11 Things to do in Tokyo with Kids

The capital of the Land of the Rising Sun has a magical scene, combining the traditional and the modern, surprising children and adults from the first moment. In fact, you will find so many attractions that you will not know what to see and do in Tokyo with the little ones of the house. Nevertheless, you can be sure that fun will always be guaranteed.

You and the kids will be able to do many activities as a family. For example, visit themed museums, explore marine life, learn how to make origami, build a city with Lego blocks or drive a car around the city wearing a cosplay of the kids' favorite anime or video game characters, among others.

The Akihabara district is a must-see destination if the kids are otakus of technology, video games, manga and anime. In this place, you will find a world of unlimited fun full of color, cosplayers on every corner and, if you visit this area of Tokyo at night, you will see all the streets lit up with neon.

Among the main attractions of Akihabara to share with the little ones of the house are:

• Game Center: Tokyo hosts many places for kids to have fun with some modern video game titles, while you relive your childhood with retrogames. For this, you can go to Tato Station, Super Potato, Sega, among others.
• Mario Kart style tour: you can ride with the kids in a replica of the racing car of the legendary Super Mario Bros video game and go through the streets of Akihabara. The best part is that everyone will be wearing a cosplay of their favorite character. This is ideal if you visit Tokyo in autumn or spring, due to the warm but cool weather during those months.
• Buy manga, anime and collectible figures: the neighborhood also has stores dedicated to anime and manga such as Mandarake. There, you will find five floors full of this type of otaku material, which children are sure to love.

If you are wondering what to see and do in Tokyo in 3 days or more with children, you should write down in your itinerary a tour of the thematic museums of the city.

This is a real paradise for the little ones, where they will play, experience and be amazed. In addition, if you are a Japanese pop culture enthusiast , you will definitely enjoy this kind of visits that expose the work of important producers, titles and characters from the world of anime and manga.

Fuji Art Museum

Claude Monet, Joshua Reynolds or J.M.W. Turner are just some of the world famous painters whose works can be visited at the Fuji Art Museum in Tokyo.

It is a unique opportunity for the youngest of the house to approach the art, also being able to visit the temporary exhibitions of this spectacular museum.

A tip: I recommend buying your tickets for the Fuji Art Museum in advance if you want to avoid queues and visit it at your own pace. Something that, without a doubt, if you are traveling with children everyone in the family will appreciate.

Ghibli Museum

In the Ghibli Museum children can walk through different scenarios belonging to fantastic worlds of movies like My Neighbor Tororo. In addition, the kids can ride a cute cat-shaped bus or taste some desserts and food inspired by the studio's films.

Fujiko Fujio (Doraemon) Museum

In this small two-story museum, children will get to know one of the most popular and beloved anime characters by the Japanese: the extraterrestrial kitty Doraemon, created by mangaka Fujiko Fujio in the 1970s.

During the tour of the Doraemon museum, you can take pictures of children next to life-size statues of Doraemon and his friends, as well as enter the museum's reading room, where you will find a huge collection of manga, or the movie theater to enjoy some unreleased episodes of Fujio's animations.

Practical information

• Price: Fuji Art Museum: 1410¥ or 9€. Ghibli Museum: adults 1000¥ or 7€, children 100¥ or 0.72€ and children under 4 years free. Doraemon Museum: 1000¥ or 7€ adults, children over 4 years old 400¥ or 3€ and under 4 years old, free.
• Hours: Fuji Art Museum: daily from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm. Ghibli Museum: daily from 10:00 to 17:00 hours. Doraemon Museum from Wednesday to Monday from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm.
• Address: Fuji Art Museum: Yanomachi, Hachioji. Ghibli Museum: Shimorenjaku, Mitaka. Doraemon Museum: Kawasaki.

The Lego amusement park, Legoland Discovery Center Tokyo, is a good option if you are visiting with the little ones of the house, since in this place they will be able to live a creative adventure among more than 3 million bricks. In addition, you can also share the fun with them and feel like a child again.

If you visit the Legoland Discovery Center Tokyo you will find many fun and educational activities for children of all ages:

• Creative workshop: you will discover together with the children some tricks and techniques for the creation of objects and characters.
• City builder: there they will be able to create their own city.
• Lego Racer: in this room you and the children can build a racing car, then go to the test track and compete against each other.
• Duplo Village: the children take on the role of architects and, with your help, build a house to scale, inside which they can go inside and play.
• Dino Explorer: in this room, little explorers will walk through an island of Legos and discover dinosaurs along the way.
• 4K Cinema: in the projection room you will sit with your children and watch an animated movie from the Lego world.

The best thing is that this park is closed, so you can visit it at any time of the year regardless of the excessive heat that characterizes Tokyo in summer or the low temperatures of winter. Children will always be comfortable and safe.

Practical information

• Price: from 2800¥ or 20€.
• Hours: Monday to Friday from 10:00 am to 8:00 pm and weekends from 10:00 am to 9:00 pm.
• Address: Minato City, Daiba in Odaiba.

Did you know that the world's largest miniature theme park is in Tokyo? It is Small Worlds Tokyo and it houses an exhibition of almost 8,000 square meters full of mini people in different everyday situations.

Your kids will be amazed, especially when they discover that there is night and day life in this miniature city, and that the characters and fantastic animals (including a fire-breathing dragon) perform different actions as the sun rises or sets.

You can spend a good time visiting the Small Worlds Tokyo to visit it without haste because it will surely not leave you indifferent.

Practical information

• Price: from 3477¥ or 22€.
• Hours: Monday to Sunday from 09:00 to 19:00.
• Address: Koto City, Ariake.

The marine world often amazes the little ones of the house, who can spend hours watching the different marine species. Therefore, visiting Maxell Aqua Park is a good option to incorporate in your itinerary of things to see and do in Tokyo for 2 days or more with children.

In this aquarium children will find several areas with tunnels and illuminated tanks, where they will see up to 350 different species. On the other hand, there is the dolphin show, where they will be able to watch these beautiful mammals doing a display of acrobatics, guided by the trainers.

In addition, since the visit can last approximately three hours, you will have enough time to continue with other adventures in the city, such as a gastronomic tour of the restaurants, cafes and street food stalls or any other guided tour of Tokyo.

Practical information

• Price: 2300¥ or 16€ (adults), 1200¥ or 9€ (students) and 700¥ or 5€ (children from 4 years old).
• Hours: 10:00 am to 7:30 pm.
• Address: Minato City, Takanawa.

Maybe you hadn't considered that going to a cafe with kids could be a touristy activity. But you're visiting Tokyo and, here, anything is possible. During your stay, you can't miss the chance to take the kids to one of the popular animal cafes. There, they will have the opportunity to drink or eat some candy, while petting a cat, dog, rabbit or other animals.

According to the tastes of the little ones, you can choose a different cafeteria:

• Cat experience: Neko Café, Temari no Uchi, among others.
• Experience with owls: you can go to Owl's Garden or Baron Café.
• Experience withdogs: Harajuku Mame Shiba Café.
• Experience with rabbits: Bunny Café or Ra.a.g.f.
• Experience with snakes: Reptile Café with snakes, lizards and turtles.
• Goat experience: Sakuragaoka Café, where you will see two friendly goats.

You can also find cafés with eagles, hawks, hedgehogs, otters, penguins and other animals. Just keep in mind that this kind of places are very crowded and, therefore, the time to share with pets may be limited.

Practical information

• Price: from 800¥ or 5€ (not including consumption).
• Hours: from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. (depending on the location).
• Address: in the center of Tokyo.

If you have already chosen the best time to visit Tokyo with children, then all that remains is to organize the destinations they will travel to. And, if your little ones are train enthusiasts, then you're in luck, as there are several museums in the city dedicated to showcasing the history of these imposing and ancient means of transportation.

Ome Railway Museum

At the small Ome Railway Museum, children can learn about railway equipment from all eras.

A total of 10 locomotives are on display, of which eight are steam-powered and two are electric. They will also have the opportunity to see the Shinkansen belonging to the 0 series, that is, an emblematic model, considered worldwide as the first to reach 200 kilometers per hour, during 1964.

Also, you will be able to see how this train evolved over the years to become the famous Tokyo Bullet Train.

Tokyo Subway Museum

At the Tokyo Subway Museum you and your children will learn about the history of the subway, how it operates, where each train is located and its current status.

They will also learn about the operation of the electrical equipment of this type of public transport and take a look at the control area. Undoubtedly, a unique experience for children.

Practical information

• Price: Ome Railway Museum (from 100¥ or 0.72€). Tokyo Subway Museum (adults 220¥ or 1.59€ and children 100¥ or 0.72€).
• Hours: Ome Railway Museum (10:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.). Tokyo Subway Museum (from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.).
• Address: Ome Railway Museum in Katsunuma, Ome City. Tokyo Subway Museum in Edogawa Special Region.

Role-playing games are often a favorite of children. Therefore, during your stay in the Japanese capital you should take the little ones to the Kid Zania amusement park, so they can experience different types of real-life jobs, but in a fun way. In fact, this is a good option if you are in Tokyo during the winter, since this is a closed place.

This park is the recreation of a small city where children will find different jobs and demonstrate their skills. They will have to put on a uniform and, with the help of the specialized staff, they will begin to play the desired role. For a while they will be able to be doctors, veterinarians, drivers, bankers, businessmen or attend a store, among many other options.

After the working day, they will receive a payment in the official currency of the park. They can then go to the gift store to buy some toys or souvenirs.

Practical Information

• Price: from 2850¥ or 20€.
• Opening hours: from 9:00 am to 9:00 pm (daily).
• Address: LaLaport Toyosu Tokyo City Pier.

Children tend to love paper, and even more so if they can bring fun figures to life with it. For that reason, visiting the Origami Kaikan during your 7-day itinerary in Tokyo is a good idea if you are with the little ones at home.

It is a six-level building where you will find exhibits with the work of some artists of this millenary Japanese technique: cranes, flowers, dragons, etc.

You can also enter a store to buy some souvenirs, a paper dyeing studio and origami workshops. There, you and the children can learn the basics of paper folding.

Practical information

• Price: origami classes start at 1000¥ or 7.21€. However, the exhibition is free.
• Hours: Monday to Saturday (9:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.).
• Address: Bunkyō Ward, Yushima.

Tokyo' s warm springtime temperature proves to be the perfect setting for outdoor activities. And if you're visiting with the little ones at home, then Tokyo Dome City is a must-see destination.

This is an urban amusement park, where kids and the whole family can have hours of fun.

Admission to this park is free, as is access to the water jets, so kids can play underwater as much as they want.

However, if you want to ride the roller coaster, learn about the history of baseball, go bowling, sing karaoke or enter any other attraction with the little ones, you will have to pay an entrance fee starting at 3000¥ or 22€.

Practical Information

• Price: free admission.
• Hours: from 10:00 am to 9:00 pm.
• Address: Bunkyo District.

The Toyota Car Museum is a destination you can enjoy with the kids, especially if they are passionate about speed. There, they will find a large exhibition of cars, ranging from models assembled in the nineteenth century to the present.

Also, they will see several settings, models and will have access to a library with the history of each model and the company in general. In addition, this museum offers the opportunity to pilot a simulator. Thus, children will live a unique experience.

After this adventure, you can do other activities with the children. For example, visit the Tokyo National Museum or participate in a Ninja experience, among others.

Practical information

• Price: free admission.
• Hours: Tuesday to Sunday (9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.).
• Address: Odaiba Island in Tokyo Bay.