Tokyo with Kids 2026: Best Family Attractions, Zoo, Aquariums and the Ghibli Museum

Traveling to Tokyo with children, the usual sticking points are which attractions work for kids, whether you need to book, and which days things are closed. This guide covers the family attractions confirmed as of October 2026: Ueno Zoo, the Ghibli Museum, Kasai Rinkai Aquarium, Sanrio Puroland, Sumida Aquarium and Tokyo Disney, with prices, closing days, booking methods and itinerary suggestions. Two recent changes to know about: Ueno's giant pandas have gone back to China, and Miraikan is closed for renovation.

Tokyo Family Attractions at a Glance: Prices, Closing Days and Reservations

In short: the metropolitan zoo and aquarium are free for elementary-school children and younger and need no reservation, making them the cheapest options, while the Ghibli Museum and Sanrio Puroland always require a ticket or reservation in advance.

Prices come from each facility's official site^[1][4][5][6]. When a closing day falls on a Japanese national holiday, it usually shifts to the following day, so check each venue's calendar.

Ueno Zoo: Free for Elementary-School Kids and Easy to Reach

In short: Ueno Zoo (Ueno Onshi Zoological Gardens) is the easiest family attraction to fit into Tokyo. It is about a 5-minute walk from the Park Exit of JR Ueno Station, free through 6th grade, and you can see the main areas in half a day.

• Hours: 9:30 to 17:00, with entry and ticket sales until 1 hour before closing^[1].
• Closing days: Mondays (the next day if Monday is a holiday) and December 29 to January 1; the zoo is open on some Mondays^[1].
• Admission: 600 yen for adults, 300 yen for ages 65 and over, 200 yen for junior high students, and free for elementary-school students and younger^[1].
• Free admission days: March 20, May 4 and October 1 (Tokyo Citizens' Day)^[1].
• Payment: staffed windows accept cards, transit IC cards such as Suica, and barcode payments such as PayPay^[1].

The Pandas Are Back in China: What Is There to See Now?

Many parents remember Ueno's pandas, but the twins Xiao Xiao and Lei Lei left Ueno on January 27, 2026 and arrived at the Ya'an base in China on January 31^[3]. Don't be disappointed: the East Garden near the main gate has elephants, polar bears, tigers and gorillas, the West Garden has giraffes, hippos, rhinos and the very popular shoebill, and near Benten Gate there is the children's zoo "Step" (すてっぷ)^[2].

Getting Around with a Stroller

The zoo has three entrances: the main gate, Benten Gate and Ikenohata Gate^[2]. The walk from the Park Exit of JR Ueno Station to the main gate is the flattest. Strollers can be rented next to the rest area in the West Garden (at Ikenohata Gate, rental is available only on weekends and holidays)^[2]. There is a slope between the East and West Gardens, so for small children with little stamina, it is better to explore one area in depth.

Ghibli Museum: Tickets Go on Sale on the 10th, Not at the Door

In short: the Ghibli Museum (三鷹の森ジブリ美術館) sells dated, timed tickets only through Lawson Ticket. Next month's tickets go on sale at 10:00 on the 10th of each month, and popular slots sell out instantly, so secure tickets first and plan the rest around them^[4].

Ghibli Museum Ticket Rules

1. Sales channel: the Lawson Ticket (ローチケ) site. Overseas visitors can use the English Lawson Ticket site or buy through the JTB group. The museum does not sell tickets on site^[4].
2. Sale date: tickets for "next month" go on sale at 10:00 on the 10th of each month; for example, December tickets go on sale on November 10^[4].
3. Entry times: one slot every hour from 10:00 to 16:00. You must enter within 1 hour after your slot begins, and there is no time limit once inside (open until 18:00)^[4].
4. Prices: 1,000 yen for adults and university students, 700 yen for junior and senior high students, 400 yen for elementary-school students and 100 yen for ages 4 and up; children under 4 are free and need no reservation^[4].
5. Ticket delivery: from entry dates in November 2026, tickets are browser e-tickets or paper tickets from Lawson convenience stores^[4].
6. Closing days: Tuesdays, plus occasional irregular closures^[4].

The Ghibli Museum is next to Inokashira Park in Mitaka. From JR Mitaka Station you can take the community bus or stroll along the Tamagawa Josui; walking from Kichijoji Station through Inokashira Park is also popular and lets the kids burn off energy.

Kasai Rinkai Aquarium vs Sumida Aquarium: How to Choose

In short: for lots of space, a tuna school and penguins on a low budget, choose Kasai Rinkai Aquarium; for an indoor option that is easy to reach and pairs with Skytree, choose Sumida Aquarium.

Kasai Rinkai Aquarium

• A Tokyo metropolitan aquarium, open 9:30 to 17:00 (ticket sales until 16:00) and closed on Wednesdays^[5].
• Adults 700 yen, junior high students 250 yen, ages 65 and over 350 yen, and free for elementary-school students and younger^[5].
• It sits inside Kasai Rinkai Park, which has a large lawn and a Ferris wheel, so it works as a half-day to full-day outdoor outing. It is reached from Kasai-Rinkai Koen Station on the JR Keiyo Line, the same line as Maihama (Disney), so you can pair them on consecutive days.

Sumida Aquarium

• It is inside Tokyo Skytree Town and fully indoors, so it works on rainy days.
• Web tickets go on sale 30 days before the visit date. In peak season they are date- and time-specific, and slots sold out online are no longer sold at the ticket machines on site^[8]. Check the official site for prices.

Sanrio Puroland: An Indoor Theme Park, So Reserve First

In short: Sanrio Puroland (サンリオピューロランド) is an indoor theme park in Tama. Ticket prices vary by date, and on top of the ticket you also need a "visit reservation"; without one you will be refused entry^[7].

• Age categories: adult tickets are for ages 18 and over; ages 3-17 (including high school students) and 65 and over get the child/senior ticket; ages 2 and under are free^[7].
• Ticket types: the all-day "Day Passport" and the "Afternoon Passport" for entry from 14:00, priced by date^[7].
• Reservations: the official calendar shows each day's price and reservation status, and if spaces are open, you can also reserve on the same day^[7].

Kids who love Hello Kitty, My Melody and Kuromi usually spend most of the day here, and being fully indoors makes it especially good in the summer heat or the rain.

Latest on Tokyo Disney and Miraikan

Tokyo Disney is still the centerpiece of a family trip. Tickets use variable pricing: from October 2026, a one-day adult ticket tops out at 12,400 yen and a child ticket (ages 4-11) at 5,900 yen, and line-skipping is now the paid DPA. Families with young children mostly choose Disneyland first; for a detailed comparison and the DPA rules, see the Tokyo Disney guide.

Miraikan (the National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation, in Aomi near Odaiba) used to be the top rainy-day pick, with the "Oya? Kko Hiroba" (おや？っこひろば) where parents and kids explore science together, but its official site announces a renovation closure from October 1, 2026 to April 22, 2027^[6]. Plan other sights for that period.

How to Plan a Tokyo Family Trip: 3-Day Example

In short: plan only 1-2 main sights a day, link attractions in the same area, and lock in the ones that need reservations first; that is the least tiring way to do Tokyo with kids.

• For transport, get IC cards for the whole family; see the Tokyo transport guide for how to ride, and the Suica guide for the difference between children's IC cards and the mobile Suica.
• Staying in Ueno or along JR lines is the easiest for getting around with a stroller; compare areas in where to stay in Tokyo.
• To add more classic sights, see Tokyo attractions 2026 and the 5-day, 4-night Tokyo itinerary.

Before You Go

• Plan around closing days first: Ueno is closed Mondays, the Ghibli Museum Tuesdays and Kasai Wednesdays. The three happen to fall on different days, so check them against your schedule and you won't turn up to a closed gate.
• Get tickets before fixing the itinerary: the Ghibli Museum goes on sale on the 10th and Sanrio Puroland needs a visit reservation, so settle these two first and then plan the other days.
• Bring ID: junior high student discounts require a student ID, and discounts for ages 65 and over require proof of age^[1].
• Travelers from Taiwan can fly into Haneda or Narita; with kids, Haneda is the better choice because it is faster to reach the city. Families with a lot of luggage can consider luggage delivery in Japan so the adults have free hands for pushing the stroller.