Most families who stay with us stay four nights or longer. Three days is enough to see the classic sights, but with children every day takes longer than planned, and a fourth day gives you room to rest or take a day trip.
3 days: the essentials
・Day 1: Asakusa and Ueno: Senso-ji and Nakamise in the morning, then Ueno Park and the zoo.
・Day 2: Shinjuku, Harajuku and Shibuya: Shinjuku Gyoen for a run on the grass, Takeshita Street, then the Shibuya crossing.
・Day 3: Tokyo Tower and Odaiba: The tower in the morning, then the waterfront and its indoor play spaces.
4 days: the same, with a slower day
- Keep days 1 to 3 as above, and add one easy day in the middle: a park in the morning, a nap or a bath at home, and dinner nearby.
- Families with toddlers or grandparents often find this is the day that makes the rest of the trip work. See A Slower Tokyo with Children.
5 days: add a day trip
- Add Hakone, Kamakura, Yokohama or Nikko, and come back to the same home in the evening.
- See Day Trips from Tokyo with Children for which trip suits which ages.
Family Tips
- Plan one big sight a day, not three.
- Arrival and departure days rarely count as full days with children.
- A home with a kitchen and a washing machine makes a longer stay easier: breakfast at the table, and less to pack.