Tokyo Indoor Activities for the Family
Tokyo Indoor Activities for the Family
Are the kids' schools closed? Is the weather less than ideal? Has everyone grown tired of the neighborhood park? It can be hard to come up with ways to keep your children entertained if the only option is to be inside. Especially when we've all spent so much time inside lately!
But staying indoors in Tokyo doesn't have to be boring! There are a lot of family-friendly, fun places to stay warm, dry and busy; check out a few of our favorites below. Remember to contact each facility before making the trip or buying tickets; there may be limited hours or other special conditions in light of COVID-19.
An all-around good time! If you need to get some shopping done, Grand Tree is a great place to do it. With tons of shops, restaurants, a rooftop garden and an entire floor dedicated to kids and families, Grand Tree is a destination that checks all the boxes. Be sure to check out the arts and crafts sessions in the "Mama Club!"
Head to Odaiba if you need to get the wiggles out! There are obstacle courses, jungle gyms, trampolines and more on offer for the kids to expend their excess energy at Aneby Trimpark. As with most facilities in Tokyo, there are some limits on play areas for health and safety measures, but you'll still have plenty of options to exercise brain and body.
Tokyo Dome City is a one-stop-shop for all things fun. If your family makes the trip, you have to go to ASOBono! Billed as "one of the largest indoor kids facilities" in Tokyo, ASOBono is a can't miss, especially if you have toddlers. There are areas specifically built for the littlest kids and if you forgot snacks at home, there are even baby food vending machines.
National Museum of Nature and Science
This is the place to go if you want to sprinkle some education in a day of fun. There are so many great exhibits to check out, it may be hard to pick where to start. We love the history of the Japanese islands exhibit, which features plesiosaur and elephant fossils. If you want to plan ahead, make sure to mark your calendars for the upcoming special exhibit: Pokemon Fossil Museum!
Located right next to the Akihabara train station, Active AKIBA Batting Center is the answer if you have a yakyu fan in need of batting or pitching practice. Each cage offers a different pitching speed and variety, so if your kids (or you) want a challenge, you could head to Cage No. 7, where Yakult Swallow pitcher Yasuhiro Ogawa will toss a 170km curveball your way. There's also a driving range on the same floor if you prefer golf!
Are your kids figuratively climbing the walls? Take them to Pekids Bouldering Studio and let them go to town! Not only is rock climbing great exercise physically, it's also a fun way to problem solve and think critically. Pekids is designed for kids aged three through elementary school and offers climbing activities in English. The studio is a quick walk from Shibuya station and if you have a kid in tow who's too little to climb, there are play areas for them, too!
