Our 7-day Tokyo itinerary was with two kids, aged 12 and 8. Our one week in Tokyo was part of our two-week family trip to Japan in June 2024. This Tokyo trip was with older kids, if you’re travelling with young children, see my post Tokyo with a toddler.
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How many days in Tokyo with kids?
7 days in Tokyo probably seems like a lot. Initially, we thought it was too long, especially as it would be half of our time in Japan. Our first plan included going to Osaka for Universal Studios but the kids were mostly looking forward to Tokyo and we didn’t want to only stay in large cities. In the end, we decided to split our time between Tokyo and the area around the Japanese Alps.
I think you should spend at least 4 days in Tokyo. We never felt bored or were lacking in things to do during our 7 days in the city. We have been to Tokyo four times now and we’ve only been to the main areas. There are lots of different areas of Tokyo I would like to explore.
Read: Our 2-week Japan itinerary
Where to stay in Tokyo with kids
Tokyo is so well connected by public transport that it doesn’t matter too much where you stay. What does matter is the closest train/subway stations. You want lines that connect to the main areas within 1 or 2 stops for an easy journey. Just check the nearby stations and make sure the connections to places you want to visit are not too long. I think it’s also a bonus if you are within walking distance of some attractions. I also check the journey to/from the airport.
For our 7-day itinerary in Tokyo with kids, we stayed in Nishishinbashi. The nearest stations were Toranomon (6 minutes to Shibuya), Shimbashi (13 minutes to Ueno Station), and Kasumigaseki. The apartment was 1.7km from Tokyo Station (or a 3-minute ride) and 1.6km from Tokyo Tower.
If it fits within your budget, The MIMARU brand is a popular choice. They have apartment-style rooms with locations across Tokyo. MIMARU Tokyo Ueno North has easy access to Narita Airport via the Skyliner, it’s close to Sensoji and Asakusa and right near Ueno Park. Ueno Station has shinkansen lines and nearby stations provide easy connections to other main areas of Tokyo.
Staying in an Airbnb in Tokyo
Our budget is quite modest. As our priority is to travel, we don’t want to spend a lot on accommodation. Finding family accommodation in Tokyo can be difficult, especially on a budget. When searching for family hotels, after inputting 2 adults and 2 children, a lot of results showed rooms with only 1 double bed or 2 single beds. Some options had 2 small double beds but for a week-long stay, we knew our kids wouldn’t want to share a bed.
For our 7 nights in Tokyo with kids, we chose to stay in an Airbnb apartment. The kids had the bedroom and we had the double sofa bed in the living space. It had a typical Japanese bathroom with a separate toilet, sink area, and wet room with bath and shower. A small kitchen space had everything needed for a family stay. A blog post about staying in Airbnb in Japan is coming soon.
Whether you choose an Airbnb or a hotel, be sure to read reviews, don’t just look at the rating. We all have different preferences and things we would rather avoid.
Tokyo in June
We stayed in Tokyo in June. The weather was humid but not unbearable and we still walked around daily. One day we forgot to take umbrellas and it rained quite heavily so we sought shelter in department stores. There were a couple of days with rain on and off and thankfully our Airbnb provided large clear umbrellas because we only had our small travel ones. Other than the day we went out unprepared the weather didn’t affect our time in Tokyo. In mid-June to early July you can find pops of colour around Tokyo as Hydrangea flowers bloom.
Is Tokyo Kid-friendly?
Yes, Tokyo is kid-friendly. We have stayed in the city with kids aged 9 months old, 1 year old, 2 years old, 4 years old and most recently aged 12 and 8. When we first visited with a stroller we had some trouble finding ways down to the subway stations but Tokyo has become more accessible since then. Tokyo is fun for all ages. Our older kids loved Tokyo for the shops and Pokémon Centres, Claw Machines and eating at the sushi train restaurant. They also enjoyed just being in the enormous, bustling city, viewing it from above and seeing the tall buildings and 3D billboards.
I think the ease of getting around Tokyo makes it a great city to visit with kids. It is a very walkable city. While some streets are without footpaths, these are in quiet areas with little road traffic so we never felt unsafe. The public transport system is incredible. There are numerous subway and train lines all around the city. The rides are affordable and having an IC card makes tapping through so easy. Even buying tickets is simple as the machines have an English option.
On each of our family trips to Tokyo, we found people to be friendly and keen to help us. This always makes a trip with kids more enjoyable.
Where to eat in Tokyo with kids
The only thing we have found a little challenging in Tokyo with kids is dining out. There are a lot of places catering to city workers, who eat quickly and leave. The seating arrangements are often bar stools and finding four together is tricky. Some are even standing-room only. We did go out early one night and got four stools next to each other and it was a fantastic experience. We did feel more comfortable dining out now that our kids are older as they can sit on bar stools, order for themselves and know how to behave. Tokyo is a big city though so, there are options more suitable for families.
Here are some places where we ate, on this Tokyo trip with kids:
Convenience stores
We all know how popular Japanese convenience stores are and it’s for a good reason. A quick grab-and-go lunch of a fresh sandwich or onigiri, drinks, snacks, and even tasty packaged dinners when everyone is too tired to dine out.
Sushiro
Conveyor belt sushi chain restaurants. We dined twice at Sushiro Yurakucho. A great option for families as there are booth seats and everyone can order what they want in small portions. On arrival you have to book a table on a touch screen, it will tell you if there is a wait time. On a weekend night, there was a wait time of 45 minutes but on a weeknight, we got a table straight away.
Yoshinoya
A gyūdon (beef bowl) chain restaurant. Each seat has a screen to order from, with an English menu available. A standard beef bowl is ¥498.
Bakeries
With my husband being a baker, bakery visits are always a must. We had bread for morning toast and rolls for lunch.
Local restaurant
Komorosoba Nishishinbashi 1-Chome Shop. This is a little soba restaurant with standing space and some stool seats. We were early and it was empty when we walked by so we decided to go in. Ordering is done by a machine in Japanese but they have a printed English menu. The elderly lady server was very friendly and helped us order. The prices were a lot cheaper than other restaurants we looked at and the portion sizes were large. We loved the experience of seeing locals come in, warmly greet the server, eat quickly and leave. It wasn’t too busy so we didn’t feel like we were impeding. We were made to feel welcome and we left very full and happy.
Street food
Walking around Tokyo you will come across a variety of street food stalls.
Shopping Centres
Most shopping centres have a large variety of cafes and restaurants. Some of these offer affordable set meals like the gyoza set our kids got in Sunshine City for ¥550.
7-day Tokyo itinerary with kids
This is our personal itinerary from our family trip to Tokyo. I had a list of things we all wanted to see and do. With the list, I made a Google My Map with all of the locations pinned. This helped to see what places were near each other and could be visited on the same day. Our list and map included a lot of bakeries because this is my husband’s interest as a sourdough baker. Our favourite thing to do is stroll around the streets viewing everything around us. In Tokyo, this meant we walked between most places. The walks become part of the sightseeing, not just a mode of transport.
Here is an overview of our 7-day Tokyo itinerary, please see below for detailed daily itineraries.
Day 1: Shibuya
Day 2: Meiji Shrine, Harajuku & Shinjuku
Day 3: Sensoji, Asakusa, Tokyo Skytree, a bakery.
Day 4: a bakery, Shimokitazawa, Akihabara
Day 5: Lucky Cat Temple, Yanaka Ginza, Ueno Park
Day 6: Shrines, Sunshine City shopping centre
Day 7: Tokyo Tower, Shrine, Imperial Palace, Tokyo Station, Flight home
Day 1: Rainy day in Shibuya
On our first day exploring Tokyo, we forgot to take umbrellas and it started to rain. After walking out of Shibuya Station and taking in the colourful surroundings, we crossed the famous Shibuya Scramble. Due to the rain getting heavier, I led us in the direction of Don Quijote Mega store because it is open 24 hours and a lot of stores weren’t yet open. We ended up at Yamada Denki LABI, an electronics store, the kids were lured in by the mass of Gachapon (capsule toy machine) at the entrance. Inside, we walked around mostly the toy floor and the kids tried their luck with some small claw machines.
Shibuya Parco shopping centre
Shibuya Parco was pinned on my map as a Nintendo Store and a Pokémon Center. It was just over 200 metres from where we were so we walked briskly in the rain. The kids lead us straight to the 6th floor and after a brief wander through the Nintendo Store, they spent ages choosing what to spend their money on in the Pokémon Center.
Our oldest son decided to design a T-shirt, so he joined the line for the design screens. We were told the process would take an hour so, we left to get lunch at a nearby convenience store. On returning to Shibuya Parco, we adults refuelled with coffee, and the kids made their decisions in the Pokémon Center. The queue for the checkout was quite long. After showing the ticket for the T-shirt, we paid for it but were directed to a different area to collect it. At a stand around the corner, a worker neatly folded, wrapped and bagged the T-shirt. At the register, if you’ve spent over ¥5000 they ask for your passport so you can get the items tax-free.
Day 2: Busy Tokyo
Meiji Shrine
We have visited Meiji Shrine on two previous trips to Tokyo but this was the busiest we had seen it. There were multiple tour groups both large and small. It still amazes me that you are in the middle of a large city, close to the popular Harajuku area but the walk to the shrine feels like you are in the middle of a forest. Meiji Shrine was completed in 1920 and its large wooden Torii gates are an impressive feature. Although there were a lot of people around the shrine grounds, we still found quiet areas. Surprisingly the kids were able to add a Meiji Shrine stamp to their books without having to queue.
Yoyogi Park
We strolled around Yoyogi Park where we noticed lots of different group activities. There were joggers, dog training and various exercise groups. It seemed like a fun meeting place. We bought ice creams from a shop in the park and found a shady spot to enjoy them.
Takeshita Street
Takeshita Street is a short walk from Meji Shrine and Yoyogi Park. The 350-meter shopping street became popular for its quirky shops. We noticed a lot more food stores and less clothing than our previous visits here. The famous Harajuku Crepes are here and there is now more than one shop. Several stores are selling Tanghulu both along the street and in the area. We also spotted the Rainbow Cheese Toasties, a Baby Pig cafe and someone with an otter on their head, maybe also promoting a cafe.
Our gachapon-seeking kids were happy to find a multi-level store full of rows and rows of gachapon machines. Along Takeshita Street, you will also find clothing stores, make-up shops and a large Daiso.
Omote-Sando & Kiddyland
From Takeshita Street, we walked to Omote-Sando Avenue with the iconic mirror entrance at the Tokyu Plaza store standing at the corner. The tree-lined avenue is home to designer stores but we came here for Kiddyland. There are 5 floors of toys and merchandise of characters from Snoopy, Pokemon, Sanrio, Marvel and other Japanese characters.
Lunch in Yoyogi Park
We purchased lunch from a busy little Family Mart and went back to Yoyogi Park and found a seat under a tree. There are multiple public toilets within Yoyogi Park.
Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building
From Harajuku Station, we rode the Yamanote line 2 stops to Shinjuku Station. From there it was an 850m walk to The Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building. The tall tower of the building offers a magnificent view over Tokyo and it’s free! To access the observatories, enter building 1 and you will find the queue for the elevator. The elevator is only for the observatories and will take you straight to floor 45. The panoramic views make you realise how big the city of Tokyo is. We have been so lucky each time we have visited to get a glimpse of Mount Fuji in the distance.
Claw Machines
On our walk from Shinjuku Station, the kids noticed the arcade centre Gigo with the entire ground floor filled with claw machine games. So, we walked back the same way so they could waste spend their money on trying to get stuffed toys. From Shinjuku Station, we rode the Maranouchi line for 13 minutes and then had a short walk back to our apartment.
Day 3: Culture and shopping
Sensoji Temple
We started our day at Sensoji Temple. An iconic symbol of Tokyo, it has been crowded every time we’ve visited. It is still worth seeing though as it is Tokyo’s oldest temple, completed in the year 645. The shopping street leading to Sensoji was very crowded so we walked down a side street for some of it. The temple is stunning with its enormous gate and hanging lantern, red buildings, green roof, five-story pagoda and incense smoke blowing around from the middle of the grounds. Be sure to enter the main hall and look up, the ceiling is covered in beautiful paintings.
To the left of the main hall is a lovely little pond with a stone bridge and koi fish.
Strolling the streets in Asakusa
Hanayashiki Street
After viewing the little pond at Sensoji, following the path will bring you to this street. Here you will find Hanayashiki Asakusa, Japan’s oldest amusement park. The street is lined with cafes and restaurants in beautiful traditional-style buildings.
Hisago Street
This is a covered shopping street. These are quite common throughout Japan and this one is decorated with red torii style gates.
Streets between Sensoji and Asakusa Station
All of the streets in this area are worth strolling around. There are lots of street food stores here. We bought red bean taikyaki from a little shop.
Kappabashi Street
Also known as Kitchen Street, here you will find many knife stores and stores selling pots, pans, utensils and all things for the kitchen.
Sumida River
The Sumida River in the Asakusa area offers some fantastic Tokyo views. Crossing the Azuma Bridge you can spot the famous ‘Golden Turd’ of the Asahi building and Tokyo Skytree. There are also river cruises available.
Tokyo Skytree
We walked to Tokyo Skytree from the Asakusa area. Along the way, it was cool to see the top of it disappearing behind clouds. We didn’t enter the paid observation floor but went to Tokyo Solamachi, the retail complex inside Tokyo Tower. The kids were happy to go to another Pokemon Centre. We also bought lots of goodies at Donguri Republic (Ghibli Store). There is a large Totoroin the store that you can take a photo with.
Parklet Bakery
Our last stop for the day was Parklet Bakery. Unfortunately, we were probably too late and they didn’t have much stock but the cheddar loaf was delicious.
Day 4: Food, drinks and claw machines
Bartizan Bakery
We came here early to avoid missing out. My husband asked for a wholewheat loaf and the man said they were all ordered but he had some from yesterday which we were fine with. We also bought an apple chai loaf (delicious) and some little rolls for lunch that had bacon and nori.
Shimokitazawa
From Shimo-Kitazawa Station we walked 500m to Shiro-Hige’s Cream Puff Factory for Totoro cream puffs. I loved this walk through residential streets, seeing all the houses. There was a queue for dining in but I joined a short line for take-out. I bought 3 custard-filled Totoros and got the last Matcha cream for myself. The Totoros were so cute and the pastry and fillings were delicious too. Mine also had red bean inside.
We then strolled around the Shimokitazawa streets, browsing in clothing stores and the kids found a store with Pokémon trading cards. Shimokitazawa has aesthetic cafes and many cool clothing stores, some of which are second-hand.
Family Mart Drinks
Arriving in Akihabara, it was quite a hot day so we decided icy drinks were needed. Family Mart was running a Pokemon Collaboration called Sleep. A product of this was a pineapple frappe with a picture of a sleepy Snorlax or Pikachu. This was the kids’ obvious choice. I found a Royal Milk Tea Frappe and Tim went with an iced coffee. After selecting the cups from the freezer and paying at the register, you take them to the machine and press the frappe or iced coffee button. I love regular Royal Milk Tea, the frozen version was so delicious and refreshing on a hot day.
Akihabara
We walked around Akihabara Electric Town before the kids were drawn into TAITO Station, an arcade centre. There are 6 levels of claw machines, video games and arcade games. Our kids spent all their time (and money) on the claw machines, trying to win plush toys.
Here is a dose of family travel reality – It was their own money but essentially these games are gambling and we didn’t feel comfortable letting them waste too much. We ran out of change and decided they had spent enough. When it ran out, neither of them was happy and blamed each other for spending too much. They continued fighting about it into the street, so we ended the day and went back to our apartment for some much-needed chill time. Lesson learned, we should have given them their coins so they could see how much they were spending and know it was equal. I think they became irritated because they got caught up in trying to win. This was our last visit to a claw machine centre.
Day 5: Lucky Cat Temple & walking different streets of Tokyo
Gotokuji Temple
Gotokuji is known as the Lucky Cat Temple. I have wanted to visit here for a long time but never felt it worthy to add to our Tokyo itineraries. This time with the kids being older, they were also interested to see a temple full of lucky cat ornaments. From Gotokuji Station it is an 800m walk to the temple. I love seeing Japanese houses and all the little pot plants outside them so I enjoyed this walk through residential streets.
The mass of lucky cats ranging in size from large to small to teeny tiny ones is a magnificent sight. The temple buildings and gardens are also beautiful, making this worth the visit.
Yanaka Ginza
Yanaka Ginza is a traditional shopping street from the 1950s, giving a glimpse into everyday life in Tokyo. Some stores were closed but the roller doors were painted with beautiful murals. It’s a lovely street with some traditional retail and food stores but some seemed more like souvenir shops targeting tourists. Yuyake Dandan is a set of steps overlooking the shopping street and is a popular sunset spot. A lot of areas around Tokyo make you feel like you are on the set of an anime and this is one of them. I think the steps have been used in an anime scene.
Walking to Ueno
The walk from Yuyake Dandan to Ueno Park was my favourite in Tokyo. The distance was 1.5km and we saw so many amazing buildings along the way.
Poké Lid
Japan often have special images on manhole covers. There are currently a number of them across the country with Pokémon designs. Just across the road from Ueno Park, outside the Tokyo National Museum was a Poké Lid. Nearby in Ueno Park is another one outside the National Museum of Nature and Science. There is an official Poké Lids website with map locations.
Ueno Park
In Ueno Park, we walked through the lovely Ueno Toshogu Shrine, first built in 1627. We spent a lot of time just wandering around, viewing the hydrangeas, and lotus flowers and spotting frogs and turtles.
Walking around the pond, we came across Benten-do temple which is built on a little island in the water.
Shinobazu-no-ike Pond takes up a large area of Ueno Park. One part of it is covered in lotus plants and the other is open water where you can rent swan boats or rowboats. We found a seat by the pond and watched the boats and the birds. It was a nice relaxing afternoon in Ueno Park.
Day 6: Shrines and Pokémon
Hakusan Shrine
A small local shrine located near Tokyo University, we came here for the colourful hydrangeas.
Nezu Shrine
This was one of our favourite places in Tokyo. Having survived earthquakes and bombings, Nezu Shrine retains its original Edo-period structures. There is a long tunnel of orange Torii gates, similar to a section at the well-known Fushimi Inari Shrine in Kyoto. For this reason, I expected Nezu Shrine to be busy with tourists but it was quiet. We saw a group of kindergarten kids with matching hats being taught by their teachers how to pray at the shrine which was an adorable sight. The shrine grounds are beautiful with manicured gardens and ponds with koi and turtles.
Sunshine City Shopping Centre
In this shopping centre is a Donguri Republic (Ghibli) store, Pokémon Centre, trading cards store and lots of other character stores. As I didn’t get tickets to the Pokémon Cafe, I brought the boys here to get something from the Pikachu Sweets Cafe. It’s a little strange because it’s take-out only but they have a large inside area with tables. I think they’re just for taking photos of the products. The boys both chose a Pikachu drink. It was mango-flavoured with ice cream on top and a little edible Pikachu.
There are lots of restaurants and cafes in Sunshine City. The kids wanted Gyoza and we found a restaurant called Fukushin that had seating for the four of us. Us adults got ramen and the kids both got a gyoza set. It was good value, for ¥550 it came with 8 gyoza, rice, soup and pickles. They had a tablet to order on but it was in Japanese only so a worker came and took our order.
Day 7: last day in walking around Tokyo
Luggage storage
After checking out of our apartment we walked to the closest station and rode 3 minutes to Tokyo Station. We stored our suitcase and the kids’ backpacks here in a locker because we would be taking the Narita Express from Tokyo Station to the airport.
Zojoji Temple & Tokyo Tower
We first walked through Zojoji Temple as I always love seeing Tokyo Tower from here. It is a great example of how well Tokyo combines its old culture with new city buildings.
Walking
We decided to walk to our next destination. Not far from Tokyo Tower, we bought lunch from a 7-11 and ate it sitting on garden edging with Japanese business workers. Across the road were the Azabudai Hills Garden Plaza buildings with plants growing on them. We then walked past lots of shiny buildings around the Toranomon Hills area.
Hie Shrine
The entrance to Hie Shrine is through a large white gate opposite tall mirrored office buildings. After climbing the stairs up to the shrine, an impressive tunnel of Torii gates leads you back down.
Ice creams
While walking to the next spot, we stopped at a convenience store for ice cream. We love trying the different ice cream varieties in Japan. Here are some of our favourites: Choco Monaka Jumbo (wafer, icecream and chocolate, great value for money), Yakumi Daifuku (mochi icecream), Pinot (bite-sized chocolate coated icecream), Big Watermelon (looks like watermelon slice).
Imperial Palace
After walking around the palace walls we spent some time relaxing under a tree on the large grass area.
Tokyo Station
We spent some time looking around Tokyo Station before riding the Narita Express to the airport for our flight to Melbourne.
Other blog posts from this Japan trip:
Two week Japan itinerary with kids
A less crowded area of Japan, Matsumoto & Nagano
Nakasendo & Kiso Valley with kids


