Husband and I will be in Tokyo for 10 days with our 4yo in mid/late September. We’ve been a few times but this will be our first time with a kid. Hoping for some advice and suggestions on what we can add based on this draft itinerary. We’ll be staying at the same hotel in Ginza from day 3 until departure.
Day 1: arrival day; check in at TDR
Day 2: Disneyland
Day 3: Asakusa – Senso-ji, Asakusa Shrine, Tokyo Skytree,
Day 4: Kamakura day trip
Day 5: Odaiba – teamLabs, Legoland Discovery Centre, Unko Museum (maybe)
Day 6: Nikko day trip
Day 7: Shibuya – Shibuya Sky, Meiji Shrine, Harajuku, a cooking class somewhere
Day 8: Sanrio Puroland
Day 9: ???
Day 10: departure day
Questions:
1) Are Kamakura and Nikki doable as day trips with a young child? Do the bike rental shops there have e-bikes child seats?
2) Husband decided against Hakone and Fujikawaguchiko because we’ve already been- are there other family-friendly day trips we can add?
3) Disneyland seems more toddler friendly than DisneySea, height wise. Is DisneySea worth it if my kid’s on the small side, or should we wait until Fantasy Springs is open?
4) Please recommend other kid-friendly activities and playgrounds.
Thanks!
3 comments
**Just a reminder that our FAQ is being updated with more information and you can start** [**here**](https://www.reddit.com/r/JapanTravel/wiki/faqs/japantravel) **with regards to trip planning if you need tips, or have questions about planning your travel to Japan.**
Thank you!
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/JapanTravel) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Hi!
No, I would not go to Sea if your child is short, unless they are really into Little Mermaid. I like Sea, but in general, it has fewer rides than Land and a lot of the rides have a height line like Soarin’, Tower, Indiana Jones, Raging Spirits, and Journey. Heck, Nemo might even have a height line and I am just forgetting because my kid always made it.
Land has a lot more rides without a height line and there are some rides that are unique to the park like the new Beauty and the Beast ride, Baymax, and Pooh’s Honey Hunt. If you can afford it, the Disneyland Hotel is amazing and super convenient to the park.
Some big toy stores have play areas.
I don’t know what day of the week you are going to Shibuya, but don’t go on a week end. It gets unpleasantly crowded and that is not fun with a kid.
I took mine to Kamakura at 5. Our biggest problem was jetlag. I took mine to Hakone at 5 too, we didn’t do the full loop. I took her to Yunessun at 9 which she enjoyed. I keep meaning to take mine to Nikko and to Edomura.
My sister-in law just took her sons to Ueno Zoo. My child hates zoos, so that was never an option for us.
Check out these websites for lots of toddler/child friendly travel tips and restaurant recommendations. If you search the first few links below for the city name or neighborhood/area name you’ll find some great ideas and tips. Best to get your #1 thing to see/do done early in the day so anything wise after that is just a bonus since it’s hard to know how the day will go with a baby/toddler.
– [Best Living Japan](https://bestlivingjapan.com/category/travel/)
– [The Tokyo Chapter (has info on other cities too)](https://www.thetokyochapter.com)
– [Passports and Playgrounds](https://passportsandplaygrounds.com/)
– [Best Living: Baby and Toddler Fun](https://bestlivingjapan.com/category/age/baby-toddler-fun/)
These sample itineraries might be helpful to look over too.
– [Tokyo Itineraries with Children](https://trulytokyo.com/tokyo-1-day-itinerary-with-children/)
– [Kyoto Itineraries for Families with Children](https://www.insidekyoto.com/kyoto-itineraries-families-children)
– [Osaka with Children](https://insideosaka.com/osaka-with-children/)
– [JapanGuide: Traveling with Children in Japan](https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2460.html)
You can also use the wheelchair accessible option in Google maps to make it (a bit) easier to find the elevators for your stroller in train/subway stations. When traveling on the Shinkansen you’ll need to always book the [luggage storage seats at the back/last row of the train car.](https://global.jr-central.co.jp/en/info/oversized-baggage/)
This way you can fold up your stroller and store it behind your seat. Another tip is to book the window and aisle seat in the 3 row on the Shinkansen or other trains with reserved seats. You’re less likely to have someone in the middle seat then so you’ll likely have an extra seat/room for the baby/infant and all their stuff.
– [Tokyo Now Has Wheelchair Accessible Routes in Google Maps](https://www.accessible-japan.com/tokyo-now-has-wheelchair-accessible-routes-in-google-maps/)
[Department stores](https://www.tokyoweekender.com/2020/10/baby-tokyo-department-stores-take-your-children/ ) will also be your friend. They have mother/baby rooms where you can breastfeed in privacy as public breastfeeding is not common in Japan. The rooms also have a microwave to warm up bottles/food and baby changing areas. There are usually one or two floors of restaurants on the top floors that are easy to eat at with a wide array of foods and, especially during the day, there will be other diners with small children in many of them. In the basement floors there are awesome food halls where you can get high quality takeaway food to eat at your lodging if you need a midday rest or for dinner. Much better selection than konbini fare. You may find it easier (and a bit cheaper) to have your main/large/nicest meal at lunch too. After lunch, if you’re lucky, your toddler may nap in the stroller so you can explore a bit.
– [Baby Diapers in Japan: Complete Buying Guide](https://sightseeandsushi.com/baby-diapers-in-japan-guide/)
– [Guide to Baby Formula in Japan](https://bestlivingjapan.com/guide-to-baby-formula-in-japan/)
– [Guide to Japanese Baby Food](https://bestlivingjapan.com/guide-japanese-baby-food-brands-types-ingredients/)
– [Japanese Medicine Cabinet Essentials for Babies](https://bestlivingjapan.com/japanese-medicine-cabinet-essentials-baby-kids/)
– [25 Baby Products Japan](https://matcha-jp.com/en/)
– [10 Best Gifts From Japan for Babies and Toddlers](https://bestlivingjapan.com/the-10-best-gifts-from-japan-for-babies-and-toddlers/)
Don’t forget to build in playground time and/or children’s museum time for toddlers/young kids. They need time to crawl/run and not be strapped in the stroller or baby carrier. Bonus, if they get tired enough they may nap in the stroller so you can better enjoy your next stop.
– [Tokyo Baby and Kids Playgrounds](https://bestlivingjapan.com/top-10-recommended-baby-and-kids-parks-in-tokyo/)
– [Tokyo’s Retro Playgrounds](https://www.thetokyochapter.com/tokyos-retro-playgrounds/)
– [Japan Playgrounds and Play Centers](https://bestlivingjapan.com/category/attractions-in-japan/playgrounds-and-play-centers/)
– [10 Best Children’s Museums in Tokyo](https://www.timeout.com/tokyo/museums/best-museums-in-tokyo-for-kids-and-families)
– [Osaka: Oiyzumi Ryokuchi Park](Oizumi-Ryokuchi Park – Inside Osaka)
– [Osaka With Kids](https://insideosaka.com/osaka-with-children/)
– [Kyoto City Tourism: For Families With Children](https://kyoto.travel/en/info/families-kids.html)
Happy Planning!