I’m currently really in love with Otsuka. There are so many cool restaurants (kid-friendly options too) and the whole area is so vibey but it’s also right on the Yamanote line which makes it so so so convenient. Remember that this area isn’t too far from neighbouring Ikebukuro. Because you are on the Yamanote line so it is easy to get to places like Shinjuku, Shibuya, Harajuku, Ueno, Shinagawa and Tokyo Station.
There are so many western style eateries less than a minute walk from the station (Royal Host, Sizzler, Pronto, McDonalds) but also sooooo many little Japanese izakaya style eateries – many of them that are family-friendly.
Did you know that instead of fries at McDonald’s Japan you can order a side of edamame and corn. My daughter LOVES it!
A reader of my blog also gave me such an amazing suggestion – you can order a McDonald’s side salad and mix it with the edamame and corn to make a slightly heartier salad for under 600 yen!
*side note: McDonald’s fries are not vegetarian/vegan – they are fried in beef fat.
This area is very famous for the Todem Sakura Tram. Having the tram running through the little streets just adds to the moody Japan vibes. Read more about the tram in Otsuka here. From Otsuka you can take the tram to Arakawa Amusement Park too.
If, while in Otsuka, you need some open space for kids to play – I recommend heading to Ike-Sun Park. It is 11 mins on foot from Otsuka Station. There are picnic tables here and public toilets. There are often food trucks here too.
Where to eat in the JR Otsuka Station area with kids?
As well as the western brand options listed above… there are soooo many incredible options for families.
W Coffee
W Coffee is 1 min walk from JR Otsuka Station’s North Exit.
The menu includes sandwiches, waffles, yoghurt, curry, lasagna, salads, fried chicken. You can see the full W Coffee menu here (like most places in Japan, this isn’t the kind of place where you customize your meal. The pics on the menu are how it is designed to come.)
W Coffee accepts most major credit cards.
The first floor up above the street level is a co-working space.
They do have an English menu and also have a children’s menu.
Breakfast time begins at 8am
Lunch time begins at 11am
W COFFEE, OTSUKA
豊島区北大塚2-16-12 第二長坂ビル 1F・2F
GROUND & 1ST FLOOR, DAINI NAGASAKA BUILDING, 2-16-12 KITAOTSUKA, TOSHIMA-KU
OPEN 8AM-8PM
For lunch or dinner I think you will love Izakaya Chikappa.
Like all izakayas in Japan – the vibe is lively and cozy. All menu items are designed to be ordered for the table and shared. They are all small servings so order 4-5 times and then order more as you go.
Food options here include yakitori, veggies on skewers, plates of sashimi and salads.
This restaurant accepts most major credit cards. Please note that there is an otoshi charge of 385 yen per person – to say thank you for this charge you receive a small appetizer when you sit down.
The entire restaurant is non-smoking.
I really recommend making the most of the yakitori, the Japanese style caesar salad, the chilled tomato slices, the agedashi tofu, shimeji mushrooms in a foil bake with butter and sashimi here (order some and then just keep ordering as you go.) They do serve chicken sashimi here (called sasami) so if this doesn’t appeal don’t order the sasami. 鶏ささみ刺しなしお願いします （you can show them this. It says “no raw chicken please.”)
More kid-friendly options for little kids include karaage (fried chicken), “two types” of potato fries, saikoro steak (a small plate of diced steak pieces), tsukune (chicken meatballs on a skewer), edamame, They also have vanilla and chocolate ice-cream as well as cheesecake for dessert.
This restaurant is 2 mins walk from the south exit of Otsuka Station.
Izakaya Chikappa have space to store a stroller while you dine.
I would budget approx 3000 yen per adult for dinner here (but more like 2000 yen at lunch time.)
IZAKAYA CHIKAPPA
豊島区南大塚3-53-7 2F
2F, 3-53-7 MINAMI-OTSUKA, TOSHIMA-KU
OPEN FOR LUNCH ON WEEKDAYS 11AM-3PM
OPEN FOR DINNER EVERY NIGHT 4PM-MIDNIGHT (LAST ORDERS AT 11:30PM)
Itto Yakiniku, Otsuka
This yakiniku restaurant is 1 min walk from the South Exit of JR Otsuka Station.
Children and babies welcome. No high chairs or anything but I recommend reserving a booth seat (referred to as a “sofa seat” in Japan) to make it all a bit easier for little ones.
The entire restaurant is non-smoking (so if it seems smoky it’s just from the bbq!)
I would budget 8000 yen per adult at dinner time here or 2000 yen at lunch time (If you go for the high end meat plates then they are more like 15000 yen.)
Side menu items include bibimba, salads and bone broth soups. They also serve ice-creams and sherbets for dessert.
For the adults, this is a good time to try a chu-hai type called a “sour” in various flavours – a chu-hai is a mixed soft drink or juice drink with alcohol.
This restaurant accepts most major credit cards.
This restaurant has place to store a stroller while you dine.
As you can see from the Itto Yakiniku website here – the restaurant interior is modern and shiny with a bbq plate in the middle of each table but it’s also casual (sometimes they have baseball playing on a tv in the corner.)
ITTO YAKINIKU
豊島区南大塚2-46-1 南大塚ＫＭビル B1F
BASEMENT FLOOR, MINAMI-OTSUKA KM BUILDING, 2-46-1 OTSUKA, TOSHIMA-KU
OPEN EVERYDAY FOR LUNCH 11:30AM-3PM (LAST ORDERS 2:30PM)
OPEN FOR EVERYDAY FOR DINNER 5PM-11:30PM (LAST ORDERS 11PM)
If you’re craving Indian-Thai fusion cuisine while in this area, I recommend visiting Kanyam.
They have a menu in English. There is also a vegetarian menu and a kids plate ( includes a nan, a non-spicy/slightly sweet curry, a soft drink and a dessert.)
They also serve fries here.
They have the space to store a stroller while you dine.
This restaurant is 7 mins walk from Otsuka Station. 6 mins walk from Higashi-Ikebukuro Station.
I would budget 2000 yen per adult to dine here. They accept most major credit cards.
I recommend the cheesy nann.
KANYAM
東池袋4-41-22 渡辺ビル 1F
GROUND FLOOR 4-41-22 HIGASHI-IKEBUKURO
OPEN 11AM-11PM
If you wanted to get something amazing to take back to your hotel room or to eat while listening to the buskers on the north side of Otsuka Station on the weekends, go to the department store next to Otsuka Station called Atre vie Otsuka. Pretty much the whole of the ground floor is like one big fancy deli. Options include a bakery, tonkatsu, grilled and marinated fish, my favourite supermarket brand in Japan “Seijo Ishii”, cooked vegetables.
And on the 4th floor of Atre vie Otsuka is ramen restaurant Yoshimaru.
This restaurant is a walk-in restaurant only. They have a kids menu too. On the same floor is a restroom with a kids’ toilet AND a change table. I would budget for 1500 yen per adult to dine here. Gyoza is on the menu from 3pm onwards.
Yoshimaru accept most major credit cards.
YOSHIMARU, ATRE VIE OTSUKA
豊島区南大塚3-33-1 ATRE VIE OTSUKA 4F
4F ATRE VIEW OTSUKA, 3-33-2 MINAMI-OTSUKA, TOSHIMA-KU
OPEN EVERYDAY 11AM-11PM (CLOSES AT 10PM ON SUNDAYS AND NATIONAL HOLIDAYS)
Where to stay near Otsuka Station, Tokyo, with kids?
I’ve recently stayed at Omo5 Tokyo Otsuka. I don’t recommend this hotel for babies that are crawling or newly walking OR for tall people.
The reason? The room has a loft bed and the stairs up to the loft don’t have a rail (and a baby/toddler would LOVE to try and climb these all the time.). For the same reason – the loft makes the ceiling in the living section a bit low and the bed in the loft is ideal for kids but it would be hard for adults to stand comfortably.
Apart from that though – this hotel is SOOOOOO cool and the staff are so nice. My kids squealed when they spotted the loft bed and also spent hours in the in-room bath. There is a coin laundry and there are pyjamas for guests to use while staying.
The hotel has excellent black out blinds (not as common as you might think in Japan.)
The window ledge in the room is like a big window seat and it’s the best place to people watch and see the trains go by.
This hotel has a beautiful restaurant next to the reception- serving breakfast and dinner and there is also a DJ playing in the evening so it kind of becomes a chill bar.
You don’t need to be a staying guest to use the restaurant or bar. They offer a western style breakfast, pastries, risotto and soups.
R&B Otsuka Eki Kitaguchi.
Next to Royal Host is another family friendly hotel called R&B Otsuka Eki Kitaguchi.
They offer a late check out until 12pm for an additional 1200 yen.
The rooms are simple but lovely and modern. This is a simple but comfortable (what Japan calls a) Business Hotel.
Pyjamas are provided for guests to use during their stay.
This hotel has rooms that fit 2-3 people (they do offer triple rooms with 3 seperate beds) AND they also have a family connecting room option that could fit max 3 adults and 3 children (if the children are small enough to bed share.)
This hotel accepts and helps you send forwarded luggage.
They also have a coin laundry on the 4th floor.
R&B Otsuka Eki Kitaguchi hotel has a simple buffet breakfast with some bread, rice, curry, muesli and salad as well as tea and coffee. Breakfast is 700 yen per person and free for children who are bed-sharing.
This is Jr Otsuka Station (North side) by day.
