The short answer
- Japan Trails runs private, guide-led days in Tokyo for families with children. You are never grouped with strangers.
- The day is planned with you before you arrive, around your children’s ages, walking pace, naps and food.
- From US$550 per group for 6 hours on foot (up to 4 guests), or US$990 for 8 hours by private car with hotel pick-up (up to 5 guests).
- No child price. Infants and toddlers are free. Prams, lifts, step-free routes and child seats are arranged in advance.
- We reply within 24 hours with a suggested itinerary and the price.
A Classic First Day in Tokyo with Kids
Most families on their first visit want the same things: the big lantern at Asakusa, a temple, a taste of old Japan, the Imperial Palace and Tokyo Tower. This is the classic day we build for them, on foot and by train. Every photo below was taken on our own tours.
| Time | Stop | Why it works with children |
|---|---|---|
| 09:30 | Hotel lobby | Your guide meets you; train fares for the day are included |
| 10:00 | Kaminarimon & Nakamise | The giant red lantern, then a street of snacks and toy stalls |
| 10:30 | Senso-ji & the five-storey pagoda | Tokyo’s oldest temple; children love drawing an omikuji fortune |
| 11:15 | Tea ceremony | About 45 minutes: whisk your own matcha, with a Japanese sweet |
| 12:15 | Lunch in Asakusa | Somewhere with high chairs and food they will actually eat |
| 13:30 | Subway to Otemachi | About 20 minutes with one change; the gardens are a short walk from the station |
| 14:00 | Imperial Palace East Gardens | Stone walls, moats and open lawns to run around on |
| 15:00 | Tokyo Tower | Up to the 150 m Main Deck for the view over the city |
| 15:30 | Goodbye | We see you into a taxi or onto the right train for your hotel |
Kaminarimon and Nakamise
The day starts at the Thunder Gate and its 700 kg lantern. Your guide takes the family photo, then walks you down Nakamise, a street of stalls selling ningyo-yaki cakes, rice crackers and small toys. We come early, before the crowds peak.
Senso-ji Temple and the five-storey pagoda
Founded in 628, Senso-ji is Tokyo’s oldest temple. Your guide shows the children how to wave the incense smoke over themselves for good health, and how to draw an omikuji fortune for 100 yen. If it is a bad one, you tie it to the rack and leave the bad luck behind.
Want the children in kimono? We start an hour earlier at a rental shop in Asakusa, where they are dressed by staff. The rental is paid separately, and we book it for you.
A tea ceremony
In a small tatami room, a tea master shows the family how matcha is made, and then everyone whisks their own bowl. It takes about 45 minutes and comes with a Japanese sweet. Children from about six usually enjoy it; for younger ones we keep it short.
Lunch in Asakusa
We choose the restaurant in advance around your family: high chairs, small plates, and any allergies checked with the kitchen beforehand. Tempura, soba and simple set meals are the usual picks.
The Imperial Palace East Gardens
The palace stands on the site of Edo Castle. The East Gardens are free to enter and have wide lawns, so it is the part of the day where children can run. The gardens close on Mondays and Fridays; on those days we walk to the Nijubashi bridge instead.
Tokyo Tower
We finish at Tokyo Tower and go up to the Main Deck at 150 metres. On a clear day you can see Mt. Fuji. Then we see you into a taxi or onto the right train back to your hotel.
Swapping stops for your children
The classic day is a starting point. Families have swapped in a food sample workshop at Kappabashi, where children make tempura out of wax, or ended at the Pokémon Center in Shibuya. Tell us what your children are into, and the day is built from that. For more ideas, see our guide to things to do in Tokyo with kids. For a day out of the city, see our Mt. Fuji private tour for families.
Why a Private Tour Works Better with Children
Your pace, not a group’s
There is no group to keep up with and no bus leaving without you. If someone needs a rest, we stop. If a playground or a vending machine is more interesting than the temple, that is fine.
Naps, feeds and nappy changes are part of the plan
Tell us the ages and the usual rhythm of your day. We work the stops around it, and we pick restaurants with high chairs and small plates rather than finding out at the door.
Food they will actually eat, and allergies checked in advance
We check allergies with the restaurant before the day, and your guide explains them again in Japanese at the table. Vegetarian, vegan and halal can be planned for too.
Prams, lifts and step-free routes
Tokyo has plenty of stairs. We plan around lifts and step-free ways round, and can hire a pram or a wheelchair if yours stayed at home.
Child seats on private-car days
Japanese law requires a child seat for every child under six. We ask the ages in advance and fit the right seats before we pick you up, at no extra charge.
How Much Is a Private Tokyo Tour with Kids?
One price covers your whole group. The more of you there are, the less it costs each.
| Tokyo on foot | A day by private car | |
|---|---|---|
| Length | 6 hours | 8 hours |
| Price | From US$550 for up to 4 guests | From US$990 for up to 5 guests (US$1,200 in peak season) |
| Each extra guest | US$100 | US$150 |
| Children | Count as guests; no separate child price | Count as guests; no separate child price |
| Infants and toddlers | Free; not counted | Free; not counted |
| Included | Guide, planning, your family’s train fares | Guide, planning, car and driver, hotel pick-up and drop-off, child seats |
Meals, entrance fees and tickets are paid as you go, or ask for an all-inclusive day and we build them into one figure. Everything is set out item by item in the quote before you commit. See the FAQ for the full price list.
How We Plan Your Family’s Day
1. Tell us who is coming
Your dates, the children’s ages, how much walking suits you, allergies, and what they are excited about: trains, anime, animals, ninjas, sweets.
2. We send an itinerary and a price within 24 hours
You see exactly what the day looks like and what it costs before you pay anything. Change it as often as you like.
3. Confirm and enjoy the day
When you are happy, we confirm the date and send a secure payment link. Your guide meets you at your hotel or anywhere convenient in Tokyo, holding a “Japan Trails” sign.
Who Plans Your Day
Japan Trails is run from Tokyo by founder Mihiro Ono, a native Japanese guide who also films the city for his YouTube channel ONO in Japan. Every itinerary is planned by the people who run the tour, and we tell you who your guide is before the day.
Questions Parents Ask Before Booking
Is a private Tokyo tour suitable for young children?
Yes. Tell us their ages when you enquire and we set the pace and the route to match: shorter walks, somewhere to run around, and food they will actually eat.
Do children pay? What about babies?
There is no separate child price. The price is per group, and children count towards the number of guests like anyone else. Infants and toddlers are not counted, so bringing a baby does not push you into the extra-guest rate.
Can we bring a stroller?
Yes. Tell us in advance and we plan the route around lifts and step-free ways round. Some older streets and stations still mean stairs; your guide knows which ones and takes you a different way. If your pram stayed at home, we can hire one for the day.
Do you provide child seats in the car?
Yes, at no extra charge. Japanese law requires child seats for under-sixes in private cars; licensed hire cars like ours are exempt, but we fit them anyway. Tell us the ages and the seats are in before we pick you up.
What about naps, feeds and nappy changes?
They go into the plan rather than being squeezed around it. Tell us the usual rhythm of your day, and we choose restaurants with high chairs and small plates.
My child has a food allergy. Can you handle it?
Tell us the allergy before you book. We check with the restaurants in advance rather than on the day, and your guide explains it again in Japanese when you sit down. If somewhere cannot handle it safely, we go elsewhere.
How far ahead should we get in touch?
Two to three weeks ahead is a good guide, and longer for cherry blossom season and autumn. Last-minute dates are sometimes possible, so ask anyway.
More answers on payment, cancellation and the day itself are in our FAQ. Going further afield? See our Mt. Fuji private tour for families.