Are your kids into kawaii culture? Are they little fashionistas? Then they will love Harajuku. Make it part of your family trip to Tokyo. A district in Shibuya, Tokyo, it’s the center of cutting-edge Japanese street fashion and youth culture. We spent a whole day in Harajuku with our kids, and they had a blast!
We went on a weekend, so we expected crowds. But it didn’t bother us, as it only added to the energy and excitement. We also mapped out what to do and where to eat.
Getting to Harajuku begins in the historic, wooden Harajuku Station. Right across is the entrance to Takeshita-Dori, the most famous and photographed pedestrian street in Harajuku. Certainly spend a lot of time here. But you need to venture further into the back alleys of Ometesando, Cat Street, and Ura-Harajuku.
What to Do in Harajuku with Kids
1. Shop around
Shopping is what Harajuku is known for, so join the crowd! You’re missing half the fun if you don’t go through stacks and shelves of clothes. Skip the top brands and look for smaller boutiques.
My wife and kids enjoyed browsing, trying out, and buying shirts and blouses they wouldn’t find anywhere else. Our tween also found an anime store where she bought another haul of anime merch. My wife also had her haul of beauty products.
And, of course, you have to spend time at Kiddy Land, which is one of the highlights in Harajuku for kids. They will love checking out toys from Sanrio, Snoopy, Funassyi, Rilakkuma, Disney, Star Wars, and more.
2. Eat snacks
The second thing Harajuku is known for is all the cute and fun snacks, from crepes and ice cream to potato chips and cotton candy. The Japanese have a knack for transforming a lowly grilled cheese sandwich, for example, into a rainbow-colored grilled cheese sandwich!
We loved snacking on the tornado potato, corn dogs, and rainbow cheese toast at Long! Longer!! Longest!!! Another fun snack was the giant rainbow cotton candy at Totti Candy Factory. We also enjoyed the croquette and ice cream at Croquant Chou Zaku Zaku. And, of course, we made sure we ate crepes at the Harajuku institution, Marion Crepes.
3. Visit animal cafes
Japan popularized animal cafes, so visiting one or two was at the top of our list. Besides, who doesn’t like cute animals? Our kids certainly do. Harajuku with kids won’t be complete without a visit to at least one animal cafe.
There are so many options — cats, dogs, owls, hedgehogs, birds, rabbits, piglets, goats, ferrets, and even snakes! Dogs, birds, and rabbits are too common. Piglets and goats are too “farmy”. Snakes and reptiles were out of the question. Hedgehogs and ferrets are too small. So we narrowed it down to cats because cat cafes did launch this trend, and owls because they’re beautiful creatures, and you don’t see them every day.
We went to Cat Cafe MOCHA because their cats are cute and their interiors are pretty. And Owl’s Garden because their owls looked majestic and also the interiors were also dainty. And both have great reviews. Our kids loved every minute of it (and yes, you pay in increments of 10 minutes, so every minute counts!).
4. People watch
Tokyo teens and young adults go to Harajuku not just to shop but to dress up and be seen. Whether it’s kawaii, Goth, lolita, punk rock, rainbow colors, or cosplay, you’ll find all sorts of styles.
That’s why I enjoyed people-watching and taking photos of passers-by while my girls shopped. It’s just fun seeing the eclectic looks and odd characters walking around. And I’m sure it was an eye-opener for our kids as well.
Where to Eat in Harajuku
Harajuku is not the epicenter of Japanese cuisine. But it’s the hub for all sorts of gimmicky snacks. And you’ll find a culinary gem or two. Even if your children are not into shopping, eating in Harajuku with your kids is definitely something they will love.
1. Marion Crepes
Crepes are a staple in Harajuku, with crepe shops like Angel’s Heart and Santa Monica Crepes. But Marion Crepes is a pioneer in Harajuku, having set up shop in 1976. They offer dessert crepes (if you want something sweet) and savory crepes (if you’re a bit hungry). We had the strawberry and banana chocolate cheesecake cream. Yum!
2. Croquant Chou Zaku Zaku
I read good reviews about Croquant Chou Zaku Zaku. They’re known for their freshly baked cream puffs covered with crunchy croquant (which are made with almonds, sugar, and egg whites). We had the Croquant Chou and their ice cream, both delicious.
3. Totti Candy Factory
Every Instagram photo in Harajuku seems to include a giant rainbow cotton candy. They do look good in pictures. The most popular ones are sold by Totti Candy Factory. They are quite fun (and sticky) to eat, even though it’s just sugar.
4. Long! Longer!! Longest!!!
We really enjoyed what we ate at Long! Longer!! Longest!!!. Sure, it’s gimmicky, but the corndog, cheese toast, and fried potatoes are actually quite tasty. You choose the length of the Tornado potato (long, longer, or longest). They also sell cotton candy and churros with similar options.
5. Kaisen Misakiko
I had originally planned to eat late lunch at Harajuku Gyoza Lou, famous for being one of the best and cheapest gyoza restaurants in Harajuku. Sadly, my girls were, by that time, tired from walking and did not want to make the effort to look for it. So we ended up at Kaisen Misakiko, as we also had wanted to try eating at a sushi conveyor belt restaurant. We were not disappointed as we enjoyed eating sushi and sashimi. The kids loved using the ordering screen and watching the dishes (and the mini-Shinkansen) move around the conveyor belt.
6. Afuri
For dinner, I made it a point to bring the girls to Afuri. By this time, the kids have been enjoying different kinds of ramen, and Afuri offered a new twist. The restaurant has been making a splash in the Tokyo culinary scene and has earned a Michelin star. Their ramen featured lighter and refreshing chicken-based broth with citrusy yuzu, so it’s not rich and heavy like the typical tonkotsu ramen. The place was packed, but the turnover was fast. Needless to say, we all loved it!
