Wondering where to stay in Tokyo with family?
The most populated city on the planet has a lot to offer, ranging from historical and cultural landmarks to families-friendly attractions.
It’s no secret that Tokyo is crowded and some parts are simply not that suitable to stay in Tokyo with kids.
Some of these crowded areas are designed for businessmen to drink with colleagues until the late hours.
So, we’ve come up with actual areas that are perfect to stay at when traveling with your family and in this article, we give you some tips to enjoy Japan’s capital to the fullest.
Each of these recommended areas does come with its own advantages and disadvantages. With that being said, let’s jump straight to our recommendations.
In brief:
Where to stay in Tokyo with family?
The best areas to stay in Tokyo with family are Tokyo Station, Odaiba, Asakusa, and Shibuya.
Tokyo Station and Shibuya are located in the modern parts of Tokyo and are located more centrally than the others, but are also far more crowded.
However, as these two areas don’t offer a loud nightlife scene, they are considered to be the family-friendly areas of the modern parts of Tokyo.
Especially Tokyo Station is ideal as you can easily travel around the city as you have great connectivity to the trains.
Odaiba is located on a man-made island where you can find family-friendly attractions including Tokyo Disneyland.
Asakusa is located in the older parts of Tokyo and is a relatively quiet, low-rise area with important historical landmarks nearby.
In the next paragraphs, we dive much deeper into each recommended area.
Overview of best areas to stay in Tokyo with family
Below, you find a table with an overview of all the recommended areas along with a short explanation of what makes that area so special. You can tap on one of the green links to go immediately to that recommended area, or just continue reading the article.
| Best areas to stay in Tokyo with family | What’s so special about the area? |
|---|---|
| 1. Tokyo Station | Access to several highlights, the best access to public transport, no crazy nightlife until the late hours, central location. |
| 2. Odaiba |
Many kid and family-friendly activities, home to Tokyo Disneyland, beautiful view of Tokyo Bay and the skyline, away from the hustle and bustle of the city. |
| 3. Asakusa |
Historically rich area, older parts of Tokyo, peaceful area, more value for your money when it comes to hotels. |
| 4. Shibuya | Important area that defines Tokyo, with several famous landmarks nearby, central location, great access to public transport, and incredibly bustl |
How to get around in Tokyo with family?
For tourists, it’s incredibly important to stay close to a station that’s connected to the JR Yamanote Line.
This is a circular elevated line that takes you around Tokyo and is connected to the majority of the tourist attractions.
The last thing you want when traveling in Tokyo with family is constantly switching rails and lines.
All of the recommended areas in this article are areas that have easy access to this so-called Loop Line.
Where to stay in Tokyo with kids?
1. Tokyo Station
For sightseeing purposes, many travellers tend to stay in the western parts of Tokyo, which is the part of the city where you can find the famous neon lights, billboards, and the large pedestrian crossings we’ve all seen in the movies.
While that’s an interesting area to stay at, when you’re in Tokyo with kids, you might want to stay in a less crowded area while still benefiting from the modernity and the central location.
The solution is Tokyo Station, which is among the more popular areas among tourists as you have such great access to public transportation, including the important JR Yamanote Line that takes you to all the major attractions as well as the bullet trains.
You’re also located right next to the Imperial Palace, and you’re located near the Tokyo Tower, although this attraction is not within walking distance.
There are several other areas nearby Tokyo Station that are interesting to visit, such as Marunouchi, which is a business district that is known for its stunning architecture, high-end shopping venues, and dining options.
South of Tokyo Station, you can find Ginza, another popular area among tourists mainly for its shopping and entertainment venues, including high-end boutiques, department stores, and luxury restaurants.
You’re located close to Hibiya Park, a large public park located just southeast of Tokyo Station and home to beautiful gardens, fountains, and walking paths, and is a great place to relax and enjoy nature.
When you combine all this, Tokyo Station is simply the perfect base to explore Tokyo and even other cities while being a not-too-crazy part of the city with excellent features nearby.
Tip: there is a connection from Tokyo Station to Tokyo Disneyland.
Advantages: access to several highlights, the best access to public transport, no crazy nightlife until the late hours, central location.
Disadvantages: as it’s the transportation hub of the city, around the train station it’s incredibly busy, Tokyo Station is a popular area and hotels can get pricey quickly.
Some of the best hotels to stay in Tokyo with family are listed below:
Agoda is part of Booking.com, and often offers significantly cheaper options compared to its competitors. You’ll get the same service that you are used to at Booking.com, but you simply pay less.
2. Odaiba
Odaiba is situated on a man-made island in Tokyo Bay and is known for its family-friendly and kid-friendly activities.
You can find plenty of attractions including the Odaiba Palette Town complex which includes a large Ferris wheel, a car-themed amusement park, and a giant arcade.
There is also the Oedo Onsen Monogatari hot spring theme park and the LEGOLAND Discovery Center Tokyo.
It’s also home to Tokyo’s Disneyland, the major attraction in Tokyo for kids.
The island of Odaibe itself is a great place to relax and enjoy the waterfront.
There are also several other parks in the area, such as the Symbol Promenade Park, which offers great views of Tokyo Bay.
As you’re located on an island, you’re away from the hustle and bustle the incredibly large city of Tokyo offers.
This is perhaps the most important feature Odaiba offers: you’re away from the chaos, which not every visitor is fond of as it can be overwhelming.
From the island, you have the most beautiful views of Tokyo Bay and the Rainbow Bridge, particularly at night when the city is lit up.
As you can expect from a well-organized city like Tokyo, Odaiba is well-connected to public transport that takes you straight to the city center for sightseeing purposes.
To be clear, the island is not solely made for kid-friendly activities, it’s simply a leisure island with other entertaining attractions for the whole family too.
Advantages: many kid and family-friendly activities, home to Tokyo Disneyland, beautiful view of Tokyo Bay and the skyline, away from the hustle and bustle of the city.
Disadvantages: this island doesn’t feel like Tokyo like you would feel when you’re staying in the city, you’re located further away from the tourist epicenter.
Some of the best hotels to stay in Tokyo with family are listed below:
Agoda is part of Booking.com, and often offers significantly cheaper options compared to its competitors. You’ll get the same service that you are used to at Booking.com, but you simply pay less.
3. Where to stay in Tokyo with family on a budget? – Asakusa
Asakusa is the perfect choice for those who want to stay in the older parts of Tokyo and ideal for families who want to experience traditional Japan.
The area itself is of cultural and historical importance with the famous Senso-ji temple as the absolute highlight.
This famous temple dates back to the 7th century and is one of Tokyo’s oldest temples.
Asakusa also has a strong association with traditional Japanese culture, with a vibrant street market area called Nakamise-dori, where you can buy traditional Japanese souvenirs and snacks.
One of the great things about Asakusa is that it offers a wide variety of affordable hotels.
It’s a quiet, peaceful and safe area and is actually perfect for families who don’t want to stay in an (over)crowded part of the city.
The only downside is that you don’t have direct access to the Loop Line, although there is a connection to the Loop Line nearby and a ride will only take you ten minutes of traveling.
Expect to have far more value for your money and rooms are larger than when you’re staying in the tourist epicenter of Tokyo.
We can fairly say that when you’re wondering where to stay in Tokyo with family on a budget, one of the best options is Asakua.
Advantages: historically rich area, older parts of Tokyo, peaceful area, more value for your money when it comes to hotels.
Disadvantage: you don’t have direct access to the Loop Line.
Some of the best hotels to stay in Tokyo with family are listed below:
Agoda is part of Booking.com, and often offers significantly cheaper options compared to its competitors. You’ll get the same service that you are used to at Booking.com, but you simply pay less.
4. Shibuya
The last area we recommend you to stay in Tokyo with your family is Shibuya, which is arguably the best area to stay at for first-time visitors.
It’s an incredibly bustling area on the west side of Tokyo, meaning that it’s incredibly modern too.
You have access to several important landmarks and this part of Tokyo looks exactly how you see it in the movies.
It’s home to the iconic Shibuya Crossing, one of the busiest intersections in the world.
You’re surrounded by trendy and fashionable shops and there is an abundance of nightlife.
The area is known for its colorful street fashion, cosplay, and anime-themed shops and the Hachiko Statue, known from the movie Hachiko, is located here as well.
As you can expect from such a popular area, especially among the younger generations, it’s extremely busy.
But it feels wrong not to recommend one of Tokyo’s most important areas.
It has been an epicenter of fashion, music, and entertainment for young people since the 1990s and it’s simply a fascinating area.
But it does come with a lot of crowds and noise.
Advantages: important area that defines Tokyo, with several famous landmarks nearby, central location, great access to public transport, and incredibly bustling.
Disadvantages: extremely crowded, loud.
Some of the best hotels to stay in Tokyo with family are listed below:
Agoda is part of Booking.com, and often offers significantly cheaper options compared to its competitors. You’ll get the same service that you are used to at Booking.com, but you simply pay less.
Map of the best areas to stay in Tokyo with family
The next image is a map of the best area to stay in Tokyo with family including its highlights. The image is in high resolution so you can easily zoom in to see all the details.
A map will follow soon.
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There you have it, our recommendations for where to stay in Tokyo with family. We hope we gave you all the information you need to make the right decision when visiting this magnificent city!