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.
** 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.
I have written in detail about Arisugawa Park here.
Right next to the park is an adorable coffee shop called Nem that opened in 2016. 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.
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‘ that opened November 1st, 2018.
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 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 opened in late 2016 and 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.
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
At Christmas time, keep an eye out for these bouncy-castle, wobble-head dwarfes down near Hiroo Plaza.
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
Sky High Juice bar is easy to spot as it is set up in a two stacked, beautiful, black storage containers. They are near the treehouse cafe and the Okonomiyaki restaurant (both listed below.)
Sky High Juice does cold press juice and smoothies
It’s really easy to buy a few juice options and take them over to Arisugawa Park for a picnic while you watch the fish and the ducks.
They also sell glass straws.
SKY HIGH JUICE
港区南麻布5-15-22, HIROO BOX PARK, 1F
GROUND FLOOR, HIROO BOX PARK, 5-15-22 MINAMI-AZABU, MINATO
OPEN 8AM-7PM (SUNDAYS 10AM-5PM)
WEBSITE
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.
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 7:3oPM
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
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
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
On a really nice night how about dinner in a treehouse? Hiroo has a treehouse restaurant above a gorgeous florist and the terrace is very kid-friendly. The food is mostly sandwiches, soup and salads but it’s a great spot to stop for a light meal, a cuppa or a dessert.
Don’t be surprised if you see this gorgeous cafe pop up in tv commercials and fashion mags around town. It’s the most gorgeous photo backdrop.
LES GRANDS ARBES
3RD FLOOR, FLEUR UNIVERSELLE, 5-15-11 MINAMIAZABU, MINATO
港区南麻布5-15-11フルール・ユニヴェセール３階
OPEN FOR LUNCH: 11AM-3:30PM
OPEN FOR TEA TIME: 3:30PM-6PM
OPEN FOR DINNER: 6PM-10PM (CLOSES AT 7PM ON SUNDAYS)
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
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)
