Products You May Like
Young-at-heart Japan is becoming popular with adventurous families, says David Smyth
In Tokyo, we invented a game – Baby or Dog? – that can be played whenever you are walking along the street behind a person pushing a buggy.
It works because in Japan, every time you glimpse what appears to be a parent trundling along ahead, there is roughly a 50/50 chance they will be wheeling a treasured pet in it. And if they are – bonus point alert – there’s another fair possibility that human and animal will be wearing identical jumpers.
We travelled to Japan with our twin eight-year-old daughters for the big stuff, of course: the pastel celebrations of cherry blossom season, during which the locals go collectively, pinkly, picnic mad.
We saw the Blade Runner view of the capital at night from the Roppongi Hills Observation Deck, the fashion madness of Harajuku, the scaly commotion of Tsukiji Fish Market and the masses flooding the giant crossing outside Shibuya Station. And with the Olympics taking place in Tokyo this summer (July 24-Aug 9), there’s another big reason to take the family there.
But what gave us the most joy in Tokyo, and has stayed with us since we returned to dull, old, sumo-less Britain, were the little things – the hourly reminders that this country has evolved on a gloriously different tangent from everywhere else.
Credit:
istock
You’ll have heard about the lavatory seats, naturally. Our daughters hadn’t. One button-pushing flurry, leaving the whole cubicle drenched in bumwash water, was the only thing that saved one of our girls from complete meltdown in Narita Airport after she had opted stubbornly for five consecutive aeroplane films over sleep. She entered on the verge of tears and came out damp and beaming.
Tokyo is perfect for children because essentially everybody who lives there is an eight-year-old kid at heart, from the boy-girl couples who dress identically to the suited salaryman reading a comic book on the subway.
Cuteness abounds. We skipped the animal cafés for ethical reasons, but spent hours in purikura stores – spaces packed with photo booths that make your eyes anime-large and then allow you to decorate yourselves with sparkles and cute stickers.
In the Line Friends store in Shibuya, we bought animal toys first created as stickers on Line, the Japanese equivalent of WhatsApp. Nearby, Shibuya’s Kawaii Monster Cafe, a Day-Glo restaurant with its own merry-go-round, remains the most insane dining experience of our lives.
The presence of vending machines every 100yd was another great novelty: readily available cans of too-sweet coffee, hot somehow; fizz with jelly bits inside whose flavour can only be described as purple.
Credit:
istock
While we did plan activities, such as hiring a private karaoke booth, our best times were spent wandering, wondering.
The best afternoon of all was the one we spent at the dog run in Yoyogi Park, where highly groomed pets could play in areas fenced according to size. Unclipped from their buggies, dirtying those outfits, they had almost as much fun as we did.
Six unforgettable things to do on a family break
Danielle Demetriou
Mori Building Digital Art Museum: teamLab Borderless
Tokyo’s futuristic interactive world has Hokusai-style waves, an Athletics Forest designed to boost children’s neuro-powers, and the Boing Boing Universe with big bouncing planets and trampolines. (borderless.teamlab.art)
Credit:
teamLab Borderless
Iga ninja village
This village in Mie Prefecture was home to the skilled assassins for centuries. Explore the ninja museum, dress up, watch shows, and learn to throw weapons. (iganinja.jp)
Kyoto manga museum
Housed in a former school, this comic Mecca has several floors of books, displays and 300,000 Manga items. It holds drawing workshops too. (kyotomm.jp/en)
Credit:
Kyoto Manga Museum
Japan olympic museum
Beside interactive exhibits, you can try out Olympic sports, from 100m sprint to target shooting, and compare your time with athletes. (japan-olympicmuseum.jp/en)
Risonare Nasu
Japan’s first agriturismo, Risonare Nasu recently opened its stylish doors in a stunning forest setting at the foot of Mount Nasu. It’s heaven for nature-loving children, with farming lessons, forest treasure hunts, crafts and campfires. (risonare.com/nasu/en)
Credit:
Risonare Nasu
Olympic surf fever
Tsurigasaki beach in Chiba will be cast into the spotlight this summer when it hosts the Olympics’ first surf competition. Tap into the nation’s surf fever by taking teens to explore its new beachside “surf street” of shops and restaurants, then rent boards and hit the waves. Tip: Ichinomiya Beach has smaller waves for beginners. (tokyo2020.org/en)
Inspiration for your inbox
Sign up to Telegraph Travel’s new weekly newsletter for the latest features, advice, competitions, exclusive deals and comment.
