Inokashira Park is in the quaint and trendy area that is Kichijoji. It’s such a lovely green space to visit on a sunny day. The highlight for my kids is always the swan paddleboats.
A swan pedal boat costs 700 yen for 30 minutes. (Purchase tickets on the pier at the ticket vending machine) Other row boats and pedal boats also available for hire. Life jackets are not compulsory (but please, please ask for them for children – just in case!)
The Studio Ghibli Museum is also located in the park if you have an interest in Japanese animation ( bookings required.)
Please note that, if you’re looking for book the Ghibli Museum, tickets need to be purchased on the 10th – the month before you want to go at 10am Japan time. ie. if you want to go in May – you will need to be online to book on April 10th at 10am.
(A non-event here is a very sad little zoo. I don’t recommend the zoo at all – it’s squishy and the animals do not seem well cared for. I recommend giving it a miss.)
The Curry Rice* at this little cafe near the Shrine (edge of the pond) is sooooo good! They are famous for their home-made curry rice here and, as they have outdoor seating available, it’s a gorgeous place to just take in the green. The curry is not vegetarian.
*Incase you’re not familiar, Japanese curry is more like a stew or casserole than curry and when it is spicy it more because it is “full of spices” than “chilli spicy” (if you get what I mean.) Curry Rice is eaten in almost every home in Japan as an easy go – to meal and everyone has their own secret ingredient to making their curry extra yummy – ask around! Some people like to add some apple, others like to throw in tomatoes or honey.
1-18-31 GOTENYAMA, MUSASHINO-SHI
武蔵野市御殿山1-18-31
BOAT TIMES VARY WITH EACH MONTH. HERE ARE THOSE TIMES. (REGARDLESS OF THE SEASON THEY SEEM TO ALWAYS BE OPERATING BETWEEN 10AM – 4:30PM)BOATS ARE CLOSED ON WEDNESDAYS DECEMBER – FEBRUARY
For additional things to do in this area, see my Kichijoji with Kids post.
Another suggestion: Make reservations 2 weeks ahead if you want to eat those fluffy, jiggly viral Japanese pancakes by visiting A Happy Pancake Kichijoji (see here for my full list of things to book in advance when visiting Japan with kids.) It is possible to just turn up but wait times can be up to 45 mins long AND some places only take walk-ins until they are sold out. Reservations for famous restaurant called “A Happy Pancake” (also referred to as Shiawase no Pancake in Japanese -and is sometimes spelled this way on google maps) open exactly 2 weeks ahead of your preferred dining date. Reservations open two weeks in advance at midnight Japan time! They have restaurants in Hokkaido, Tokyo, Nagoya, Osaka, Kyoto, Kobe, Fukuoka and Okinawa.
Click here to make A Happy Pancake reservation for you and your family. You will need to make an account and log in to do so (so this before midnight to ensure your reservation is as quick as possible.)
The Happy Pancake Kichijoji store is just 2 mins walk from the North Exit of Kichijoji Station. Budget 2000 yen per person to dine here. They accept most major credit cards. The entire restaurant is non-smoking.
A HAPPY PANCAKE, KICHIJOJI
吉祥寺本町1-8-5 レンガ館モール 301
301 RENGAKAN MALL, 1-8-5 HONMACHI, KICHIJOJI
OPEN WEEKDAYS 10:30AM-7:30PM (LAST ORDERS 6:45PM)
*Please note! Pancakes are only sold until 2:30pm!
OPEN WEEKENDS & NATIONAL HOLIDAYS 10AM-8:30PM
*Please note! Pancakes are only sold until 2:30pm!
Yamamoto no Hamburg Kichijoji
This restaurant welcomes kids and has the cutest kid’s plate. They also have space to store strollers. It is 6 mins walk from the North Exit of Kichijoji Station. Budget 1100 yen per adult for a meal here (please note that there is a 10% service charge added to your bill at the end). See the full menu for Yamamoto no Hamburg Steak here. They accept most major credit cards. This is a walk-in only hamburger steak spot (no reservations.) The restaurants seats 23 people ( a mixture of table and counter seating.) The entire venue is non-smoking. They have different types of hamburg steaks and then you choose your own toppings such as fried egg, bacon, melted cheese etc. Side dishes include fried chicken, sausages, a few small salads etc. They have lots of soft drinks and alcoholic drinks and they also do their own blended vegetable juice.
Top row: The Yamamoto (Classic) Hamburger Steak, The Homemade Hamburger Steak, Grated Daikon Radish in Ponzu Sauce Hamburger Steak.
Second Row; Avocado Cheese Hamburger Steak, Garlic Hamburger Steak, Cheese Hamburger Steak.
Third Row: Sunny Side Up Fried Egg Hamburger Steak, Kimchi Cheese Hamburger Steak, The Double Hamburger Steak.
Bottom Row: Sesame Yuzu Ponzu Hamburger Steak, The Kids Plate.
YAMAMOTO NO HAMBURG STEAK, KICHIJOJI
武蔵野市吉祥寺本町2-13-4 吉祥寺井野ビル1F
GROUND FLOOR, KICHIJOJI INO BUILDING, 2-13-4 KICHIJOJI, MUSASHINO
OPEN WEEKDAYS 11AM-3:30PM ( LAST ORDERS 3PM) & 5PM-10PM (LAST ORDERS 9:30PM)
OPEN WEEKENDS 11AM-10PM
