Things to do with kids in Tokyo

20 family-friendly places in Tokyo: zoos, aquariums, playgrounds and more.

Ranked with the travel guide's picks and well-known places first.

DoShinagawa
Aqua Park Shinagawa
アクアパーク品川
Aquarium with dolphin and seal shows and hundreds of species of fish. There is also a carousel ride.
Mon-Fri 12:00-22:00; Sat 10:00-22:00; Sun and holidays 10:00-21:00Adults ¥1,800; Elementary and middle school students ¥1,000; Kids over 4 years old ¥600
SeeMinato
Aquapark shinagawa
アクアパーク品川
A popular aquarium with exhibits that combine dolphin shows and technology. The tunnel tank includes manta rays, green sawfish, and the only dwarf sawfish on display in the world.
BuyMinato
Azabu-Jūban
麻布十番
A quieter commercial district to the southeast of Roppongi Hills, and a good place to spend a lazier afternoon browsing through shops and enjoying the local cafés. The surrounding residential area is popular among professional expats, so expect to see many international families as you walk through.
SeeShinjuku
Fire Museum
消防博物館
Three fire-fighting helicopters, ten trucks, and 3 floors of exhibitions. Very popular with kids, who can wear fire-fighting clothes and ride some of the helicopters and trucks.
09:30-17:00, closed on MondaysFree
SeeChuo
Hama-rikyū Gardens
浜離宮恩賜庭園
It was built by 17th-century shoguns for their private enjoyment. Hama-rikyu is now a public walking garden with an all-season range of flowers and flowering trees. The highlight is the tea house, picturesquely set on a small island in the middle of a pond, where green tea and sweets are available starting at ¥500, and ¥1000 for a set. The garden is next to Tsukiji fish market. A boat which runs up the Sumida River to Asakusa used to depart from inside the garden, but has been suspended indefinitely.
Park admission ¥300 (age 65+ ¥150, primary school children free)
SeeToshima
Hōmyōji
法明寺
Famous Japanese temple built in 810. Features the statue of Kishimojin (鬼子母神像) who is a Japanese God of fertility. Visitors go to Hōmyōji to pray for their children's birth, growth and security. The Kishimojin figure typically take the form of the devil, but this statue holds a baby, and the figure is beautiful. In this temple the Oeshiki-Taisai festival (御会式大祭) is held from October 16 to October 18 every year.
SeeChiyoda
Imperial Palace
皇居 Kōkyo
Surrounded by a series of moats and high walls, the site of the former Edo Castle has been the official residence of the Japanese imperial family since 1868. Reputedly the most expensive square kilometre in the world, which during the height of Japan's bubble was estimated to be worth slightly more than California. The inner palace gardens and buildings are closed to the general public except on the second day of the New Year (January 2) and the Emperor's birthday (February 23), when the imperial family makes a public appearance, and the emperor gives a speech to his assembled subjects. However, foreigners can also apply online to join a free guided tour (M-F at 10:00 and 13:30). If you're feeling lucky, you can also try just showing up at the Imperial Household Agency office located in the northwest corner of the Imperial Palace Park, which is open 09:00-12:00, 13:00-14:00; if there's space, you can join a tour on the same day. Tours are conducted only in Japanese, but electronic audio guides (in English) will be lent to foreign visitors free of charge. At the end of the tour, visitors wishing to enter the East Gardens (see next entry) will be given entrance cards and allowed through to the gardens via a private gate, allowing them to bypass the lines at the main Ōte-mon entrance; pay attention to the announcement in Japanese and queue up as directed.
SeeMinato
Institute for Nature Study
自然教育園
A 200,000 sq m nature preserve in the heart of the city, with birds and waterfowl, insects and marine life.
Sep 1-Apr 30: 09:00-16:30, May 1-Aug 31: 09:00-17:00; closed Mondays, closed Dec 28-Jan 4Adults ¥300, senior citizens and children free
SeeToshima
Kōgan-ji Temple
高岩寺
This small temple in Sugamo is known for two statues: Togenuki Jizō, who heals sick children, and the boddhisattva Kannon, who will cure your pains if you wash themagical appropriate part of the statue. More morbidly, you can also pray to Kannon for a swift and painless death, so you will not be a burden to your relatives in your old age. Visitors pray Enmei Jizōson for their health too. The way to pray is unusual. People drink a small Japanese paper. A small picture of a stone statue of Enmei Jizōson is drawn on it.
SeeShinjuku
Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden
新宿御苑
A large public garden, and one of the most popular places for viewing cherry blossoms in spring. It has Japanese, English and French gardens, as well as a Taiwanese teahouse and a greenhouse. The entrance fee often makes the park surprisingly uncrowded and peaceful. Admission ends 30 minutes before closing.
09:00-16:30; open until 18:00 mid-March to June and mid-August to September, until 19:00 July to mid-August. Closed Mondays (with some exceptions) and during the New Year's Holiday¥500, seniors/students ¥250, children under 15 free
SeeShinjuku
Shinjuku-sanchōme and related red-light districts to the east of the station
It is perfectly safe to walk around here during the day and marvel at the photo billboards of various male and female escorts on offer as well as the live gangster-types acting shady. While it probably shouldn't be done with children, for adults the result is far more "cultural interest" than sleaze.
SeeToshima
Sunshine 60
Sunshine 60 was once the tallest building in Japan and it remains the most prominent building within the Sunshine City complex. The surrounding Sunshine City complex includes shops, restaurants, an aquarium, and an observatory at the top of the Sunshine 60 building.
SeeMinato
TEPIA
Science museum showcasing new technologies, robots, home automation. Explanations are in Japanese but playing with the objects is still fun for kids and adults.
Tue-Sun 10:00-18:00, closed on holidaysFree
BuyShinjuku
Takashimaya
タカシマヤ新宿店
This department store caters towards the mid-20s and up, along with families. The depachika is comparable to Isetan, but not as famous. Look for Hands and Books Kinokuniya at the Southern end of the department store.
SeeChiyoda
Tokyo National Museum of Modern Art
東京国立近代美術館, Tōkyō Kokuritsu Kindai Bijutsukan
With a modest permanent collection on display and regularly changing exhibitions, MOMAT is a nice place to kill a couple of hours after you've seen the Imperial Palace across the road. Entry to the nearby Crafts Gallery is included in the price.
Tue-Thu Sat-Sun 10:30-17:00, Fri 10:30-20:00, closed Mon¥420 for adults, ¥130 for students and children under 15 free. Admission is also free on May 18, November 3 and the first Sunday of every month. Special exhibits extra
EatShinagawa Not mapped
Royal Host
Popular "family restaurant" chain with surprisingly good coffee but little else that stands out.
DoBunkyo Not mapped
Spa LaQua
One of Tokyo's largest spa complexes, using water pumped from 1,700m below Tokyo. Outdoor pools, saunas, beauty salons, restaurants and more across 5 floors. No tattoos or children under 5. Children under 17 can only enter with an adult and must leave before 6pm.
11AM-9AM daily¥3,230/2,640 adult/child on weekdays, weekends +¥990, nights +¥2420 after 1am
BuySumida Not mapped
Tokyo Solamachi
東京ソラマチ
Tokyo's largest commercial complex, with over 300 shops and restaurants, plus an aquarium and a planetarium, at the base of Tokyo Skytree.
DoBunkyo
Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum
野球殿堂博物館
1-3-61, Kōraku
Mar-Sep: Tue-Sun 10:00-18:00, Oct-Feb: Tue-Sun 10:00-17:00, closed Dec 29-Jan 1Adults ¥500, seniors ¥300, children ¥200; discounts for groups of 20 or more
SeeShinagawa
Shinagawa Aquarium
しながわ水族館, Shinagawa Suizokukan
3-2-1 Katsushima
Closed Thu; Tue 11:00-17:00, Wed 10:00-17:00¥1350 adults, ¥600 students, children ¥300

Listings from the Wikivoyage guide to Tokyo (CC BY-SA 4.0).