Japan’s capital city has become a more popular destination for family vacations in recent years. It’s a safe country, and many kids are obsessed with anime shows and video games. Plus, there are so many family activities in Tokyo that kids of all ages will enjoy.
However, Japan can be a cultural learning curve for North American and European families. It’s a good idea to book tours and interactive experiences with local guides so you can have fun without committing a faux pas. From fun foodie tours to cultural ceremonies to easy day trips, this guide lists all the best tours in Tokyo for the whole family!
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Table of Contents
Top Family Activities in Tokyo to Add to Your Itinerary
Tokyo Free Walking Tours
1. Free Flagship Walking Tour
You’ve probably heard that Tokyo’s metropolitan area is the largest in the world. You might be surprised to learn that walking tours are possible! They aren’t just possible, but Tokyo Localized’s Free Walking Tour is also affordable. If this is your first time visiting Tokyo, walking tours are a great way to get your bearings. Just tip at the end how much you think the tour was worth.
This is a three-hour tour of Tokyo city center highlights. Starting at the Tamashii Nations shopping mall, you will visit places like the Arts Chiyoda building, Ameyoko Shopping Arcade, and Kanda Myojin before finishing the tour in Ueno Park. You can check out the Ueno Zoo while you’re there! Since it’s a pretty long walking tour, this activity is better for older kids.
2. Free Imperial Palace Walking Tour
The Imperial Palace is the main residence of Japan’s Emperor. The beautiful gardens surrounding the palace are one of the main attractions in central Tokyo. Tokyo Localized offers another tips-based Free Walking Tour of the East Gardens. It’s hands-down one of the top family activities in Tokyo!
See castle ruins dating back to the Edo Period (1603 – 1868), the Otemon Gate, and native seasonal flowers. Learn about Samurai culture, Shogun military leaders, and the role of the Emperor in modern Japan. It’s a fascinating, two-hour tour and these beautiful parks are some of the best places to learn about the old and new Tokyo.
Tokyo Guided Tours
3. Top 10 Highlights and Hidden Gems Private Tour
If you don’t have much time to see Tokyo’s top sites, it’s well worth booking a guide for the whole day. This Private Highlights and Hidden Gems Tour is a good option. You can opt for a tour lasting anywhere from three to eight hours depending on how long you have. It’s ideal if you have little kids who won’t last the full day without a nap.
Your local guide will take you to all their favorite places. Check out the Senso-ji Temple in Asakusa and the Meiji Shrine. Eat fresh fish at the Tsukiji Outer Market and wacky sweet treats along Harajuku’s Takeshita Street. Stroll through the Imperial Gardens and, of course, battle your way through the busy Shibuya Crossing.
This is a walking experience, but you will use subway stations to get around. It’s so much easier to learn the system with a tour guide!
4. City Kickstart Tour
Lasting only 90 minutes, the Private City Kickstart Tour is one of the best walking tours and family activities in Tokyo for younger children. It’s a perfect introduction to the city and short enough to hold the attention spans of smaller kids.
Your guide can show you the Hachikō Memorial Statue and all the best pop culture spots to hit up in Harajuku. Ask all your burning questions and personalize this tour to your needs!
5. Asakusa Rickshaw Tour
Walking tours aren’t a great option when traveling with toddlers or family members with limited mobility. That’s why this Rickshaw Tour of Tokyo’s Asakusa Neighborhood is perfect! You can see Tokyo’s historic sites while riding in a cool vehicle.
Stop by the Ushijima Jinja Shrine (AKA the Lucky Cow Fortune Shrine), the Matsuchiyama Shoden Temple, and other sites from the Edo Period. The tour starts at Asakusa train station and ends wherever you like! Choose a tour lasting between 30 minutes to three hours. You might need to book more than one rickshaw if you are traveling in a large group.
Tokyo Bike Tours
6. Small Group Cycling Tour of Tokyo
Compared to the rest of Japan, Tokyo is a fairly flat city. It’s not known for its outdoor activities, but one of the best family activities in Tokyo is to join this Small Group Biking Tour. You can explore more places in a shorter time!
Pitstops on the tour include Yoyogi Park, Meiji Jingu Shrine, and the Imperial Palace. Finish the tour on the top floor of the 48-story Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building. It’s not the tallest building in Tokyo, but it’s still one of the best observation decks.
This is a full-day tour with a height requirement for the bikes so it’s not ideal for young children. However, your older kids will have a great time riding through the narrow alleyways with an expert guide.
Night Tours in Tokyo
7. Nighttime Foodie Tour of Shinjuku
Tokyo’s Shinjuku neighborhood is known for its department stores, markets, and nightlife. It’s the perfect place for a Small Group Nighttime Food Tour. It’s three hours long and you will stop at three iconic restaurants in the area.
Taste Japan’s famous Wagyu beef at a BBQ restaurant, artisanal nigiri sushi at a top bar, and tuck into a dessert or alcoholic drink. All the restaurants and bars are a short walk away. While people of all ages can join, the tour isn’t very stroller-friendly. Note that the drinking age in Japan is 20 so your teenagers won’t be able to sample alcoholic drinks as they would in Europe.
8. Asakusa Night Tour with Tokyo Skytree
I don’t know why we all love visiting the ‘tallest’ or ‘oldest’ places but we do! The Tokyo Skytree is the tallest freestanding broadcasting tower and boasts 360-degree views of the city. Book this Small Group Asakusa Night Tour and a visit up the Tokyo Skytree is included in the ticket price.
It’s one of the best family activities in Tokyo at night as this city might be the most beautiful after dark when the city is aglow. Your guide will take you to all of the best photo stops in Asakusa so you can get good family pictures too.
Cultural Activities in Tokyo
9. Sumo Entertainment Show
One of the best things about visiting Tokyo on a family vacation is that so many cultural activities are kid-friendly. Your children will absolutely love this Sumo Wrestling Dinner Show.
Live shows are two hours and they include a meal and an English commentator. You can even enter the ring and take a photo with a former sumo wrestler afterward!
10. Street Go-Kart Tours
Sure, walking and rickshaw tours are fun family activities in Tokyo. But absolutely nothing will beat this Small Group Go Karting Tour through the city streets! Live out your go-karting fantasies in real life instead of playing characters in arcade games. And yes, you are given an uber-cool, colorful boiler suit you can wear from your favorite anime show to complete the experience.
Drive bright red cars past Tokyo Tower and Rainbow Bridge in Tokyo Bay. The whole experience is around two hours and includes kart insurance, fuel, and a safety briefing. It’s important to note that only people with an international driver’s license can drive a go-kart. There is no room for passengers on the kart so it’s not a suitable experience for young kids, only teenagers who have passed their test.
11. Samurai Experience at a Dojo
Samurai culture is an important part of Japanese history. You and your older children can learn all about them by training as one at this Small Group Samurai Lesson at a Dojo.
This two-hour experience includes authentic training wear, practicing with real swords, and expert instruction. They will teach you lots of sword techniques with a practice sword before handing over the real deal! You’re welcome to take as many pictures as you like. Children under 18 can’t participate in this experience (probably something to do with the real swords!). Take your younger kids to the Samurai Museum instead.
12. Sushi Making Class
The best family activities in Tokyo are those where you can learn new skills and bring them home. Join this Sushi-Making Experience in Asakusa so an expert can teach you how to make traditional nigiri sushi.
The experience is two hours and you get to eat your creations at the end! Feel free to bring infants along too.
13. Tea Ceremony and Kimono Experience
This Tea Ceremony and Kimono Experience is a great way to learn more about a unique part of Japanese culture. It’s the perfect spot for your kids who may not be into samurais and sumo wrestlers.
There are kimonos for both men and women. Learn how to prepare and enjoy green tea the Japanese way in this fun 90-minute session.
14. Anime and Gaming Adventure
Some of the best family activities in Tokyo are related to all things anime and gaming. This three-hour Anime and Gaming Tour of Akihabara is perfect for the whole family, whether everyone is an anime nerd or not.
Visit the Maid Café (one drink included), retro gaming department stores, fun photo booths, and more. If your kids are big anime fans, you need to visit the Ghibli Museum and Pokemon Center too.
Food Tours of Tokyo
15. Tsujiki Fish Market Walking Food Tour
If your family loves food, the Tsujiki Fish Market is a good place to go. Except it’s not just one market, it’s at least five separate markets. Visit them all on this three-hour Tsujiki Fish Market Tour!
Learn about the history of this 80-year-old market from a local guide. Rub shoulders with the Michelin-starred chefs who buy their fresh fish right here. Stop at one of the best Japanese kitchenware stores to pick up an authentic chef’s knife and sample a fish bowl or omelet at the end of the tour.
16. Dumpling and Ramen Cooking Class
Sushi is an acquired taste and your kids might prefer learning how to make other local delicacies. Sign up for a private or small-group Classic Ramen and Crispy Gyoza Class run by Chagohan Tokyo in Asakusa. It’s a three-hour experience and one of the top family activities in Tokyo.
Learn how to make both dishes from scratch and dine on them as a group afterward. Families with allergies and dietary requirements will be happy to learn this cooking class will try and cater to individual needs.
17. Arigato Retro Shibuya Food Tour
Traveling with your adult kids or extended family? Book this Retro Food Tour of the Shibuya Neighborhood by Arigato Japan.
Visit old-school Tachinomi bars for snacks and saké and try ramen from a long-standing favorite restaurant. Check out a traditional izakaya (Japanese pub) and a surprise dessert stop that won’t disappoint! This three-hour experience runs in the early evening so it’s ideal for dinner. Note that everyone needs to be over 20 to join this tour.
18. Ramen Tasting Tour
Ramen cooking classes are really fun family activities in Tokyo. But if you’d rather just taste delicious ramen cooked by local, professional chefs, you can! Book your family on this private or small-group Ramen Tasting Tour.
Spend three hours sampling six mini ramen dishes in three Tokyo districts. Learn all about the history of ramen, how it’s made, and even popular trends. They also run a vegan/vegetarian ramen tour.
19. Crazy Cute Kawaii Harajuku Food Tour
Harajuku is a popular spot in Tokyo due to all its crazy, cute, and wacky fashion and dessert stores. Arigato Japan runs family-friendly private or small-group Crazy Cute Kawaii Food Tours of Harajuku. Even though the famous Kawaii Monster Cafe is now closed, there are so many more awesome spots.
Order cotton candy bigger than your head and in every color of the rainbow and eat ice cream in the shape of fish. You will stop at five food vendors within a few minutes walk away on this fun, three-hour tour.
Tokyo Day Trip Tours
20. Mt. Fuji and Hakone Day Trip
Let’s be honest, you can’t visit Tokyo on a family trip without visiting Mount Fuji. There are approximately only 70 clear days per year that the iconic mountain is visible. But you have to try! This Hakone and Mount Fuji Day Tour ensures your family will have a great day regardless.
Explore the Ninja House near Mount Fuji and stroll through a traditional Japanese Garden. You may see cherry blossoms if you visit in spring! You will also ride Hakone Ropeway for a great view of the mountainous region and enjoy boat rides on Lake Ashi. Take the bullet train back to Tokyo Station for a unique opportunity to ride Japan’s famous rail system.
21. Tokyo to Kyoto Private Day Tour
Everyone says that you cannot visit Tokyo without also visiting Kyoto. It was the capital city for over 1,000 years until 1868, so it’s a great place to learn about Japan’s history. This Private Tour of Kyoto will ensure you hit all the popular attractions and temples with room to customize your day trip.
Visit the famous Fushimi Inari shrine, Kinkaku-ji Temple, and Tenryuji Temple Bamboo Garden. Your guide will also help you navigate the public transportation system so you know which bullet train tickets to buy.
22. Day Trip to Kamakura
Are you planning your second family trip to Tokyo? Do you prefer day trips to lesser-visited locations? This Full Day Private Trip to Kamakura just south of Tokyo is a great option. Kamakura was an important town in medieval times. Today, it’s a seaside resort town with many Buddhist temples and shrines.
Your guide will take you to The Great Buddha of Kamakura statue and recommend three to four more fun things. This is your family tour! Visit the Hasedera Temple with panoramic views of the ocean. Taste traditional Hatosabure dove cookies on the old Komachi shopping street and feel like you’ve traveled back in time.
Amazing Family Activities in Tokyo to Enjoy on Your Trip
There are lots of family activities in Tokyo. You wil never get bored, even if you’re staying for a week or more. Whether your family prefers to visit temples from the Edo period, quirky animal cafes, bustling food markets, or all of the above, you are sure to find what you’re looking for here!