ASAKUSA WITH KIDS

Asakusa with kids is a beautiful way to explore a more traditional area of Tokyo.
I’m so behind on reporting back on the area of Asakusa but … better late than never (and I wanted to make sure we had tried it out recently and now that my kids are at an age where I can get a pretty instant “feedback” on what they think is worth it.

Please see here if you are looking for family-friendly accommodation in the Asakusa area.

I couldn’t talk about Asakusa without talking about Sensoji Temple.
**Additional tip: This area is a cool place to be jet lagged and get some great photos. Sensoji Temple stays lit up all night so you can get some great shots even at 3am.**
Warning: this place is very busy so you’ll need to talk about holding hands and staying together first.
*Also, boring nagging Mum PSA: We also talked about being respectful (or at least trying to be as toddlers find this hard, of course) as this is a special place. I wish I could’ve also pulled aside some of the grownup tourists for a talking to – hahaha. Oh my god, I’m that Mum right now, aren’t I?

If you’re in the area really early in the morning (before all of the little market-stall type shops open) it’s still worth a walk with kiddies as most of the pull-down doors have cool pictures on the outside (on Nakamise Street) and the temple is, of course, always there (ie. its great for photos and a quieter experience but you’ll miss the hustle and bustle – the kimonos, the Japanese rickshaws and the food -but it’s lovely for photography or if you just want to do the whole Sensoji experience a lot quicker with children.)

Something that is really fun to do first thing in the morning or last thing in the evening is go up to the 8th floor of the Asakusa Culture Tourist Information Centre. This observation deck is free to enter and has a fabulous view of Sensoji and all the market stalls. It’s a great place to take pictures. It is open everyday 9am-8pm.

Sensoji
We managed with one walking /hand holding child and one stroller. There is a small elevator up to the middle part of the temple.
(FYI There are lots of public bathrooms around too – with change tables as well.)

To be honest, my kids weren’t sure that they wanted to go to the main temple part but once they were in there they loved the vibe.

We were last there on a Saturday afternoon and you could hear the monks chanting and there were a lot of young women in Kimono as it was the week of the Coming of Age Day. There were also lots of tourists from other parts of Asia who had decided to make the day feel more authentic in a Kimono too (if you want to do the same – there a lots of places along the streets leading up to the temple. )
My daughter really loved throwing in a coin and making a wish,the giant lanterns at the entrance and the beautiful murals on the ceiling.

Many people add to the giant pit of incense sticks at the base of the temple (which is so special in itself) and my little girl and boy said the smoke looked like “magic” and, you know what? I tend to agree!

SENSOJI TEMPLE
2-3-1 ASAKUSA, TAITO-KU
台東区浅草
2-3-1MAIN HALL OPEN 6AM-5PM (FROM 6:30AM OCT-MAR)

If you love street food , I think you’ll really enjoy the area around the temple. Especially all of the Yatai (temporary market food vendors) at the back left of the temple grounds.
For the real foodies, I recommend going straight for the end of the long food queues. There is a famous korokke (meat and potato croquettes) shop called Asakusa Minchi (Mince) and curry pan (curry inside a round bread roll) called Asakusa Tomifuku as well as a green tea ice-cream shop called Akasaka Suzukian (the richest matcha gelato in the world)- be sure you’re sure you can be bothered waiting though.
There are lots of touristy (am I allowed to say ‘junkie’?) shops here (Nakamise Street) too but…hey….everyone has that Aunty who wants a new fridge magnet, right?

For a sweet treat, I recommend visiting Kikusuido Japanese confectionary store for heart-shaped castella sponge-cakes and fresh strawberries on skewers.
It is open from 9am-9pm.

Once you’ve walked through the temple grounds and back towards the shops and main roads, I recommend walking a few alleyways down from the crowds. Just one or two streets parallel to the main thoroughfare. That’s where you’ll get some really good photographs or find the less crowded food vendors and …well…just more of that real Japan vibe.

Along the backstreets you may come across a tiny playground for children that looks like this … But it’s quite dirty and was full of smokers …so….

But I strongly recommend walking for an additional 5 minutes (one again, taking in as many backstreets as you can manage) and going to Fuji Park. A suburban playground that my kiddies just loved. As you can tell from the pictures, the twirly-whirly thing was clearly a highlight.
It has space, it’s clean and it’s where the local kiddies are too.
There is a public bathroom but if it isn’t open (or is being repainted – which was the case for us) it is only a 2 minute walk to convenience store ‘Lawson’ to use their facilities.
There is a kindergarten across the road so I imagine that this park also gets a lot of weekday action.

FUJI PARK, ASAKUSA
台東口浅草4-47-17
4-47-17 ASAKUSA, TAITO-KU

If you’re looking for a gluten-free dessert option, Otaco, is just two minutes walk from Sensoji Shrine.
They bake and sell their own gluten-free cakes (sold by the slice) made with rice flour in plain or several other different flavours such as Earl Grey or Matcha Milk. They also have one dairy-free option which is coffee flavoured.
It’s a small shop just 2 mins from Sensoji and across from Sensoji Hospital.
OTACO
台東区浅草3-5-1
3-5-1 ASAKUSA, TAITO-KU
OPEN 10:30AM-6PM
CLOSED SUNDAYS & MONDAYS

Lunch and Dinner Suggestion in Asakusa
For lunch or dinner I recommend reserving a table at Nabezo in Asakusa. This is a sukiyaki and shabu shabu restaurant where the pot is in the middle of the table and the staff will tell you how to cook your hotpot. This kind of restaurant is perfect for families as kids can choose their own sauces and ingredients and “cook” it themselves. Diners can choose a menu of all you can eat meat for 6o or 90 minutes and, included in that price, is all you can eat salad and vegetables – and also ice-cream and some other cakes are all you can eat !
For lunch I would budget for around 4000 yen per adult and 5000 yen at dinner time. Nabezo accepts most major credit cards and is a completely non-smoking venue. Nabezo Asakusa has an English menu.
You can make a reservation via the Nabezo Asakusa website here.
NABEZO ASAKUSA
東京都台東区雷門2-16-9 HULIC&New雷門4F
4TH FLOOR HULIC & NEW BUILDING KAMINARIMON BUILDING, 2-16-9 KAMINARIMON, TAITO-KU, TOKYO
OPEN EVERYDAY FOR LUNCH 11:30AM-3PM (LAST ORDER 2:30PM)
OPEN EVERYDAY FOR DINNER 5PM-10:30PM (LAST ORDER 10PM)

Lunch and Dinner Suggestion in Asakusa for gyoza, ramen and fried rice (fried rice is often referred to as “cha-han” in Japan)
I recommend going to Tiger Gyoza Hall (or Tiger Gyoza Kaikan) for lunch or dinner. It’s casual and yummy and also so budget friendly. You can also ask the staff for their vegan friendly menu.
This is a walk-in restaurant only so no need to make reservations. It does seat 48 people so you won’t have to wait too long if there is a line. This restaurant is cash only.
For lunch here I would budget for 1500 yen for lunch per person and around 3000 yen for dinner. Kids are welcome here and you don’t need to order them a full meal but it is polite to have at least one dish per person – even if that dish isn’t going to be consumed by that child- ordered (the idea is you share all items accept for ramen anyway. If you want to share a little bit of ramen with kids, I recommend asking for a small side plate – a torizawa and you can make them their own little mini-bowl.) This restaurant is 6 mins walk from Asakusa Station or 1 min walk from Asakusa Station on the Tsukuba Express line.

TIGER GYOZA KAIKAN, ASAKUSA
台東区浅草1-25-17
OPEN ON WEEKDAYS MIDDAY-3PM & 6PM -11PM
OPEN ON WEEKENDS 11:30AM-11PM

Just outside of exit 4 of Asakusa Station is Gonpachi Asakusa. This izakaya restaurant has yakitori as well as other casual Japanese pub style food. They also have a separate gluten free menu (two pages of gluten free options including gluten free tempura, yakitori and sushi.) Gonpachi Asakusa welcomes children and babies and also has space for strollers.
I would budget 2000 yen per adult at lunchtime and more like 4000 yen at dinner time. The entire restaurant is non-smoking and they accept most major credit cards. Gonpachi Asakusa has an English menu, vegetarian menu and a gluten free menu.
GONPACHI ASAKUSA
台東区雷門 2-1-15 中川ビル 1F 2F
GROUND AND FIRST FLOOR OF THE NAKAGAWA BUILDING, 2-1-15 KAMINARIMON, TAITO-KU
OPEN EVERYDAY 11:30AM-11PM (LAST ORDER 10PM) – LUNCH MENU FINISHES UP AT 3PM
OPEN AS USUAL OVER THE NEW YEAR PERIOD

and 9 mins walk away from Gonpachi Asakusa, you can go to Kuroboshi Asakusa and pick up a gluten free churros or walk for 12 mins to Otaco for gluten free chiffon cafe (closed on Sundays and Mondays.)

Oyokogawa Park
This park is 5 mins walk from Tokyo Sky Tree Station on the Tokyo Skytree line.
This park is open for water play for all of July and August and weekends in September.
There are also some little rocks and a little waterfall. It’s not uncommon for children to find frogs and butterflies here.
Fishing here is allowed between Dec 29 – Jan 3.
There is a public restroom here and baby changing facilities (nothing fancy but it’s ok for a public park, I guess.)

For another park option, just 7 minutes walk from Sensoji Temple you will find Sumida Playground ( The Whale Playground) right on the river. There is a coffee shop right next to the playground too. All of the details and addresses are here in my Sumida Playground blog post.

Just 3 mins walk from Sumida Playground is a vegan and gluten free restaurant in Asakusa called Marugoto Vegan Dining.
This restaurant serves tempura, soba noodles, falafel, sandwiches and salads. Marugoto Vegan Dining accept most major credit cards. They have indoor and outdoor seating.
It’s a beautiful spot to sit by the river and have a lovely slow meal. One of the most popular menu items is their sweet potato donut.
I would budget around 2000yen per adult when dining here. The entire restaurant is non-smoking.
You might also meet some local pets here as they are allowed in the outdoor dining area.
They also serve alcohol.
MARUGOTO VEGAN DINING
OPEN ON WEEKDAYS 11:30AM-3PM
OPEN ON WEEKENDS 11:30AM-5PM
CLOSED ON MONDAYS (OR TUESDAYS IF MONDAY IS A NATIONAL HOLIDAY)

10 minutes walk from Sensoji Shrine is a restaurant to eat Okonomiyaki for lunch or dinner.
Expect to pay around 1000 – 2000 yen for a meal (for an adult.)
Okonomiyaki is like a Japanese omelette that is cooked in front of you, on the hot plate. It sounds dangerous with kids and you will need to keep toddlers hands in check but, actually, it is a really fun way for kids to get involved.
For fussy kids, it is also an easy way to dictate what goes into their meal as you can just say no to certain ingredients.
Even more than okonomiyaki, my kids love yakisoba which is noodles cooked on the hot plate.
It’s a very casual way to dine and is, in Japan, seen as a real comfort food.
Please note that this restaurant only accepts cash.
Unfortunately this is not a non-smoking restaurant so you may want to request a table away from smokers or choose to eat lunch here and not dinner as dinnertime is usually more smokey.
Read here for how to order a vegetarian version of okonomiyaki

SOMETARO ASAKUSA
台東区西浅草2-2-2
2-2-2 NISHI-ASAKUSA, TAITO-KU
OPEN EVERYDAY: MIDDAY – 10:30PM

Some other Asakusa wandering ideas include: a walk past Asakusa Public Hall to see all of the celebrity handprints on Orange St.

Nearby option: Hanayashiki Amusement Park – the oldest amusement park in Japan.
It first opened in 1853 and, after being there – I believe it! Hahahaha.
Don’t get me wrong – we had a fantastic time and I’m absolutely dying to go again. But I’m laughing because it was sooooo old school and so kitsch that I could not stop giggling (and taking pictures.)
Almost everything is candy coloured, has a little mascot statue on it and everything also click, click, clicks along its rails.

They are most popular at night, I’m told as the whole park is illuminated. Check out their instagram @hanayashiki1853 for some amazing pictures.

Just 7 minutes walk from Hanayashiki Amusement Park is a very casual sushi train restaurant called Kura Sushi (it’s actually a chain in Japan so if you like it here you can google your closest Kura in other parts of Japan too.) It’s also fantastic for children because every 5 plates wins you a shot at their in-house games – and if you make it to 20 plates? a toy in a capsule will appear at your table! Order via iPad and the food comes sliding out.
I would expect to pay around 1500 yen per adult to eat here (total.)
They have wifi and also allow customers to enter with children in strollers.
They accept most major credit cards.
KURA SUSHI, ASAKUSA ROX BRANCH
台東区浅草1-25-15 浅草ROX 4F
4TH FLOOR, ASAKUSA ROX BUILDING, 1-25-15 ASAKUSA, TAITO-KU
OPEN EVERYDAY 11AM-11PM
KURA SUSHI’S FULL ENGLISH MENU HERE

In the same building (Rox Building) as Kurasushi, I recommend checking out 3Coins +Plus on the 2F. It is a beautiful 300 yen store with a modern feel. Open 10:30AM-9PM

For another dinner option in Asakusa, I recommend eating at casual Yakitori chain restaurant Torikizoku Asakusa. Best to make reservations one day ahead or on the day to make sure you can get a table. The restaurant is next to exit 8 of Asakusa on the metro line or 2 mins walk from A4 exit of Asakusa Station on the Toei Asakusa Line. They accept credit cards here. Please note that some parts of the restaurant allow smoking and also the restaurant will feel a bit smokey regardless as it is a yakitori place. Children and families are welcome here. It’s loud and lively – but in a good way.
I would expect to pay around 2000-3000 yen per adult for a meal here. The idea is you order lots for your table and share.
TORIKIZOKU ASAKUSA
台東区浅草1-1-17 3Ｆ
3RD FLOOR, 1-1-17 ASAKUSA, TAITO-KU
OPEN EVERYDAY 3PM-11PM
CLOSED FOR THE NEW YEARS PERIOD

If you’re still looking for more things to do in this area, why not take a 20 minute stroll or an 8 minute cab ride or 7 minute train trip to the Tokyo Skytree.

In particular, to my kiddies favourite aquarium in Tokyo, the modest but stunning Sumida Aquarium.

Sumida Aquarium
This aquarium is small but more like an aquarium meets an art installation. It’s so beautiful.
I like it more than the aquarium at Sunshine City, for sure. I’ve put more pictures and price details etc on my Sumida Aquarium post here.

And if you’re in the area of Asakusa , I also recommend going for a shop at Kappabashi (aka kitchen town).
With kids, it’s tricky – lots of breakables and not so exciting for them – but if you really want to buy new knives or beautiful Japanese crockery. – then I recommend visiting with two adults and taking turns. There is a park with a small playground close by too, if that helps (details in my Kappabashi blog post here)

Latte Art Cafe
There is a really cool Latte Art cafe only 5 minutes walk from Asakusa Station called Hat Coffee. They specialize in the 3D foam art. It costs around 700 yen for one of these coffees ( or hot chocolate.). Naturally, your coffee or hot choc will take longer than the normal coffee so, if taking kids, pack a colouring or sticker book.
Update ( especially relevant in peak seasons)!!!!
During busy times, Hat Coffee can have wait times of 2-3 hours ( and even 1 hour for a take-out coffee!) For this reason, I highly recommend arriving the moment they open OR reserving a time slot on the Hat Coffee Asakusawebsite.

HAT COFFEE
台東区寿3-15-6
3-15-6 KOTOBUKI, TAITO-KU
OPEN 10AM-9PM
CLOSED MONDAYS