Tokyo
Tokyo is the busy bustling heart of Japan. However, amongst this bustle, you will find parks and gardens, oasis of tranquillity right in the heart of the city. Tokyo has a population over one and a half times greater than the population of all of Australia in a space that is one sixth of the size of Sydney. Tokyo is the perfect example of juxtaposition in Japan, a place of formality but also the wacky and outrageous, a neon concrete jungle with tranquil green spaces.
Tokyo has so much to see and do, it really is a must when visiting Japan.
Tokyo is also a great base for day trips to Hakone, Yokahama, Enoshima, Mount Takao and Mount Fuji.
Arriving in Tokyo
If you arrive in Tokyo by plane you will arrive at either Haneda or Narita airports. Haneda is much closer to central Tokyo, however the fast trains that connect Narita make it just as accessible as Haneda.
Arriving by shinkansen, you will find yourself in central Tokyo at Tokyo station. A bustling, crazy station where you are guaranteed to get lost and found and lost, but that’s half the adventure!
Where to stay
Wherever you stay make sure you are in walking distance of a train station. The public transport in Tokyo is fantastic and by far the best way to travel in the city.
Tip: When looking at accommodation, check out google maps to determine how far away train stations are and ‘find directions’ to sites you plan to visit.
Ueno and Shinjuku are two very popular areas to stay. Ueno is easily accessible from Narita airport and the Shinkansen. Shinjuku is a popular area, close to many sights and the point of access to trips out west such as Mount Takao and Hakone.
The Yamanote train line or ‘green circle’ is a JR train line that encircles Tokyo city. Trains run both clockwise and anticlockwise very regularly. If you stay near any of the stations on the green circle it will make many of the sights of Tokyo easily accessible. popular stations on this line include – Shinjuku, Shibuya, Tokyo, Ikebukuro, Akihabara and Harajuku.
Sometimes staying a stop or two away from the major stations makes accommodation much cheaper and still very accessible.
An alternative is to stay in Tokyo Bay official Disney affiliated hotels in the Tokyo Bay area. These hotels often offer a pick up service from the airport (for a fee). The Tokyo Bay area is close to Odaiba, however, it is further south than the main Tokyo circle and so will require more travel to central Tokyo.
Places to visit in Tokyo
Tokyo station
When arriving in Tokyo city it is most likely you will arrive at Tokyo station. It is a massive and confusing station and is actually a city in itself. Live Japan has an awesome step by step photo guide to getting around Tokyo station!
Within Tokyo station you will find “Tokyo Ramen Street” where you can try Ramen from around Tokyo and “Character Street” with Pokemon and Lego stores within the station.
Of course if you are about to travel on the Shinkansen you will want to visit the Ekiben shops to purchase your bento for the train.
Akihabara
Akihabara is an electronics district and a centre for anime and manga or otaku (diehard fan). If you have teenage boys, they will find heaps of shops they enjoy here such as SEGA shop and trading card stores to buy some rare pokemon cards. Be aware that some shops here are not appropriate for kids so just double check before taking them inside…
Akihabara is known for its Ramen so check out one of the many Ramen restaurants or the awesome Gundam Cafe.
Ueno
Ueno is super convenient with the Narita airport express trains stopping here and the Northern bound Shinkansen.
Ueno has one of the biggest parks in Tokyo. If you are in Japan in spring, be sure to check out the cherry blossoms in Ueno park. There are many places to visit in Ueno park including Ueno Zoo and the National Museum of Nature and Science and there is lots of space for the kids to run around. We loved taking a ride on the swan paddle boats.
There are a number of food stalls in the park. The boys favourite? Without a doubt the chocolate covered bananas.
While you are here, also check out the Ameyoko Markets, the site of the black market in WWII, now a place for markets and fashion shopping. We picked up some shoes for the boys and amazing crepes!
Asakusa
Asakusa area is famous for Nakamise market street leading up to the Sensoji temple built in the 7th Century. Here you will find a variety of market stalls and street food.
Asakusa is also famous for Kappabashi kitchenware street where you can find all kids of ceramics, knives, pots and pans, glassware and cutters.
Tokyo Skytree is a short walk from Nakamise street, over the Sumida river and past the Asahi Beer headquarters.
The most popular place for a view of Tokyo is from Tokyo Skytree. It boasts an amazing 360 degree view and if you can time your visit to late afternoon then you will see Tokyo by day and by night. Tokyo Skytree is like a massive version of Centerpoint in Sydney. There are two viewing levels of Skytree and a restaurant. It is expensive to travel to the top and can be quite busy. However, if you take your passport, there is a separate foreigners ticket counter and line to skip the queue and travel to the top.
At the base of Skytree tower is a shopping centre with lots of great shopping options including a Pokemon Centre, and a number of restaurants. After watching the sunset over Tokyo, head downstairs for dinner and some shopping!
Shinjuku
Shinjuku is a popular area which boasts shopping, an electronics district and restaurants.
A free alternative to see the view of Tokyo city is to visit Government towers, near Shinjuku station. These towers are free to enter and, although not as tall as Skytree, they offer a fantastic view of the city.
Shinjuku Gyoen park has wide open spaces for kids to run and a number of tea houses. It is incredibly popular in spring time for Hanami or cherry blossom viewing, so much so that we decided not to join the endless queue for entry to the park and visited in winter instead!
Shibuya
Shibuya is most famous for its crossing, named the busiest crossing in the world, probably made busier by tourists, travelling there just to cross the street! There are a number of Cafe’s nearby with a view of the crossing which makes it a great place to stop for a coffee and to people watch! Shibuya is known for its trendy shopping so if the kids are into shopping you’ll easily spend a day here. My boys are not…
We loved seeing the Hachiko statue at Shibuya station. Hachiko was a loyal dog that met his owner at Shibuya station every day, and continued to travel there to wait even after his master passed away. His statue is a meeting place and a symbol of a dogs faithfulness to his master.
We have a copy of this book and read it to the kids for years, so the kids loved seeing the statue of the dog from their book. If you haven’t read the book then you will likely wonder what the fuss is all about!
Harajuku
Harajuku is known for its quirky fashion, pop culture, animal cafe’s, Kawaii monster cafe and sweet shops. If you enjoy people watching this is the place to be, it is the birthplace of Kawaii culture and you will often see young people dressed up in cool fashion and cosplay.
Takeshita street is the most well known street in Harajuku with fashion shops and lots of places to try some fun foods, however this street is never not busy so be prepared for crowds!
The boys were super excited for a Totti Candy Factory rainbow fairy floss sugar high!
Ghibli Studio
This is one of our all time favourite places to visit. Check out our full post here. Tickets are hard to get so if you plan to go, make sure you book early. Tickets cannot be bought at the museum. An absolute must if you enjoy Japanese anime and love movies such as My Neighbour Totoro, Spirited Away, Howl’s Moving Castle, Princess Mononoke and Kiki’s Delivery Service. If you haven’t seen the movies, you will find this a fun and wacky museum, if you have seen the movies, the wackiness makes a whole lot of sense!
Odaiba
Odaiba is a man made island in Tokyo Bay and this area has lots to see and do, you can easily spend a day here. From life size Gundam statues that transform, Toyota Mega Web, driverless trains, museums and one of the World’s largest ferris wheels.
TeamLab is an interactive light adventure by Japanese artists using digital technology, we loved this place, however, you will need to buy tickets in advance. teamLab borderless has closed and teamLab Planets is open until 2023 and is now a little further out of odiaba, check out the official website for details.
Diver City has awesome shopping. Out the front is a life-size Gundam statue – try and time your visit to when it transforms into battle mode! Then visit Gundam Tokyo Base for Gundam model kits – awesome souvenirs.
There are a number of museums, including the Museum of Maritime Science or Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation. Aquacity Odaiba has shopping and a Ramen theme park to try Ramen from all over Japan. Decks Tokyo Beach is a shopping centre with Joypolis, Legoland Discovery Centre, Takoyaki museum, Madam Tussauds and a Trick Art Museum.
Disneyland and DisneySea
A visit to Tokyo with kids would not be complete without a trip to Disneyland and the only DisneySea in the world.
Who would enjoy Tokyo…
In the past, all flights from Australia went via Tokyo, however, now there are direct flights to Sapporo and Osaka. Tokyo should still be on your visit list, with so many things to see and do, there is something for everyone! Tokyo is the hub and pulse of Japan and a trip to Japan would not be complete without a stop in the capital.
Need more info?
Japan Guide Tokyo
Go Tokyo travel guide
Lonely Planet Tokyo
Day trips to…
Mount Takao
Hakone (although an overnight stay will allow you to check out the Hotel’s Onsen!)
Yokohama
Enoshima
Edo Wonderland