Tokyo accommodation with Toddlers
 

Hello!

I’ve done a bunch of searches here and google and am still undecided. I’ve got a lot of time before our trip too.

I’ve been to Tokyo many times but never since having kids- (thanks covid).

when we travel in October I’ll have a 3.5 and a 1.25 year old. I’m not too worried about being near many attractions as 1- I’ve seen most before and 2- I know they are spread so widely that we’ll be travelling to them anyway.

my main priorities are:
1. being close to a station of any sort and a short walk to a Yamanote (JR green line) stop.
2. being close to a park and preferably one with a playground.
3. A moderately decent hotel or higher.

not too worried about food availability as konbinis and decent simple restuarants are everywhere.
not too worried about room size as we’ll either get 2 rooms or a twin suite if we can.
not worried about view etc either.

Have HH diamond so definitely looking at the Hilton, with a park with playground over the road. The Conrad which I prefer normally seems inconveniently far from a park, despite one being nearby on the map and it doesn’t have a playground.

not too keen on Airbnb or apartments unless serviced apartments in a hotel so we have restaurants and such on site.
I’d welcome all thoughts, with thanks.

I also understand odiaba will be mostly closed for the next few years so have discounted that Hilton already.

Looking at a stay just over a week before moving to a Disney area hotel for a few nights then home.

I think these are central, close to some green areas, and kid friendly. You might look at places around Yoyogi park too, but nothing leaps out at me.

Aoyama area -
Allamanda, Aoyama
https://hotel-allamanda-aoyama.jp/
Nippon Seinenkan
https://nippon-seinenkan.or.jp/

Shiba Park -
Prince Park Tower
https://www.princehotels.co.jp/parktower/

Marunouchi
Palace Hotel
https://www.palacehoteltokyo.com/

Ueno
Mimaru apartment hotel Ueno East
https://mimaruhotels.com/en

One of my kid’s favourite parks within Tokyo when she was about 4 years old was the Nikoniko Park at Meiji Jingu Gaien and there is the Mitsui Garden Hotel Jingu-Gaien Tokyo Premier just close by.
Closest station is Shinanomachi JR & Kokuritsu-Kyogijo on the Oedo line is also close by. See posts below

Only problem is that the playground was closed around the time of the Olympics and it appears to be in some kind of “soft” re-opening at the moment.

I cannot tell at all what the likelihood will be that the OP’s kids would be able to use this park next October. Does anybody know any more about the restoration of this facility?

Thank you all so far. It’s great to see my options. There appears to be a few parks around with playgrounds not too far away. Happy for more to consider, too.

When I go for a walk around the stadium I will take a look. They are doing some (unfortunate) construction in the area. There is a play ground/ forest area where part of the Kita-Aoyama public housing used to be.

Just for the record (since other people ger information from this site), it's spelled Odaiba, and it's certainly not "mostly closed for the next few years".

Although it isn’t somewhere at all recommendable as place to stay as a base from which to visit Tokyo, I do HIGHLY recommend the “Tove Jansson Akebono Children's Forest Park” as a place for a long visit with young children.

Take a picnic and give the kids plenty of time to let them explore. We have truly magical memories of this very special park.

Another place that is wonderful for small children (and just as absorbing for parents also) is the Koto City Fukugawa Edo Museum near Kiyosumi-Shirakawa Station. Again, not a recommendation for a base, although I’d personally prefer being here than Odaiba, I like the neighbourhood, Kiyosumi Gardens is a delight and the next door park has decent playground facilities.

also, sure, but most things I’d be keen on visiting seem to be going-
https://www.timeout.com/tokyo/news/p...lopment-072621

by the way, it’s spelled “get”, not “ger”…

Odaiba was kind of dated when stuff was not closing.

To quote a Joni Mitchell song " Paved paradise put up a parking lot".
There are a few "parks" around the National Stadium. One located adjacent to the Mitsui Garden Hotel and another adjacent to the golf range. The park adjacent to the hotel is open again , this is not a large park and is next to a ramp of the expressway. The other located across from the golf range is encircled by construction barriers. On the other side of the road , next to Japan Olympic Association /Museum building is a park that is under construction. I believe it will be ready next year. Unfortunately , Itochu/Yakult and the powers that be, are trying to forge ahead with the redevelopment of the Chichibu rugby stadium and Jingue Stadium. This will include ALL of the land which now has outdoor sports facilities in that area and the land and tower on Aoyama-Dori that Itochu owns.

Thank you for the on-the-ground update!!

FWIW - I’ll put the website up for the Nikoniko park にこにこパーク up as it seems to being kept updated:

??????????????

As of March 2023, this facility is currently only available to pre-booked groups.

As of December 2024, no change

Just stay at park hyatt and its close to Shinjuku Chuo Park. No need to overhink it. The best parks are not really in the central area. They plop a slide down and call it a park. This is nice but not central and on transit but hotels not so much.

飛鳥山公園 (Asukayama Koen)

Tamachi Station Area

Outside of my own budget range, the upmarket Pullman Tokyo Tamachi Hotel is definitely up high on the list with it being very close to JR Tamachi (Yamanote line) station as well as at least two smaller parks with charming children’s facilities; Honshiba park and Shibaura park.

This area has more economical lodging options also for anyone with similar requirements with a lower price tag.

Worth checking out if Shibaura House has any events on that coincide with your stay. It’s a wonderful community centre which occasionally runs workshops for children and hosts farmers’ markets, they have a Facebook page for anyone interested.

—-
And another contender is the South Ebisu area, it has a newish hotel
https://www.holichotel.jp/en/ebisu/room/
and a newly renovated toddler’s area in the nearby Ebisu Minami 2 park (Pig Park) which has grass in the play areas rather than the standard skin shredding gravel.
https://kids-rurubu-jp.translate.goo..._x_tr_pto=wapp

And to mix it up a bit, in case the older child is hankering for more challenging equipment, there is also Ebisu East Park, about 4 blocks to the North East of Ebisu Station.
There’s also Kageoka Park, which has a small but well designed climbing frame and slide combo, this is adjacent to Yebisu Garden Place. Also next to Yebisu Garden Place is Ebisu Minami 1 Park (squid park).