When thinking of a family-friendly place to travel to, Tokyo isn’t a place that typically comes to mind. Although Tokyo is known for being a vibrant, bustling city i.e., not quite suitable for travelling with children, you’d be surprised to know that there are a number of activities/places that you can visit with your children and form precious memories as a family.
Instead of avoiding travelling to Tokyo until the kids are older, we’ve done the work for you. This way, you can slot these activities into your Tokyo itinerary and still enjoy Tokyo and its beauty as an adult. So here are 9 Child-Friendly Places To Visit In Tokyo. Have fun planning!
#1 ART AQUARIUM MUSEUM
If your children are big fans of marine life, the Art Aquarium Museum will definitely be a delight. Located on the 8th and 9th floor of the Ginza Mitsukoshi New Building, the Art Aquarium Museum is designed by Hidetomo Kimura who has created 9 different exhibition spaces with moving projections, lights, and thousands of goldfish.
Admission tickets will set you back by 2,300 yen (online pricing) or 2,500 yen (same-day ticket) and tickets can be easily purchased outside the museum. The Art Aquarium Museum also offers free admission for up to 2 children under elementary school age with every adult ticket purchased.
Art Aquarium Museum
4-6-16 Ginza, Chuo City
Tokyo 104-8212, Japan
#2 FIRE MUSEUM
The Fire Museum is located within the Yotsuya Fire Station in Shinjuku, and is dedicated to sharing the city’s history with fire-fighting. The Fire Museum has a decent number of interactive exhibits which your children will enjoy, and most of their displays are accompanied by English write-ups. One tip is to start your visit at the basement of the Fire Museum and then make your way up through the different floors of the museum. Once at the rooftop, you’d be rewarded with a beautiful view of Shinjuku and also have the chance to enter a helicopter.
The Fire Museum is open from Tuesdays to Sundays from 9:30am to 5pm and admission is free for all. However, do note that the museum’s opening hours may be adjusted during national holidays or festive periods, so do double check their opening hours when planning your visit.
Fire Museum
3-10 Yotsuya, Shinjuku-ku,
Tokyo 101-8301, Japan
#3 MAXELL AQUA PARK SHINAGAWA
You can never go wrong with a trip to the aquarium. Maxell Aqua Park Shinagawa is one of the most popular public aquariums in Tokyo and is home to approximately 450 species and 18,000 marine animals. Apart from enjoying the sights of the marine animals, you’d also be treated to a brilliant dolphin performances, penguin performances, otter performances and more.
Admission is free for children below 4 years old. Tickets for children between 4 years old and elementary school age cost 800 yen, and cost 1,300 yen for elementary and junior high school students. Maxell Aqua Park Shinagawa is open daily from 10am to 8pm (last entry at 7pm).
Maxell Aqua Park Shinagawa
Maxell Aqua Park Shinagawa 4-10-30 Takanawa,
Minato-ku, Tokyo 108-8611, Japan
#4 MIPIG CAFE
One interesting animal cafe experience that will interest both children and adults alike is the mipig cafe. The mipig cafe is Japan’s very first animal cafe which offers visitors the opportunity to encounter and learn more about micro pigs. Here, the micro pigs will walk freely around the cafe, and some of them may even fall asleep on your lap.
mipig cafe has 4 outlets in Tokyo and entry fees are fixed at 1,100 yen. Visitors who are above 4 years of age will also be charged a usage fee of 1,100 yen per half an hour block. And if your children are interested in a more intimate experience, a top up of 550 yen per pax per half an hour is required for the Private Room plan. For those visiting, please note that the cafe only accepts reservations and slots are available from 10am to 8pm daily.
mipig cafe
Jingumae 1-15-4,
Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, Japan
#5 SENSO-JI TEMPLE
Senso-Ji Temple is an ancient Buddhist temple and the oldest temple in Tokyo. The temple grounds are absolutely stunning and you’d be treated to views of the Kaminarimon (Thunder Gate), the Asakusa Shrine, the main hall and the 5-storey pagoda.
After taking in sights of the temple, you and your family can explore the Namakise (a shopping street of over 200 metres) whilst walking from the outer gate to the temple’s second gate. The Namakise is filled with many traditional shops, dining spots, shops selling souvenirs and o-mikuji (fortune) stalls, all of which will definitely keep your children occupied. Also, as Senso-Ji Temple is quite close to a number of kimono/yukata rental shops, head on down to snap some pictures at this beautiful temple after the family dons on their selected kimono/yukata.
Senso-ji Temple
2 Chome-3-1 Asakusa, Taito City,
Tokyo 111-0032, Japan
#6 SMALL WORLDS MINIATURE MUSEUM
The Small Worlds Miniature Museum is one of the largest miniature museums in Asia which spans across a total area of 7,000 square metres. Here, your children will explore 8 themed areas with different landscapes (including some familiar landscapes like Hong Kong, an airport), and will be entertained by the various moving features of the exhibits.
The museum is open from 9am to 7pm daily, and entry to the museum will end at 6pm. Tickets are free for children under 3 years of age, and for families visiting with young children, the museum is equipped with diaper changing facilities and a nursing room.
Small Worlds Miniature Museum
Ariake Butsuryu Centre, 1-3-33 Ariake,
Koto-ku, Tokyo, 135-0063, Japan
#7 TEAMLAB PLANETS
TeamLab Planets is arguably one of Tokyo’s most famous interactive museums which comprises 4 artwork spaces and 2 gardens. Here, visitors will walk through the museum barefoot, and be taken on a journey through the water, the garden and the flowers. However, as one of the artwork spaces requires visitors to walk through water, do ensure that your children are dressed appropriately. If not, you will likely need to carry them through the space for safety reasons.
As TeamLab Planets is rather popular with both locals and tourists, on top of reserving your tickets in advance, we would recommend visiting early in the day to beat the queue. Admission is free for children under 3 years of age and 1,500 yen for children between 4 to 12 years of age.
TeamLab Planets
6 Chome 1-16 Toyosu,
Koto City, Tokyo 135-0061, Japan
You can’t say you’ve been to Tokyo if you’ve never visited Tsukiji Fish Market. Although the wholesale business has moved to Toyosu Market, there are still plenty of retail shops at the Tsukiji Outer Market which offers fresh seafood, produce and dried goods for sale.
If you’re accustomed to the usual seafood display in our grocery marts at home, Tsukiji Fish Market will be an eye-opening experience for not just you, but the children. And for those travelling with strollers, do not fret. The walkways of Tsukiji Fish Market are sufficiently big, so navigating the market with a stroller won’t be difficult.
Tsukiji Fish Market
4-14-2, Tsukiji, Chuo City,
104-0045 Tokyo Prefecture
For free pony rides in Tokyo, head on down to Yoyogi Pony Park. At Yoyogi Pony Park, your children will get the chance to enjoy pony rides and brush ponies for free. Children above 85cm in height will be able to participate in the pony riding experience solo whereas children below the aforesaid height requirement can enjoy the pony ride with an adult, subject to a total weight of 75kg.
Yoyogi Pony Park offers 2 pony ride sessions a day from Tuesday to Friday and an additional session on the weekends. Pony rides must also be redeemed with a card to be collected from one of their staff members prior to each pony ride session. As for pony brushing sessions, 2 such sessions are scheduled from Tuesday to Friday and an additional 2 sessions are available on the weekends.
Yoyogi Pony Park
4-1 Yoyogikamizonocho, Shibuya City,
Tokyo 151-0052, Japan
Tel: +81333739996