Japan with kids, from a dad who actually lives here
I'm a Japanese dad in Tokyo. This blog collects the playgrounds, theme parks and family hotels we have visited with our children — including what worked and what didn't — so your trip doesn't have to be a guessing game.
🗺️ Start here: our 5-day Tokyo itineraryBrowse by topic
Day-by-day plans paced for real kids
🎡Play SpotsTheme parks, museums and playgrounds
🍽️Eating OutFamily meals and practical booking tips
🏨Family HotelsHonest reviews with co-sleeping rules
🚄Getting AroundShinkansen, strollers and luggage
🗼From the AuthorMeet the local dad behind these guides
Latest guides
Tokyo with Toddlers on a Rainy Day: 4 Indoor Places We've Visited
ASOBono!, LEGOLAND, Unko Museum or Miraikan? Compare our family visits for toddler play, older siblings, language, meals and rainy-day travel.
Odaiba or Shin-Urayasu with Kids? Choosing a Base for Tokyo and Disney
Compare Odaiba and Shin-Urayasu for a family trip, using our Hilton Tokyo Odaiba and Comfort Suites stays: transport, meals, rooms and Disney plans.
RISONARE Atami with Kids: Our Two-Night Stay with a Baby
Our two-night RISONARE Atami stay with a baby and older child: rooms, pool, food, activities, a ¥170,000 family budget, and shuttle and lunch tips.
Ningyocho Imahan Ginza with Kids: Wagyu Sukiyaki Review (2026)
Can you take a toddler or preschooler to a proper wagyu sukiyaki restaurant in Ginza? At Ningyocho Imahan's Ginza branch, yes — private rooms, kids' seating provided, a server who cooks for you. A local dad's honest guide, including real costs and how to book in English.
Treasure Stone Park Nasu with Kids: Japan's Best Rainy-Day Gem Hunt (2026)
A covered gem-digging park in Nasu where kids shovel real gemstones out of the sand and take home everything they find — a local dad's honest guide, including the Japanese-only booking catch and the winter shutdown trap.
Tokyo Racecourse with Kids: The ¥200 Mega-Playground Hiding Inside a Racetrack (2026)
Our Tokyo Racecourse family visit: playgrounds, horses, access and what to check before going. Activities vary by date; check current suspension notices.
Nasu World Monkey Park with Kids: Elephant Rides, Lemurs on Your Shoulder, and What to Know First (2026)
A small hands-on animal park in Nasu, Tochigi where kids can feed lemurs, watch a monkey show, and ride an elephant — a local dad's honest guide, including the Wednesday/Thursday closures and why a taxi beats the bus.
Nasu Rindoko Family Bokujo with Kids: Feeding Animals by a Mountain Lake (2026)
A lakeside farm park in Nasu where kids bottle-feed calves, hand-feed alpacas, and a zipline crosses the lake — a Tokyo dad's honest guide, including the one tricky part: getting there without a car.
Nasu Highland Park with Kids: Tochigi's Big Mountain Amusement Park, Honestly Reviewed (2026)
Can a 3- or 4-year-old actually enjoy Nasu Highland Park? A Tokyo dad's honest guide to the region's biggest amusement park — which rides little kids can really do, the online ticket trick, and why you shouldn't try this as a Tokyo day trip.
Nakayama Racecourse with Kids: Chiba's ¥200 Playground Day Out (2026)
Yes, a racecourse — Nakayama Racecourse near Tokyo has a free bouncy dome, a Bornelund indoor playroom, and pony events, all for ¥200 or less. A local dad's honest guide, including the underground passage trick.
Ikoma Sanjo Amusement Park with Kids: A Mountaintop Time Capsule Above Osaka (2026)
A retro mountaintop amusement park in Nara with free entry, almost no lines, and a panoramic view over Osaka — a local dad's honest guide to Ikoma Sanjo, including the cable car ride that's half the fun.
ASOBono! Tokyo with Kids: An Honest Local Dad Guide (2026)
A local Tokyo dad's guide to ASOBono! at Tokyo Dome City: current prices, best ages, crowds, food, strollers, English help, and what to expect inside.
SORANO HOTEL Tachikawa: A Recharge Stay Next to Tokyo's Best Playground Park (2026)
Honest review of SORANO HOTEL in Tachikawa from a local dad — a rooftop infinity pool, spacious park-view rooms, and a full-day plan at Showa Kinen Park, one of Tokyo's best playgrounds for kids.
Glamping at Mother Farm with Kids: A Night Inside a Japanese Farm Park (2026)
An honest review of glamping at Mother Farm in Chiba — tent comfort, BBQ dinner, guest-only farm activities like butter-making and morning milking, and whether it's worth the trip from Tokyo with young kids.
Kinugawa Hotel Mikazuki Review: Pools, Kids & Trains from Tokyo
Our family stay at Kinugawa Hotel Mikazuki near Nikko: indoor pool, buffet, rooms, train access and the child policies to check before booking.
Grand Mercure Nasu Highlands with Kids: Honest All-Inclusive Resort Review (2026)
An honest family review of Grand Mercure Nasu Highlands Resort & Spa, an Accor all-inclusive-style resort in Japan's Nasu mountains — family rooms, onsen baths, kids' play areas, and whether it fits your itinerary.
Unko Museum Tokyo with Kids: Tickets, Ages & Our Honest Review
Is Tokyo's poop museum worth it with kids? Our Odaiba visit, ticket rules, queues, toilets and who will enjoy this colorful indoor attraction.
Riding the Shinkansen with Kids: Seats, Strollers, and What Locals Book (2026)
A local dad's guide to taking the Tokaido Shinkansen with a toddler: which seats to reserve, the oversized-luggage row for strollers, the multipurpose room, and how to book in English.
Sanrio Puroland with Kids: Worth It If You Don't Speak Japanese? (2026)
An honest local dad's guide to Sanrio Puroland with kids: ticket prices in USD, the language reality of the shows, what to do instead, and how to enjoy Hello Kitty's indoor park without Japanese.
Risonare Yatsugatake with Kids: Is Hoshino Resorts' Alpine Resort Worth It? (2026)
An honest family review of Hoshino Resorts RISONARE Yatsugatake — an alpine wine resort 2 hours from Tokyo, with an indoor pool, a browse-anywhere library street, and snow play, from a local dad who stayed with his 3-year-old.
Miraikan Science Museum with Kids: Is It Worth Your Odaiba Half-Day? (2026)
Miraikan (National Museum of Emerging Science) is a robot-and-hands-on-science museum in Odaiba, Tokyo. A local dad's honest take on ages, timing, cost in USD, and how it fits with LEGOLAND and the Unko Museum.
LEGOLAND Discovery Center Tokyo with Kids: Is It Worth It? (2026)
An honest local dad's review of LEGOLAND Discovery Center Tokyo in Odaiba — prices in USD, ticket booking, ages it suits best, and how to combine it with a stroller-friendly Odaiba day.
Kyoto Umekoji Kadensho Review: Family Rooms & Private Baths
Our Kyoto Umekoji Kadensho family review: four-bed room, private baths, meals and a short train ride from Kyoto Station. What to check before booking.
KidZania Tokyo in English: Wednesday, Tickets & Our Family Visit
Plan KidZania Tokyo with kids: English Wednesday, official ticket booking, age rules and six activities from our morning visit in Toyosu.
Hilton Tokyo Odaiba with Kids: Honest Review of a Bay-View Family Stay (2026)
Is Hilton Tokyo Odaiba worth it for families? A local dad's honest review of the Deluxe King room, bay views, breakfast, pool, and access — plus who this hotel actually suits.
Funabashi Andersen Park with Kids: Tokyo's Best-Kept Playground Secret (2026)
A huge, cheap Danish-themed park near Tokyo with giant obstacle courses, animal petting, and flower fields — a local dad's honest guide to Funabashi Andersen Park, including how to actually get there.
Comfort Suites Tokyo Bay Review: Disney Shuttle & Family Rooms
Our family stay at Comfort Suites Tokyo Bay: Disney shuttle, room photos, breakfast costs, children's bedding rules and the Shin-Urayasu location.
Yokohama Anpanman Children's Museum with Kids: Is It Worth a Day Trip? (2026)
An honest local dad's review of the Yokohama Anpanman Children's Museum — who Anpanman is, free vs. paid floors, best ages, stroller rules, and how to combine it with a Yokohama day trip from Tokyo.
Why a Japanese Dad Started an English Blog About Japan with Kids
Most 'Japan with kids' guides are written by one-time visitors. Here's what a local Tokyo dad can tell you that they can't.
Hi, I'm a Tokyo dad 🇯🇵
Born and raised in Japan, working long weekdays, and spending family outings with my daughters. I write the guide I wish visiting parents had: what things really cost, what to check before booking, and which places might suit your children.
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