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Family Packing List for Tokyo

Tokyo with kids is the most efficient and family-friendly major Asian city — clean trains, vending machines everywhere, exceptionally safe, and hands-down the best subway system in the world. Pack for walking, layered weather, and quirky Japanese specifics like the 100V Type A plug.

Updated April 2026

Start with this Tokyo family checklist

Quick answer

For a 7-day Tokyo family trip, expect 5–32°C depending on season, daily 25,000+ steps, and the world's most reliable transit. Pack broken-in walking shoes, layered clothing, a Suica or Pasmo IC card or contactless transit (rolling out), a Type A plug adapter for 100V (lower than US 120V — most modern chargers handle both), and a small day-bag. No visa needed for US/UK/CA/AU passport holders for stays under 90 days.

At a glance

Plug type:: A (100V, 50/60Hz) — uniquely low voltage
Currency:: Japanese yen (¥/JPY)
Tipping:: No tipping — service included; tipping causes confusion
Tap water:: Safe and good quality citywide
Transit:: Suica or Pasmo IC card; auto-fare-cap
Visa:: Visa-free 90 days for US/UK/CA/AU passports

Sample checklist preview

7 days · 2 adults · 2 children

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What actually matters in Tokyo

•Japan uses Type A plugs (the same shape as US, no ground pin) at 100V — slightly lower than US 120V or European 230V. Most modern chargers handle 100–240V automatically; verify the small print on each charger. Older hairdryers and small appliances often won't.
•IC cards (Suica or Pasmo) are the cheat code for Tokyo transit. Tap on, tap off — works on every train, subway, and bus across the entire Greater Tokyo area, plus convenience stores and vending machines. You can now load a virtual Suica into your iPhone Wallet (works for visitors).
•Subway is the world's most reliable but bigger than expected. Tokyo Metro + Toei + JR add up to 30+ lines. Most stations have elevators (better accessibility than NYC); strollers work but a carrier is faster on busy weekday-morning lines.
•Step counts run 25,000–35,000 per adult per day in Tokyo. Broken-in walking shoes are the most important item. Tokyo families wear nice sneakers; flip-flops mark you as a tourist (and aren't allowed in some restaurants).
•Cash matters more than expected for a high-tech country. Many small restaurants, shrines, and traditional shops are cash-only. JPY ATMs at 7-Eleven (post offices and Lawson too) accept foreign cards reliably; bank ATMs sometimes don't.
•Kid food is everywhere and reliably good. Conveyor-belt sushi, ramen, gyudon (beef bowl), and convenience-store onigiri are all family-friendly. Vending machines (every block) sell drinks ¥120–200; saves carrying water bottles.
•Eki-ben (station bento) for shinkansen days is part of the experience. Tokyo Station alone has a basement food hall (Ekibenya Matsuri) with hundreds of options.
•No tipping. Trying to tip causes confusion — service is included. A polite "arigato gozaimasu" is the right etiquette.
•Etiquette matters more than language. No talking on phones on trains, no eating while walking on streets, queue politely, take shoes off in temples and some restaurants. Kids exempt from most rules but worth modeling.
•Tokyo is exceptionally safe for kids. Children walk to school alone here. Standard precautions; lost items get returned. Pickpocketing is among the lowest of any major world city.

Typical weather by month

Month	Avg high	Avg low	Rainy days
Jan	10°C / 50°F	2°C / 35°F	5
Feb	11°C / 51°F	2°C / 36°F	6
Mar	14°C / 57°F	5°C / 41°F	9
Apr	19°C / 67°F	10°C / 50°F	10
May	23°C / 73°F	15°C / 59°F	10
Jun	26°C / 79°F	19°C / 66°F	12
Jul	30°C / 86°F	23°C / 73°F	10
Aug	31°C / 88°F	24°C / 75°F	8
Sep	27°C / 81°F	21°C / 70°F	11
Oct	22°C / 71°F	15°C / 60°F	10
Nov	17°C / 62°F	9°C / 48°F	7
Dec	12°C / 53°F	4°C / 39°F	5

Typical monthly averages for planning. Check a forecast closer to your trip.

Seasonal things to plan around

Late Mar–early AprCherry blossom (sakura) season — peak crowds and prices. Spectacular but plan accordingly.
Jun–early JulTsuyu rainy season; near-daily rain. Pack a compact rain shell.
Jul–AugHeat 30°C+ with high humidity; Tokyo summer is brutal. Convenience-store water and AC breaks essential.
Aug–OctTyphoon season; trains and flights occasionally disrupted. Check forecasts.

Common Tokyo packing mistakes

•Forgetting that Japan is 100V. Modern chargers work fine; older small appliances may not. Verify before assuming.
•No IC card setup. Manually buying tickets at every station with kids is slow and expensive; set up Suica or Pasmo on day 1.
•Casual flip-flops or athletic-wear-everywhere. Some traditional restaurants and temples have shoe-removal rules; clean socks matter. Tokyo families dress more put-together than the Anglo norm.
•Underestimating walking. Tokyo is bigger than London or Paris in terms of daily walking distances.
•No JPY cash on day 1. ATMs at airports work but get ahead of the curve — pull out ¥30,000 on arrival.
•Heavy luggage. Tokyo hotel rooms are small; train-station lockers and luggage forwarding (Yamato Transport) are standard tools.

Notes by where you're traveling from

From the US

•Flight: 11–14 hours direct from West Coast (LAX, SFO, SEA) or East Coast (JFK, IAD).
•Visa-free for stays up to 90 days; passport must be valid for stay.
•Adapter: Type A → A (same shape as US, but ungrounded; if your US plug has 3 prongs, you need a small adapter).
•Currency: yen via 7-Eleven ATMs. Cards work at major hotels and chains; cash for smaller spots.

From the UK

•Flight: 12–13 hours direct from London Heathrow to Tokyo Haneda (HND) or Narita (NRT).
•Visa-free for stays up to 90 days.
•Adapter: Type G → A. Voltage differs (UK 230V vs Japan 100V) — modern chargers usually handle both; appliances usually don't.
•Currency: pound to yen via 7-Eleven ATMs in Japan; better rates than UK exchange.

From Canada

•Flight: 11 hours direct from Vancouver, Toronto via Vancouver or West Coast US.
•Visa-free for stays up to 90 days.
•Adapter: Type A → A (same as Canada).
•Currency: yen via 7-Eleven ATMs.

From Australia

•Flight: 10 hours direct from Sydney/Brisbane to Tokyo. Most efficient long-haul Asia destination from Australia.
•Visa-free for stays up to 90 days.
•Adapter: Type I → A. Voltage differs (Australia 230V vs Japan 100V) — modern chargers usually handle both.
•Tokyo is one of the easier major-world-city trips from Australia given the direct flights and time-zone proximity (jet lag mild).

Venue and attraction rules

Tokyo DisneySea / Tokyo Disneyland: Both park-friendly. Bag scan at entry; standard size limits. Premier Access (Disney's paid skip-line) available. Stroller rentals on site.
Senso-ji Temple (Asakusa): Free; family-friendly walk through Nakamise Street. Stroller-accessible. Modest dress respectful but not enforced.
TeamLab Planets / Borderless: Immersive digital art. Bag scan + shoe removal in some rooms. Book timed entry weeks ahead. Family-favorite.
Ueno Zoo + Ueno Park: Family-friendly zoo, museums (Tokyo National Museum, Science Museum) all in walking distance.
Akihabara: Electronics + anime district. Family-friendly during the day; some adult-themed shops in side streets.
Day trip to Kyoto: 2h 15min by Shinkansen ($150 round-trip, faster than flying). Eki-ben for the train. Worth a 1-day visit if time allows.
Shinkansen (bullet train): Reserved seats recommended for families. Suica works for short-distance JR; long-distance shinkansen needs separate ticket. Strollers stow at the back of cars.

FAQ

Is Tokyo really family-friendly?

Yes — exceptionally so. Clean, safe, kid-friendly food everywhere, vending machines for hydration, public toilets clean and free. Children walk to school alone in Tokyo, which gives a sense of how safe the city is. The downside: language barrier in non-tourist areas, small hotel rooms, and traditional restaurants that have shoe-removal or floor-seating that toddlers might not handle well.

How does the IC card actually work?

Suica (JR East) or Pasmo (private rail) — same functionality. Tap on at the gate, tap off at the destination, fare auto-deducts. Works on virtually all Tokyo transit + buses + ferries + many shops + vending machines. You can buy a physical card at major stations (refundable deposit), or load a virtual Suica into iPhone Wallet (Apple Pay). Top up at any station kiosk.

Do we need to speak Japanese?

No, but a few phrases help (sumimasen, arigato, eigo wakarimasu ka — "do you speak English"). Most signage in central Tokyo and on subway is in English. Translate apps work well. Learning the basic etiquette (no talking on trains, queue politely, no tipping) is more important than language.

How many days for a first Tokyo trip?

5–7 days for Tokyo itself. Day 1: Shibuya + Harajuku. Day 2: Asakusa + Skytree. Day 3: Akihabara + Tokyo Station + Ginza. Day 4: Tokyo DisneySea or Disneyland. Day 5: Day trip to Kamakura or Hakone. Add 2–3 days if extending to Kyoto.

Best base neighborhood for families?

Shinjuku: most central for transit, biggest hotels, family-friendly. Tokyo Station / Marunouchi: convenient for shinkansen day trips, business-traveler hotels. Asakusa: traditional, cheaper, more atmospheric. Shibuya: young and busy, less family-quiet. Most families pick Shinjuku for first trips.

Do we need a visa from the UK / Canada / Australia / US?

No tourist visa for stays up to 90 days from any of these countries. A Japanese eTA system is being discussed for around 2030 but isn't in force as of April 2026.

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