For some people, a trip to Japan with a toddler and an infant might not sound supremely appealing. But having just done it, I can confidently say that Tokyo is a terrific place to bring young kids. First off, it’s impeccably clean, well-organized and easy-to-navigate on foot (it’s ranked the sixth most walkable city in the world according to recent data from Compare the Market AU) or by train. The metro system makes getting around a cinch and eliminates the need to bring a car seat.
Japan’s sprawling capital draws millions of visitors each year. And many of its most famous attractions — including Yoyogi Park and Harajuku — are super kid-friendly. Instead of long, drawn-out meals, the eating culture is much more about efficiency, which works well for toddlers who have about 15 minutes of sit-down time. Of course, there are many things to consider before packing up and hopping on a plane halfway across the world. But when the destination is Tokyo, skepticism should be thrown out the window. Here’s how to plan the perfect trip to Tokyo with young kids.
How to Get There
Buckle up for a long-haul flight. The journey from New York (JFK) or Newark (EWR) to Tokyo Haneda (HND) takes a little more than 14 hours. Will your baby cry at some point? Probably. And toddlers are known to get restless quickly. But little kids have just as much of a right to be on planes as adults. Besides, I’ve seen grownups act way worse aboard an aircraft.
We booked the bulkhead seat and requested a bassinet, which gave our tiniest jet setter his own space to sleep and play. Admittedly, our toddler has been on countless flights — though this was by far the longest — and knows the drill. He split his time between snacking, coloring, playing with his little bro, snoozing and screen time. I’m not ashamed to admit it’s an important tool in our airplane arsenal.
Where to Stay
Japan’s capital is chock full of fantastic stays, from five-star to more affordable. I highly recommend the Four Seasons Hotel Tokyo At Marunouchi. Across the board, the brand goes above and beyond from a service standout. Before jetting off, I sent what felt like a gazillion messages to the concierge via the easy-to-use app. By the time we checked in, they had already coordinated a babysitter to watch our three-year-old so my husband and I could have an adult-ish dinner, arranged a baby stroller for use (we’re Artipoppe carrier stans, but it’s nice to have the option of pushing around our littlest guy for a bit without the hassle of packing more gear) and helped us secure tickets to a baseball game. We stayed in a corner suite overlooking the train tracks, and the team stocked it with everything from toys and baby toiletries to a diaper pail. The property also offers an escort service to the Shinkansen bullet train, which is immensely helpful when you’re trying to haul luggage and navigate Tokyo Station with tots in tow.
Another luxurious option, The Ritz-Carlton, Tokyo occupies the top floors of Tokyo Midtown and welcomes kids with open arms and extra special necessities like cute balloons. There’s a kids’ corner off the lobby with books and toys. You can also book an in-room camping amenity that comes with a tent, pretend s’mores and a camp light. Our toddler was obsessed with this and asked if we could take it home. Luckily, the backpack, coloring books and stuffed animals are souvenirs to keep.
For something more budget friendly, Hyatt House Tokyo Shibuya supplies apartment-style setups that are great for families in a convenient location in one of the city’s most central and bustling areas.
What to Do
From a family-friendly entertainment perspective, you can’t beat Tokyo. Of course, LOs will go wild for the costumed characters and magic of Tokyo Disneyland. If you don’t want to commit a full day to a theme park (we didn’t), there are plenty of awesome attractions to check out.
Tokyo Dome City is a complex with rides, shops, Asobōno! — the largest indoor play space in Tokyo — bowling, indoor batting cages, a hero action show and a dome-shaped baseball stadium. Depending when you visit, you might be able to catch a game. If squirmy tots can’t, err wont, stay seated, rest assured there’s plenty of delicious food at the concession stands, furry mascots and cool merch to keep them happy.
teamLab Planets — an immersive art experience where visitors go barefoot and actually interact with the works — was a major highlight of our trip. Our three-year-old particularly enjoyed the water hallway and giant ball room. We also snapped an adorable family photo in front of the internet-famous crystal waterfalls. Be sure to book online well in advance or risk missing out. Admission is timed and can be adjusted up until 9:00 a.m. on the visit date. So if your little one sleeps poorly the night before and you need to switch the time, that’s doable based on availability.
When people talk about Harajuku, they’re most likely referring to Takeshita Dori, the pedestrian street lined with souvenir shops, vintage stores and places to buy Instagrammable waffle cones. The colorful windows and tasty treats were enough to distract Miles from the fact that I left his stroller (we always travel with the Colugo Compact Travel Stroller) back at the hotel.
Located next to Harajuku Station and Meiji Shrine, Yoyogi Park is a lovely place to meander along the tree-shaded pathways and enjoy an afternoon snack on the grassy lawns. Besides the famous cherry blossom trees that bloom in the spring, Ueno Park houses many cultural functions — including Japan’s oldest zoo. Travelers of all ages will love seeing giant pandas up close. There’s also a small playground near the entrance for LOs. Nearby, the National Museum of Nature and Science has hands-on physics experiments, play-oriented exhibition rooms geared towards young museum goers and prehistoric fossils.
Where to Eat and Drink
Tsukiji Market, the old wholesale fish market that moved to Toyosu a few years ago, has transformed into a food mecca with dozens of stalls selling everything from sashimi to fresh produce, so there’s something for everyone in the family to enjoy. Our little dude especially loved the ramen, tamago (Japanese omelet) on a stick, Wagyu and strawberries.
Udon Shin came highly recommended and is known to have very long waits (there are only three small tables and a few bar seats and hundreds of people clambering to dine in each day, so do the math). Anticipating that, we grabbed a ticket from the kiosk outside and headed to Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden. You can scan the QR code to keep track of how things are progressing. Four hours later, we were gobbling up the best noodles of the trip. Another fan favorite, Sato Yosuke Ginza Inaniwa Udon, often has a line, but it moves quickly. Speaking of speed, our food came out in minutes. Once we sat down, the whole meal from start to finish took half an hour and was delicious.
While our three-year-old doesn’t eat raw fish yet, virtually all sushi restaurants (aside from a fancy omakase spot, which typically don’t allow kids anyway) serve veggie rolls, tamago, miso soup and unagi (grilled eel). The chef at Daiwa Sushi at Toyosu Market was particularly accommodating and was delighted by Miles ordering mizu (water) and using his chopsticks to eat the fish out of his miso soup.
To stock up on snacks or for a quick, easy and inexpensive meal, don’t sleep on Japanese konbini (convenience stores). Lawson, FamilyMart and 7-Eleven make it a snap satisfy “I’m hungry” wails thanks to a selection of prepared food — from onigiri (rice balls) to egg salad sandwiches — chips, breads and frozen treats.
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As mentioned, Tokyo is super walkable, so you can put the kiddos in the carrier or stroller and cover a lot of ground. With that said, given the sheer size and abundance of can’t-miss sites in Japan’s capital, an alternative mode of transport becomes something of an inevitability. I recommend the metro because it goes everywhere, and the color-coded lines and signs in English make navigating it super manageable. While it’s definitely easier and more convenient to maneuver around the various multi-level stations sans stroller, almost all of them have elevators for when an escalator just won’t suffice. If you plan to cart around a car seat or, better yet, have a Doona (a true lifesaver for city trips), it’s easy to call an Uber.
Tips for Combatting Jet Lag
I hate to be the bearer of bad news but there’s no snap-your-finger cure for jet lag (though you can totally fake it with the right skin care products — ahem, Summer Fridays Jet Lag Mask). But things we found to help get us all on Japanese Standard time were waking up the same time we normally do, spending time outside and getting plenty of sunlight during the day, trying to put the boys down for midday naps in the carrier or stroller, and trying to stay calm during the 2 a.m. wake-ups that happened the first couple nights.
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