Trip highlights
- 1Tokyo DisneySea — unique Disney theme park
- 2TeamLab Planets digital art immersion
- 3Pokémon Centre Tokyo DX flagship
- 4Shibuya crossing on foot
- 5Harajuku crepes and cosplay culture
Daily spend
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Day-by-day plan
Arrival & Shibuya
Thursday, April 1
Est. spend
$120
per person
🌅 Morning
Arrive at Narita or Haneda Airport
Narita International Airport or Haneda Airport
Haneda (HND) is closer — 30 minutes to central Tokyo by monorail (¥800/$5.30). Narita (NRT) is further — Narita Express to Shinjuku takes 80 minutes (¥3,070/$20 adult, half-price child). Both airports have luggage forwarding services (takkyubin) — send bags directly to your hotel for ¥1,500–2,000.
Buy a Suica or Pasmo IC card at the airport — works on all metro, JR, and many buses in Tokyo. Children under 6 ride free; ages 6–11 at half price. Load ¥5,000 initially.
☀️ Afternoon
Shibuya Crossing and scramble
Shibuya Crossing, Shibuya, Tokyo
The world's busiest pedestrian crossing — 1,000+ people cross from all directions simultaneously when the lights change. The scramble happens every 2 minutes. The Magnet by Shibuya109 rooftop terrace has the best aerial view of the crossing.
The view from inside the crossing is impressive; the view from above (Magnet Shibuya Rooftop or Starbucks on the first floor of Tsutaya) is extraordinary. Both offer the full scale of the phenomenon.
🍽️ Meals
Kura Sushi conveyor belt, Shibuya
Japanese sushi · $35 · The conveyor belt sushi chain — plates come around on the belt (¥110 each), the app lets you order custom items. Every 15 plates wins a toy from the machine. Children love this.
Tokyo DisneySea
Friday, April 2
Est. spend
$310
per person
🌅 Morning
Tokyo DisneySea — all day
1-13 Maihama, Urayasu, Chiba
The single best Disney park in the world — built on a waterfront, themed around different 'seas' (Mediterranean Harbour, American Waterfront, Arabian Coast, etc.) with no equivalent in the US or Europe. The Soaring: Fantastic Flight, Toy Story Mania, and the Tower of Terror are the headline attractions. Entry ¥10,900 ($72) adult, ¥6,600 ($44) child 4–11.
Book Disney Premier Access (virtual queue paid skip) for Soaring and the other most popular rides (¥1,500–2,000 each per person). The park is less crowded on weekdays. The Fantasy Springs expansion (2024) adds Frozen, Tangled, and Peter Pan worlds — book FP access for this section.
🍽️ Meals
DisneySea in-park dining
Various · $40 · Zambini Brothers' Ristorante (Italian, Mediterranean Harbour) has the best food in the park. The clam chowder bread bowl at Cape Cod is excellent.
TeamLab & Asakusa
Saturday, April 3
Est. spend
$140
per person
🌅 Morning
TeamLab Planets, Toyosu
6-1-16 Toyosu, Koto, Tokyo
Four immersive digital art spaces you walk through barefoot — a room of mirrored infinity flowers, a space of infinite crystal growth, a garden of cosmic light, and a water room where you wade through knee-deep water with light projections. The most extraordinary art experience for children in Tokyo. Entry ¥3,200 ($21) adult, ¥1,000 ($6.70) child.
Book online at teamlab.art — timed entry required. Arrive at your booked time. Wear shorts or bring a change of clothes for the water room. No under-6 allowed in the main rooms; a separate 'Athletics Forest' section is for younger children.
☀️ Afternoon
Asakusa — Senso-ji Temple and Nakamise
2-3-1 Asakusa, Taito, Tokyo
Tokyo's oldest temple (645 AD) with the giant red Kaminarimon gate, the 250m Nakamise shopping street of traditional sweets and toys, and the Asakusa neighbourhood's rickshaw rides and incense ceremony.
The incense ceremony at the main hall (wave the smoke over yourself for health and fortune) is one of the most photogenic and participatory rituals in Tokyo. Children find the giant smoke cauldron fascinating.
🍽️ Meals
Sometaro Okonomiyaki, Asakusa
Japanese · $30 · Cook-it-yourself okonomiyaki (Japanese savory pancake) at the table. Children love the interactive format. The beef and cheese version is the most family-friendly.
Pokémon & Harajuku
Sunday, April 4
Est. spend
$170
per person
🌅 Morning
Pokémon Centre Tokyo DX, Nihonbashi
Daimaru Tokyo, 1-9-1 Marunouchi, Chiyoda, Tokyo
The flagship Pokémon Centre in Tokyo (8 floors of Pokémon Centre + Pokémon Café) is the largest in the world — plush Pokémon of every generation, exclusive Tokyo merchandise, the Pokémon Cafe (book ahead), and a Pikachu photo experience. Required for any child who has ever played Pokémon.
The Pokémon Café requires reservations made exactly 4 weeks ahead via the official app. The food is overpriced but the experience (Pikachu pancakes, interactive plating) makes it worth it for children.
☀️ Afternoon
Harajuku Takeshita Street
Takeshita St, Harajuku, Shibuya, Tokyo
The 350m street of extreme youth fashion, kawaii culture, rainbow cotton candy, crêpes with 30 toppings, and the cosplay fashion that Tokyo has exported globally. The Harajuku Crêpe is a cultural institution.
The original Harajuku crêpe shops are at the far end (Meiji Dori end) of Takeshita Street — the ones with the longest queues are the best ones. Mango with chocolate and cream is the standard order.
🍽️ Meals
Shabu-Shabu Do, Harajuku
Japanese shabu-shabu · $55 · Shabu-shabu (thin-sliced beef cooked in broth, dipped in sesame or ponzu) — family-friendly format where everyone cooks at the table pot.
Ueno Zoo & Akihabara
Monday, April 5
Est. spend
$115
per person
🌅 Morning
Ueno Zoo and Ueno Park
Ueno Zoological Gardens, 9-83 Uenokoen, Taito, Tokyo
Japan's oldest zoo (1882) is home to the giant pandas — Ri Ri and Shin Shin are the resident pair. The Ueno Park outside is one of Tokyo's best cherry blossom locations in April (hanami season). The Tokyo National Museum adjacent has the finest collection of Japanese art in the world (¥1,000 entry, worth it).
Giant panda viewing has a timed ticket system — book at the zoo entrance early. The polar bear and gorilla sections are also excellent.
☀️ Afternoon
Akihabara — electronics and anime
Akihabara, Chiyoda, Tokyo
The electronics and manga/anime district — 7-story arcades (Club Sega, Yodobashi Camera), gashapon (capsule toy) machines on every street, maid cafés, and gaming merchandise from every franchise. Japanese arcade gaming culture is for all ages.
The multi-floor arcades (Yodobashi Akiba, Super Potato retro games) are the experience. The gashapon machines (¥300–500 per capsule) dispense genuinely excellent small figures — the Studio Ghibli, One Piece, and Pokémon series are the best.
🍽️ Meals
Ichiran Ramen, Akihabara
Japanese ramen · $25 · Individual booths where you eat ramen alone (or as a family in adjacent booths) — the famous 'solo eating' Japanese ramen experience. Children find the personal booth setup exciting.
Odaiba & teamLab Athletics
Tuesday, April 6
Est. spend
$120
per person
🌅 Morning
Odaiba artificial island — teamLab Athletics Forest
Palette Town, 1-3-15 Aomi, Koto, Tokyo
TeamLab Athletics Forest on Odaiba is specifically designed for children — a 10,000m² space of interactive physical play and digital art. Climbing, jumping, and running through digital environments. Entry ¥2,800/$18 adult, ¥1,000/$6.70 child.
Book online at teamlab.art. The Athletics Forest is specifically for children; the Planets is better for older children and adults.
☀️ Afternoon
Odaiba beach and Fuji TV building
Odaiba, Koto, Tokyo
Odaiba has a man-made beach with views of the Rainbow Bridge and the replica Statue of Liberty. The DiverCity Tokyo Plaza has a 1:1 scale gundam statue (18m tall robot). The Fuji TV building has an observatory sphere.
The Gundam statue at DiverCity is free to view and photograph. The 1:1 scale is genuinely staggering for any child who knows the series.
🍽️ Meals
Aqua City Odaiba food court
Various Japanese · $25 · The Aqua City mall food court has multiple Japanese food options — ramen, sushi, soba, and the best parfait dessert shops in Tokyo (go to Matsukiyo).
Shinjuku & Departure
Wednesday, April 7
Est. spend
$175
per person
🌅 Morning
Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building observation deck
2-8-1 Nishishinjuku, Shinjuku, Tokyo
Free observation deck at 202m in the Shinjuku skyscraper district — one of the tallest buildings in Tokyo and the view is free. Opens 9am. On clear days (best October–February) Mount Fuji is visible.
Two separate towers (North and South). The South Tower (open Thursday–Tuesday) has slightly better views to the south and west.
Shinjuku station area last shopping
Shinjuku Station area
Shinjuku station is the busiest railway station in the world (3.5 million daily users). The underground shopping concourse has excellent Japanese Kit-Kat flavours (matcha, sakura, wasabi), Tokyo Banana (the souvenir pastry), and omiyage gift sets to take home.
Tokyo Banana (the official Tokyo souvenir pastry) is available at Haneda Airport too — buy at the airport departure hall rather than carrying it all day.
☀️ Afternoon
Airport transfer
Narita International Airport or Haneda Airport
Narita Express from Shinjuku to Narita: 80 minutes. Monorail from Hamamatsucho to Haneda: 30 minutes. Allow 3 hours before international departure.
🍽️ Meals
Fuunji Tsukemen, Shinjuku
Japanese tsukemen · $20 · Dipping ramen (tsukemen) — noodles dipped in a concentrated broth. The Shinjuku West Exit area has several excellent ramen shops for a farewell bowl.
Before you go
📅 Best time to visit
March–May (spring cherry blossoms in late March–early April) and October–November (autumn colours). Summer (July–August) is hot and humid (32°C+) but school-holiday Disney season. December–February is cold but clear — Tokyo DisneySea has the least crowded days.
🛂 Visas
UK, EU, US, Canadian, Australian citizens get 90-day visa-free entry to Japan. eVISIT (Japan digital entry) launching 2024 — check current requirements at japan.travel.
💱 Currency
Japanese Yen (JPY). ~150 JPY per USD. Japan is a cash society — many restaurants, street food stalls, and small shops are cash-only. 7-Eleven ATMs accept all major foreign cards. IC card (Suica/Pasmo) for all transport.
🆘 Emergency numbers
police: 110
ambulance: 119
tourist emergency: 03-3501-0110
💬 Things you won't find in a guidebook
- Japan is the safest country for families. Children can walk to school from age 6, teenagers take public transport alone — the safety culture is extraordinary and parents can relax completely.
- Japanese food culture is child-inclusive: conveyor belt sushi, ramen, udon, and tonkatsu (breaded pork) are all child-friendly. Bring chopstick training chopsticks for children under 8.
- Konbini (convenience stores: 7-Eleven, FamilyMart, Lawson) sell excellent prepared food including onigiri (rice balls), hot dogs, and proper bento boxes. Family breakfast from a konbini costs ¥800–1,200 ($5–8) for the whole family.
One thing worth not skipping
A 7-day trip to Tokyo, Japan without insurance is a gamble. Medical emergencies, cancelled flights, lost luggage — cover yourself before you leave.
Comprehensive cover for 150+ adventure activities, medical evacuation, trip cancellation, and baggage. Recommended for most travellers.
Subscription-based travel medical insurance. Best for longer trips, digital nomads, or frequent travellers. Renews weekly or monthly.
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