The Hiroo area houses the majority of Tokyo’s expat community and, if you drop by, you’ll see why many international families choose to live in the area.
Another area on the other side of the hill is Azabu-Juban. ( see my Azabu Juban guide here.)
It has a very international vibe and is extremely English friendly. If mixing it up with something touristy you could wander over while sightseeing in Roppongi. (This is my post on Roppongi with Kids.) Change & Feeding spots at the bottom of the post.
Roppongi is fabulous for families – whether you stay or visit. Here are my recommendations for places to stay with kids in Roppongi.
** You may want to combine a Hiroo visit with a trip to Ebisu as well? (Only one subway stop away.)
Post is here for my Ebisu suggestions with children.
Arisugawa Park is the most stunning park with a beautiful playground. Children will love the play equipment, exploring around the pond on the rocks, spotting koi and turtles.
I have written in detail about Arisugawa Park here.
Right next to the park is an adorable coffee shop called Nem. They make fantastic coffee and hot chocolate and my hubby swears by their pork sandwiches. I just love their timber interior and “secret” laneway location. This is an EXCELLENT place to have a high quality matcha.
NEM
4-5-6 MINAMIAZABU, MINATO
港区南麻布4-5-6
OPEN: 8AM-5PM (CLOSED EVERY TUESDAY AND 1ST & 2ND MONDAY OF THE MONTH)
WEBSITE
For additional coffee options? Try Segafredo just a minute walk away. There is also a brand new ‘Dean & Deluca‘ .
And right next to the park and NEM is National Azabu International Supermarket.
This may be a strange thing to seem to recommend to people travelling to Japan but it is very handy for people who are looking for familiar snacks from other parts of the world. Be warned – the prices are what you would expect for imported products so this is not necessarily the place for a weekly supermarket shop – however, we love shopping here for familiar treats like Tim tams, baked beans, imported baby food and gift cards that aren’t easily found in Japan.
National Azabu is also an amazing option for different types of milk in Japan AND for gluten free options. This international supermarket is located in Hiroo, Tokyo (you can visit in person). You can also order online and have them deliver groceries to you if you are staying in Minato-ku (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.) National Azabu in Tokyo stocks almond milk, oat milk, walnut milk, soy milk as well as pistachio milk.
NATIONAL AZABU INTERNATIONAL SUPERMARKET
港区南麻布4-5-2
4-5-2 MINAMI-AZABU, MINATO
OPEN EVERYDAY: 8:30AM-9PM
WEBSITE
There is an additional National Azabu in Hiroo, a smaller store, near Hiroo Garden Hills.
A few minutes walk down the hill from this store ( back towards the station) is a tiny playground with literally only one slide. But it is shaped like an elephant -so that’s pretty cool.
If you’re taking a stroll down the main shopping street in Hiroo and looking for interesting sweet snacks – walk past Starbucks until you reach Okashi no Machi Hiroo (this means : Sweets City). It’s a little shop full of old school Japanese chocolates, lollies and candy. It’s a great place to buy gifts in bulk – including the “current range” of Kit-Kats. Check out all the different flavours of gum while you’re there too.
My kids love these Disney cookies from this shop (every cookie has a different picture of a different Disney character.) My children prefer the chocolate to the strawberry flavour.
OKASHI NO MACHI, HIROO STORE
5-16-4 HIROO, MINATO
港区広尾5-16-4
OPEN: EVERYDAY 10AM-9PM
And then, if you keep walking on down that main shopping street in Hiroo and turn left at the end, you’ll come across ice-cream, milkshake and hot dog shop “Melting in the Mouth.” It is most famous for their soft serve (and very instagrammable) ice-cream cones.
They are also drawing lots of customers who are keen on trying a peanut butter milkshake.
You also need to try their ice-cream sandwiches.
They keep their ‘limited time only’ menu fresh so you will be able to try something every visit.
They invite customers to charge their phones in store (with their own chargers) which is pretty handy if you’ve taken too many iPhone pics at Arisugawa Park earlier in the day.
This shop also sells vegan brownies and vegan banana bread (they are also on uber eats.)
MELTING IN THE MOUTH, HIROO
渋谷区広尾5-17-10 1F
GROUND FLOOR, 5-17-10 HIROO, SHIBUYA
WEEKDAYS 11AM-8PM
WEEKENDS 10:30AM-8:30PM
WEBSITE
On the second floor of Hiroo Plaza, you’ll find Bakery Restaurant Sawamura. This is a great place to grab a light breakfast and the coffee here is good (even by Aussie standards.)
See the full breakfast menu at Bakery Restaurant Sawamura in Hiroo Plaza here. Remembering that this restaurant is a bakery before anything else, make sure you get the bread when you dine here. The lunch menu includes options like hamburgers, fish n chips, fries, spicy chicken, grilled chicken caesar salad.
This restaurant is open until 9pm but it switches to a cafe menu after 5pm (toasted sandwiches, mainly.) This is a walk-in only restaurant. This restaurant is non-smoking. They also acccept most major credit cards. Families with small kids are welcome.
BAKERY RESTAURANT SAWAMURA, HIROO PLAZA
渋谷区広尾5-6-6 広尾プラザ 2F
2ND FLOOR, HIROO PLAZA, 5-6-6 HIROO, SHIBUYA-KU
OPEN EVERYDAY 7AM-9PM
At Christmas time, keep an eye out for these bouncy-castle, wobble-head dwarves down near Hiroo Plaza.
Another decent coffee shop in this area with a beautiful bakery is “Bread & Tapas: Sawamura” in Hiroo.
Warning- this place is busy at breakfast time on weekends. This shop is 5 mins walk from exit 4 of Hiroo Station.
Breakfast options mostly include toasted bread, salad and eggs. You can also order omelettes and sausages on the side.
At lunch and dinner time, the kids plate (under 12 year olds) includes bread, a hot dog, salad, fries, ice-cream and a juice.T
This is very much an English friendly restaurant.
See the full breakfast, lunch and dinner menu for Bread & Tapas: Sawamura here.
BREAD & TAPAS: SAWAMURA, HIROO
港区南麻布5-1-6 ラ・サッカイア南麻布1・2F
GROUND & 1ST FLOOR, SACCAIA MINAMIAZABU BUILDING, 5-1-6 MINAMI-AZABU
OPEN 7AM-9PM (THE RESTAURANT SECTION IS OPEN UNTIL 11PM)
A few minutes walk away is Hiroo Park. It’s not a beautiful park, like Arisugawa, but there is a bit of open space and a playground – including a small sandpit.
During the Summer, there is often a small splash pad here as well.
HIROO PARK
渋谷区広尾5-7-4
5-7-4 HIROO, SHIBUYA-KU
For gluten-free and vegan options in Hiroo, I recommend going to Cafe & Yogurt Parlor Fine Days. They serve salad and rice plates, granola bowls, soy meat curries and pasta.
See the full Cafe & Yogurt Fine Days menu here. The breakfast menu includes avocado toast and salad as well as acai bowls. See the full breakfast menu at Cafe & Yogurt Fine Days Hiroo here. This is a dog friendly cafe so you might make some new furry friends here too. See here for my instructions for asking if you can pet someone’s dog in Japanese. This cafe doesn’t accept reservations – walk-in only. It is just 1 min walk from Hiroo Station. They accept most major credit cards. The entire restaurant is non-smoking.
CAFE & YOGURT FINE DAYS, HIROO
港区南麻布5-1-28 高島ビル 1F
GROUND FLOOR, TAKASHIMA BUILDING, 5-1-28 MINAMI-AZABU, MINATO-KU
OPEN 8AM-7PM (BREAKFAST IS SERVED UNTIL 11AM)
CLOSED TUESDAYS (OPEN IF TUESDAY IS A NATIONAL HOLIDAY)
If you’re looking for amazing gyoza in the area, Tiger Gyoza is known as one of the very best. For that reason, it’s a good idea to arrive as it opens. The line soon stretches around the corner. When we have our giant/tricky to fold double stroller I leave it out the front with the parked bicycles and opt for a table by the window (gotta love Japan!).
This restaurant is not about gyoza: they also do ramen, fried rice and fried chicken. (In the evening this restaurant have a vegetarian gyoza option too.) Warning (a good warning?) for grownups – the bottle of beer is a BIG bottle of beer!
TIGER GYOZA, HIROO
5-14-2 HIROO, SHIBUYA
渋谷区広尾5-14-2
OPEN FOR LUNCH: 11:30-3PM
OPEN FOR DINNER: 5:30PM-11PM
Sushi Kokoro, Hiroo
If you would like to try a high end omakase sushi course – I recommend Sushi Kokoro in Hiroo.
*Please note that children (6 years and older) can only enter the restaurant at lunchtime.
The Omakase course is 22,000 yen, 33,000 yen, 44,000 yen or 55,000 yen- but you could enjoy that while your little one has an option from the kids menu.
The interior is simple and beautiful. Just a big wooden counter, the guests and the chef.
Please Please note that this is a special Japanese dining experience. Please remember that children need to stay in their seats while dining at the restaurant. I recommend bringing some stickers and a small colouring book if this will help keep them occupied while waiting for food.
A restaurant like this is an experience for all guests. Please be sure to not wear any cologne or perfume.
Please ask your hotel to reserve this restaurant for you. There are cancellation fees for cancelling the day before (and you will lose all of your payment if you cancel on the day of your reservation.)
Sushi Kokoro is 10 mins walk from Hiroo Station or you can take a 10 min taxi from Ebisu Station.
Please note : OMAKASE IS NOT FOR FUSSY / PICKY EATERS.
OMAKASE SUSHI IS FINE DINING AND THE CHEF CHOOSES THE MENU. THAT MEANS YOU WILL LIKELY GET SUSHI ITEMS LIKE FISH EGGS, SQUID, FISH SPERM, SEA URCHIN ETC. YOU CANNOT CHOOSE WHAT YOU DO AND DON’T LIKE. THAT IS OMAKASE. IT MEANS THE CHEF CHOOSES.
You don’t have to eat everything on your plate*. You don’t even have to try everything. You are the customer. But you don’t get to choose the menu.
*Japanese people do dislike food wastage (don’t we all?!) and so I recommend at least trying each dish OR if you are not the type to want to try lots of new and wonderful delicacies – then I don’t think omakase style is the best choice for you. Go for a restaurant where you order the dishes you want to eat (a la carte or tanpin as it’s called in Japan.)
Here are a whole lot of my personal tips on dining etiquette in Japan.
SUSHI KOKORO
港区南麻布4-12-4プラチナコート広尾 1F
GROUND FLOOR, PURACHINA COURT HIROO, 4-12-4 MINAMI-AZABU, MINATO-KU
OPEN FOR LUNCH: 12PM-2PM
OPEN FOR DINNER 6PM-10PM (FINAL ENTRY AT 7:30PM
Sushi Dan, Hiroo
This restaurant welcomes children. Please budget 4000 yen per person at lunch and more like 6000 yen for dinner. This omakase, high end sushi restaurant is also a great place for the adults in the family to try hot and cold sake. They accept most major credit cards. You need to make a reservation via the tablecheck link here. The entire restaurant is non-smoking. As with all sushi restaurants – please don’t wear any perfume or cologne. See the full Sushi Dan menu here. This restaurant can also cater for gluten-free diners (please let them know you are gluten-free when you make a reservation.)
Please note : OMAKASE IS NOT FOR FUSSY / PICKY EATERS.
OMAKASE SUSHI IS FINE DINING AND THE CHEF CHOOSES THE MENU. THAT MEANS YOU WILL LIKELY GET SUSHI ITEMS LIKE FISH EGGS, SQUID, FISH SPERM, SEA URCHIN ETC. YOU CANNOT CHOOSE WHAT YOU DO AND DON’T LIKE. THAT IS OMAKASE. IT MEANS THE CHEF CHOOSES.
You don’t have to eat everything on your plate*. You don’t even have to try everything. You are the customer. But you don’t get to choose the menu.
*Japanese people do dislike food wastage (don’t we all?!) and so I recommend at least trying each dish OR if you are not the type to want to try lots of new and wonderful delicacies – then I don’t think omakase style is the best choice for you. Go for a restaurant where you order the dishes you want to eat (a la carte or tanpin as it’s called in Japan.)
Here are a whole lot of my personal tips on dining etiquette in Japan.
SUSHI DAN, HIROO
OPEN FOR LUNCH 11:30AM-2PM
OPEN FOR DINNER 5:30PM-9PM
CLOSED WEDNESDAYS
Another lunch (or dinner) option on the same road as Tiger Gyoza is Homeworks, Hamburger restaurant in Hiroo.
They have high chairs (although not the chairs with the front tray attached) and a little selection of picture books for children to look through while waiting for their food.
They have an English menu.
They offer sandwiches, hamburgers and even have a vegetable plate that includes falafel.
They have a number of vegetarian options.
Kids menu options include: a kids burger, a kids cheeseburger, a kids teriyaki burger, a kids grilled cheese sandwich, a kids organic egg sandwich and a kids ham & cheese sandwich. (All kids options approximately 800 yen.)
HOMEWORKS, HIROO STORE
渋谷区広尾5-1-20七星舎ビル1F
1F SHICHISEISHA BUILDING, 5-1-20, HIROO, SHIBUYA-KU
OPEN TUES, WED, THURS, SUN: 11AM-5PM
OPEN FRI & SAT: 11AM-8PM
CLOSED MON ( OR TUES IF THE MON IS A NATIONAL HOLIDAY)
* There are other Homeworks stores in Azabu-Juban & Shinagawa.
HOMEWORKS WEBSITE
Random suggestion, but my favourite Indian restaurant in Hiroo is also open for dine in and takeout. The restaurant is called Priya and their website is here for orders and reservations. This restaurant is also recommended on the Halal in Japan website.
If you’re already in the area with children I’d suggest walking an extra ten minutes to Roppongi’s Robot Park for a play and a stretch. (While you’re there.. how about checking out my post for other Roppongi suggestions here.) Robo-Robo (aka, Robot) Park is my kid’s favourite Tokyo city park. It’s just a small piece of land with a rainbow of slides, a few climbing options and a giant roller slide down the hill. I don’t recommend in the hottest part of Summer as the slides get really hot. Toilets are at the bottom of the hill across the road.
6-16-46 ROPPONGI, MINATO-KU
港区六本木六丁目6-16-46
ALWAYS OPEN. NO ROLLERSLIDE USE AT NIGHT/EARLY MORNING
*If you are strictly gluten free – before or after Robot Park – go to one of the restaurants at the nearby Grand Hyatt Tokyo, Roppongi, for a meal. They are great at assisting those who need a strictly gluten free meal.
Roppongi is fabulous for families – whether you stay or visit. Here are my recommendations for places to stay with kids in Roppongi.
Okonomiyaki is a fantastic family friendly option. Okonomiyaki literally means “what you like – cooked!” It’s great for kids because it is visually entertaining as well as being good on the taste-buds. Okonomiyaki is often described by locals as “Japanese pizza” but I would liken it more to a thick omelette filled with meat or veg or seafood.
We love President Chibo in Hiroo for lunch. All seats face the teppanyaki plate (far enough away for little hands to still be safe) and we order a few different kind of okonomiyaki to share and yakisoba. They also have other options like seasonal vegetables and garlic rice. Menu is in English as well as Japanese and they do have high chairs (although the kind without the strap so you may want to take a wrap or belt to create a make-shift seatbelt.
I understand that the bonito fish flakes on top of okonomiyaki aren’t everyone’s favourite. If you don’t want them say “katsuobushi nashi” while it’s being cooked.
The restaurant is on the 2nd floor, next to a burger restaurant.
Read here for how to order a vegetarian version of okonomiyaki
PRESIDENT CHIBO, HIROO BRANCH
2nd FLOOR, HIROO ROKKOKAN BUILDING, 5-15-25 MINAMIAZABU, MINATO
港区南麻布5-15-25
OPEN FOR LUNCH: SATURDAYS & SUNDAYS 12PM-2:30PM
OPEN FOR DINNER: 6PM -11PM (WEEKENDS 5PM-11PM)
CLOSED: MONDAYS
WEBSITE
For a coffee and a doughnut in a tiny little second floor seating area, you may want to give Canvas a look in. The exterior and interior are just so photogenic and the seating area so teeny that it will make you giggle. They sell healthy light meals, coffee, smoothies and delicious doughnuts.
CANVAS TOKYO
渋谷区広尾5-19-6
5-19-6 HIROO, SHIBUYA
OPEN EVERYDAY 10AM-7:30PM
WEBSITE
If you are looking for gluten free dinner options, Persian restaurant in Hiroo called Aladdin has lots of options.
Please note that this restaurant only welcomes children 1o and older. This restaurant is a 12 mins walk from Exit 5 of Hiroo Station.
This is a bit of a fancy restaurant and I recommend budgeting around 15,000 yen per adult at dinner time (more like 8000 yen at lunch time.) Most courses here are Omakase Style.
Aladdin accepts most major credit cards. Please note that there is a 10% service charge here. Almost all menu items here are gluten free- for example Beef & Chicken Kabobs, Lamb Shanks etc.
ALADDIN
恵比寿2-22-10 広尾リバーサイドＧ １Ｆ
GROUND FLOOR, HIROO RIVERSIDE G BUILDING, 2-22-10 HIROO, EBISU
OPEN FOR LUNCH MIDDAY-3PM
OPEN FOR DINNER 6PM-10:30PM
CLOSED WEDNESDAYS (AND SOMETIMES TUESDAYS)
I like to use these changing & feeding facilities in this area: (for even more options – please download the MamaPapaMap app.)
- National Azabu Supermarket, 2nd Floor, Disabled Restroom (change table)
- Arisugawa Park, lower level near the pond (change table)
- Azabu Children’s Hall/Community Centre (change tables & breastfeeding space on 2nd floor babies playroom)
- Hiroo Plaza Shopping Complex, 2nd Floor (change table)
Another suggestion: If you have kids who are vegan or have egg or dairy allergies in Tokyo – how about moving from Hiroo to Te Cor Gentil vegan bakery and the playground next door in neighbouring Azabujuban. To get to Te Cor Gentil from Hiroo, take a cab for 7 mins, walk for 21 mins or take the train to Azabu-Juban Station and then walk for 9 mins.
Amishiro Park in Azabu-Juban is a good one. As always, my kids are crazy for a good swing and a roller-slide. It’s also very close to Dumbo Doughnuts (I have all of my Azabu-Juban recommendations for this area here.)
AMISHIRO PARK
2-15-1 AZABU, MINATO
港区麻布2-15-1
Just next to Amishiro Park is vegan bakery Te Cor Gentil. This is a stunning bakery and makes for the perfect spot to grab a treat to eat before or after visiting the playground. I recommend trying the filled croissants and the coconut melon pan. This is also a fabulous option if you have a child who cann0t have any milk or dairy products.
TE COR GENTIL
港区麻布十番2-18-8
2-18-8 AZABUJUBAN, MINATO-KU
OPEN 10AM-8PM
*Check the Te Cor Gentil instagram account for any changes in hours of operation or closures – they post their monthly calendar on their IG feed.
