The title “MY FAVOURITE HOTEL FOR FAMIILIES IN TOKYO” is a huge call, right?
But I stand by it!
Over the past 5 years or so, there have been apartment style hotels popping up in and around Tokyo (some other cities too but mostly Tokyo) and all I’ve been thinking is FINALLY! Finally someone is listening to the market!
Families need space, comfort and amenities that include a small kitchenette, a decent fridge in the room, access to on-site coin laundry facilities and ..the hotel I’m writing about now has also added what many haven’t which is a public bath AND a cafe in the lobby.
*Please note that not every single room has a kitchenette or bunk beds so make sure you select the room type that does.
See the little barrier between the two top bunks ? My kids LOVED this as it felt like their own rooms and each of their “bedrooms” had their own charging points too. It was perfect.
Within this article my &Here Ueno links (when you click on them) are not affiliate links. I don’t make any money from these links. But they do let the hotel know that you found them through me – so please click or let reception know that you found about them via The Tokyo Chapter – it really helps me and helps the businesses find out where parents are getting their Japan with families intel from . Thank you so much!
The hotel is called &Here and is located in Ueno.
If you’ve been to Tokyo before you will know that Ueno is on the Yamanote line (the Yamanote line is the green city-loop line so that means you have direct access to Tokyo Station, Shibuya, Shinjuku, Harajuku, Ikebukuro, Ginza, Shinagawa etc.) Some of the bullet trains even depart from Ueno!
You can also take the train or walk to neighbouring Akihabara.
Did you know that Ueno is also 9 mins by cab from Ryogoku where you can watch a sumo wrestling tournament?
Ueno is also amazing for shopping (several large department stores around the station), lots of restaurants open late into the night, lots of street food in the Ameyokocho alleyways next to the station too).
Ueno never feels too “big city” either as it’s the home of massive green Ueno Park.. you know, the one with the swan boats ?!! And Ueno Park, itself, is a place for kids to wriggle, there is some playground equipment, swan boats, ice-cream vending machines, a small ampitheatre where many Japanese boy and girl bands perform and there are also many school or university aged students practicing their musical instruments or dance routines.*
*This is very common in big Japanese city parks as not many Japanese people have the space to do these things at home – or they live in apartment blocks where trumpet practice isn’t exactly going to make the neighbours too happy.
How to get to &Here Ueno
Hotel directions:
7 mins walk from Ueno Station (take the Yamashita Exit or the Shinobazu Gate Exit from the Station)
10 mins walk from Okachimachi (take the North Exit from the Station)
5 mins walk from Yushima Station on the Chiyoda Line (take Exit 2 from the Station)
6 mins walk from Ueno-Hirokoji Station on the Ginza Line (take Exit 3 from the Station)
7 mins walk from Ueno-Okachimachi Station on the Oedo Line (take Exit A3 from the Station)
Please scroll down further for more information on where is easy to get to from &Here Ueno as well as information like where to eat nearby (including breakfast restaurants, closest convenience stores, drug stores, sightseeing spots in the immediate area and in the nearby neighbourhood.
The Family Rooms at &Here Ueno
See here if you’d like a little video tour on my instagram.
Each family room is equipped with bunk beds, a kitchenette, dining table, fridge and ensuite with a separate toilet.
Some items for the room can also be borrowed from the front desk for free – for example, I borrowed a toaster oven so my kids and my Mum could have toast in the morning (and I had a grilled tuna toastie and it was amazing!)
Other items that you can borrow are: rice cooker, hot plate, mix, steam iron, trouser press, scale, face steamer, projector, blu-ray player, crib, bedwetting pad, conversion plug, transformer, mobile charger, extension cord, different types of pillows, bed guards, baby chair (can be used like a high chair while eating), bath chair (Naturally, these are availability dependent.)
Cots/cribs for babies are also, of course, free of charge (for children weighing up to 13 kgs)
The other facilities for families at &Here Ueno
The cafe in the &Here Ueno lobby is also open to non-staying guests.
They sell bread, coffee, ice-cream, cookies and wine. There is a vending machine in the lobby that is restocked daily with snacks and freshly made bagels with different spreads and ingredients inside.
We call this “drawing challenges” and I just stick a whole lot of characters in a book and the kids have to try to draw them. Both my kids love to draw so this always goes down well. See here for more in-hotel activity suggestions for kids and here for activities for little kids on planes and here for big kids on planes.
On the second floor there is an ice machine, microwaves, vending machines and a coin laundry. The machines are the type that have the detergent already built in to the machine (no need to provide your own.).
And on the 14th floor is the public bath. There are two baths, of course. One for men and one for women.
Did you know that you can check how busy the bath is by turning on the tv? How cool is that?! The first tv “hotel menu” screen will tell you if the public bath is really crowded or quite empty! So good!
The staff at &Here Ueno all speak English -even the house-keeping staff – so there is no need to worry about communication issues.
*Please note that guest rooms are cleaned on the 4th day of your stay. Towels are changed daily. Rubbish is taken out daily.
Reception staff are able to help with sending and receiving forwarded luggage. And it is also very easy to store luggage on the day of check-out or check-in.
Where to go in Ueno in the area around &Here Ueno?
A temple, food stalls, small playground and swan boats
I recommend taking a walk for just a few minutes to Shinobazunoike Benten-do Temple in the middle of the park.
On the way there, stop for a look in the ampitheatre just across the road from the hotel – many afternoons and evenings you will see Japanese boy or girl bands performing for their fans (entrance to actually go in is usually 1000 yen or so but you can also just have a little look from outside the arena.
On the way around the park to the temple there are also a few small pieces of playground equipment
Walking up to the temple, keep an eye out for koi or turtles in the pond!
If you want to do it “properly” (no-one is getting in trouble if you don’t) then go into or around the temple, don’t forget to use the water washing areas to wash your hands and then walk up to the incense urn out front and wave some of it over your head (this will make you smarter and you can also wave the smoke over body parts of yours that require healing.)
Then walk behind the temple and ride a swan boat!!
It costs 800 yen for 30 minutes.
Swan boats are closed on Wednesdays in Winter.
Swan boat hours are 10AM -6:30PM in Summer, 10AM-6PM in September, 9:30AM-5:30PM in October, February and March, 9AM – 5PM in November, 9AM-4:30PM in December, 9-5AM in January (very confusing, yes? )
You can also rent normal row boats, if you prefer.
You also aren’t allowed to choose the colour of the swan.
On the way back through the park, stop for kakigori (shaved ice) or other available option on that day.
After the swan boats and kakigori you can check out a small but very cute little shrine.
It’s a great and easy place to take some cute pictures with kids.Here is a photo of my little girl making her way to the shrine through the hydrangeas (this was in rainy season.). It is called Hanazono Inari Shrine – it’s 5 mins walk from the Swan Boats or 9 mins walk from &Here Ueno.
The shrine is called Hanazono Inari Shrine. It’s small but makes for a cute little walk through the torii gates and is a great mini-explore with little kids in tow.
台東区上野公園4-59
4-59 UENOKOEN, TAITO-KU
Within this park is also the Ueno Zoo – personally I’m not a fan so I don’t recommend going here – but if you wanted to – you could do that too.
If you are moving from the park towards Ueno Station, you could walk make time to go and check out the Starbucks in the middle of Ueno Park and see what the locals relaxing in the park are up to -maybe dancing, reading, playing some music…….
Just near the zoo entrance is this adorable post box- all in keeping with the theme. Of course.
And the The National Museum of Science and Nature, Ueno (Tokyo) is 14 mins walk from &Here Ueno.
My kids love this space – especially on a rainy day.
Karaoke options for families in the Ueno area?
I recommend visiting Pasela Resort, Ueno Koen Mae Branch. If you ask the hotel reception to book – as them to organise an “all flat” type room and then it’s great for babies and toddlers who need to crawl around and play. Like all karaoke boxes in Japan, you are in your own private booth and can order food and drinks to be delivered to your room. See here for the Pasela Resort Karaoke food menu. And click here to see the Pasela Resort Karaoke kid’s menu. They even provide a little booster seat style high chair. You can also bring in your own baby food (other foods not allowed though.) Remember, this is open from 11am so makes for a great rainy day activity. This karaoke branch is 4 mins walk from &Here Ueno.
SEE HERE FOR STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS ON TAKING KIDS OUT TO KARAOKE IN JAPAN.
Another idea while in this area?
Only 7 minutes in a cab or 20 minutes on foot from Ueno Zoo is Nezu Shrine. You won’t regret it. It’s so lovely here.
Not far from Tokyo Dome is Nezu Shrine. A beautiful slice of history and beauty – a little minature Kyoto. If you’re lucky enough, you will be there for a festival with the yatai (food stalls) and street food selection. The little tunnel of red tori gates is my favourite part.
Admission is free (when its Azalea season – mid to late spring- it is 200 yen to enter the Azalea area. Kids under school age are free.)
NEZU SHRINE
1-28-9 NEZU, BUNKYO
文京区根津1-28-9
OPEN: 6AM-6PM
Where to eat out near &Here Ueno?
Standing Sushi
Tachigui Sushi Misaki Ueno 3153 is a Standing Sushi restaurant just 7 mins walk from &Here Ueno.
This restaurant accepts most major credit cards and is the perfect spot for bigger kids to try a few things and move on OR a great spot for one parent to entertain children in the park while the other parent goes and has some sushi and sashimi and then switch! (it’s just on the outskirts of the park so this is very doable.) It’s just next to Family Mart.
See pictures of the Misaki menu items here. (Use google translate if you need more info on certain items. If your kids want sushi with just cucumber in side ask for Kappamaki – wasabi nashi (cucumber sushi but no wasabi. They also do a small bowl of french fries-call it “fried potato” if you order- with ketchup for 250 yen.)
TACHIGUI SUSHI MISAKI UENO 3153
台東区上野公園1-57 UENO3153ビル 1F
GROUND FLOOR, UENO 3153 BUILDING, 1-57 UENO-KOEN, TAITO-KU
OPEN EVERYDAY 11AM-10PM
Vegan Ramen and Vegan Gyoza
And for a vegan meal inside Ueno Station, try the amazing T’s Tan Tan Ramen. This restaurant is 7-8 mins walk from &Here Ueno.
The entire restaurant is vegan. It is called T’s Tan Tan. The ramen, the gyoza, the “beef” bowls. They have Gluten Free and Nut free options too.
There are also lots of take away vegan options.
The restaurant is actually located within the gates of JR Ueno Station. But, even if you’re not travelling, I still recommend buying the basic “Platform/send off ” ticket for 130 yen
IT IS ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS HERE!
T’s Tan Tan have plastic plates and cups for small children to use.
They also have high chairs.
This restaurant doesn’t mind if you bring in your own baby food for babies and they will even heat it up for you.
They also have space to store a stroller while you dine.
I also recommend grabbing a bento here for the bullet train. So yummy.
Here are some photos from my most recent visit.
T’S TAN TAN RAMEN
東京都台東区上野7-1-1《JR上野駅 改札内》エキュート上野3F
3F ECUTE UENO, (WITHIN THE JR UENO TICKET GATES) 7-1-1 UENO, TAITO-KU
OPEN 7AM-11PM
T’S TAN TAN RAMEN WEBSITE
*There are other stores in Jiyugaoka and Tokyo Station and inside Narita Airport.
Street Food at Ameyokocho
For street food and bustling restaurant options I recommend going straight to Ameyoko Market and Shopping District.
Ueno, itself, it quite gritty. Outside of the park, it’s not the most beautiful part of Tokyo but if you like to try street food and walk through market streets (Ameyokocho), I think you’ll still have a good time.
There are lots of food stalls and some second hand clothing stores too. Most stalls don’t start until around 11am.
Pasta, rice and salad at a family friendly cafe
And if you’re looking for a lovely but also kid-friendly cafe for lunch or dinner, I recommend dining at Wired Cafe Ueno. Lunch sets are 1300yen and include a pasta, rice or salad with a dessert and a small drink. For dinner I would budget 2000 yen for an adult. They can be found on the basement (B1) floor of the Atre Complex. This restaurant is 10 mins walk from &Here Ueno.
Wired Cafe accepts most major credit cards and the entire restaurant is non-smoking. They don’t have high chairs but they offer sofa seating as well as stool / bar counter seating.
WIRED CAFE, UENO ATRE BRANCH
台東区上野7-1-1 アトレ上野B1F
BASEMENT B1 FLOOR, ATRE UENO DEPARTMENT STORE COMPLEX, 7-1-1 UENO, TAITO-KU
OPEN 11AM – 9PM
There is an Ichiran Ramen right next to Ueno Station. To be completely honest, Ichiran can be quite the tourist trap and the lines are wrong (and locals almost never eat here.) However, if one parent wanted to line up to try it while on a walk at night – it can be a good option. It is open from 9am – 6am the next day. This is a walk-in only restaurant. Walk-ins only. Kids are welcome (if you are brave enough to wait out the lines.)
Fast food
Burger King is just 9 mins walk from &Here Ueno. It is open from 8am-10pm.
Siretoco Donuts
And also inside Ueno Station, on the 3rd floor in a section called Ecute, you’ll find Siretoco Donuts. They are a Hokkaido–based organization ( if you really love them, you can even visit their factory in Hokkaido too!) This shop is 13 mins walk from &Here Ueno (or 3 mins walk from Ueno Station.)
Many of the flavours (and little guys in the middle) change, depending on the season.
This little box, below, costs an additional 50 yen but, as this was a gift for a friend – this was better than the normal bag , this time.
SIRETOCO DONUTS, UENO STORE
東京都台東区上野7-1-1エキュート上野 3F
3F ECUTE UENO, 7-1-1 UENO, TAITO-KU
OPEN EVERYDAY OF THE YEAR: 8AM-10:30PM (CLOSES AT 9PM ON SUNDAYS AND HOLIDAYS)
Sushi!
Or if you are looking for a sit-down sushi spot, I recommend Maguro Ichidai in Ecute Department Store in Ueno. They even have a kids sushi plate with 6 small sushi options and 4 little maki rolls. This restaurant specialises in sushi and kaisendonburi ( fresh sashimi served on a bowl of warm rice.) This restaurant has plastic plates and cups for kids. They also are fine with parents bringing in their own baby food for infants ( they will even heat it up for you!) Maguro Ichidai also have space to store strollers while you dine.
For an adult meal, I would budget 1000 yen for breakfast or lunch or 3000 yen for dinner.
This restaurant accepts most major credit cards. This is a walk-in restaurant only.
If you are coming to this restaurant just to dine and haven’t taken a train, you will need to purchase a train ticket called a “nyujyoken” (a ticket to enter the ticket gates) for 150 yen per adult first.
This restaurant is 14 mins walk from & Here Ueno or 2 mins walk from Ueno Station.
MAGURO ICHIDAI ECUTE UENO
上野7-1-1 エキュート上野3F
3RD FLOOR, INSIDE THE TICKET GATES AT UENO STATION IN ECUTE UENO DEPARTMENT STORE, 7-1-1 UENO
OPEN FROM 7AM-10PM (UNTIL 9PM ON WEEKENDS)
Gyukatsu for lunch
If you are looking for a teishoku lunch in Ueno with kids, I recommend visiting Gyukatsu Motomura, Ueno branch, for beef “Tonkatsu” (Tonkatsu is usually pork but this place is beef. So that’s why it’s called “GyuKatsu.”
It is very casual but they are fine with children coming along for lunch. Everyone must order a lunch set though ( approx 1000 yen.)
They do accept most major credit cards and they have an English menu. This restaurant is a non-smoking restaurant. No reservations here. Walk-ins only.
This restaurant is 6 mins walk from &Here Ueno .
GYUKATSU MOTOMURA
台東区上野4-10-17 手塚ビル 2F
2ND FLOOR, TEZUKA BUILDING, 4-10-17 UENO, TAITO-KU
OPEN EVERYDAY 11AM-10PM (LAST ORDERS 9PM)
Fresh Fruit!
Only 6 minutes walk from &Here Ueno – is a fruit stand called Hyakkaen ( if you enter Hyakkaen Ueno into google maps it will take you right there.)
Fruit is famously expensive in Japan but it is also sooooooo good and this is a cheap way to sample it. Depending on the season, the fruits offered varies but I have purchased pineapple on a stick or a ‘kebab’ of gorgeous strawberries for only 200 yen. It is washed and ready to eat.
It’s also a great way to sample new fruits too.
This stand only accepts cash.
*Note: Walking and eating is frowned upon in Japan so the polite thing to do is to buy the food, stand and eat it next to or in front of the shop and then throw the rubbish/wrappers/sticks in the bin outside the store.
See here for current opening times etc for Hyakkaen Fruit Parlor, Ueno here. (It’s usually 10am-7pm.)
HYAKKAEN, UENO (百果園 上野店)
台東区上野6-10-13
6-10-13 UENO, TAITO-KU
OPEN：10AM – 7PM
CLOSED EVERY WEDNESDAY
For an old school Japanese diner restaurant just outside Ueno Station I recommend Juraku. This place is definitely not fancy (although I do find the vibe to be a little cozy) but my kids LOVE it. Big colourful ice-cream floats and lots of kids meals to choose from. Very reasonably priced too. The cuisine is “Yoshoku” (aka westernized Japanese good.)
I would budget around 1500 yen per adult to dine here. They accept most major credit cards. The entire restaurant is non-smoking. They have high chairs here and plastic plates and cutlery for kids. The entire venue is non-smoking.
JURAKU UENO
台東区上野6-11-11
6-11-11 UENO, TAITO-KU
OPEN 11A:30M-9PM (LAST ORDERS 8PM)
A kid-friendly Izakaya
I recommend going to casual Japanese restaurant Ganko for dinner in Ueno. It is just near the station and the vibes are very much “old world Japan.” The menu is Japanese food and is extensive enough that everyone can try lots of little dishes. In fact, this is the kind of restaurant where it would be a bit weird to order one meal per person. You order a whole lot of little dishes and then share as you go.
Please note that this restaurant has a 10% service charge on top of the total bill.
This restaurant is 3 mins walk from Ueno Station or 4 mins walk from &Here Ueno. Take the elevator as it is on the 6th floor (the elevator is just next to the Lawson convenience store.)* When coming from Ueno Station, take the Shinobasu Exit.
Ganko accept reservations but if you’re dining with kids and just want to turn up without a booking, you should be fine right at 5pm.
Ganko accept most major credit cards.
For an adult meal here, I would budget 3000 yen at lunchtime and 7000 yen each at dinner. The entire restaurant is non-smoking.
Please note that this is a shoes off restaurant- so make sure you have your good socks on ! I recommend asking for horigotatsu seating- it looks like you’re sitting on the floor but the seating is sunken so you are still in a seated position.
This restaurant welcomes children – they have a kids menu, place to store strollers while you dine and they also have high chairs.
GANKO UENO
台東区上野4-9-6ナガフジビル6F
6TH FLOOR, NAGAFUJI BUILDING, 4-9-6 UENO, TAITO-KU
OPEN WEEKDAYS 11:30AM-3PM (LAST ORDERS AT 2:30PM) & 5PM-10PM (LAST ORDERS AT 9:30PM)
OPEN WEEKENDS 11:30AM-9:30PM (LAST ORDERS AT 9PM)
*While at Lawson (convenience store brand) …
These fried chicken options are LIFESAVERS (especially if you have picky eaters with you.)
This one pictured below is available at Lawson convenience stores – it is called “Karage-Kun” (pronounced “ka-ra-ge-kun”) and inside contains approx 6 pieces of Japanese fried chicken. Be sure to get the REGULAR flavour and the other option is a bit spicy and one of the other flavours sometimes available contains cheese. (see here for other Japanese convenience store tips and our favourite foods sold here in this blog post.)
TGI Fridays welcome families at lunch and dinner time. Please note that there is a 10% table charge after 5pm. They specialize in burgers, steak and tacos. There is space to store a stroller here while you dine. See the full TGI Fridays Ueno menu here. For lunch time I would budget for 2000 yen per adult and more like 3000 yen at dinner time. For vegan options, ask for the guacamole bowl (made at your table) or the button mushroom appetizer (make sure you tell them you are vegan when you order though.) For gluten free diners, steak is probably the safest option (or the shrimp plate or a salad without the blue cheese and no croutons or the cobb salad without any dressing. )
Happy Hour prices for alcoholic drinks is in between 5pm-7pm.
This restaurant accepts most major credit cards. It’s a non-smoking restaurant (they do have a designated smoking cubicle though – but it is enclosed.) They do accept reservations but the restaurant does seat 180 people so I would also try for a walk-in.
TGI Fridays Ueno Chuo Dori branch is 4 mins walk from &Here Ueno.
TGI FRIDAYS UENO CHUO DORI
台東区上野4-9-6ナガフジビル 本館 2Ｆ
2ND FLOOR, HONKAN (THE MAIN BUILDING SECTION OF THE ) NAGAFUJI BUILDING, 4-9-6 UENO, TAITO-KU
OPEN 11AM-11PM (LAST ORDERS 10:20PM)
LUNCH MENU AVAILABLE FROM 11AM-4PM
Wagyu Beef Yakiniku
Another Ueno family-friendly recommendation is a Wagyu Beef Yakiniku restaurant called Ushihachi. The restaurant has a beautiful view and the booth seating options makes for a lovely family-friendly option – even with small children. As it is yakiniku, every table has it’s own small bbq grill in the middle. Ushihachi has an English menu and accepts most major credit cards. This restaurant is 1 min from Ueno Station, via the Asakusaguchi Exit.
This restaurant has space to store strollers while you dine.
The entire venue is non-smoking.
For adults, I recommend budgeting 2000 yen for a lunch set at lunch time but more like 10,000 yen per adult at dinner ( it is good quality wagyu beef.) See the full Ueno Wagyu Yakiniku Ushihachi menu here.
This restaurant is 11 mins walk from &Here Ueno.
UENO WAGYU YAKINIKU USHIHACHI
台東区上野7-2-4 FUNDES上野 10F
10TH FLOOR, FUNDES UENO BUILDING, 70204 UENO, TAITO-KU
OPEN WEEKDAYS 11:30AM-3PM & 5PM-11PM
OPEN WEEKENDS 11:30AM-3PM & 4PM-11PM
A beautiful kid-friendly izakaya
And a Japanese izakaya who also welcomes children is Oto Oto Ueno Bamboo Garden.
This is, however, a popular choice, so I, personally, wouldn’t visit with my children without a reservation here.
The menu is lovely classic Japanese izakaya options. There is also a lovely children’s plate for 1000 yen (which includes a rice ball, fried chicken, fried shrimp, a meat ball, a small salad, udon and a little dessert.
For lunch here I would budget approximately 2500 yen per adult and more like 5000 yen at dinner time.
The restaurant is noisy and busy (like a noisy pub kind of vibe) but not in a bad way.
If you’re kids are feeling fussy – they also sell vanilla ice-cream – which may buy you some more grown up eating and drinking time.
This restaurant accepts most major credit cards and the whole restaurant is non-smoking.
To get there, take the Shinobazu Exit at Ueno Station and walk for 1 minute to the 2nd floor of the Bamboo Garden building.
The restaurant is also 9 mins walk from &Here Ueno.
See the Oto Oto Ueno Bamboo Garden menu here.
The sign outside the restaurant looks like this
OTO OTO UENO BAMBOO GARDEN
上野公園1-52 バンブーガーデン2F
2ND FLOOR, BAMBOO GARDEN BUILDING, 1-52 UENO KOEN
OPEN WEEKDAYS 11AM-3PM & 4:30PM-10:30PM (UNTIL 11PM ON FRIDAYS)
OPEN WEEKENDS 11AM-10PM
Yakitori
How about Yakitori for lunch or dinner? Yakitori (grilled and chargrilled chicken skewers) restaurant Torimitsukuni is just 1 min walk from Ueno Station. or 8 mins walk from &Here Ueno. This restaurant welcomes young families. This restaurant is entirely non-smoking and they also accept most major credit cards. In terms of budget, I would set aside 1500 yen per adult at lunchtime and more like 4000 yen at dinner time. Unfortunately it is only in Japanese but you can see the menu online with pictures here – and you can put it through Google translate if you like.
TORIMITSUKUNI YAKITORI & SAKE RESTAURANT
台東区上野公園1-54 B1F
BASEMENT FLOOR, 1-54 UENO-KOEN, TAITO-KU
OPEN MON-THURS 11:30AM-2PM & 5PM-10:30PM
OPEN FRI 11:30AM-2PM & 5PM-11PM
OPEN SAT 11:30AM-2:30PM & 4PM-11PM
OPEN SUN & NATIONAL HOLIDAYS 11:30AM-2:30PM & 4PM-10:30PM
An Izakaya that specialises in yummy seafood
If you’d like to visit an Izakaya that specialises in seafood together then I recommend making a reservation at Sadogashima e Watare, Ueno. This restaurant is 3 mins walk from &Here Ueno. They are particularly well known for their oysters here. They are 3 mins walk from Ueno Station but are very popular so I wouldn’t try just walking in with our a reservation already locked in. Budget to dine here? Probably around 5000 yen per adult. They accept most major credit cards. To dine here children need to be at least 6 years old.
SADOGASHIMA E WATARE, UENO
上野2-12-1 セントラル21 7F
7TH FLOOR, CENTRAL BUILDING, 2-12-1 UENO
WEEKDAYS 5PM-MIDNIGHT (LAST ORDERS AT 10:30PM)
WEEKENDS MIDDAY-MIDNIGHT (LAST ORDERS AT 10:30PM)
Casual Ramen
Tenjinya Ramen is a very casual ramen shop just 3 mins walk from &Here Ueno. Like most hole-in-the-wall type casual ramen shops, you order at a vending machine and pass the ticket to the chef. Cash only. Vending machine has signs in English. The restaurant has jugs of water and customers can help themselves. All ramen dishes are approx 900 yen. You can also order karaage (friend chicken) and gyoza. See the full menu for Tenjinja Ramen here.
See pictures on the website here to see that it’s the kind of place that you’re after. It’s a walk-in only restaurant. Not the place to ask for menu customizations or vegan options etc. This kind of place is tricky with small kids (and dangerous with kids around hot broth) so I recommend taking turns to come here from the hotel.
TENJINYA RAMEN
文京区3-41-5 YUSHIMA, BUNKYO-KU *In case you have trouble finding it, it is pretty much across the road from Don Quijote
OPEN 8AM-1oPM
Oden, Skewers, Gyoza and other izakaya options for families
Hakata Gekijo Ueno Hirokoji welcomes children before 9pm. Like all izakayas in Japan, the idea is that you order many dishes for the table and share – and then keep ordering if you would like more of something or to try something else. This restaurant is 3 mins from &Here Ueno.
This is an izakaya that specialises in Motsunabe, Oden, Meat on Skewers and Gyoza. I would budget approx 3000 yen per adult to dine here. Children might be most interested in tsukune つくね(chicken meatballs on skewers), or つくねチーズ cheese tsukune (chicken meatball skewers with melted cheese on top), gyoza, chicken karaage 唐揚げ(fried chicken), fries, edamame, yakisoba, torikatsu (crumbed chicken cutlets – ask for it without egg and cabbage on top if they won’t cope though.とりカツ：カツの上に何もかけないで下さい。卵なし、キャベツなし) For dessert, they also serve vanilla or matcha ice-cream.
They accept most major credit cards. There is a service charge of 380 yen per person.
The restaurant is non-smoking – there is a smoking booth though.
One note: they do serve horse sashimi here. If that’s not to your taste then double check what kind of sashimi you have ordered for your table.
文京区湯島3-39-10 第2大和ビル 1F
GROUND FLOOR, DAINI DAIWA BUILDING, 3-39-10 YUSHIMA, BUNKYO-KU
OPEN 4PM-MIDNIGHT (LAST ORDERS 11:30PM)
Tendon (Tempura served on top of a bowl of rice)
Tensuzu is in a back street just 3 mins walk from &Here Ueno. They welcome children (the restaurant is small though so I’d really only go here with kids who are able to stay seated while they dine.) There is a service charge of 330 yen per person here (you will receive an otoshi as a thank you when you sit down. You don’t have to eat it if you don’t want to but please just accept it and leave it on your table.) They accept most major credit cards. I recommend budgeting for 3000 yen per adult at lunch or more like 11,000 yen at dinner time. If you eat everything, I recommend getting the omakase* tempura course for a little under 9000 yen. Soooo good. I love how they open from 4:30 for dinner – makes it much easier to visit with kids. If everyone is tired, you can also get takeout from here and take it back to the hotel. Best to make a reservation here.
*If you like the idea of omakase with kids see my full blog post on this topic here.
TENSUZU
台東区上野2-6-7
2-6-7 UENO, TAITO-KU
OPEN FOR LUNCH 11AM-2PM
OPEN FOR DINNER 4:30PM-9:30PM
Tokyo Butchers is a beer & steak restaurant that welcomes kids 6 years and older (if you have younger kids you can buy a steak bento from here for around 1000 yen to take back to the hotel.) It is a lovely vibey restaurant underneath the train tracks. They serve several different types of craft beer and Australian wine. They serve beef, pork, lamb, chicken and grilled veg here. They have three types of pasta here too and they have french fries and some salads. It is 11 mins walk from &Here Ueno. It is also 10 mins walk from Ueno Station, 2 mins walk from Okachimachi Station (take the South Exit) and 11 mins walk from Akihabara Station. Tokyo Butchers accepts most major credit cards. There is a 440 yen per person service charge (as a thank you for that additional payment you will receive an appetizer when you sit down. This, in Japan, is called otoshi. You don’t have to eat it but just leave it on the table if you don’t want it.) At lunch, I would budget for 2000 yen per adult and more like 5000 yen per adult at dinner time. Best to ask the hotel to make a reservation for you.
TOKYO BUTCHERS
台東区上野5-10-9
5-10-9 UENO, TAITO-KU
OPEN MON -THURS 11:30AM-2:30PM & 5PM-11PM
OPEN FRI 11:30AM-2:30PM & 5PM-11:30PM
OPEN SAT 2PM-11:30PM
OPEN SUNDAYS & NATIONAL HOLIDAYS 11:30AM-11PM
*There is also “Egg Baby Cafe” next door (same owners) but I don’t really recommend going here with kids as the lines are just too long – takes the chill and the relaxation out of a meal with k
Where to go out for BREAKFAST near &Here Ueno?
&Here Ueno don’t have a breakfast restaurant in the restaurant HOWEVER the day before you can order an “Ohayo Bento” from reception to be delivered to your room – made by a local Japanese restaurant. Meal options include : grilled fish on rice with miso soup bento, onigiri rice ball and miso soup bento, egg and bacon bento on rice with miso soup bento, grilled chicken on rice bento, soba noodles and tempura bento. These are under 2000 yen.
You can also order Japanese curry and rice for 700 yen.
If you would, however, prefer to eat out – here are my favourite breakfast spots in the immediate area around the hotel.
Andersen Bakery
Ueno is most well-known for its zoo and, as a result, many of the sweets and posters have Panda images on them.
For breakfast, we LOVE a Japanese style bakery. I just love the mixture of savoury and sweet options – all so reasonably priced too. You could buy up lots and have a breakfast picnic in the park, even.
Inside of the station in the connected department store, Atre West, is Andersen Bakery. Lots of panda shaped goodness here (as well as coffee, sandwiches and juice.) There are lots of tables if you want to eat inside the store.
ANDERSEN BAKERY, UENO
台東区上野7-1-1 アトレ上野
ATRE UENO DEPARTMENT STORE, 7-1-1 UENO, TAITO-KU
OPEN 7:30AM -10PM
If you need something heavier for breakfast, the Hard Rock Cafe is just opposite this bakery. The Hard Rock Cafe in Ueno is open from 7am. In case you’re a die-hard fan they have a jacket of Madonna’s and Pink Floyd’s on display, Justin Timberlake’s jeans, Elvis’s boots and some other treasures too.
See here for the full breakfast menu at Hard Rock Cafe Ueno.
If it’s your child’s birthday, please let them know- they make a fuss in all the right ways.
THE HARDROCK CAFE UENO
台東区上野7-1-1 アトレー上野１F
GROUND FLOOR, ATRE UENO SHOPPING COMPLEX, 7-1-1 UENO ,TAITO
OPEN 7AM-11PM (THE GIFT SHOP OPENS AT 10AM)
If you are keen to eat at Denny’s Japan for breakfast, the Denny’s Ueno Yanaka branch is 22 mins walk or 5 mins in a cab from &Here Ueno.
Denny’s Japan (note, not the same as Denny’s in the US.).
Open from 10am -10pm. Please note that there are “smoking sections” of the restaurant on weekdays.
They have a low common allergens menu. There is a change table in the toilets here. No bookings. Walk-in only. They accept most major credit cards.
Here is the full Denny’s Japan menu.
Burger King has a breakfast menu (breakfast burgers, hash browns and hot dogs) and they are open from 8am. Burger King is just 9 mins walk from &Here Ueno.
Gluten Free T’s Ueno-Hirokoji
If you are looking for a gluten free restaurant with vegetarian and vegan options, I recommend walking 9 mins from &Here Ueno to Gluten Free T’s Ueno-Hirokoji. As you can guess from the name, this Tokyo restaurant is entirely gluten free. There are many vegan and vegetarian options here too. Menu options include orange chicken, ramen, fried chicken, mapo tofu, pizza, meat buns, vegan pancakes. There is a full English menu. For lunch or dinner I would budget around 2500 yen per adult. Gluten Free T’s accept most major credit cards and the entire restaurant is non-smoking. This restaurant can also deliver a gluten free breakfast on Ubereats.
GLUTEN FREE T’S UENO-HIROKOJI
アパホテル上野広小路5-3-3 SOTOKANDA, CHIYODA
INSIDE THE APA HOTEL UENO HIROKOJI, 5-3-3 SOTOKANDA, CHIYODA
OPEN EVERYDAY OF THE YEAR
OPEN FOR BREAKFAST 7AM-9:30AM
OPEN FOR LUNCH MIDDAY-3PM (CLOSED ON WEDNESDAYS FOR LUNCH)
OPEN FOR DINNER 5PM-10PM (CLOSED ON WEDNESDAYS FOR DINNER)
Where else in Tokyo is easily accessible from &Here Ueno?
Goodness, everywhere really!
If travelling from Haneda Airport I recommend taking a taxi with bags and especially if travelling with kids (I speak more about why here) – it will cost approximately 9000 yen and take 30 mins. Alternatively, you can public transport and it will take 45-60 mins – see the &Here Ueno access page for really clear instructions. You can also take the Airport Limousine Bus to Asakusa View Hotel and then take a taxi for 10 mins directly to the hotel.
If travelling from Narita Airport I recommend taking either the Narita Express or the Airport Limousine Bus. You can also take the Skyliner. All of these options will take around 1.5-2 hours door to door.
Here are other places in Tokyo and how long they take to get to from Ueno Station (remember- Ueno Station is 7 mins walk from &Here Ueno.)
3 mins to Akihabara (one single train trip on the Yamanote Line)
5 mins to Tokyo Station (one single train trip on the Utsunomiya Line)
6 mins to Asakusa (one single train trip on the Ginza Line)
9 mins in a cab to Kappabashi aka Kitchen Town – the most amazing place for plates, cups and knives (or 25 mins on public transport or 17 mins on foot.)
11 mins to Ginza (one single train trip on the Ginza Line)
17 mins to Ikebukuro (one single train trip on the Yamanote Line)
20 mins to Tsukiji Outer Market (one single train trip on the Hibiya Line)
26 mins to Shinjuku (one single train trip on the Yamanote Line)
28 mins to Harajuku (one single train trip on the Yamanote Line)
28 mins to Shibuya (one single train trip on the Ginza Line or 33 mins on one single train trip on the Yamanote Line)
How to get to Tokyo Disneyland from &Here Ueno?
OPTION 1: Walk for 9 mins to Okachimachi Station and take the Keihin-Tohoku Line to Tokyo Station. Change for a Keiyo Line to Maihama Station (this station is outside of Disneyland the Downtown Disney Area called Ikspirari. The entire trip takes 49 mins.
OPTION 2: Walk for 12 mins to Naka-Okachimachi Station. Take the Hibiya Line to Hatchobori Station. Change once for the Keiyo Line to Maihama Station (this station is outside of Disneyland the Downtown Disney Area called Ikspirari. The entire trip takes 49 mins.
Which drugstores are close to &Here Ueno?
Matsumoto Kiyoshi Open 10am-10pm. 5 mins walk from &Here Ueno.
Sundrug Ueno Ame-Yoko Shinobazu-guchi Store. Open 10:30am-10;30pm. 6 mins walk from &Here Ueno.
Sundrug Ueno Ameyokochochuoten. Open 9:30am-11pm. 6 mins walk from &Here Ueno.
Sugi Drug Ueno Okachimachi Store. Open 24 hours. 6 mins walk from &Here Ueno.
Daikoku Drug Ueno Ameyoko. 6 mins walk from &Here Ueno. Open 9:35am-10:50pm.
Cocokara Fine Okachimachi Station. Open 9am-10pm. 8 mins walk from &Here Ueno.
Which supermarkets are close to &Here Ueno?
Gyomu Supermarket (3 mins walk from &Here Ueno)
Gyomu is a wholesale supermarket. They have quick a big range of halal options here and some international snacks too. This option is a liquor and groceries supermarket. I must admit this isn’t my favourite supermarket brand in Japan but… if you are looking for a vegan pasta sauce here – this one is pretty good.
Open 9am-10am.
Yoshiike Supermarket in the basement floors of Okachimachi Yoshiike Department Store（7 mins walk from &Here Ueno). This supermarket has lots of takeway bentos (especially amazing sashimi options as this brand of supermarket specialises in seafood.). Open from 9:30am-8:30pm.
Seijo Ishii is my favourite brand of supermarket in Tokyo. The closest option is 8 mins walk from &Here Ueno. I like them because they have lots of international options and a pretty decent selection of cheese (for Japan.) I also like their deli section as it is filled mini pizzas and pre-cooked chicken and some salads. These are all great options for making a quick and easy meal in the little &Here Ueno kitchenette. They sell pesto in the pasta section too so I often buy pasta, raw chicken, pesto and cream and make a simple chicken pesto pasta. It’s also handy that they open at 7:30am. Open 7:30am-11pm.
Summit Supermarket (10 mins walk from &Here Ueno) has a wide range of fruit and veg and lots of different types of bentos and pre-made salads.They also have a good bakery section with pre-made pizzas. Open 9am-11pm. This is the Summit Okachimachi branch. In the same complex as this supermarket is a Daiso 1oo yen store – there is also a playground 1 min walk away called “Okachimachi Park.” (see the playground section of this blog post for pictures of this playground.)
As a side note: the Takeya Complex is also great for buying souvenirs like Japanese sweets, cosmetics etc. Many of the staff members wear badges that say ” I speak English” or “I speak Mandarin” etc.
The Garden Jiyugaoka (10 mins walk from &Here Ueno) is open earlier than most. Open 7:30am-10pm. It’s part of the Atre West Mall next to Ueno Station. It’s bit smaller but a bit more high end. Lots of deli options like ready made bentos here as it’s designed to cater to business traffic grabbing soemthing for lunch or on the way home from work.
Niku no Hanamasa (15 mins walk from &Here Ueno) is a supermarket that specializes in meats, seafood and I also really like their fruit and vegetable selection. It is hard to find large-ish portions of meat in Japan at the supermarket – but these portions of raw meat in the butcher section are a bit more generous.
Eusa Halal Mart. Depending on what your family needs, you may also like to check out Eusa Halal Mart. A small Halal Grocery Store. It is open 10am-11pm. You can also buy hot, ready made samosa here. This supermarket is 10 mins walk from &Here Ueno.
Which convenience stores are close to &Here Ueno?
See here for my guide on buying staples and my personal recommendations at Japanese convenience stores.
Family Mart 2-12-1 Ueno. Open 24 hours. 3 mins walk from&Here Ueno.
Lawson Ueno 1-Chome Store. Open 24 hours. 5 mins walk from &Here Ueno.
7-Eleven 1-1-12 Ueno. Open 24 hours. 8 mins walk from &Here Ueno.
My kids love this “Gold” Hamburg steak from 7-Eleven. For fellow aussies, this is like eating really nice juicy beef rissoles. I recommend getting these if you are staying in an apartment hotel with a kitchenette like a Mimaru or an &Here apartment hotel. You can microwave it in the bag (google translate the instructions on the back) and it’s really nice to serve with convenience store microwaveable rice (pictured below.) See here if you’d like more suggestions on snacks and grocery items we love to buy in Japan.
Lawson Store 100 Taito Ueno (this is a convenience store where almost everything is 100 yen. They sell fruit and vegetables here too.) Open 24 hours. 8 mins walk from &Here Ueno.
NewDays Okachimachi Kitaguchi . This is a kiosk style convenience store inside of Okachimachi Station. Open 6:30am-10pm. 8 mins walk from &Here Ueno.
Which 100 yen shops are close to &Here Ueno?
Seria inside Marui Department Store. This is my favourite brand of 100 yen shop. Open 11am-8pm. 11 mins walk from &Here Ueno.
Daiso. Open 9am-9pm. 11 mins walk from &Here Ueno
Which shopping malls are close to &Here Ueno?
Marui (the logo looks like “OIOI”) is my favourite for shopping. 11 mins walk from&Here Ueno. This shopping mall contains Loft (my fave for Japanese stationery), Nitori (cute homewares and kitchen gadgets), Gap, Plaza (souvenirs, make up, some toys, pop culture items), Seria (100 yen store), Muji and Franc Franc (homewares and furniture.)
There is also a Cinnabon on the ground floor that sell Panda Cinnabon. 
There is also a food court floor here (top floor.) There are a few restaurants on this floor (all kid-friendly) and an open food court (which I love because it doesn’t mean that I have to eat the same food as my kids if I don’t want to.
The restaurant options include:
Pasta More
This is Japanese style Italian Pasta. They serve pizzas and desserts too. They accept credit cards. You can make a reservation here but, unless it’s a peak weekend night time, you should be fine with just a walk-in. Most meals are 1000-2000 yen each. I like their Japanese style Caesar Salad. They also have fries and you can get sausages too. See pictures of the full Pasta More menu here.
And then in the open food court section called “Goo Food Hall” are several restaurants along the side and you order at one counter and can side wherever you like!
Meal options include hamburger steaks, steak, hamburgers, omurice, Indian food, Korean food etc. You can pay by credit card. They also serve alcohol here.
Matsuzakaya is more of an old school department store. It is 5 mins walk from &Here Ueno. I recommend going here for the depachika section (the deli floor on the basement floors). Makes for incredible Japanese bento style dinners to take back to the hotel. Children’s clothing and stationery can be found on the 8th floor. 
Parco Ya Ueno is 7 mins walk from &Here Ueno. There is a restaurant floor on the 6th floor. You can buy Japanese sneakers Onitsuka Tiger on the ground floor here. This includes a kid-friendly sushi train restaurant, and the most delicious tempura restaurant called Tempura Shinjuku Tsunahachi (I recommend asking the hotel to make a reservation for you here. They welcome babies and children. Budget for adults: 4000 yen at lunch and more like 9000 yen at dinner time. There is a lovely night view from the restaurant in the evenings.)
Did you know that there is an undercover artisan market not far from &Here Ueno (13 mins on foot) under the railway line? This viaduct area is full of small and local businesses and craft stores. It is also 14 mins on foot from Ueno Station or 8 mins walk from Akihabara Station.
This area is called 2k540 Aki-Oka Artisan.
I recommend walking here from any of the stations mentioned above – perfect with a baby in a stroller. Grab some food along the way and let little alleyways determine where you wander.
There is a public bathroom (with a change table) at 2k540 Aki-Oka Artisan.
2k540 AKI-OKA ARTISAN
OPEN 11:00AM-7PM
CLOSED WEDNESDAYS
If you have big feet like I do (I’m a European 40-41 foot size) you’ll find it’s hard to buy shoes in Japan. My one exception (apart from men’s sneakers) is this women’s shoe store called Oriental Traffic. It is right next to Ueno Station. For this reason, I mention in my Preparing for Japan blog post that, if you have big feet, to pack lots of shoes to bring with you.
This sign in the picture was for during a sale where you could buy two pairs of shoes for 11,000 yen.
Where is the closest Don Quijote to &Here Ueno?
Don Quijote Ueno is 4 mins walk from &Here Ueno. It is open everyday from 9am-4am. It has 5 floors + a basement floor.
Which playgrounds are closest to &Here Ueno?
As mentioned above, there are a few pieces of play equipment just next to the lake in the park across the road from the hotel. If you are in a park-facing room, you can even see them- a small swing set and some ride on toys and a pull-up bar. If you can’t see them for some reason, walk as if you’re going to Ueno Zoo. Then you can’t miss them.
Here are some other options not too far away:
Shinka Park (if it doesn’t come up on google maps please post in the kanji instead 新花公園) is a cute suburban playground. The slide is a giant rainbow and it’s a bit cute and retro in all the best ways. There are two swing sets (one has the bucket style seats for babies) and there are public toilets here. It is 10 mins walk from &Here Ueno.
Nishimachi Park – this is a little local playground – just a little cleared corner of a city block with some play equipment but it does have the cutest little blue elephant slide. It is just 12 mins walk from &Here Ueno. There are some ride on animals (panda, fox etc) and two swing sets. I think this would make children aged 1-4 pretty happy for 15-30 mins. There are public toilets here.
Okachimachi Park is quaint (for very much a “big city” park, anyway.) It has a little Japanese garden and, in the right season, you can walk under the wysteria too. There is a swing set, some ride on animal shaped equipment and a few different slides. There are public toilets here. This park is 12 mins walk from &Here Ueno. From late April to late September, there are some little water mist sprays operating in this suburban park.
This park is 1 min walk away from a large supermarket called Summit (see the supermarket section of this blog post for details on what they sell) and in the same complex is 100 yen store Daiso. This park is also 4 mins walk away from Burger King.
While in neighbouring Asakusa, you could also check out the “whale” playground.
And also in Asakusa – Fuji Park. A suburban playground that my kiddies just loved. As you can tell from the pictures, the twirly-whirly thing was clearly a highlight.
It has space, it’s clean and it’s where the local kiddies are too.
There is a public bathroom but if it isn’t open (or is being repainted – which was the case for us) it is only a 2 minute walk to convenience store ‘Lawson’* to use their facilities.
There is a kindergarten across the road so I imagine that this park also gets a lot of weekday action.
台東口浅草4-47-17
4-47-17 ASAKUSA, TAITO-KU
