THE OTSUKA AREA (TOKYO) WITH KIDS

I’m currently really in love with Otsuka.
There are so many cute little tiny restaurants (kid-friendly options too) and the whole area is so vibey but it’s also right on the Yamanote line which makes it so so so convenient.   It’s my favourite place for those who want to be central but also don’t want a really loud area – it’s also one of the more affordable places to stay in Tokyo.

Here is how long it takes to get to the following places from Otsuka Station by train:
Ikebukuro (3 mins)* Ikebukuro is a fab option if you have kids who love anime and manga – Akihabara too, actually.
Shinjuku (11 mins) *Go see Godzilla or Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden!
Ueno (13 mins) *Ride the swan boats as a family!
Harajuku (16 mins) *Explore Meiji Shrine, Takeshita Street and Yoyogi Park!
Shibuya (18 mins)
Tokyo Station (24 mins)
Akihabara (24 mins)

This blog post contains some affiliate links. This means that I will receive a small commission if you make a purchase using my link – at no additional charge to you. 

There is a beautiful tram that runs through the neighbourhood.

There are so many western style eateries less than a minute walk from the station (Royal Host, Sizzler, Pronto, McDonalds)  but also sooooo many little Japanese izakaya style eateries – many of them that are family-friendly (I’ve made a long list below to including how much to budget etc too.)

PLEASE NOTE: This article contains some affiliate links. If you purchase something through one of these links, I will receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. 

If the cheapest accommodation is a priority to you over everything – you may like my lowest priced acommodation suggestions in Tokyo for families here. 

This area is very famous for the Todem Sakura Tram.  Having the tram running through the little streets just adds to the moody Japan vibes.  Read more about the tram in Otsuka here. From Otsuka you can take the tram to Arakawa Amusement Park too.

MY FAVOURITE PLACES TO SHOP IN THE OTSUKA AREA
My favourite place to shop in Otsuka is the little newsagent / stationery shop under the Royal Host in Otsuka. It’s open hours a day!
It’s called Yamashita Books.

Just next to the station is a shopping mall called Atre Vie. Inside there you will find a LOFT store (open 10am-9pm.) This is a fabulous gift shopping for friends and family  (specific suggestions of mine here , by the way) and also I like buying Japanese stationery and cards here.
There is also a Uniqlo in the same building.
If you’d like to head to an even bigger shopping mall nearby for clothes and souvenirs etc – I recommend taking the Yamanote for 3 mins to Sunshine City (it’s just above Ikebukuro Station) for clothes and treats and souvenirs – there is also a big Toys’R’Us here AND the biggest gatchapon store in the world. Alternatively, take the Yamanote line for 11 mins to Shinjuku Station and going straight to Takashimaya Times Square or Lumine.

If you like to buy used Japanese dvds, cds, games, books, trading cards and electronics …
Then head to Book Off Otsuka second hand store (open 10am-10pm.)

WHERE TO SHOP NEAR JR OTSUKA STATION?
There is a mini Don Quijote Store (open 24 hours) at Otsuka called Don Quijote Picasso. They sell suitcases and sweets and other things like souvenirs and stationery.

FUN & RANDOM THINGS TO DO IN THE OTSUKA AREA
Karaoke!
There is a Big Echo and a Karaoke Kan in Otsuka ( both are just 2 mins walk from Otsuka Station.)
If you haven’t been before, karaoke in Japan isn’t in front of everyone – you get your own private booth and you can control the room temp, the lights, the songs ( of course) and you can also pick up the phone in your room at any time and order food and drinks! I explain how to do Karaoke with kids in Japan here – so you know ahead of time. Don’t forget that it doesn’t have to be night time to go to karaoke either – it can be a fabulous rainy day option.

If you’d prefer a bigger Karaoke branch then I highly recommend jumping on the Yamanote line for 18 mins and going to Rainbow Karaoke Shibuya( you can even rent a room with a full drum kit here!)


Visit the Pokemon Mega Center Gift Shop & the Pikachu Sweets Cafe
THE POKEMON CENTRE & THE PIKUCHU SWEETS SHOP
Take the train for 3 mins on the Yamanote line to Ikebukuro Station. Above the station is a shopping mall called Sunshine City. Within the Sunshine City complex you will also find the Pokemon Center ( gift shop) and the mostly takeaway dessert shop ( cupcakes and cookies, mostly) at the Pikachu Sweets shop.   Both are open from 10am – 8pm daily.

If you are looking to buy Pokemon cards here, I recommend visiting the Pokemon Card Station Mega Tokyo within Sunshine City. See here for my full list on places to buy Pokemon cards in Japan.

PARKS & PLAYGROUNDS IN THE OTSUKA AREA
If, while in Otsuka, you need some open space for kids to play – I recommend heading to Ike-Sun Park. It is 11 mins on foot from Otsuka Station. There are picnic tables here and public toilets.  There are often food trucks here too – especially on weekends.

Nishi-Sugamo Park (aka the Beetle Park)
This neighbourhood playground is just 10 mins walk from Otsuka Station. There is a public restroom here. The playground includes slides (one of them inside a beetle), balance bars and a small sandpit.

There is a 7-Eleven just 2 mins walk from this playground too – so it’s easy to get some yummy treats after the park or to grab some snacks and make it a little mini picnic spot for 30 mins or so. See here for our favourite convenience store snacks. Last time we went to this park I went to pick up a frozen yoghurt right afterwards. This 7-Eleven has a public restroom and an atm.

Kita-Otsuka Ni-chome Park
This is a little suburban playground nestled between lots of little houses (so please remind kids to not be too loud on the pathway down to the actual play area.) This “park” is basically a little square of gravel play space for kids. There is a swing set and a spinning roundabout style piece of play equipment. There are public restrooms here – there is also a change table for babies. There is also a drinking fountain.
The gates to this park are open between 9am-6pm. There is a community run flower bed within the park grounds so please make sure kids don’t pick or tread on the flowers along the fence line. There isn’t much at this park in terms of equipment but it can be a great spot for kids that need a little wriggle – bring some Japanese bubbles with you or some other small toys like kites or yo-yos.

There is a 100 yen Lawson convenience store “Lawson 100” just 3 mins walk from the park & 7-Eleven (7-Eleven address : 4-7-6 Sugamo, Toshima) is also 3 mins away in the other direction. See here for our favourite convenience store treats in Japan.

WHERE TO EAT IN THE JR OTSUKA AREA WITH KIDS?
As well as the western brand options listed above… there are soooo many incredible options for families.

Breakfast, lunch and yummy cafe
W Coffee 
W Coffee is 1 min walk from JR Otsuka Station’s North Exit.
The menu includes sandwiches,  waffles, yoghurt, curry, lasagna, salads, fried chicken.  The Matcha Latte here is very popular.   You can see the full W Coffee menu here (like most places in Japan, this isn’t the kind of place where you customize your meal. The pics on the menu are how it is designed to come.) 
W Coffee accepts most major credit cards.
The first floor up above the street level is a co-working space.
They do have an English menu and also have a children’s menu.
Breakfast time begins at 8am
Lunch time begins at 11am

W COFFEE, OTSUKA
豊島区北大塚2-16-12 第二長坂ビル 1F・2F
GROUND & 1ST FLOOR, DAINI NAGASAKA BUILDING, 2-16-12 KITAOTSUKA, TOSHIMA-KU
OPEN 8AM-8PM

Another breakfast option in this area…
Take the train for just 3 mins to Komeda’s Coffee,  Ikebukuro Seibu Mae branch. It has the most reasonably priced western style breakfast in the area, in my opinion.  
It is 1 min walk from Ikebukuro Station (take Exit 40.)   Breakfast is served from 7am-11am.  It is a simple breakfast plate with bread and jam (or just butter) a hard boiled egg and a small salad and around 600 yen!!. See pictures of the Komeda’s Coffee breakfast menu here. 

They are also a fabulous kid-friendly option for lunch and dinner. 
They accept most major credit cards.  They are a walk-in only spot.  
There are several Komeda’s Coffee in Ikebukuro but this one and the Higashi-Ikebukuro are the only options I’m aware of that have a kids plate.  See pictures of the Komeda’s Coffee kids plate here.  All meals (adults and kids) are under 1000 yen. 
My kids also love the desserts here. 

The food menu here is mostly fried chicken, pasta, frankfurter sausages, burgers and pasta. 

 

KOMEDA COFFEE,  IKEBUKURO SEIBU MAE STORE
南池袋1-19-6 オリックス池袋ビル 2F
2ND FLOOR, ORIX IKEBUKURO BUILDING, 1-19-6 MINAMI-IKEBUKURO
OPEN 7AM-11PM

There is another Komeda Coffee in Higashi (East) Ikebukuro too.  They have a change table in their toilets. 

 Another breakfast option in Otsuka with kids
Royal Host is right next to the station and is open from 6:30am. They also have great options for families for lunch and dinner. I have a write up on Royal Host restaurants in Japan here. They accept most major credit cards. This Royal Host seats 128 people. They also have high chairs. It is 1 min walk from Otsuka Station.

ROYAL HOST OTSUKA
豊島区北大塚2-14-5 KYビル 2F
SECOND FLOOR, KY BUILDING, 2-14-5 KITA-OTSUKA, TOSHIMA
OPEN 6:30AM-10PM

Another breakfast option in Otsuka with kids…
Underneath Royal Host Otsuka is a cafe chain called Pronto. This can be perfect if you just want a cheap and light breakfast. Breakfast (morning set) menu is only available until 10:30am. See the full Pronto breakfast menu and prices here.

PRONTO, OTSUKA
豊島区北大塚2-14-5 ＫＹビル　１Ｆ
GROUND FLOOR, KY BUILDING, 2-14-15 KITA-OTSUKA, TOSHIMA
OPEN 7AM-10PM (FROM 7:30AM ON WEEKENDS)


Lunch and dinner in the Otsuka area with kids
High Quality Izakaya (a Bib Gourmand Michelin Guide Restaurant)
This izakaya, Otsuka Miyaho, is popular for a reason. You will need a reservation here to ensure you can get a table AND they say dining with kids here is ok but they must know ahead of time (so reserve a few days in advance.). Budget 3000 yen per adult at lunch time and 10,000 yen per adult at dinner time (dinner is omakase courses.) This restaurant is cash only. If you have more than 4 people in your group, you must order a course. The entire restaurant is non-smoking. See the full menu in English and make an online reservation here. The menu is mostly seasonal so, I’m afraid, this is not the place to go if you have specific dietary requirements. This is also a wonderful place for the adults in the group to try high quality hot and cold sake.
This restaurant is 3 mins walk from the South Exit of Otsuka Station.
OTSUKA MIYAHO
豊島区南大塚3-48-5 大明ビル１Ｆ
GROUND FLOOR, TAIMEI BUILDING, 3-48-5 MINAMI-OTSUKA, TOSHIMA
OPEN FOR LUNCH : 11:30AM – 1:30PM
OPEN FOR DINNER 5:30PM-10PM

Family-friendly Yakiniku
Itto Yakiniku, Otsuka
This yakiniku restaurant is 1 min walk from the South Exit of JR Otsuka Station.
Children and babies welcome. No high chairs or anything but I recommend reserving a booth seat (referred to as a “sofa seat” in Japan) to make it all a bit easier for little ones.
The entire restaurant is non-smoking (so if it seems smoky it’s just from the bbq!)
I would budget 8000 yen per adult at dinner time here or 2000 yen at lunch time (If you go for the high end meat plates then they are more like 15000 yen.)
Side menu items include bibimba, salads and bone broth soups.  They also serve ice-creams and sherbets for dessert. This is a great place to try Wagyu Beef.
For the adults, this is a good time to try a chu-hai type called a “sour” in various flavours – a chu-hai is a mixed soft drink or juice drink with alcohol.
This restaurant accepts most major credit cards.
This restaurant has place to store a stroller while you dine.
As you can see from the Itto Yakiniku website here – the restaurant interior is modern and shiny with a bbq plate in the middle of each table but it’s also casual (sometimes they have baseball playing on a tv in the corner.)
ITTO YAKINIKU 
豊島区南大塚2-46-1 南大塚ＫＭビル B1F
BASEMENT FLOOR, MINAMI-OTSUKA KM BUILDING, 2-46-1 OTSUKA, TOSHIMA-KU
OPEN EVERYDAY FOR LUNCH 11:30AM-3PM (LAST ORDERS 2:30PM)
OPEN FOR EVERYDAY FOR DINNER 5PM-11:30PM (LAST ORDERS 11PM)

Yakiniku Stadium Jan Otsuka Honten (serves A5 grade Wagyu beef)
Accept most major credit cards.
Non-smoking but there is a smoking area. Welcomes kids. place to try Wagyu and sake. outlets for charging devices. A mixture of horigotatsu, tatami rooms and chairs. There is an English menu.
Kids welcome. Space for strollers.

Family-friendly Indian-Thai Fusion
If you’re craving Indian-Thai fusion cuisine while in this area, I recommend visiting Kanyam. 
They have a menu in English.  There is also a vegetarian menu and a kids plate ( includes a nan, a non-spicy/slightly sweet curry, a soft drink and a dessert.)
They also serve fries here.
They have the space to store a stroller while you dine. 
This restaurant is 7 mins walk from Otsuka Station.  6 mins walk from Higashi-Ikebukuro Station. 
I would budget 2000 yen per adult to dine here. They accept most major credit cards.
I recommend the cheesy nann. 
KANYAM
東池袋4-41-22 渡辺ビル 1F
GROUND FLOOR  4-41-22 HIGASHI-IKEBUKURO 
OPEN 11AM-11PM

A casual izakaya
For an izakaya that also welcomes children, I recommend Washoku Bar Quokka. 3 mins walk from Otsuka Station. Like most izakaya in Japan, the menu is designed for you to order a whole lot of small dishes for the family and then order more if you want to try something else or have the same again. If you are looking for a big hearty one plate meal – this might not be your vibe. If you want somewhere to cheers with the family and have the kids colour at the table and just all try some new dishes – you’ll have a lovely time. The vibes here are “casual pub.” Children are welcome here and they also have space for strollers. The entire restaurant is non-smoking (smokers are asked to smoke outside the restaurant instead.) There is a 300 yen cover charge per person in the evening – and, in exchange you will receive the otoshi appetiser of the day (if you don’t want to eat it, just leave it on your table – no need to hand it back.) Budget 1000 yen per adult during the day and 3000 yen for dinner. See an example of the menu at Quokka here. You could always just order ice-cream for kids here – 380 yen for vanilla ice-cream.

WASHOKU BAR QUOKKA
豊島区南大塚2-36-1
2-36-1 MINAMI-OTSUKA, TOSHIMA-KU
OPEN WEEKDAYS 11AM-3PM & 5PM-11:30PM (OPEN UNTIL 2AM ON FRIDAYS)
OPEN WEEKENDS 11AM-11:30PM (OPEN U

A Yakitori Izakaya that welcomes kids!
Torikizoku is a chain of izakaya’s specializing in Yakitori. It’s on the 4th floor here. It’s a cheap and cheerful – yet reliable brand an is great for families.  They welcome children here and it is a non-smoking restaurant. I recommend budgeting approx 2500 yen per adult to eat a full meal here.  They accept most major credit cards.  They accept reservations. See here for pictures of the yakitori full menu at Torikizoku stores.  If one person in the family doesn’t love yakitori, there are a couple of other options like sliced cold tomato, edamame, fried chicken, fries, camembert croquettes etc. Lots of gluten free diners like eating here – Yakitori can be a good option when you are gluten free. But be sure to ask for it to be prepared with salt, not tare (sauce/marinade as “tare” is made using soy sauce.) Ask your hotel to phone ahead and see if this is possible. This torikizoku branch is 1 minute walk from Otsuka Station.

TORIKIZOKU, OTSUKA KITAGUCHI
豊島区北大塚2-2-2 4F
4TH FLOOR, KITA-OTSUKA, TOSHIMA-KU
OPEN 5PM-MIDNIGHT (UNTIL 1AM ON FRIDAY & SAT NIGHTS)

24 hour Gyudon (Marinted Beef on Rice) Japanese “Fast Food”
This 24 hour diner Matsuya is cheap and delicious. They welcome kids (you’ll mostly find male corporate diners here more than local families though.) Every meal is under 1000 yen. This restaurant is cash only. Counter only seating. The whole restaurant is non-smoking. See the full Matsuya menu here.
This restaurant is 7 mins walk from the North Exit of Otsuka Station. Oh, and they also do takeaway.

Super casual hole in the wall style steamed Chinese dumplings shop
This place,1+ Dumplings is casual (just some long tables in a simple restaurant) so would be great for kids that love dumplings and don’t like being too quiet and want to get in, eat and get out. Budget a little under 1000 yen per person to dine here. They also do take-away. They accept most major credit cards. The entire restaurant is non-smoking. The dumplings aren’t gyoza – they are what Japanese people call a “water dumpling” – a steamed more round dumpling compared to gyoza – and they haven’t been grilled on the bottom. This restaurant is 3 mins walk from Otsuka Station.
1+ DUMPLINGS
豊島区南大塚2-41-4
2-41-4 MINAMI-OTSUKA, TOSHIMA
OPEN 11AM – 2:30AM & 4PM – 10PM

Nepalese & Indian Restaurant
Ethnic Dining Japon is just 3 mins walk from JR Otsuka Station. It is on the second floor so you will need to walk up about 10 steps to get to the entrance. This restaurant welcomes children and babies and they even have a kids’ menu. 　Budget 1000 yen during the day for a lunch set and more like 2500-3000 yen per adult for dinner. They accept most major credit cards. The entire restaurant is non-smoking. They have space for strollers inside the restaurant.

ETHNIC DINING JAPON
豊島区北大塚2-16-9 白銀ライオンズマンション 2F
2F SHIROGANE LIONS MANSION, 2-16-9 KITA-OTSUKA, TOSHIMA
OPEN WEEKDAYS 11AM-4:30PM & 5PM-11PM (LAST ORDERS AT 10:30PM)
OPEN WEEKENDS 11AM-11PM (LAST ORDERS AT 10:30PM)

Yamamoto no Hamburg Steak
This restaurant welcomes kids, has space for strollers and a kids’ menu too! It is 3 mins walk from Otsuka Station. Budget 1100 yen per adult for a meal here. 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 33 people. 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.

YAMAMOTO NO HAMBURG STEAK, OTSUKA
豊島区北大塚1-17-3 第20SYビル 1F
GROUND FLOOR, DAI-20-SY BUILDING, 1-17-3 KITA-OTSUKA, TOSHIMA
OPEN FOR LUNCH 11AM-3:30PM
OPEN FOR DINNER 5PM-10PM

Denny’s Japan (not the same as Denny’s in the US)
My son loves this Dennys – mostly as it has a fabulous view of the trains (oh and the unlimited soft drink bar.)

Denny’s Japan is very different to Denny’s in the US.  It’s a great option for pancakes, meat and veg style lunches, pancakes or ramen. The menu is extensive and you can also choose unlimited soft drinks for just a few hundred yen.  I recommend budgeting 1500 yen per adult for a meal here. They accept most major credit cards.   This restaurant is non-smoking. There is an elevator up here so it is possible to come in with a stroller. The staff are also happy to make space for a couple of suitcases. The bathroom here has a changing table in the women’s restroom. There are also chargers at the tables for diners to use to charge devices.   See the full Denny’s Japan menu here.  Please note, if you are vegan,  that Denny’s in Japan do have a zero meat hamburger steak (like a vegan rissole – for the fellow aussies.) .

DENNY’S OTSUKA
豊島区北大塚1-16-5 パークアクシス大塚ステーションゲートタワー3階
3RD FLOOR, PARK ACCESS OTSUKA STATION GATE TOWER, 1-16-5 KITA-OTSUKA, TOSHIMA
OPEN 7AM-MIDNIGHT

VEGAN RAMEN
If you’re looking for delicious vegan food, I highly recommend T’s Tan Tan inside of Ikebukuro Station (take the Yamanote line for just 3 mins to get here.) They have vegan ramen, gyoza etc.

T’S TAN TAN, IKEBUKURO BRANCH
INSIDE OF THE STATION TICKETING GATES ON THE CHUO (CENTRAL) CONCOURSE
OPEN 11AM-10PM
T’S TAN TAN WEBSITE

Ramen inside Atre Via Otsuka (the shopping mall near the station)
On the 4th floor of Atre vie Otsuka is ramen restaurant Yoshimaru. 
This restaurant is a walk-in restaurant only.  They have a kids menu too. On the same floor is a restroom with a kids’ toilet AND a change table. I would budget for 1500 yen per adult to dine here. 　Gyoza is on the menu from 3pm onwards. 
Yoshimaru accept most major credit cards.
YOSHIMARU, ATRE VIE OTSUKA
豊島区南大塚3-33-1  ATRE VIE OTSUKA 4F
4F ATRE VIEW OTSUKA, 3-33-2 MINAMI-OTSUKA, TOSHIMA-KU
OPEN EVERYDAY 11AM-11PM (CLOSES AT 10PM ON SUNDAYS AND NATIONAL HOLIDAYS)

Sukiyaki & Shabu-Shabu
Take the train for 3 mins for asukiyaki and shabu-shabu restaurant with all you can eat meat, veg, soft-drinks and ice-cream.
This hot-pot style of eating is so much fun for families and just interactive with kids.  This restaurant Syabu-yo is a chain restaurant.  
Syabu-Yo Ikebukuro Sunshine 60 Branch is 500 metres from Ikebukuro Station. 
Diners choose the amount of time they would like to have unlimited meat brought to their table (usually 60 or 90 mins) and that price also includes access to a salad and vegetable buffet and ice-cream.  Theinstructions on how to make your meal at the table are here on the Syabu-Yo website but the staff will also help you.   My kids prefer sukiyaki to shabu-shabu as it is so sweet and more-ish. 
This style of restaurant is tricky if everyone has different dietary requirements (for example if one family member is vegetarian etc) as all the food is cooked in one pot. I guess you could get around this by getting two tables with two separate pots. Sometimes they have pots like the one pictured below that has two sections. This is mostly so you can cook two different flavours but it could also work for a meat side and a veg side too, I guess
 To eat here I would budget for around 3000 yen per adult.   The entire restaurant is non-smoking. Syabu-Yo accept most major credit cards. 
If you like this restaurant – I’m pretty sure you will! Then you are in luck as you can always google your closest Syabu-Yo branch as they are all over Japan. 
They have free wifi.  
 They also have the little robots that bring the meat to your table. My kids love this!
This restaurant is open every single day of the year.  　Best to have your hotel make a reservation on your behalf (unless you plan on trying your luck by walking in ) or you can try via the Hot Pepper website here but you need to use google translate.

SYABU-YO, IKEBUKURO SUNSHINE BRANCH
豊島区東池袋１－２９－１　サントロペ池袋ビル６F
6TH FLOOR, SANTOROPE IKEBUKURO BUILDING, 1-29-1 HIGASHI-IKEBUKURO, TOSHIMA-KU
OPEN 11AM-11PM (FROM 10AM ON WEEKENDS)*Lunch menu switches to the dinner menu at 4pm

A sushi train with video games
Take the train for 3 mins to Ikebukuro for this Sushiro branch inside Sunshine City- on the B2 floor. .
I recommend visiting between meal times if you can OR first thing in the morning (11am on weekends) to avoid having to wait.
Just a warning – the games appear after you’ve ordered a certain number of plates (every 4-5 plates or so) but they only last for a few sections. So best to get kids to take turns and warn them that it will be very quick.
If you order from the kids section of the menu, you will get a gatchapon coin for kids to use on the gatchapon machines within the restaurant. The entire restaurant is non-smoking. This restaurant is 4 mins walk from Ikebukuro Station.
They accept most major credit cards here. I recommend budgeting 3000 yen per adult for a meal here. See the full Sushiro menu here. Sushiro is great for gluten free diners as they have an allergen menu. For those with allergies and special dietary requirements in Japan, I recommend using a tool called tabemasen in order to make our a printable allergen card to carry with you.
Please note that Sushiro technically doesn’t have any truly vegan sushi options as they use fish extract-vinegar – you may want to look at alternative sushi train restaurants if this is a deal breaker for you.

SUSHIRO, IKEBUKURO SUNSHINE 60 DORI
東池袋1-22-10　ヒューマックスパビリオン 池袋サンシャイン60通り　B2階
B2 FLOOR, HUMAX PAVILLION BUILDING SUNSHINE 60 DORI, 1-22-10 IKEBUKURO
OPEN WEEKDAYS 11AM-11PM
OPEN WEEKENDS 10:30AM-11PM


Japanese Curry
If you love Japanese curry then you’ve most likely heard of curry chain Cocoichibanya. I love how you can customise the spice level and choose all of the toppings yourself (katsu, hamburger steak, spinach, scrambled eggs, corn and many many more.) I’ve written in detail about Cocoichibanya here. Please don’t expect anything fancy – it’s like a Japanese curry diner. Really chill and an easy place to visit with kids.
This particular branch seats 24 people. The entire restaurant is non-smoking. Budget up to 2000 yen per person for a meal here. They also have a kids menu. They accept most major credit cards. 6 mins walk from Otsuka Station. They have a vegan curry (it’s a bit confusing but it’s called a “vegetarian curry” but it is actually vegan.
They also do take-away.

COCOICHIBANYA, OTSUKA
豊島区南大塚3-9-13 新大塚ビル 1F
GROUND FLOOR, SHIN-OTSUKA BUILDING, 3-9-13 MINAMI-OTSUKA, TOSHIMA
OPEN EVERYDAY OF THE YEAR : 11AM-10PM

OTHER THINGS TO DO NEAR OTSUKA?
Asukayama Park (for the playground and also for the cherry blossoms)
Take a cab for 12 mins (will cost approx 2100 yen) to Asukayama Park. The playground and park here is LOVELY and it’s especially beautiful in cherry blossom season. There are actually 2 more parks in the same area as Asakuyama Park. See my post on Tokyo Retro Playgrounds for more info.

Rikugien Gardens
Take the Yamanote to Komagome Station for 4 mins to Komagome Station and then walk for 9 mins to Rikugien Japanese Gardens.

Arakawa Amusement Park
This small amusement park is easily accessible using the tram that runs through Otsuka. It’s just a little local amusement park but it’s so lovely – especially for children 8 and younger (or bigger kids that don’t enjoy thrill rides anyway.)

SUPERMARKETS NEAR JR OTSUKA STATION?
Yoshiya Saine
My favourite major supermarket in this area is Yoshiya Saine Supermarket (and there is a 100 yen Daiso store right upstairs too! Open 10am – 9pm) The supermarket has lots of fresh produce, pantry items but also bentos and pre-cooked deli items! So good! It is open 9:30am-10:30pm. This supermarket is 3 mins walk from JR Otsuka Station. The basement floor sells some homewares, blankets and cheap clothing like sweaters and pyjamas.

The Basement Floor at Atre Vie Otsuka
If you wanted to get something amazing to take back to your hotel room or to eat while listening to the buskers on the north side of Otsuka Station on the weekends, go to the department store next to Otsuka Station called Atre vie Otsuka.  Pretty much the whole of the ground floor is like one big fancy deli.   Options include a bakery, tonkatsu, grilled and marinated fish, my favourite supermarket brand in Japan “Seijo Ishii”, cooked vegetables.  Seijo Ishii supermarkets also stock gluten free bread. *This supermarket stocks a rice flour bread made by a company called “Happy Bakery.”

My Basket, Otsuka
A smaller supermarket just 1 min walk from Otsuka Station. It is open 7am – midnight. It isn’t a big supermarket but they do sell ready made meals, bentos, frozen items, fruit n veg and other pantry staples. 

A convenience store x supermarket hybrid
Lawson 100 is a convenience store and grocery store – where everything is 100 yen! I like to pop in here for some affordable fruit and vegetables. This store is 8 mins walk from the North Exit of Otsuka Station but there are another TWO in the Otsuka area (so google “Lawson 100 near me” for your closest option.) It is open 24 hours a day.
If you like it here, no matter what city you’re in – google “Lawson 100 near me” for other options. When I was a student living in Japan, I would shop here first and then use the normal supermarket for the rest.

There is a small international supermarket inside Sunshine City Ikebukuro too
Take the train for 3 mins to Ikebukuro to shop here.
On the ground floor of the Sunshine City Alta Shopping Mall you can find the Kaldi International Mart.  Here you can find international items such as Halal options,  oat crackers, oatmeal, twinings earl grey, tomato juice, cous cous, maple syrup, skippy peanut butter, nutella, vegemite etc. 
KALDI, SUNSHINE CITY ALTA IKEBUKURO
GROUND FLOOR, SUNSHINE CITY IKEBUKURO ALTA SHOPPING MALL
OPEN 11AM-8PM

WHERE TO BUY NAPPIES / DIAPERS IN OTSUKA?
Cocokara Fine Kita-Otsuka (open 10am-10pm) has a decent selection of nappies and baby related goods.

Read more about where to find nappies/diapers in Japan and as well as the options available here.

WHERE TO STAY NEAR OTSUKA STATION (TOKYO) WITH KIDS?

Cocoyo Hotel
Number 1 recommendation in this area is definitely Cocoyo Hotel in Otsuka. Just a few mins from the station – the rooms are big for Tokyo and their top floor rooms can sleep families of 8 ! They have a kitchenette too – and shared terrace access!
There is a simple bread and pastry breakfast in the morning with tea and coffee – if you wanted something heavier? Walk for 3 mins to Royal Host. This hotel provides pyjamas for guests to use during their stay.
This hotel has a 24 hour manned front desk- fabulous for language assistance or if someone in your family fell ill and needed assistance etc. This hotel has an in-house coin laundry (open 24 hours a day.)
The front desk staff can also assist you with the admin required to forward your luggage to your next hotel so that you can travel hands free ( I like to send my luggage to every second hotel and then just move around with hand luggage.)

The Standard Twin B rooms at Cocoyo Otsuka.

The Family Suite Rooms at Cocoyo Otsuka – some suite rooms accommodate 6 and others can accommodate 8 people. Bedding is a mixture of western style beds, futons and sofa beds. Crockery, cutlery, microwave, kettle and refridgerator provided.

There is a 7-Eleven literally 1 min walk from Cocoyo Otsuka. See here for our favourite Japanese convenience store treats (I’ve also translated a lot of the labels etc here too.

Omo5 Tokyo Otsuka.
I’ve recently stayed at Omo5 Tokyo Otsuka.   I don’t recommend this hotel for babies that are crawling or newly walking OR for tall people.
The reason? The room has a loft bed and the stairs up to the loft don’t have a rail (and a baby/toddler would LOVE to try and climb these all the time.). For the same reason – the loft makes the ceiling in the living section a bit low and the bed in the loft is ideal for kids but it would be hard for adults to stand comfortably.

Apart from that though – this hotel is SOOOOOO cool and the staff are so nice.    My kids squealed when they spotted the loft bed and also spent hours in the in-room bath.  There is a coin laundry and there are pyjamas for guests to use while staying.
The hotel has excellent black out blinds (not as common as you might think in Japan.)

The window ledge in the room is like a big window seat and it’s the best place to people watch and see the trains go by.

This hotel has a beautiful restaurant next to the reception- serving breakfast and dinner and there is also a DJ playing in the evening so it kind of becomes a chill bar.

You don’t need to be a staying guest to use the restaurant or bar.  They offer a western style breakfast, pastries, risotto and soups.

Super Hotel Otsuka
So the rooms here are teeny tiny but the hotel has all you could need – including a simple breakfast downstairs every morning and a free bottomless happy hour (soft drinks AND alcohol) every single evening! This hotel is so so reasonably priced too !
The hotel keys are a number combination you are given at check-in – so no need to worry that you’ve lost your keys or card key during your stay.

R&B Otsuka Eki Kitaguchi. 
Next to Royal Host is another family friendly hotel called R&B Otsuka Eki Kitaguchi. 
They offer a late check out until 12pm for an additional 1200 yen.
The rooms are simple but lovely and modern. This is a simple but comfortable (what Japan calls a) Business Hotel. Rooms are NOT big.
Pyjamas are provided for guests to use during their stay.
This hotel has rooms that fit 2-3 people (they do offer triple rooms with 3 separate beds) AND they also have a family connecting room option that could fit max 3 adults and 3 children (if the children are small enough to bed share.)
This hotel accepts and helps you send forwarded luggage.

They also have a coin laundry on the 4th floor. The tvs in the rooms are all set up so you can easily log into Netflix, Hulu, Youtube and Prime Video.
R&B Otsuka Eki Kitaguchi hotel has a simple buffet breakfast with some bread, rice, curry, muesli and salad as well as tea and coffee. Breakfast is 700 yen per person and free for children who are bed-sharing.

You can also pay 1200 yen per person for a larger check out (until 12pm.)

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