MyGlowySkinJourney

Planning a trip to Japan with toddlers might sound overwhelming, but with the right preparation it can be one of the most rewarding family adventures. Below is our detailed 10-day Japan itinerary trip plan with toddlers, designed to help parents get the most out of their trip while balancing sightseeing, naps, meals, and downtime.

We travelled with a 6-month-old baby and a nearly 3-year-old boy, so this guide is based on real experience. Our decisions were made after researching travel blogs, YouTube vlogs, and the official Visit Japan website. When travelling with toddlers, flexibility is key – some days go smoothly, others need adjusting on the fly. Hopefully this guide saves you time planning and gives you confidence that Japan with young kids is absolutely doable and enjoyable.

Family-Friendly Accommodation in Tokyo

One of the first decisions we made after booking bargain flights was where to stay in Tokyo. We considered Mimaru Apartments Tokyo, which are very popular with families, but ultimately decided on &here Ueno Deluxe Family Room.

Why Ueno with Toddlers?

Ueno is a great choice for families. It is directly accessible from Narita Airport via the Skyliner or Narita Express, and once you’re there, you’re on the Yamanote Line, which connects to most major Tokyo attractions – Shibuya, Shinjuku, Harajuku, Ginza, and more.

The &here Ueno location also meant we were within walking distance to convenience stores, family restaurants, Ueno Zoo, and Shinobazu Pond (which the kids loved – turtles and giant catfish were a hit).

&here Ueno Deluxe Family Room Review

Pros:

• Perfect for families with two family beds giving toddlers space to play and babies room to crawl.
• Bed rails and cots available on request at the front desk.
• Convenient location near Don Quijote, McDonald’s (open 24/7), and Ueno Zoo.
• Rooftop public onsen, a rare luxury for parents to relax.
• Plenty of amenities stocked, from toothbrushes to razors.
• Ueno Station was a fantastic interchange for day trips and sightseeing.

Cons:

• Cleaning was only done twice a week, not daily.
• Morning sun came in very strongly, so blackout curtains would have helped.
• One-ply toilet paper (the Toto bidets helped, but still not great).

Overall, the space and location made it one of the best family-friendly hotels in Tokyo.

Must bring items

• Portable fans if travelling in spring-summer. Cools everyone down but most importantly cools food down for the hangry. Highly reccomend this one that I bought on amazon which has 5 power settings with a long lasting rechargeable battery. It literally cools food for my toddler in under 2 minutes

• White noise machine for hotel when trying to give baby a nap or sleep in an attempt to drown out the toddlers loud voice. Highly recommend the ergopouchdriftaway which has 48 hours runtime before needing a charge
• Passport wallet for the fam- we bought a cheap one from Amazon and it fits the four passports and boarding passes. Handy for Japan as it’s illegal for foreigners to walk around without passport (fine ~$1000).link here
• baby carrier: We had the 6 month old in a carrier. Although tiring, it worked best for us. He is not a fan of prams. If you are looking for one I highly recommend the Ergobaby as it is so easy to put on and the strap around the waist does give you that extra boost of support.
• Travel stroller this was highly necessary for us as we did a lot of steps on the daily. Our toddler ended up being in his Babyzen yoyo stroller about 65% or the time. Our daily steps ranged from 10K-20k which is a lot for little legs!
• Nappy rash cream: when we went in May it was incredibly humid which is why I would recommend bringing a nappy rash cream to prevent a really bad rash in a foreign country. I would reccommendAquaphor healing paste which you can more about on my post about nappy cream.
• Road/train track washi tape- this was a sporadic purchase which I wasn’t sure my toddler would like or not. It’s like masking tape so it comes off easily and my toddler played his new Tomica cars and trains on it every-time we had rest time back at the hotel. Per pic below we put it on the ground near the bed and he absolutely loved it.

Breakfast in Tokyo with Kids

If your toddlers wake at 6am like ours, you’ll quickly realise Tokyo doesn’t come alive until around 9am. 7-Eleven convenience stores saved us daily with egg sandwiches, onigiri, and DIY frozen fruit smoothies (banana, acai, kale, or berry blends you can blend in-store).

10-Day Japan Itinerary with Toddlers

Here’s our full Tokyo 10-day itinerary for families. Each day includes activities suited for small children with a balance of play, culture, and rest.

Day 1- Asakusa – Yae kimono rental 👘 & Tokyo skytree

We were a bit worried about booking this as the first day activity (as the kids got into bed quite late the day before) if I were to rebook I would do it on day 2. We booked a photo package with Yae kimono rental . It was great they ladies were so patient and they entertained our kiddos while everyone got ready. The whole process was incredibly smooth and we really vibed with our photographer. They loved kids here so everyone was more than happy to hold the little one. We then took the train over to check out Tokyo skytree- we were about 30 minutes late however they were kind enough to let us through.

Day 2 – ODAIBA teamlab planets & gas science museum

We chose to attend a morning session on a weekday for teamlab planets however it was very packed despite being a weekday. Some of the displays were quite overstimulating and our toddler just wasn’t having a good time. We ended up leaving early and did not even go into one of the popular sections. We went to have ramen at the venue on site (vegan store) and it was hands down one of the best vegetarian ramen’s i’ve ever had in my life. It was so flavoursome.

We had a short walk to the gas science museum and this was so much fun for my toddler it was educational but also fascinating. Some highlights was the hot air balloon which floated into the air, an interactive room where you draw something (pass it to the staff) and they feed it into the projections and this “microwave” machine where you put food items and it shows you where the food comes from. After this we walked over to Lalaport departments stores for some nappy change and snacks. there was a very impressive babystore and a toys r us in there.

Day 3 – Disneyland

The morning was quite rough and we made the rookie mistake of heading over at 9am which was peak hour traffic via the trains. We were unable to get on with a pram and two kids as it was just physically impossible to squish in. We had to walk to other stations and ask the station master for help to get on. The highlights for our toddler was definitely the parade and going on rides for the first time in his life. For my post on a one day Disney adventure please click here to read

Tips:

• For the parade which starts at 12:30pm if you want a front row seat you need to put down a little mat at 11am (buy this from Daiso). Japanese love to wait and someone will need to sit down and look after the spot. It was a blistering hot day but definitely worth the wait.
• Download the Disney app before you go
• Kid friendly rides:
  • Pooh hunny Hunt (for babies they will ask if the baby can sit on their own – our baby was only 6 months i said No but could have gotten away with saying yes)
  • Cups
  • Carousel
  • Flying Dumbo ride

Day 4 – Ueno Park/Zoo/Museum

This was by far my favourite day as everything was literally just a walk across the road through the park and towards the zoo. The zoo was probably the cheapest admission $6 that i’ve ever paid for a zoo. There are alot of animals there ranging from flamingos, Pandas, crocodiles,Giraffes, Horses, guinea pigs to Rhinoceros. It is great for kiddies to have a look at the animals up close but not gonna lie there was an element of low key animal cruelty keeping beautiful animals caged in some small enclosures (the rhino looked pretty sad). We went to the National museum of Nature and science after our lunch and starbucks.

Tips:

• Please book in the play area for the national museum of nature and science. There was a really cool soft play section in there which we missed out on. Click here for booking link

Day 5 – Ginza – goldfish art Aquarium Musem , police museum & Hakuhinkan Toy park shop

We really liked the goldfish art museum – the vibe in there was relaxing (probably the sound of flowing water really helped).For the police museum you will need to be at least 95cm. Unfortunately we needed to get a ticket at the front desk (can’t book online) to enter however it was over 1 hour wait which was no deal for us. There isn’t much in there but if you are keen on checking out a police car definitely go here first to get a ticket for a time slot to better plan out your day. The toy store has about 4 levels of toy store – really great for souvenirs and even a little train play for a toddler

Day 6 – Tokyo character street

Tokyo Station is one of the busiest and most complex train stations in Japan, and honestly, it can be a little overwhelming to navigate, especially if you’re travelling with kids or pushing a stroller. After finally making our way out and grabbing some lunch, we headed to one of the highlights hidden within the station complex: Tokyo Character Street.

For those visiting for the first time, it’s important to note that Tokyo Character Street is located inside Tokyo Station but outside the ticket gates. This means you don’t need a JR pass or a train ticket to access it, just find the underground shopping area and follow the signs.

Character Street is lined with dozens of official character merchandise stores, featuring everything from Pokémon, Hello Kitty, Rilakkuma, and Studio Ghibli, to more niche anime favourites. We spent the most time inside the Tomica Shop Tokyo, which was a dream come true for my toddler. Not only does the shop sell an incredible range of Tomica die-cast cars, trains, and limited-edition models, but there was also a small activity corner where kids can custom-build their own Tomica car with the guidance of the friendly staff. Watching my little one design and take home a personalised toy car was easily one of the most memorable parts of our day.

If you’re travelling with children (or just a toy enthusiast yourself), Tokyo Character Street at Tokyo Station is a must-visit. It’s the perfect spot to pick up souvenirs, enjoy the atmosphere, and take a short break from the hustle and bustle of city sightseeing.

Day 7 – Diversity and Toys R us (Odaiba)

On Day 7 of our Tokyo itinerary, we headed out to Odaiba, a popular entertainment hub on the Tokyo Bay waterfront. Our first stop was Toys “R” Us Odaiba, which turned out to be a paradise for kids (and big kids at heart). The store is massive, with aisles of Japanese toys, anime figures, Tomica cars, and collectible merchandise that you won’t easily find outside Japan. If you’re travelling with children, this is a great spot to let them browse and pick a special souvenir.

Right next door is DiverCity Tokyo Plaza, a large shopping and entertainment complex best known for the life-sized Unicorn Gundam statue outside. The Gundam is definitely worth a photo stop — it even transforms at set times during the day with lights and sound effects, which is a hit with both tourists and anime fans. Inside the plaza, you’ll find a wide variety of shops, food courts, and entertainment options, including themed attractions and arcade centres.

That said, our personal experience at DiverCity wasn’t particularly enjoyable. We went on a weekend, and the crowds made it feel overwhelming. Unless you absolutely love shopping (it’s quite similar to a DFO/outlet-style mall), I would honestly recommend skipping DiverCity and focusing instead on Odaiba’s other attractions, such as teamLab Planets, Palette Town, or the Odaiba Seaside Park.

Day 8 – Saitama Train museum – Daytrip from Tokyo

if you have a train loving toddler this is a highly reccomended activity/day trip. The train ride is apporximately an hour to Saitama. There are alot of new and old trains on display with kids area with trains that they can jump on and explore. There are also train bentos so particularly helpful if you have a picky toddler like me.

Tips: There is a lottery system for the rides so download the rail museum app (Apple or Android) and sign up for the acitvites you want to try for. If you are lucky you will be allocated for it. We got the mini train ride that we could act as a driver

Day 9 – Harajuku & Meiji Shrine

We explored the main harajuku street (takeshita) which is always fun and full of interesting stores and gachapons expecially for people who like collecting items. Great place for souvenirs too! My toddler lost his stuffed toy here so we did have a major meltdown (please secure your stuffies!!!!). Meiji shrine was within walking distance and it was a nice naturesque break from the busy city streets.

Day 10 – Shinjuku & firetruck museum

We spent our last day hanging out in Shinjuku – one of the highlights was the Godzilla head at hotel gracery. Every hour, up until 8pm daily, the massive Godzilla head comes to life with a short sound and light show, complete with roaring effects that make it feel like you’re in a real Japanese monster movie. It’s free to view from the street, making it one of the most fun and quirky things to do in Shinjuku with kids or families. 

We also visited the Tokyo Fire Museum in Shinjuku, which turned out to be a hidden gem and one of the most underrated family-friendly museums in Tokyo. Spread across multiple floors, the museum showcases an impressive collection of historic fire trucks, firefighting vehicles, helicopters, and equipment used throughout Japan’s history. Upon entering, we were warmly welcomed by a kind attendant, setting the tone for a relaxed and enjoyable visit. Kids especially loved the interactive displays – on one floor, children can even climb inside a real firetruck cab and pretend to be firefighters, making it a fantastic indoor activity in Tokyo with kids. Best of all, admission is completely free, making this an affordable and educational stop for families exploring Shinjuku. There was also a fire wall that you can take photos in front of which revealed flames when you take a picture with the flash on. Super cool!!

Before we headed to the airport we headed to Roppongi hills to check out the Sakurazaka Park which had so many slides and was so much fun!

Extra Family Travel Tips for Japan

• Set up Suica card on Apple Wallet before you go. Works on trains, vending machines, convenience stores, even clothing shops.
• Buy a train station stamp book on day one. Toddlers love collecting stamps, and it becomes a cheap but memorable souvenir.
• Travel during shoulder season – spring and autumn are best for toddlers with milder weather and fewer crowds.
• Use family restaurants – chains like Saizeriya are budget-friendly and toddler-approved.

Final Thoughts

Travelling Japan with toddlers may take more planning, but it’s worth every effort. From Ueno Zoo mornings to watching Disney parades, this family-friendly Tokyo itinerary balanced culture, fun, and rest for both kids and parents.

If you’re planning your own Japan trip with toddlers, hopefully this guide provides a realistic yet inspiring overview. Take it slow, enjoy the small moments, and don’t forget to indulge in convenience store ice cream along the way – because that’s part of the magic of Japan too.

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