Japan for Kids: Pikachu Is Just the Start

25.07.2024 - 09:23 / nytimes.com

Japanese cities like Tokyo and Kyoto, are traditionally known for shrines, temples and historic cultural sites. But as the birthplace of anime, manga and, of course, Pokémon, Japan is also a pop culture powerhouse and a hotbed of kid-friendly activities, from practicing ninja skills to spending time with Snorlax.

For a family trip, “the beauty of Japan is you can walk five steps and easily attract the attention of a child,” said Ramesh Krishan, who goes by the name RamKy and whose company, Japan Unfiltered, specializes in candid tours of Tokyo, Mount Fuji and other destinations. “It could be a capsule toy-dispensing machine, a karaoke bar with interesting desserts on display, or even the peppy music heard playing inside train stations.”

Here are six stops on a family-oriented tour of the country’s most-visited cities.

Securing reservations at this wildly popular concept cafe at the base of the Tokyo Skytree can feel more difficult than scoring front row seats to a Taylor Swift concert, but fans of Kirby, the lovable pink blob that first appeared on the Nintendo Game Boy in 1992, keep trying. Reservations for the next month are released online on the 10th day of the month at 6 p.m. Japan Standard Time. Even if you get the timing right, the site routinely crashes. But you can skip the red tape and grab a table using the Kirby Café Bot, an online service that scores reservations for $7.50 per person for up to eight guests. Once in the door you’ll be treated to food, décor and all things Kirby: Eat Kirby burgers sandwiched between smiling pink buns, playful pizzas topped with star-shaped fried eggs, and Whispy Woods feast plates featuring Kirby’s enemy, an apple tree, whose trunk doubles as a ramekin containing potato salad. Tip: Pair your meal with a visit to the Skytree — at 2,080 feet, it’s the world’s tallest free-standing tower and offers unending 360-degree views of Tokyo from its glassed-in observation deck.

Of Tokyo’s four Pokémon Centers, this one in the Nihonboshi business district is one of the biggest, but the main draw is the Pokémon Café, yet another concept cafe for which it’s nearly impossible to get reservations. For this one you have to go online 31 days before your visit precisely at 6 p.m. Japan Standard Time. Or you can just pay: A service called Reserve Japan will do the heavy lifting for a whopping $24.90 per guest (your kids will thank you). At the cafe you can drink yellow-tinted, Pikachu-themed lemon soda floats and frothy lattes served in red and white pokéball cups before digging into dishes like Snorlax’s Full-Belly Naptime Lunch Plate, featuring a shrimp rice pilaf inside a dish that resembles the fat, sleepy Pokémon (also served with grilled chicken, fried potato and a salad