Tokyo with Kids: Where to Go and How to Plan It

Tokyo is one of the easiest big cities in the world to visit with children: it is safe, clean and full of things designed for families. The best plan mixes one big day out — Tokyo Disney Resort or a theme park — with museums, zoos and aquariums, parks and play spaces, and keeps each day to one neighbourhood so travel never takes over.

Big days out

• Tokyo Disney Resort — Disneyland and DisneySea, just outside the city in Chiba. Buy tickets in advance for a set date.
• The Ghibli Museum in Mitaka, for fans of the films. Tickets sell out and must be booked ahead.
• Digital-art museums, where children walk through rooms of light and colour.

Museums, zoos and aquariums

• Ueno has Ueno Zoo, the National Museum of Nature and Science, and a large park, all in one area.
• Odaiba has Miraikan, the science museum, and waterfront parks.
• Aquariums at Sumida, beside the Tokyo Skytree, and at Shinagawa make good rainy-day choices.

Shops and play

Character shops are a highlight for many children: the Pokémon Centers, Kiddy Land in Harajuku, and the toy floors of department stores. Most large stations and shopping centres have play corners, nursing rooms and family restrooms.

Getting around with children

• Fares — on JR trains, children aged 6 to 11 usually pay a child fare, and preschool children travel free with a paying adult, within limits. Child IC cards are available.
• Strollers — most stations have lifts, but avoid rush hours, when trains are packed.
• Luggage forwarding between hotels makes moving with a family much easier.

Where to stay

Choose a hotel near a major station, with family or connecting rooms; many Tokyo rooms are small, so check the size before booking. Odaiba and the Tokyo Bay area suit families heading to Disney, while Ueno is close to the zoo and museums. Our Japan family travel guide covers the rest of the country, and the 3 days in Tokyo itinerary shows how to group the city by area.