WHERE TO EAT NEAR THE GHIBLI MUSEUM WITH KIDS

The Ghibli Museum in Tokyo is a little outside of the city and I wanted to make a list of food options in the area for families.

Please note that, if you’re looking for book the Ghibli Museum, tickets need to be purchased on the 10th – the month before you want to go at 10am Japan time. ie. if you want to go in May – you will need to be online to book on April 10th at 10am.

Note that the museum is on the edge of Inokashira Park so you may like to ride some swan boats before or after visiting the museum.

Wakasa Zushi is a local sushi restaurant – cash only here too. Children are welcome here. I would budget around 3000 yen per person here. The venue is entirely non-smoking. As it is a local restaurant, I do recommend making reservations incase they are closed for family reasons etc. This restaurant has space to store strollers while you dine. From the Ghibli Museum, I recommend taking a taxi for 7 mins (approx 700 yen) to get to the restaurant. If you walk, it will take around 18 mins.
WAKASA ZUSHI
三鷹市下連雀7-6-24
7-6-24 SHIMORENJAKU, MITAKA
OPEN FOR LUNCH ONLY 11AM-4PM

Please see my article here on how to go about making a reservation for a restaurant in Japan when the website doesn’t have an English website option.

Yakiniku Toraji, Kichijoji branch, welcomes families and also has an English menu. The restaurant is 3 mins walk from the North Exit of Kichijoji Station and 20 mins walk from the Ghibli Museum (9 mins, 900 yen in a cab from the museum) This restaurant is non-smoking. Budget here for lunch is 2000 yen or more like 6000 yen per person at dinner time. Yakiniku Toraji accepts most major credit cards.
YAKINIKU TORAJI
武蔵野市吉祥寺本町1-8-21
1-8-21 HONMACHI, KICHIJOJI, MUSASHINO
OPEN WEEKDAYS 5PM-11PM
OPEN WEEKENDS 11:30AM-3PM & 5PM-11PM

Shirohige’s Cream Puff Factory, Kichijoji. This cafe is 4 mins walk from the South Exit of Kichijoji Station. It is 22 mins walk from the Ghibli Museum ( or 13 mins/ 1200 yen in a cab.) The cream inside the cream puff comes in a few flavours. Many themed cafe food options don’t taste that great but these are photogenic AND so yummy!
Please note that this shop is CASH ONLY.

SHIROHIGE’S CREAM PUFF FACTORY
武蔵野市吉祥寺南町2-7-5
2-7-5 MINAMI-CHO, KICHIJOJI, MUSASHINO
OPEN MON, WED, FRI, SAT & SUN 11AM-6PM
OPEN THURS 11AM-5PM
CLOSED TUESDAYS

And if you feel like eating Yakitori (chicken skewers) I recommend heading to the Kichijoji branch of Ore no Yakitori. This restaurant is non-smoking restaurant (although they have a designated smoking area outside of the restaurant – it is not undercover though.) Ore no Yakitori have an english menu. I recommend making a reservation here before visiting to make sure you can get a table for your family. You can see the full Ore no Yakitori menu here. Children are welcome here but there are no high chairs and no baby change facilities here. Please note that you will need to take the stairs to get to table seating here. This restaurant is 3 mins walk from Kichijoji Station via the Koen-guchi (Park Exit) gate. To get here from the Ghibli Museum, best to take a cab (6 mins, approx 750 yen) or you can walk for 15 mins.
ORE NO YAKITORI, KICHIJOJI
1-1-10 KICHIJOJI MINAMI-CHO, MUSASHINO (sometimes google maps doesn’t find this restaurant by name so best to put in the address)
OPEN WEEKDAYS 4PM-11PM (LAST ORDERS 10PM)
OPEN WEEKENDS 11:30AM-11PM (LAST ORDERS 10PM) *CLOSES AT 10PM ON SUNDAYS*

Village Vanguard Diner is a burger joint with a branch in this area. You can see the Village Vanguarg menu here. They also have a kids menu and space to store a stroller while you dine. Village Vanguard accepts most major credit cards. This restaurant is 6 mins walk from Kichijoji Station and 15 mins walk (or 7 mins in cab, approx 800 yen) from the Ghibli Museum.
*There is also a Village Vanguard Diner (smaller version) inside Parco Department Store in Kichijoji.
VILLAGE VANGUARD DINER, KICHIJOJI
武蔵野市吉祥寺本町2-20-1 ＴＹビル　２Ｆ
2ND FLOOR, TY BUILDING, 2-20-1 HONMACHI, KICHIJOJI, MUSASHINO
OPEN EVERYDAY 11AM-10PM (LAST ORDERS 9PM)
CLOSED / LIMITED HOURS OVER THE NEW YEAR’S PERIOD

AOYAMA FLOWER MARKET TEA HOUSE, KICHIJOJI
Another idea is Aoyama Flower Market Tea House. This florist/cafe is so amazingly beautiful. You’ll want to take photos of everything.
The food is, at meal times, is quite …simple. The menu is constantly changing with the seasons but is almost always pasta and sandwiches. For this reason, I think it’s best to save this place for a cup of tea or a cocktail and a piece of cake. But that’s just me.
The food is okay but not the highlight.

Flowers are sold by the stem and are beautiful but a little bit expensive. There are small bouquets wrapped in brown paper near the cash register if you’re interested in a stunning memento.
If you know flowers or just really love flowers – you NEED to come here.

There are other Aoyama Tea Houses in Aoyama and Akasaka but the Kichijoji option always has the shortest wait to get in.
This restaurant is 20 mins walk from the Ghibli Museum ( 11 mins, 1000 yen by cab though) or 1 min walk from Kichijoji Station.

Please note that the following photos are from the Aoyama store – but the menu is the same and the interior is a similar vibe.