In our relationship, big milestones have always meant a trip away, somewhere as exotic, exciting and adventurous as possible! With my latest big birthday approaching I started daydreaming about places we could go. And whilst my bucket list is as long as my arm, planning a trip with a toddler does somewhat limit your options. Well, most people’s anyway! We thought about a big trip to Africa, but on further research most game parks won’t let children under 5 on safari, and when we thought about how much our tiny adventurer would love to see all the animals in the wild we decided to park that dream for when she is a little older. Burma is also right up there on my list, but the thought of long bus trips with a super energetic little girl, or numerous internal flights, didn’t sound much like an ideal trip with toddler. So we settled on Japan! We would be just in time to see the start of the autumn leaves, it was adventurous enough but still comfortable, there were opportunities for a little birthday luxury (hello onsen!) and Tokyo is just a nine hour direct flight from our nearest airport. Sold!

Being as aware as I am of the (sometimes negative) power of social media, I am not going to lie and say the trip over was a breeze. Our little one is not great on day flights. She is alert, inquisitive, social, and just doesn’t want to sleep when there is stuff she could miss out on! By the time we arrived in Tokyo she was exhausted and fell asleep just in time for us to get off the plane. Screaming followed and we were kindly ushered to the front of the queue to clear customs and immigration. Buying a train ticket and negotiating the station was not an easy task and took a lot longer that we expected, but we managed it and arrived in central Tokyo and got ourselves and our considerable luggage (two suitcases, portacot, daypacks and pram, plus toddler!) into a taxi. We showed the driver the address of our Air BnB and he dropped us off, pointing in the general direction of a collection of buildings and speaking to us in Japanese. So there we were, deposited on the footpath with no real idea of where we were going. We love staying at Air BnB, they are perfect for families, but this is definitely one downside. Finding them can sometimes be a challenge! After running around the neighbourhood for what seemed forever Andy found a helpful staff member in the 7-11 who was able to point us in the right direction. Finally we were in!

The next morning we were all set to explore. I love ticking all the major sights off my list but when visiting big cities especially I really love to combine that with wandering the streets. Discovering the different districts and neighbourhoods, stumbling on hidden gems. So that’s what we did in Tokyo. Travel with a toddler is slower than travelling on your own or as a couple so we didn’t cover nearly as much ground as I would have liked but here is a run down of what we saw and what we loved.

SOME OF OUR FAVOURITE THINGS TO SEE/DO & EAT IN TOKYO

MEJI SHRINE

This beautiful, peaceful shrine set in the forest, right on the edge of the popular xxxxx district was the perfect place to ease ourselves into Tokyo. Walking through the tall trees to reach the shrine really adds to the experience and the people watching opportunities here were outstanding. There were weddings taking place, families dressed in their finery, young girls making wishes and of course tourists, but not too many.

WANDERING THE HARAJUKU DISTRICT

Right next door to the shrine is the beautiful and lively Harajuku district. Omote-sando is the main boulevard, think wide, tree-lined footpaths, lined with beautiful boutiques. The back streets and lanes around Cat Street are lined with hidden gems, and restaurants with big reputations and big queues! Lining up with a toddler is not our idea of fun so we opted for a peaceful and delicious lunch at the classy and serene Brown Rice located in a back lane next to Neal’s Yard Remedies. The focus is on whole foods and was perfect for these vegetarians. The set meal deal is perfect for those not too confident ordering more elaborate meals as a non-Japanese speaker!

STARBUCKS (yes, you read that right!)

I would never normally be one to recommend Starbucks, especially as a place to visit when touring a foreign country. But life changes when you have a toddler … and these two particular branches have incredible views! The Starbucks in Harajuku is on a rooftop set in a large garden area with plenty of spaces for a toddler to run free whilst the grown ups stock up on much needed caffeine. Layla even made a little friend, a Japanese girl who picked her a tiny flower. So sweet! The branch in Shibuya affords fabulous views over the crossing.

SENSO-JI SHRINE

Senso-ji Shrine Shrine is Tokyo’s most famous and it’s spiritual heart. We arrived around 9am and it was a great time to wander along Nakamise Dori (the street leading to the temple) without the heaving crowds. Right opposite Nakamise Dori, on the other side of the street there is tourist office with a lovely viewing platform that gives you a great view over the whole area of Tokyo. It is well worth the short detour. A side trip down the streets leading off the main temple is a must do if you like quirky painted shop fronts! After visiting the temple and surrounding gardens (running room, bridges to cross and giant golfish are great for toddler taming) we walked back through the Nakamise Dori which is full of tiny shops selling souvenirs and street food. I can recommend joining the locals and indulging in some sweet treats. We chose some fried buns, a bit like donuts, filled with red bean paste and they were delicious and just the right side of decadent.

WANDERING THE ASAKUSA DISTRICT AND OKONOMIYAKI LUNCH

After visiting Senso-ji we were ready for a spot of lunch so we wandered through the Asakusa District to traditional Okonomiyaki restaurant Sometaro. It was a cute and rustic little restaurant where you cook your own Japanese pancakes on hotplates … a brave, and perhaps dubious decision with a toddler (tiny fingers and hot stoves are a dangerous combination), but we thoroughly enjoyed the experience and our meal. Walking the backstreets was a treat too. There were plenty of pretty shopfronts, stylish bicycles propped against traditional walls, vines and lanterns.

SHINJUKU

We timed our visit to the Shinjuku area for night time as it was close to our accommodation and meant we could still go out for an early dinner with the toddler before the witching hour hit! We wandered down to the Golden Gai, a very atmospheric, character-filled, ancient-feeling muddle of tiny alleyways smack bang in the midst of urban Tokyo. It is famous for its very small bars, with seats for just a few diners. You order beer and fried food and feast and drink until your heart’s content. I have no idea what the place we went to was called but I recommend just taking a walk until somewhere takes your fancy. Cheers!

SHIBUYA

Shibuya is home to the famous Shibuya Crossing and something that just has to be experienced in Tokyo. We arrived mid-morning and I must admit the crossing looked less busy to me than London’s Oxford Street at rush hour, but by the time we left around 5pm I could start to see just how crazy busy it would get. This area is bold and brash and noisy and fantastic for shopping! A great tip I got from Tokyo Urban Baby was the knowledge that the huge Muji store contains a sweet little play area on the top floor. I was able to leave my husband and daughter there and shop (just about!) guilt free. I can also highly recommend a visit to Loft Department Store. It is full of the most amazing selection of beautifully designed goods. I have never seen such a range of incredible bento/lunch boxes, stylish backpacks or a more incredible selection of cool camping gear!

Whilst in the area I would definitely recommend a visit to the top floor of the Hikarie building to see the beautiful view of Tokyo before descending to the 8th floor for lunch at d47. It’s a regional restaurant that serves set meals from the different regions of Japan and has a killer view over the city. Even better, our little adventurer took a rare nap in her pram for the entire duration of our lunch. Surely one of the biggest parenting wins of all! There is a little shop selling beautiful products made in Japan and when we were there there was an interesting little exhibition on product design in Japan. If you are in need of a nappy change area don’t miss checking out the facilities on the ground floor. Opulent doesn’t even cut it. And if not, make your way there just to check out the lovely selection of food and wine for sale. Bring your credit card!

UENO PARK & YANAKA

If, like me, you like wandering the streets, discovering hidden gems and peeking into the lives of the locals a walk through Ueno Park and the Yanaka District is a morning or afternoon very well spent! Ueno Park affords excellent people watching and also has some wonderful small shrines to explore … oh and I hate to sound like a broken record (or an advert for Starbucks) but if it is a sunny day there is a lovely branch with outdoor seating in the park. Once you get to the streets of Yanaka there are all sorts of interesting things to discover including SCAI the Bathhouse, a fabulous modern art gallery, set in an old Japanese bathhouse, plenty of neighbourhood temples (including the god of strong legs, a must visit for my runner husband), finishing up at Yanaka Ginza, a street full of sweet little food shops with a lovely atmosphere as the day comes to an end.

TRIP PLANNING AND RESOURCES

If you are travelling with little ones in tow a clever lady named Kate Neath has put together a brilliant website called Tokyo Urban Baby. Hello to discovering the Muji shop in Shinjuku with the play area on the top floor where I could leave hubby and Layla whilst I shopped!

Another fantastic resource to plan your trip and discover all those amazing bars, cafes, restaurants, hotels, parks, bike paths and shops that the locals know about but you may never discover yourself is the Hello Sandwich Tokyo Guide. We loved every place we visited that was recommended by Ebony. It was like having a cool friend who knew all the best spots in the city showing you around. I just wish we had more time to explore the hidden gems!

If you have the Japanese Rail Pass (which is highly recommended for anyone doing any travelling in Japan and needs to be purchased before you enter the country) and need to book your tickets and swap your voucher for your pass I advise getting to the ticket office in Shibuya right on the dot of 10am. The queue was already quite lengthy when we got there and we arrived before the office opened!

Next stop Hakone!