I have a long blog post on places I recommend visiting and eating at when visiting Ueno with kids.
But I also recommend staying the Ueno area once your kids are older than “needing a playground nearby” age.
Ueno is on the JR Yamanote line, there is also a bullet train station for shinkansens (bullet trains) that depart for places such as Shin-Aomori, Sendai and Karuizawa.
Ueno is 8 mins by train to Akihabara Electric Town.
Ueno is 8 mins by cab (approx. 1200 yen) to Asakusa
Ueno is 6 mins by cab (approx 750 yen) to Kappabashi or 17 mins walk.
Ueno is 15 mins by train to Ginza
Ueno is 10 mins by train to Tokyo SkyTree
Ueno is 9 mins by cab (approx 1800 yen) to Ryogoku Sumo Stadium or 15 mins by train. See here for how to book Sumo tickets for Japan and my general advice on going to the Sumo with kids.
Ueno is 36 mins by JR Yamanote City Loop line to Shinjuku on one single train (no changes required at all.)
Ueno is 40 mins by train to Tokyo Disneyland (change trains just once.)
Ueno is also 50 mins from Narita Airport if you use the Skyliner.
Please note that this blog post contains some affiliate links. This means that I make a small commission at no additional cost to you.
The Ueno area is vibey, convenient, great for trying out street food and restaurants piled upon restaurants. There is also Ueno Park right there for when the kids need some green time (including a big Ueno science and nature museum in the park, the Ueno Starbucks and you can also ride the swan boats here.)
Please note that Ueno Park is a place for kids to play but they don’t allow ball games. For big parks in Tokyo to kick a soccer ball etc, I recommend visiting Yoyogi Park in Harajuku, Komazawa Park in Setagaya or Shinjuku Chuo Park in Shinjuku. Most smaller neighbourhood parks have a strict “no ball games” rule.
Mimaru Apartment Hotels in Mimaru
There are 4 Ueno Mimaru properties and they are all less than 10 mins walk from Ueno Station so I would choose any of these depending on availability and what kind of room type you need. Mimaru apartments have their own kitchenettes, bathroom including a bathtub, an excellent English speaking reception desk, in-house coin laundry and they can also assist with forwarding luggage.
*A little note on coin laundries in hotels in Japan. The detergent is almost always built into the machine. If someone in your family has allergies to certain washing powders it is probably best to email in advance to find out what they use and what your options are. Oh.. and another note.. if the washer and dryer is built into one machine – the dryer setting really only works well for 1-2 items (big items like a pair of jeans and a long sleeved top, I mean) so don’t do what I do and just put in heaps of things to dry for longer – hoping that they will dry. It doesn’t work like that. Best to do little tiny drying sessions for the best drying results. It a lesson in patience but it will save you lots of coins in the long runRead my blog post on what it is like to stay at a Mimaru Apartment hotel here. I have lots of pictures and information on what to expect.
Mimaru Ueno Inaricho has rooms for 4 people or less (can fit extra children if they are able to bed share and are younger than 7 years old.)
Mimaru Ueno North has apartments for families of 6 and less (can fit extra children if they are able to bed share and are younger than 7 years old.)
Mimaru Ueno East has apartments for families of 8 or less (can fit extra children if they are able to bed share and are younger than 7 years old.) They also offer the Pokemon themed rooms.
Mimaru Ueno Okachimachi has apartments for families of 8 or less (can fit extra children if they are able to bed share and are younger than 7 years old.)
Also -if you choose an apartment style hotel with a kitchenette and a manned front desk – did you know that can have different types of milk and gluten free and vegan options delivered anywhere in Japan via the National Azabu website? This international supermarket is located in Hiroo, Tokyo (you can also, of course, visit in person). You can also order online and have them deliver groceries to you if you are staying in Minato-ku, Tokyo (aka the Minato ward, Tokyo) OR you can have these items delivered anywhere in Japan using the Yamato delivery service (price is from 1200 yen per box of food delivered.) This is one of many reasons to stay at a hotel and not an airbnb in Japan – so that a hotel can accept parcels on your behalf -if you’re super clever, you can order ahead and have a box of low-allergen foods for you arrive the day you check in to your hotel (if you email the hotel ahead – they will put cold items in the fridge for you.) National Azabu in Tokyo stocks almond milk, oat milk, walnut milk, soy milk as well as pistachio milk. Here is my general advice on buying different types of milk in Japan.
The Family Room at Landabout Ueno
The family room sleeps 5 people ( 1 double bed and 3 singles). The rooms are modern and spacious.
It is 10 mins walk from Ueno Park or 3 mins walk from Uguisudani Station.
There is a cafe / coffee shop / bar downstairs for guests and the general public to use (there are also lots of restaurants in this area so you’d probably only need it for breakfast unless you wanted other meals.).
Landabout Ueno is walking distance from Asakusa (24 min walk, 10 mins/ approx 1000 yen in a cab or 15 mins by public transport) and Kappabashi Kitchen Town area (19 mins walk, 10 mins / approx 800 yen by cab).
The area around Landabout Ueno is technically a love hotel district. This does not mean it is dangerous but it does mean that when walking around you will see lots of candy coloured and themed buildings offering “day stays.” It is not dangerous at all but if this something that bothers you then maybe look elsewhere.
It is a great way to have more beds, separate rooms and keep costs down.
Candeo Ueno Park
I adore the Candeo branch. The rooms are modern and clean. There is a coin laundry at the hotel and a public bath on the top floor. There is a breakfast restaurant in the hotel too – breakfast is 7am-9:30am. Kids under 4 eat for free.
For families, you can book a triple room (3 beds) or a premium family room (2 double beds and the room has a separate living area.) This hotel is one of the more affordable options in terms of hotel brands in Japan. The rooms are small but so clean and have everything you need. They provide pyjamas for guests to use during their stay.
It’s just 4 mins walk to Usuguidani Station or 14 mins walk or 4 mins in a taxi from Ueno Station.
1 min walk to Gyomu Supermarket (it’s basically next door – there are lots of vegan food options here – especially the Vegan Chickpea curry, it’s good.)
2 mins walk to Family Mart.
3 mins walk to Family Restaurant Gusto.
3 mins walk to Universal Drugstore.
3 mins walk to McDonalds.
11 mins walk to Tokyo National Museum.
Mitsui Garden Hotel Ueno
This hotel is easy to access after getting off the Narita Express. There is a Family Mart just across the road. The rooms are small but it’s a great option if you are watching your budget. Some of the rooms are panda themed. Rooms sleep 2-3 people.
A lower budget option ( you are sacrificing space though) is to book a connecting room at Super Hotel Ueno Okachimachi
Super Hotel Ueno Okachimachi has connecting rooms and rooms with bunk beds. Rooms are small here (it’s a business hotel.) They do have unlimited alcohol and soft drinks for guests for a few hours every evening. 2 mins walk from Okachimachi Station. They have a simple breakfast restaurant buffet each morning and front reception can assist with forwarding and receiving luggage.
If you are lucky enough to stay in Ueno for a month or more I recommend booking the fully furnished Sumii apartment in Ueno. I have written in detail about my stay in a Sumii apartment in Tokyo here.
Please note that this blog post contains some affiliate links. This means that I make a small commission at no additional cost to you.
