Hi
Planning a trip for end of year (December/January) and hoping for some recommendations for smaller cities or larger towns which people found were good for kids? Ideally looking for a base where there are some kid friendly activites and some nice days trips? Kanazawa would be an option but we have been there a couple of times before.
We have had a few trips to Japan before but not with 2 little ones (6&3). We plan on spending some time in Tokyo, Nagoya and possibly Osaka or Sapporo. Fukui is also a possibility to see the dinosaur museum.
Thanks!
4 comments
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The Nagano area.
Karuizawa has low level skiing, skating and strawberry picking as well as some craft activites
Shiga Kogen has ski resorts including snow play parks with lots of sleds (We went there for snow play in February 2020.)
Yudanaka/Shibu/Kanabayashi onsen which have a monkey park nearby where you can see monkey bathe in an onsen
Matsumoto has an original castle
Nagano has a famous temple (Zenkoji)
If you like theme parks Nagashima Spa Land just south of Nagoya. There is an Anpanman Theme park for kids
[https://www.nagoya-anpanman.jp/](https://www.nagoya-anpanman.jp/)
There is the onsen park
Nabana no Sato with its light up
There is nearby strawberry picking
and Nagashima Spa Land theme park
Check out these websites for lots of kid 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 kids. These sites have a lot of info for the Tokyo area but other cities too like Matsumoto, Nagoya, Osaka, etc.
– [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/)
Truthfully, the most kid friendly stuff might be in the larger cities as they have the children’s museums and such. There may be more in Tokyo than your expecting.
– [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](https://insideosaka.com/oizumi-ryokuchi-park/)
– [Osaka With Kids](https://insideosaka.com/osaka-with-children/)
– [Kyoto City Tourism: For Families With Children](https://kyoto.travel/en/info/families-kids.html)
For where to stay in Tokyo, I love staying in Akasaka. Near 3 metro stations, lots of great restaurants and bars, and a nightlife vibe without the overwhelming nature of Shinjuku. Lots of hotels in this area too at a range of price points. I really think it’s a hidden gem of a neighborhood to stay in Tokyo.
– [Hie Shrine](https://maps.google.com?g_st=ic)
– [Thousand Toriis at Hie (great photos at night)](https://maps.google.com?g_st=ic)
– [Toyokawa Inari Betsuin (great at night too)](https://maps.google.com?g_st=ic)
– [State Guesthouse Akasaka](https://maps.app.goo.gl/6yTMMP3woyRDdgqZ6?g_st=ic)
– [Dobrogi Hungarian Bar and Grill](https://maps.app.goo.gl/tFYWLHnqPt6dwccMA?g_st=ic)
– [Streamer Coffee](https://maps.app.goo.gl/shbPNf8hYANMQgRj7?g_st=ic)
– [Champagne and Gyoza Bar](https://maps.app.goo.gl/EW7xecSMPaUHXowQ6?g_st=ic)
– [Tebasaki Original](https://maps.app.goo.gl/5agSBtXtZucfvjpS8?g_st=ic)
And soooo many more restaurants in the area too. Just put Akasaka into the area search on Booking or other sites and you’ll find a huge range of hotel options in this area. If I were to ever live in central Tokyo I’d probably look at this neighborhood seriously for convenience, price, restaurants, and amenities like kids parks.
– [Tokyo Chapter: Akasaka With Kids](https://www.thetokyochapter.com/the-akasaka-area-with-kids/)
– [Best Living: Akasaka 1-Day Itinerary for Families](https://bestlivingjapan.com/akasaka-area-with-kids/)
– [Tokyo Chapter: Where to Stay in Tokyo With Kids](https://www.thetokyochapter.com/where-to-stay-in-tokyo-with-small-children/)