I’ve crafted together this one day Tokyo indoor activity for families in order to help families who are struggling with the heat OR are looking for indoor rainy day options.
This is, deliberately, designed to be a VERY full day and – for this reason – you can chop it up into smaller segments if needed.
This one day itinerary requires no more than a few mins at a time outside at any point! All activities are indoors.
Extra tip for hot days: Download the MyMizu app to see where in Japan you can fill your water bottle for free along your journey. Convenience stores also sell little tubs of ice-cubes (If you can’t find it ask for ko-ri – say it so the word rhymes with “story” or show them this “氷” – if you say “ice” it may be mistaken for meaning “ice-cream” in Japan.)
Even if you don’t have a drink bottle, vending machines are everywhere and bottles of cold water can be purchased for 120-200 yen each.
A ONE DAY INDOOR ITINERARY IN TOKYO WITH KIDS
Between 8am-9am: Start the day by taking a train or taxi to Yurikamome Station to Shimbashi or Shiodome Station.
Take the Yurikamome (monorail-style) train to Odaiba Kaihinkan Koen Station. I don’t recommend taking a taxi right to this station from your accommodation as the train is really really fun for kids.
Position yourself on the platform and line up to be in the front carriage.
Why??! Because the train is unmanned so my kids like to feel like they are “driving.” It’s so cute.
These trains come often so, if you miss one, another will be along shortly – no need to panic or run for a train here.
When buying tickets for the Yurikamome, even if you have a suica card or whatever, I really recommend getting kids to buy their own in cash. It’s a really cool way for them to purchase something in yen (and it’s only a few hundred yen to do so.) Tickets are purchased at the vending machine – you look at your “end” station and look at the number above it – the bigger amount is the adult price and the smaller amount is the kids price.* If your kids are old enough – get them to find the station, tell you how much it is and enter the money. They can even check the change!
(Just sharing a family rule we have when we buy our own paper tickets – kids can use them to put through the turnstiles on their own but they then have to give the tickets back to the grown ups before going up to the platform. They get them back for the turnstiles / ticket gates at the other end – trust me, saves many tears over lost tickets. )
Kids under 6 are free. Kids prices are for 6-12 year olds. The only exception? Kids under 6 are free as long as there are only 1-2 kids per adult – ie. if I was travelling on my own with 3 kids, I’d need to purchase 1 x child ticket for that third child. Make sense?
This special “driving the train” journey is my kids favourite part of travelling to this part of Tokyo. So much so that I get grumpy if an actual adult sits up front – leave it for the kiddies!
Once you’ve arrived I recommend heading out for breakfast!
Breakfast option 1: Bills Odaiba
You can make a reservation in advance or just walk-in and hope the line isn’t long. This restaurant opens at 9am weekdays and 8am on weekends.
This restaurant is a great option for lunch too, actually.
It’s an Australian restaurant so it’s a nice open space (even accommodates strollers) with an international menu. Here is the link to the Bills Odaiba menu and here is the Bills Odaiba kids menu. There are a few other of the Bills Restaurants in Tokyo but this is the least crowded – especially compared to the others on the weekend. The service isn’t the fastest so order for kids as soon as you sit down. Bills Odaiba is 3 mins walk from Odaiba Kaihin Koen Station (if you can’t find it early in the morning, best to go around to the deck facing the water and the rainbow bridge – it is on the corner of the deck near Legoland.)
This restaurant is fine for you just wheel your stroller up beside the table while you dine, if you like.
This is also a great option for lunch. This restaurant also serves brown rice on the side – which I know some families really like.
BILLS ODAIBA
DECKS TOKYO BEACH, SEASIDE MALL 3F, 1-6-1 DAIBA, MINATO-KU
港区台場1-6-1デックス東京ビーチ シーサイドモール3F
OPEN: 9AM-11PM WEEKDAYS, 8AM-11PM WEEKENDS
Breakfast Option 2: Eggs’n’Things
Eggs’n’Things is a Hawaiian restaurant built around the concept of “All Day Breakfast” ( a relatively new idea for Japan.) It is light and bright and there are several of these restaurants around Japan but this is branch my favourite – mainly because of the space and shorter lines. Eggs’n’ Things opens at 9am. This restaurant is well-known for the mountain of whipped cream on their sweet pancakes. YUM! They also have savoury options and a kids menu (egg and hamburger steak plate or fruit and cream pancakes with a chocolate pen to decorate). They have high chairs and the staff are very welcoming when it comes to families. This restaurant is 6 mins walk from Odaiba Kaihin Koen Station (walk along the deck facing the water and the rainbow bridge to get there.) It is possible to make reservations here but I don’t see the need before 10:30 or 11am as eating out for breakfast isn’t a huge thing in Japan and especially not in this area so you will be able to walk in or just wait a few mins for a table.
I want to link to their website menu but their website is often glitching – but I can assure you that most adult pancake meals are a tiny bit over 1000 yen.
EGGS’N’THINGS ODAIBA
3RD FLOOR, AQUA CITY DEPARTMENT STORE, 1-7-1 DAIBA, MINATO
港区台場1-7-1 アクアシティお台場 3F
OPEN: 9AM-11PM (LAST ORDER AT 9:30PM)
Morning activity suggestion 1:
For children aged 0-5 or 6, I recommend keeping out of the heat or rain by spending a few hours at Legoland Discovery Centre. This is just 1 min walk from Bills Odaiba after breakfast or 5 mins from Eggs’n’Things. This is a big indoor playcentre where everything is themed Lego!
There are some attractions, a 4D cinema and also play spaces for babies (even babies who can’t yet walk.) I’ve written in detail about Legoland Odaiba here for Japan Travel Planning. Best to buy your tickets online beforehand (you can even do it while you are eating breakfast or on the Yurikamome on the way if you needed to.) Legoland Discover Centre Odaiba opens at 10am. Please note that many of the play spaces require shoes off so make sure you are wearing socks without holes and, if in sandals or crocs, make sure you have socks in your bag in order to be the most polite “Japanese person” you can be.
Morning activity suggestion 2:
For teens, I recommend Joypolis indoor amusement park. I, personally, don’t think you need more than a few hours here. I don’t recommend this place for kids under 12 – there are just a lot of things they can’t take part in and it’s also better if kids are big enough to kind of wander between the attractions without parents etc. Joypolis opens at 10am. Best to buy tickets online (it rarely sells out but wekeends and special event days it can be busy.)
Joypolis is 3 mins walk from Odaiba Kaihin-Koen Station, 1 min walk from Bills and 4 mins walk from Eggs’n’Things.
I know this sounds like a weird suggestion for a Japan holiday – but if you’re really just looking for a bit of respite from the heat or rain – how about catching a movie? In Japan, the majority of Western movies are shown in English with Japanese subtitles. See my blog post on visiting the cinema in Japan for language cheat sheets on how to work out and/or ask which movies will have Japanese subtitles and be shown in English.
The cinema here is called United Cinemas Aqua City. Here is the United Cinema Aqua City website with the movie times. The cinema is just 7 mins walk from Odaiba Kaihin-Koen Station.
Morning activity suggestion 4:
Shopping, hunting for amazing little treasures and a little kid friendly retro arcade!
As you will have noticed by now, Odaiba Kaihin Koen Station is in front of 2 big shopping malls. Decks and Aqua City. These two shopping malls are connected by a walkway so it is easy to go between the two at any point.
Inside the Decks department store is Daiba 1-Chome Shoutengai (4th Floor) a strip of the department store transformed into a retro-kitsch 1950s Japanese shopping street. There are wacky novelty toys, old-school Japanese sweets and arcade games. There is also a takoyaki (Japanese street food: fried octopus batter balls) museum. We love it here so so much.
The gimmicky toys are quite reasonably priced and this is the place to buy funny joke gifts (or toys to keep kiddies busy on a plane or in a hotel room.) This is area makes for some funny photos too.
Please note that these shops do not open until 11am.
Decks & Aqua City rent out strollers (but only for children less than 18kgs and only for use within these department stores) if little legs get tired.
DAIBA ITCHOME SHOTENGAI
4TH FLOOR DECKS DEPARTMENT STORE, 1-6-1 DAIBA, MINATO (Please note that this is on the SEASIDE BEACH side of the mall , not the Island mall side.)
港区台場1-6-1
OPEN 11AM-9PM
There is also a Takoyaki museum here with just rows and rows of food stalls (still, all indoors) of Takoyaki shops. Takoyaki are little batter balls (the batter is similar to okonomiyaki) that have little pieces of cooked octopus inside. It is located on the 4th floor of Decks Shopping Mall (On the Beach Seaside Side of the Mall.) Please note that this is not actually a “museum.” It is a small food court that specializes in different types of takoyaki.
The arcade on the same floor / connected to the Shotengai is so kitsch and retro. We LOVE it!
There are lots of change machines everywhere here but you will need cash on hand.
Just a heads up – there is one section that is for 18 year olds and over. Just letting you know as there is just a simple swing door and it’s not marked in english and so I want to save you from having to chase a toddler out of there.
Another shopping suggestion inside the same department store is walk through Daiso on the 4th floor.
This is one of the best 100 yen stores, in my opinion. It is great for buying small gifts or toys for keeping children entertained on planes or at restaurants. Please note that this store is massive but it is also cash only.
Sticker books from the 100 yen shop
Cheap and cheerful mugs.
Insulated snack bags
Masks
C-Pla Toy Capsule Shop is on the 3rd floor of Decks Odaiba. These are those little vending machines with the clear balls with the toys inside. You will need cash here.
DAISO, DECKS DEPARTMENT STORE
港区台場1-6-1
1-6-1 DAIBA, MINATO
OPEN 11AM-9PM
DAISO DECKS WEBSITE
Then, you can also go through to Aqua City and down to the ground floor next to the food court and go to Toys’R’Us, Aqua City
Located on the ground floor of Aqua City is Toys’R’Us. At the far end of the store is a Thomas the Tank Engine display and train table for children to play with. There is also a moving, roaring, large dinosaur placed on top of a toy display. These are both located close to the baby feeding & changing room so if you have two children (and two adults) one child could play while the other was being fed and changed.
Near the exit is another small duplo play area too.
If you’re looking to shop, the Japanese store does have different merchandise to its overseas counterparts so it’s worth a look around.
This little cheap toy is still a favourite with my two mini-people and I love that it’s a vending machine with coins, credit card and a rubbish bin. So funny.
This is also a good place to pick up some snacks and/or baby food.
TOYS R US ODAIBA
GROUND FLOOR, AQUA CITY DEPARTMENT STORE, 1-7-1 DAIBA, MINATO
港区台場1-7-1
OPEN 11AM-9PM
There is a small food court on the ground floor near Toys R Us and I quite like the little salad shop here. It is called Green X Green. (There are also lots of other restaurants in this food court and all the chairs and tables are in the middle so you can all choose to eat different things. See here for a full list of the restaurants here in the food court on the ground floor of Aqua City Odaiba.) Green X Green have their set salad bowls OR you can ask for a custom salad where you choose all of the ingredients. See the Green X Green Full Salad Menu here. They also make fruit and vegetable juices and smoothies. They also can serve their salads on rice – donburi style. See the full Green X Green Donburi Salad Bowl Menu here. Use google translate when looking at the menus if you need to be particular on all ingredients for allergies. Please see my tips on navigating Japan with allergies here.
GREEN X GREEN
GROUND FLOOR, AQUA CITY, ODAIBA
OPEN 11AM-10PM (CLOSES AT 9PM ON WEEKENDS
Within the same food court as Green X Green, there is also a Wendy’s First Kitchen, a convenience store and a pet shop (my kids love checking out the puppies and kittens through the windows.)
My children love the kids’ meal toys that come with a Wendy’s First Kitchen Meal.
The Disney Store is always a hit with my kiddies too. Of course.
DISNEY STORE AQUA CITY
3RD FLOOR, AQUA CITY DEPARTMENT STORE, 1-7-1 DAIBA, MINATO
港区台場1-7-1
OPEN 11AM-9PM
Morning activity suggestion 5: For babies, toddlers and children 5 or under, there is a playcentre inside Decks Department Store called “The Kids” on the 3rd floor. I, honestly, think that this playcentre would be boring for kids older than 4 years old. This is all indoors and the playcentre has some bouncy castle style slides, some small trampolines, ride on cars and other toys for kids to play with. “The Kids” playcentre opens at 11am. Please note that this is a playcentre – NOT a babysitting service. There is a special corner for only children under 3 too. This playcentre doesn’t mind if you bring in outside food. You can book tickets online ahead of time – but it is in Japanese – so you will need to ask your hotel staff to assist. I, personally, think it is fine to just turn up and pay on the day. This playcentre costs 1500 yen per person (same price for adults and kids) for a 3 hour session. You can also pay 600 yen to just “try it out” for 30 mins.
This isn’t my favourite playcentre in Tokyo for little kids (if you’re interested these Tokyo Playcentres are my favourites) but it is a great option if you need some sitting down time while kids play -and play out of the elements.
THE KIDS PLAYCENTRE
3RD FLOOR, DECKS ODAIBA SHOPPING MALL
OPEN 11AM-7PM (CLOSES AT 8PM ON WEEKENDS)
On the 4th floor of this building (the same floor as the 100 yen shop Daiso, is baby and kids supply store called Nishimatsuya.
This is kind of Japanese mixture of Toys R Us and Kmart. They sell baby clothes, school supplies, towels, toys and baby goods such as diaper bags and baby carriers.
At this branch in the Decks Shopping Mall (on the Island Mall side of Decks Shopping Centre) is a Nishimatsuya with a small children’s playground too. This playground is free to use.
Family friendly lunch option in this area 1:
If you are looking for lunch in the Aqua City complex, I recommend eating at Pomme no Ki, an omurice restaurant, on the 5th floor. This restaurant is just 10 mins walk from Odaiba-Kaihinkan Koen Station (the walk is almost entirely indoors.)
Omurice is a rice dish served with a big folded omelette and you choose which sauce you would like on top (it’s usually curry, tomato-based sauce, stew or a gravy) with tomato fried rice inside. This restaurant is one of a chain of restaurants and they are very family friendly. It’s also very easy to order as they have big wax fake versions of each meal in a giant display case out the front so you can literally point to what you would like to eat. Pomme no Ki accepts most major credit cards.
POMME NO KI, AQUA CITY
東京都港区台場1-7-1 アクアシティお台場 5F
5TH FLOOR, AQUA CITY ODAIBA, DAIBA, MINATO-KU, TOKYO
OPEN 11AM-11PM (LAST ORDER 10PM)
Family friendly lunch option in this area 2:
Did you know that Japan has all you can eat restaurant Sizzler?
There is one at Aqua City in Odaiba.
It is an easy option for families who want to eat lots of salads and American style meals. It is also an easy option for gluten free visitors -they have a detailed allergen menu for their steak sauces and also for salad options etc.
Budget for adults for lunch – 3000 yen and approx 6000 yen at dinnertime.
Sizzler accepts most major credit cards. The entire restaurant is non-smoking. There are spaces for strollers and there is also a kids menu.
See the children’s menu at Sizzler here. Sizzler is 9 mins walk from Odaiba Kaihin Koen Station (the walk is almost entirely indoors.)
SIZZLER AQUA CITY
港区台場1-7-1アクアシティお台場5F
5F AQUA CITY ODAIBA, 1-7-1 DAIBA, MINATO-KU
OPEN 11AM-11PM (LAST ORDER AT 10PM)
Family friendly lunch option in this area 3:
There is a Pizza /Pasta restaurant right next door called Trattoria Pizzeria Logic in Decks Shopping Mall (it’s actually just a few doors down from Bills Odaiba.) My kids love their Margherita Pizza and I’m always daydreaming about their Caprese salad.
It’s not a fancy restaurant but I like how they have outdoor seating on the deck but also lots of indoor seating. I’ve eaten here many times without a reservation (although I have had to line up outside for 15 mins at peak lunch time on a weekend.)
They have high chairs.
If you are there for lunch, they offer a bottomless juice bar which includes iced tea, grapefruit juice and orange juice.
TRATTORIA PIZZERIA LOGIC
港区台場1-6-1 デックス東京ビーチ
DECKS TOKYO BEACH, 1-6-1 DAIBA, MINATO-KU
OPEN WEEKDAYS : 11AM-3PM & 5PM-10PM
OPEN WEEKENDS: 11AM-4PM & 5PM-10PM
Family friendly lunch option in this area 4:
If you are looking for Halal food or Vegan food options inside of Decks Shopping Mall, then I recommend dining on the 5th floor at Indian Restaurant, Khazana Daiba. They also have a prayer room. There are several vegan options and the Naan is also vegan (please note that it is made using the same cooking equipment as non-vegan food items.) The all you can eat menu usually has as many as 3 vegan curries to choose from for approximately 1500 yen per person. This restaurant is non-smoking. They have an English menu AND a children’s menu. I would budget for 2000 yen per person here. Most major credit cards accepted here. They do accept reservations and walk-ins (can be busy on weekends.) Khazana Daiba has terrace seating with a beautiful outdoor view of the Rainbow Bridge.
KHAZANA DAIBA
5TH FLOOR, DECKS SHOPPING MALL, BEACH SEASIDE MALL SIDE
OPEN WEEKDAYS FOR LUNCH 11AM-3PM (LAST ORDERS 2:30PM)
OPEN WEEKDAYS FOR DINNER 3PM-9PM (LAST ORDERS 8:30PM)
OPEN WEEKENDS FOR LUNCH 11AM-4PM (3:30PM)
OPEN WEEKENDS FOR DINNER 4PM-11PM (LAST ORDERS 10PM)
CLOSED TUESDAYS
Family friendly lunch option in this area 5:
For casual Italian dining I recommend Cafe La Boheme Aqua City Odaiba with kids. This restaurant is in Aqua City Shopping Centre on the 4th floor.
You can see the entire Cafe La Boheme Odaiba menu here. They also have a kids menu (only available until 1pm.). There is also space to store strollers while you dine.
This restaurant welcomes families and serves both lunch and dinner. Budget for lunch is around 2000 yen per adult and more like 4000 yen at dinnertime. Please note that there is a 880 yen service charge for each person when dining after 6pm. This restaurant is big (seats 292 people) but it is still wise to make a reservation if you want to eat there on a weekend or during peak season. You can make reservations in English on their website. The entire restaurant is non-smoking. They accept most major credit cards.
Although it’s only a couple of options each – there are vegetarian and vegan items on their menu too ( their vegan quinoa and kale salad is so good and they also have some vegan pasta dishes.). This restaurant is 6 mins walk from Odaiba Kaihin-Koen Station (the walk is almost entirely indoors.)
CAFE LA BOHEME ODAIBA
港区台場1-7-1 アクアシティお台場 メディアージュ 4F
4TH FLOOR OF AQUA CITY SHOPPING MALL, MEDIAGE SECTION, 1-7-1 DAIBA, MINATO
OPEN 11:30AM-11PM (LAST ORDERS AT 10PM)
*There is also a Taco Bell in Aqua City on the 3rd floor. Open 11am-9pm.
Afternoon activity suggestion 1:
Take the Yurikamome from Odaiba-Kaihinkan Koen Station to Telecom Center Station or Tokyo International Cruise Terminal Station (both on the Yurikamome and walk for 5 mins (unfortunately this walk will be outdoors) to Miraikan: The National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation.
s another good option for rainy days and children who are particularly interested in science. It is worth checking for special events and exhibits. Always there is the gigantic world globe with different images projected constantly as well as exhibits on robotics and extremely realistic androids. Children under 18 cost 210 yen and Adults 620 yen (extra for special exhibits.)
For little children is a whole play/exploration section called ” Curiosity Field” which can be visited for 45 minute sessions. This section is all interactive.
The museum is 5 minutes walk from Tokyo International Cruise Terminal Station (formerly called “Fune-no Kagakukan station”) and Telecom Center Station.
I highly recommend taking your own snacks and/or meals. There really aren’t any cafes around (just a Daily Yamazaki convenience store a few minutes walk away.)
This is my little girl loving the kids interactive play section on the 3rd floor (45 minute set play sessions.)
She particularly loved how she could colour a picture and then scan it and have it appear on the tv!
2-3-6 AOMI, KOTO
江東区青海2-3-6
OPEN: 10AM-5PM (CLOSED ALMOST ALL TUESDAYS, SEE WEBSITE FOR DETAILS)
ADMISSION : ADULTS 630YEN, UNDER 18s 210YEN, CHILDREN YOUNGER THAN SCHOOL AGE ARE FREE
MIRAIKAN ENGLISH WEBSITE
Afternoon activity suggestion #2
Take the Yurikamome to Diver City Tokyo Plaza.
This is a big shopping mall with lots of clothing brands inside, so you might like to shop (there is a Zara, H&M etc) BUT I recommend going to the 6th Floor to Round 1.
Round 1 is a big arcade centre aimed at kids and teens with karaoke, arcade games, bowling, batting cages for baseball, inflatable bubble soccer, darts, billiards, tennis, rollerskating and table tennis. See a full list of all of the activites at Round 1 Diver City here.
You can stay busy here for a whole day, if you’d like to. No need to make a reservation – just ask about pricing for certain time periods at the front desk. If you would like to make a reservation, you can ask your hotel reception desk to assist and make a reservation online (Japanese only) here.
Please note that kids under 16 can only use the facilities at Round 1 up until 6pm without a parent or up until 10am with a parent.
On the same floor as Round 1 is the restaurant floor – lots of eateries to choose from for lunch or dinner.
Afternoon activity suggestion #3
Take the Yurikamome to Diver City Tokyo Plaza.
This is a big shopping mall with lots of clothing brands inside, so you might like to shop (there is a Zara, H&M etc) BUT I recommend going to ground floor to check out the giant gundam statue.
The statue lights up some nights of the week (once it is dark). As the staff for times.
There is also a giant food court on the ground floor with lots of options for lunch or dinner. There are also high chairs for babies to use.
Then, make your way to the Unko (aka Poop) Museum on the 2nd floor. I have written in more detail about the Unko Museum here.
Just outside of the Unko Museum is a Sanrio (aka Hello Kitty and friends) Gift Shop and a cafe that sells Hello Kitty Pancakes.
Within Diver City there is also a mini Don Quijote shop called Kira Kira Don Quijote. This is a GREAT place for souvenir shopping.
300 yen store
There is also a good 300 yen shop called “3 Coins” inside Diver City. They also have a selection of souvenirs.
(It’s on the 2F of Diver City.)
On the ground floor is a great traditional Japanese goods gift shop called Wabi Sabi.
And on the same floor as Wabi Sabi and Kira Kira Donquijote is a small food court. One of the shops (just near the exit to see the Gundam Statue) sells rainbow fairy floss / cotton candy.
Afternoon activity suggestion #4
You can pair this with the #3 suggestions but… on the 5th floor of Diver City is a small “Team Lab-Style” playcentre for little kids called “Little Planets.” In my opinion, the ideal age range for this place is 0-5 years. I think you would need 60 mins here, maximum.
See the Little Planets website for opening times on particular days and current prices (it is usually 1,200 yen for kids and 800 yen for adults – for a 60 min session – it is a little more on weekends.) Children under 1 are free. All tickets require a 600 yen sign up fee – and with that, all participants will get an interactive wristband. No outside food is allowed. Toilets are out in the Diver City Mall (none inside the playcentre) so it is best to make everyone go before you enter (otherwise that toilet time/ time to exit and reenter ) is included in that 60 mins.
We have always paid for tickets at the door but, if you wanted to buy them ahead of time, tickets are sold on Klook.
Please let the staff know if it is your little one’s birthday as they will get a small present.
Please note that, like most play spaces for kids in Japan, everyone will be required to take off their shoes. Please make sure everyone has socks (even just in your bag to put on when sandals come off) ready.
LITTLE PLANETS, DIVER CITY
5TH FLOOR, DIVER CITY SHOPPING MALL, ODAIBA
Afternoon activity suggestion #5
Take the Yurikamome to Ariake Tennis no Mori Station – you will have to walk outside for 3 mins to get there but… go to Small Worlds Odaiba. An indoor museum/exhibit for kids made up of miniatures. I have written in detail about Small Worlds here if you’d like to read.
