Lots of parents are clever enough to time their Japan trip to line up with their child’s birthday.
Here are some easy ways to grab a birthday cake in Japan – and a cake that is so cute and oh-so Japan.
Option 1: Google your closest Baskin Robbins (or, as it’s known in Japan, “thirty-one.”)
The ice-cream cakes here are so cute
Option 2: Google your closest “Ginza Corner”
This store sells whole cakes or cakes by the slice. The most popular type is a strawberry vanilla sponge style cake.
Option 3: Lola’s Cupcakes
Lola’s Cupcakes has branches in Tokyo as well as Yokohama.
Option 4: Bella’s Cupcakes in Tokyo
Bellas Cupcakes require the cakes to be booked and paid for in advance.
Option 5: Basement floors of Department Stores
This is a more expensive way to get a cake but an easy way to find one that you can take home last minute. Department stores like Daimaru, Mitsukoshi, Takashimaya etc. all have basement delicatessen style food hall floors – floors of food options that also include cakes.
Option 6: You can get creative and put a Japanese spin on a simple cake you find in a Japanese supermarket or a cake that you make back at your accommodation
Option 6: Pre-order the cutest themed macarons
Yamaguchi Prefecture based California-born pastry chef creates these adorable macarons and other pastries. The company is called Every Flavor Macarons.
They are able to deliver all over Japan and the macarons can be eaten up to 7 days after first baked if kept in the fridge ( longer if frozen.). Order and have them sent to your hotel. You can then make a little platter of them and put a 100 yen birthday candle in the middle.
Another birthday idea for kids in Japan….
A Disney birthday
Did you know it’s fine to take in your own cake for a Disneyland birthday? I made a chocolate tim-tam slice and we sang Happy Birthday while waiting for a parade to start. ( If it’s in the vicinity of your child’s birthday, tell one of the staff they will give them a birthday sticker to wear and all of the characters and staff will wish them happy birthday all day long. ) See here for my other Disneyland tips.
Tokyo Disney parks are the cheapest Disney in the world. For little kids, I recommend Tokyo Disneyland more and then you can also sit and enjoy the parade with your cake like we have here.
( If it’s in the vicinity of your child’s birthday, tell one of the staff they will give them a birthday sticker to wear and all of the characters and staff will wish them happy birthday all day long. )
A Tokyo Disneyland with kids birthday is something my kids have never ever forgotten!
OR Swan Boat Ride
There are a few swan boat opens around Tokyo but Inokashira Park in Kichijoji is my favourite.It’s such a lovely green space to visit on a sunny day.
I’ve written about Inokashira Park in detail here.
There are also Swan Boats to ride in Ueno.
I’ve written about things to do in Ueno with kids here.
