-like ASIMO.

Teens will also appreciate the remarkable digital art installations at teamLab Borderless, which bring to life a surreal vision of the future that draws on Japanese sci-fi (but will also look familiar to fans of Blade Runner and Ghost in the Shell). A short journey north at Tokyo Dome City, TeNQ takes the interactive journey into space, with exhibits that aim to create a sense of wonder, rather than just static displays of space memorabilia.

3. Take in the whole city from the top of Tokyo Skytree

At 634m, Tokyo Skytree is the second-tallest free-standing tower on the planet – so you can count on stupendous views from the top. From its two observation decks, kids can enjoy a genuine “floating in the sky” experience. Observing the suburbs racing towards the horizon in a jumble of concrete blocks, you'll get a real sense of just how outrageously expansive Tokyo is.

If the skies are clear, you’ll also get unimpeded views of Mt Fuji, rising god-like over the capital. If the kids aren’t enthused by the urban sprawl and Tokyo’s majestic volcano, the higher of the two decks features frequent art exhibits based on popular anime and video-game titles. As a fallback option, the Pokémon Center on the 4th floor could be a saving grace.

4. Find popular anime heroes on Character Street

In the depths of Tokyo Station, the corridor known colloquially as Character Street is like the Asian version of Mr Magorium’s Wonder Emporium. Even if your kids aren’t familiar with all the characters, the corridor’s 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.

Of the 30 shops on offer, the Studio Ghibli store, which has some marvelously creative merchandise, and the Pokémon Center will probably stand out most to international visitors. If you want to introduce the kids to some Japanese favorites, look for merchandise relating to Hello Kitty, Doraemon and Ultraman.

5. Find anime heaven at the Ghibli Museum in Mitaka

The Studio Ghibli anime empire, co-created by legendary cartoonist Hayao Miyazaki, is a central pillar of Japanese pop culture. Which makes a trip to the Ghibli Museum in Mitaka-shi an enchanting experience for adults and tiny cartoon fans alike. Residing in a toy-like house covered in vines and popping with pastel colors and quirky architectural features, the museum is a treasure trove of objects relating to such movies as My Neighbor Totoro and Spirited Away.

For those unfamiliar with Studio Ghibli’s output, it’s worth visiting the museum as an abstract curiosity in its own right. Everything here is perfectly in tune with the studio’s singular magical-realist method of storytelling, from the interior design and the creaking study full of Miyazaki’s original concept art to the in-house cinema screening Ghibli’s latest short films.

6. Go full theme park at Disneyland and DisneySea

Japan has a childlike fascination with theme parks, and Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea, located just outside the city in Chiba Prefecture, are its two most popular. Both Disneyland and DisneySea are well connected to the Tokyo metropolitan area by public transport, and a 2-day pass covers admission for both sites.

Open since 1983, Tokyo Disneyland follows a similar architectural blueprint to the original Disneyland in California. It’s the better of of Tokyo’s two Disney parks for younger children, since it has fewer thrill rides and a focus on family-friendly attractions, such as Roger Rabbit’s Car Toon Spin, the Mark Twain Riverboat and Buzz Lightyear’s Astro Blasters.

DisneySea caters more to older kids, teens and adults. The name reflects its nautical cast, with seven themed areas, known as “ports of call,” sitting within sight of the Pacific Ocean. Sinbad’s Storybook Voyage and Finding Nemo–inspired Turtle Talk should excite smaller children. Older kids will probably favor higher-octane excursions such as Indiana Jones Adventure: Temple of the Crystal Skull or the Tower of Terror.

Best neighborhoods for kids in Tokyo

Akihabara

The pop-culture-obsessed district of Akihabara is crammed with video game iconography that kids will love – but parents should be wary. Visually, the neighborhood’s rainbow-splashed main street is sure to impress, as are the flashing hordes of arcade machines and mechanical claw games. (They don’t call it “Electric Town” for nothing.)

Take a wrong turn, however, and you could be stumbling into a lascivious maid cafe, or a room full of middle-aged men hypnotized by screens and puffing on cigarettes or actual cartoon porn. To avoid such mishaps, stick to the bottom floors of buildings and follow English-language signage.

Nakano

West of Shinjuku, the Nakano district is great for older kids who have an interest in Japanese pop culture. Located at the end of a traditional shōtengai arcade, the Nakano Broadway shopping complex is full of anime and manga stores peddling rare and retro collectibles.

Harajuku

In the heart of Harajuku, Takeshita-dōri, home to hole-in-the-wall crepe stores and colorful confectionery parlors, is a popular haunt for tourists and Tokyo’s bohemian youth. However, it’s best to avoid Harajuku on weekends, when the pedestrian-only main street becomes so packed it’s almost impenetrable.

If you want a taste of Tokyo's cosplay culture, you can see devotees of fancy-dress parading as manga, anime and pop culture characters at the Jingūbashi bridge, by the entrance to Yoyogi-kōen park, which is also a great place for kids to let off steam. Come on Sundays for the best costumes and characters.

How to get around Tokyo with kids

Tokyo’s train network is a complex beast, and certain stations – Shinjuku deserves a special mention – can take years of experience to master. Still, it’s worth getting to know the system, for rail is by far the cheapest and most efficient method of getting around the city. Most lines are color-coded, all Tokyo stations now have English-language signage, and station officials will always try to help, regardless of language barriers. Nonetheless, you should expect a lot of “are we there yet?” from the kids. And since the crowds can be exhausting, try to avoid traveling at peak times (morning and post-work rush hours).​