The choo-choo’s are heard around the world when my kiddies spot a train or, next “Japan level” – a shinkansen (bullet train.) It’s also worth noting that we also get very, very excited about helicopters, planes, buses and boats too.
It moves? We like it.
Here are my recommended spots for transport crazy mini-humans:
Keio Rail Land
Keio Rail-Land is approximately an hour by train or car out of the city centre ( you need to get to Tama-Dobutsu-koen station), entry costs approximately 250 yen and is a museum for buses and trains of the Keio transport company. I’ve written in great detail about Keio Rail Land here.
Saitama Railway Museum
For an even bigger train museum the Railway Museum in Saitama is exceptional. Little self-operated trains, a mini shinkansen, a train-driving simulator, model trains…the lot.
Tokyo Fire Museum
If you need a transport fix while sightseeing in town (as you do….) 11 minutes walk from Shinjuku Gyoen National Park is the Fire Museum in Shinjuku.
Another central spot with a train (and rocket, actually) theme is Ebisu Park. Not a tourist destination, however, worth a stop off if you’re in the area. There is a public toilet and lots of open space to run.
1-19-1 EBISU NISHI
恵比寿西1-19-1
Nishi Rokugo Koen ( The Tyre Park)
For train enthusiasts I’m also going to recommend the Tyre Park (real name : Nishi Rokugo Koen) It’s right next to the train line so great for train lovers like my little boy.
Warning: if you don’t like your kiddies getting dirty – this one isn’t for you.
How about a haircut, in a car, holding a bus, watching a show about trains?! Yes??!!!
The children’s hair salon, Zusso ‘s stylists are seriously talented. They somehow manage to style children’s hair like a trendy fashion model. Best to book ahead, take a picture of what you’d like, tell them what kind of thing your child is into so they can set up the dvd player accordingly (ie. trains, mickey mouse, princess…etc) and choose a salon vehicle!! (Just a heads up : this experience is adorable but be ready to pay 4000 yen for the pleasure. ) The salon is on the 9th floor of Takashimaya in Shinjuku.
ZUSSO KIDS, TAKASHIMAYA TIMES SQUARE
5-24-2 SENDAGAYA, SHIBUYA
渋谷区千駄ヶ谷
OPEN: 10AM-7PM
WEBSITE
Setagaya park has a mini steam train on Wednesdays, Weekends and Public Holidays(10am-12pm & 1pm-3pm). Kids under 6 are free and others just 70 yen! The park has some other play equipment and a children’s tool area and shanty town. There is also a skateboard park.
SETAGAYA PARK
1-5-2 IKEJIRI, SETAGAYA
世田谷区池尻1-5-2
And what about the boat-crazies? We visited this park again – two years since our past visit. The main reason was that Pirates and Peter Pan seem to be the “thing” in my house right now. So much so that my little girl wanted to go to a pirate ship as Wendy.
I’m assuming that the seaside theming is due to the fact that the park is very close to the docklands – so hardcore boat-lovers can go and see the real deal afterwards too.
It’s a small suburban park but the play structure is just so cool !
It’s called Futo Park and I’ve written about this playground in detail here.
Then there is Honshiba Park. It’s a little, thin, long park with a play area, a great view of the train tracks and a water splash area in Summer. There is quite a bit of shade around the pool and lots of preschools and pedestrians near by – giving it a lovely, safe, family-friendly feel.
There are restrooms and a change table. My little boy loves it because he can see the trains, monorails and bullet trains – all from the same spot.
The park is 4 minutes walk from Mita Station.
HONSHIBA PARK
港区芝4-15-1
4-15-1 SHIBA, MINATO
The Tokyo Police Museum is in Ginza and is free ! I’ve written all about it here!
Cafe Frangipani is a little ‘novelty stop’ for an ice-cream, kakigori or drink because you can sit inside a car (well…a volkswagon to be exact!). My little boy and I went for lunch and, although I was underwhelmed with the food, he thought it was heaven!! We will go again but next time, not for a meal, just for a little treat.
The restaurant is themed like a beach shack and is a bit rough around the edges (the de-clutter in me wants to offer them some amateur organizational assistance…) But my little boy loved the figurines in the car and they kept him busy until our order arrived.
Like I said , I wasn’t crazy about the food but I must be in the minority as the place filled up quickly. The menu included options like omrice (omelette rice), curry , fried chicken, pasta and side salads.
Please note that smoking is allowed in this restaurant (and I went at 11:30am hoping to miss all of that …but unfortunately the smokers had already found their seats. )
It suited me perfectly today as I only had my little boy with me and it is so close to the Lincos Supermarket.
CAFE FRANGIPANI
港区六本木6-8-21 SK六本木ハイム 1F
SK ROPPONGI HAIMU BUILDING, GROUND FLOOR, 6-8-21 ROPPONGI, MINATO
OPEN EVERYDAY 11:30AM-1:00AM
Tokyo Metro Museum ( also known as Kasai Subway Museum)
I would count this next place as a “well…if you’re already in the area” kind of place but my 2 year old was shattered when it was time to go. It’s called the Tokyo Metro Museum and all exhibits are about the Tokyo city subway system. It bought us about 45 minutes or so which was good considering the museum is quite small. About 20% of the displayed information is in English but…since my little one isn’t exactly reading age he didn’t seem to mind one bit. It’s not as interactive as the Railway Museum or Keio Museum listed above but there are trains to climb in and around, driving simulators, photo booths for train-themed pictures etc. My little boy loved the model railways and the interactive drivers’ carriage. I’ve written more about the Tokyo Metro Museum here.
This museum is not very far from Tokyo Disneyland.
Character Street
The next suggestion isn’t really me recommending a special trip but…if you’re in Tokyo Station there is an area called Character Street which is perfect for car and train lovers.
“Character Street” is an indoor section of a mall completely dedicated to Japanese characters and toys and all the merchandise included.
A number of the shops have small, hands-on play sections (at no charge) which makes it a perfect distraction on a rainy day or before or after a bullet train trip.
My little boy gets the most excited about the Plarail (train toys), Tomica (toy cars), Lego and the Pikachu shop. There are also other characters like Hello Kitty, lots of the Studio Ghibli merchandise, manga related goods from “One Piece” and Rilakkuma etc.
To make finding this “street” a bit easier….enter Tokyo Station from any direction and once you’re inside (not the ticket gates, just inside the station building) head towards the department store Daimaru and when you’re near the entrance go down to the B1 floor and you’ll see the toys right away.
There are bathrooms and change tables all around Tokyo Station. Unfortunately you’ll need to go “the long way” to change floors at times as stairs and escalators are more common than elevators – but they are there.
Tomica Macaroni anyone?
CHARACTER STREET (INSIDE TOKYO STATION)
千代田区丸の内1-9-1
1-9-1 MARUNOUCHI, CHIYODA
OPEN EVERYDAY 10AM-8:30PM
Haginaka Park
Out near Haneda airport is Haginaka Park. This whole park is a lovely surburbian haven for kids.
But our favourite section is, without a doubt, the Garakuta Park section.
There is a steam train, a speed boat, train carriage, fire engine, truck as well as a large climbing mound with slides (this slide was way too big for me to be comfy with my youngest having a turn on his own so we went down together.)
I’ve written in detail about Haginaka Park here. 
Literally next door is the rest of the main park.
There is the usual play equipment but also a mini road set up just for children. But not for cars but for children on bikes – with the aim of letting children practice road rules.
There are working traffic lights with pedestrian crossings that lead to other play equipment too.
The bikes are provided by the park (no personal bikes allowed) and kids can opt for a training wheels if needed. Bike rental is completely free!
The park is 40 minutes by train to from Tokyo Station to Otorii (transfers required) and then 5 minutes on foot. 30 minutes by car.
It is 10 minutes by taxi from Haneda Airport so you may like to consider if a before or after flight option.
And just when I thought we had seen all of the train-related museums in Tokyo… we found one more!!
This one is perfect for rainy days as the entrance is actually located inside the same building as Miyazakidai Station (just outside the south exit gates) so, once you’re on the train at your end… you can stay dry for the rest of the adventure.
The museum is about 40 minutes by car or 25 minutes from Shibuya (make sure you take a ‘local’ or you’ll have to change trains along the way) on the Den-en Toshi line.
We spent about 1.5 hours here.
Both my 2 year old and 4 year old had a fabulous time.
My 2 year old loved driving the model trains the most and jumping in and out of the trains and buses. Whereas, my big girl loved the pretend pedestrian crossing (it’s so funny how all they want to do is pretend they are grownups at this age, right?) and just basic imaginary play on the trains.
My daughter and I had a fabulous time taking print club stickers at the gift shop before we left.
Inside the museum are some snack and juice vending machines and some of the train carriages are set up purely for snack and rest time.
For something more than a snack, just outside the entrance (still under the station roof) there is a take away only bakery, a convenience store and a supermarket.
The museum has change tables and a breastfeeding space.
There is stroller parking just in front of the ticket entrance.
Entrance is crazy cheap! 200 yen for adults and 100 yen for kids over 3!!
If the weather allows there, is also a small playground in Miyazakidai 2 Park, just a 3 minutes walk away from the museum. This is a simple neighbourhood park but has swings, a climbing frame and a couple of slides.
THE TOKYU TRAIN & BUS MUSEUM
川崎市宮前区宮崎2-10-12
2-10-12 MIYAZAKI, MIYAMAE-KU, KAWASAKI
OPEN 10AM-4:30PM
CLOSED THURSDAYS (AND OVER THE NEW YEAR HOLIDAYS)
WEBSITE (FOR REFERENCE BUT IN JAPANESE ONLY)
Another suggestion in suburban Tokyo is to visit the Pla-Rail ga Hashiru Cafe Kotetsu.
It is 6 mins walk from Arakawa Amusement Park.
It is a toy train themed cafe with a kids menu and actual toy trains!
The food is served on bullet train style plate. Kids meals are just 770 yen.
In the centre of the restaurant is a big pla-rail train set – there is also a kids play space on the ground floor.
They have high chairs here and space for strollers. They also offer low allergen menu options.
This cafe accepts most major credit cards. I would budget for around 1000 yen per adult to eat here.
You can see pictures of the menu and the space at Cafe Kotetsu here.
PLA-RAIL GA HASHIRU CAFE KOTETSU
7-19-11 NISHIOGU, ARAKAWA-SHI
OPEN 10:30AM-6PM (FROM 10AM ON WEEKENDS AND NATIONAL HOLIDAYS)
CLOSED ON TUESDAYS
Another idea …..
These bullet train chocolates are sold at the Sanrio stores.
So cute right?
And then, the ultimate and most obvious activity?
Taking a ride on a shinkansen (bullet train) , of course!
To make it even more special, be sure to book a window seat for your little one and don’t forget to buy an ekiben (a “station obento/lunchbox”) at either the station or on the platform. For children there are some adorable options in little train-shaped boxes.
Bullet train travel is easier than a bus or plane with kiddies as they can move around without seat-belts, there are accessible restrooms, drinks & food for sale (delivered by cart) and even vending machines on board. Make sure you’re organized when it’s time to get off: the trains don’t stop for long. In fact, if you want to live like the locals, you can set your alarm for a few minutes before the train is scheduled to arrive. Reliability meets punctuality. (Insert heavenly, happy OCD ‘sigh’ here.)
For tips re: bullet trains with kids, see my post here.
If you feel like doing some transport-related shopping:
My kids love our wooden shinkansen made by BRIO. I bought ours in Takashimaya in Shinjuku but I’ve also seen them in Toys’R’Us and on Amazon Japan. It rolls on our wooden toy tracks and is compatible with the ikea set too.
At Odakyu department store in Shinjuku, I also recommend checking out these little bullet train and local train shirts (approx 1700 yen) in the children’s clothing department. They have been created by a Japanese designer for a company called Hungry Heart and make for great pressies! (sizes range from 90cm , up to 2 years old, to 130cm , up to 6 years old.)
If your little transport lover is having a birthday party anytime soon…maybe they’d enjoy these little accessories?
How adorable is this fire engine candle? The shop also had a police car version too.
I purchased this at Toys R Us in Aqua City, Odaiba.
Cool Paper Plates
I bought these bus paper plates at Daiso in Diver City, Odaiba in December 2017.
Or this amazing musical train card that lights up and plays music.
I bought this at Toys R Us, Odaiba.
1.5 hours from Tokyo on the train is a little town called Tsuru in Yamanashi Prefecture. In February (2018) I stayed in this amazing train themed guesthouse. (For the full post on this trip please see here. )
It is a lovely wooden Japanese home called Yado Poppoya that has only recently been also opened as a guesthouse.
A gorgeous couple live here with their little girl.
Rina, who does all of the upkeep of the guesthouse herself, used to work for Japan Airlines and speaks fluent English.
Her husband was a policeman who has always had a fascination with all things to do with trains. So he actually changed careers and now drives the local train in Tsuru.
And his train memorabilia has been put to good use. The guesthouse is laden with train parts, station signs and seating, and even one of the bedrooms is made to look like a giant train. The attention to detail is truly outstanding.
Before I stayed here, if someone had tried to explain to me how railway-chic and traditional Japanese style rooms could possibly blend together and not be completely random I wouldn’t have been able to completely get my brain around it – but, Rina has a fantastic sense of style and it all just works beautifully.
I will be visiting again soon with my children as the place was so kid-friendly… but I also found it to be a really lovely place to stay without children.
The rooms are cozy and there are two big communal living spaces (one is a large tatami room where you can just stretch out and relax) so you don’t feel confined to your room at all – you’re really part of the family.
There is free wi-fi and a self-serve tea, coffee and microwave station for guests too.
If you’re a fan of bread, be sure to ask Rina about her friend who bakes from her own home. Fresh bread is the best!
When I am back with my kids I plan to just slowly explore the town on foot but I also want to just spend a large amount of time chilling out in the house. Watch the trains pull into the station outside (only two an hour which is a big change from Tokyo life for me!), read and let my kids play with all of the toy trains and books provided in the tatami room area and in the rooms for families.
There is also a climbing wall just outside the train room. My two monkeys are going to love it. (For people with little babies there is a change table and a washing machine just next to the bathroom too.)
Because Lina speaks such beautiful English, the whole town is just so much more accessible if you don’t speak Japanese.
You can ask her for advice on where she likes to do her grocery shopping, they clearly know the train schedule off by heart and where they recommend eating out… you can even help wave her daughter off to school each morning as she will be sitting in the tatami room while she watches the clock before school starts. So special, right?
The bathroom is Japanese style and, although it is separate from the family bath, you will be sharing with other guests so you’ll need to take your turn if you don’t have the place to yourself. You’ll also need to remember the bathing customs where you are to shower and clean yourself thoroughly before soaking in the lovely deep tub.
If the idea of sharing water (not at the same time but the tub isn’t to be emptied between turns) with others is not something you’re ready to try (although I think you should as it is the done thing) you could just shower and no-one would know the difference.
If you plan on staying here you can find them on booking.com here or expedia.com here.
YADO POPPOYA
山梨県都留市上谷1-5-14
1-5-14 KAMIYA, TSURU-SHI, YAMANASHI
WEBSITE (JAPANESE ONLY SO BOOK THROUGH AIR BNB, BOOKING.COM OR EXPEDIA)
EXTRA TIP!
To get out to Odaiba you will need to take the Yurikamome Monorail. You should try and ride at the very front as the train is actually unmanned and it looks so futuristic and cool ! Here are all of my Odaiba with kids tips.
ANOTHER TIP!!
If you leave Tokyo from Narita Airport Terminal 2, before you go through security at Terminal 2 I highly recommend going to the 4th floor for T’s Tan Tan Ramen.
They sell vegan gyoza, ramen, pizza and pasta. The food is incredible. Ironically, the easiest way to find it? Behind McDonalds.
It’s a fantastic spot for plane watching.
