Senso-ji Temple boasts a history of more than 1,400 years and is one of Tokyo’s most-visited sightseeing spots. The premises are barrier-free and comfortably accessible for people using wheelchairs or families with strollers. The temple approach called Nakamise-dori Street, the Hozomon Gate, and the Main Hall are all on the same ground level, inviting for a leisurely stroll without having to worry about stairs. The only stairs that you will encounter are the few directly at the main hall, but elevators and slopes provide easy-to-access alternatives.

All public restrooms in the area are equipped with baby care rooms to quickly and comfortably change a dirty diaper. A special highlight for the little ones is the many shops in Nakamise-dori Street, selling all sorts of candy and toys, both modern and traditional! If your little ninja is looking for the appropriate gear and (harmless) weapons, this is the right place to go.

There is a designated barrier-free route into Senosji Temple’s Main Hall for people visiting with a stroller.

1: Go left as you look towards the Main Hall and look for a small red building at the corner.
2: Turn opposite of this building and you’ll find the elevator.
3: After getting off the elevator, go left via the slope in front of you.
4: You’ll arrive at the Main Hall. It’s free to visit with a stroller.

Admission: free
Hours: 6:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., from 6:30 a.m. between October and March
Closed: always open (inquiries are from 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. on Sundays and national holidays)
Access: Asakusa Station (Tokyo Metro), 5 minutes on foot
Asakusa Station (Tobu Railway), 5 minutes on foot
Asakusa Station (Toei Subway), 5 minutes on foot
Asakusa Station (Tsukuba Express), 5 minutes on foot

The Panda Café might be one of Asakusa’s most popular gourmet hot spots, especially among Tokyo’s families with children. The first floor boasts a relaxed, tropical-style interior in black and red. One of the fun quirks of Panda Café is that large panda plushies at the table invite diners to sit down and share a nice meal with them! There’s plenty of space to park strollers and the café offers two baby chairs and five baby cots for rent.

The second floor is the “parent-and-child café” with a comfortable tatami floor to play on. Generally, it costs 1,058 yen per person for 2 hours (518 yen for children between 3 and 5, free for children aged 2 and younger), including an all-you-can-drink offer for various beverages. The food and drinks served at Panda Café are wonderfully original and many of them almost too adorable to eat. From the cute panda-faced desserts and tropical drinks to healthy dishes for lunch and dinner, the choice is plentiful and sure to make even picky eaters happy.

Café: 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Lunch: 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Dinner: 6:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m. (Thursdays to Saturdays), 6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. (Sundays)
Closed: always open (dinner is Thursdays to Sundays only)
Access: Asakusa Station (Toei Subways, Tokyo Metro, Tobu Railway), 10 minutes on foot
Tawaramachi Station (Tokyo Metro), 3 minutes on foot

Asakusa Mugitoro is a famous restaurant specializing in the traditional dish called mugitoro, or grated yam with cooked wheat. The restaurant dates back to 1929 and boasts a location that is close to Sumida River. Oftentimes, you’ll see people queueing to get into the popular place. Its specialty, mugitoro, is best enjoyed in a reasonably priced set menu that comes with sides such as sashimi or tempura. On weekdays between 11:00 a.m. and 1:30 p.m., Asakusa Mugitoro also offers a “mugitoro all-you-can-eat” for a mere 1,000 yen per person. Both the first and the second floor offer enough room for strollers and the traditional Japanese cushion seats provide comfort and a casual atmosphere. Don’t worry about climbing stairs, an elevator takes you to the restaurant’s upper floor. Children’s dishes and sets are, of course, plentifully represented as well.

Hours: 11:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. (last order at 3:00 p.m.), 5:00 p.m. – 10:30 p.m. (last order at 9:00 p.m.)
Saturdays, Sundays, and national holidays: 11:00 a.m. – 10:30 p.m. (last order at 9:00 p.m.)
Closed: always open
Access: Asakusa Station (Toei Subway), 1 minute on foot
Asakusa Station (Tokyo Metro), 3 minutes on foot
Asakusa Station (Tobu Railway), 4 minutes on foot

If you leave Senso-ji Temple’s premises towards north and pass a traffic light just behind Kanon-do, you’ll find yourself in front of Café Michikusa after a short 5-minute walk. It’s right next top a scenic little park called Fuji Park. The place is a wonderful blend of natural and stylish, delighting mainly local parents and office workers with their amazing dishes. The café explicitly states that even small children are very welcome, and thus there’s plenty of space for strollers as well.

We highly recommend Café Michikusa’s pancakes – it’s been the café’s best-seller ever since its opening six years ago. They’re fluffy and light, tasting even better with freshly whipped cream and vanilla ice cream! If you’re looking for a “proper” lunch, the café has you covered with a daily changing lunch menu, offering yummy dishes such as omurice (omelet rice) for 850 yen or hashed beef and clam chowder for 880 yen.

Hours: 11:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. (open until 6:00 p.m. on Saturdays, Sundays, and national holidays)
Closed: Fridays, irregularly
Access: Asakusa Station (Tokyo Metro), 12 minutes on foot
Asakusa Station (Tobu Railway), 13 minutes on foot

The station that is closest to all of Asakusa’s main sightseeing spots is Asakusa Station. However, there are four sub-stations served by the Toei Asakusa Line, the Tokyo Metro Ginza Line, the Tobu Skytree Line, and the Tsukuba Express respectively. Elevators from the ticket gate floor to the ground floor are available at every station and thus really stroller-friendly. Let’s take a look at the elevators and exits of each sub-station.

1) Toei Subway Asakusa Line’s Asakusa Station

1: Take the elevator from the platform to the ticket gate.
2: Be careful to not pass through the “Kaminarimon” ticket gates nearby! Instead, follow the signs saying “Elevator Up A2-b.”
3: Take the “Komagatabashi” ticket gates. Turn left at the end of the passage.
4: Take the elevator to the ground floor and leave via Exit A2-b. From here, it’s a 3-minute walk to Kaminarimon Gate.

2) Tokyo Metro Ginza Line’s Asakusa Station

1: Pass through the “Kaminarimon” ticket gates right next to platform 2.
2: Continue towards Exit 1 Senso-ji and Kaminarimon
3: Don’t take the stairs on the right but instead go straight ahead until you can turn right. The elevator is right there.
4: Take the elevator up and you’ll find yourself opposite of Asakusa Town Hotel. From there, it’s a 1-minute walk to Kaminarimon Gate.

3) Tobu Railway Tobu Skytree Line’s Asakusa Station

1: After leaving the platform, take the “Front” ticket gates on the second floor.
2: Make a U-turn and ignore the escalator and elevator in front.
3: Turn left at the end of the passage and you’ll see another elevator.
4: It descends to the first floor. From there, it’s a 3-minute walk to Kaminarimon Gate.

4) Tsukuba Express’ Asakusa Station

1: Take the elevator in the center of the platform to the ticket gates on the first basement floor and pass through them.
2: Turn left right after the ticket gates. Continue straight until the end and turn left again.
3: You’ll find an elevator between coin lockers and stairs.
4: The elevator will take you to Exit A1, near Kokusai-dori Street. It’s a 5-minute walk to Senso-ji Temple from there (and 10 minutes to Kaminarimon Gate).

There are the public toilets with baby care and nursing rooms around Senso-ji Temple:

■ Nursing Rooms (diaper changing etc. also possible):
・ Asakusa Culture Tourist Information Center 2F – right next to Kaminarimon Gate
・ Asakusa EKIMISE (5F) – 3 minutes from Kaminarimon Gate
・ Asakusa ROX 3G (3F) – 5 minutes from Kaminarimon Gate
・ Asakusa ROX (5F) – 6 minutes from Kaminarimon Gate
・ Sumida Ward Office (2F) – 12 minutes from Kaminarimon Gate (may be closed)

■ Toilets with Baby Care Rooms
・ Asakusa Public Hall – 3 minutes from Kaminarimon Gate
・ Tobu Railway Asakusa Station (2F), multi-purpose toilet – 2 minutes from Kaminarimon Gate
・ Nakamise-dori Street, next to Toilet No. 4 “Kibidango Asakusa” – 2 minutes from Kaminarimon Gate
・ Senso-ji Temple Grounds, East Side – 5 minutes from Kaminarimon Gate
・ Senso-ji Temple Main Hall – 7 minutes from Kaminarimon Gate

For the little ones, temple sightseeing can get boring rather quickly. Thankfully, Asakusa has a plethora of fun amusement and sightseeing spots to offer:

When it comes to daycare facilities in the area, our warmest recommendation is Silicon Valley Academy. It’s a bilingual center that incorporates state-of-the-art education methods developed in the US’ Silicon Valley to guarantee an exciting, challenging day full of fun. In addition to regular classes for the local children, the place offers a daycare service for international tourists specifically (generally from 8:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.). for children between 2 and 5 years old. The staff doesn’t only speak Japanese, but also English, Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, Tagalog, and Swedish – seven languages in total!

The kids get to enjoy free play time in the garden equipped with the newest playground equipment, designed to stimulate a child’s growth. The lunch served is made out of non-additive and domestic ingredients and allergies will be taken into account if the lunch is pre-ordered. Additionally, Wi-Fi cameras are installed at the facility, allowing you to check in on your kid via smartphone while sightseeing.

Silicon Valley Academy is located in Meguro and it takes about 45 minutes by train to get from the nearby Komazawa-daigaku Station to Asakusa Station. The daycare center also offers taxi services for an extra fee (for example, a one-way ride from any hotel in nearby Shibuya costs 4,000 yen). Applications for daycare are accepted seven days in advance via e-mail (info@siliconvalleyacademy-school.com).

Price:
12,000 yen for one day (8:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.), 250 yen for every 10-minute extension.
Included in the price are the childcare fee, the facility/system fee, lunch, snacks, diapers, and diaper changing.
Hours: 8:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. (extended hours are possible: 7:00 a.m. – 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.)
Closed: Saturdays, Sundays (open on Saturdays if there are more than 5 applicants)
Access: Komazawa-daigaku Station (Tokyo Den-en-toshi Line), 10 minutes on foot, 3 minutes by car

Asakusa, one of Tokyo’s most popular tourist spots, is a perfect place to explore Old Japan for the entire family! Especially Senso-ji Temple and its surrounding area is stroller-friendly and invites you to a full day of fun and excitement. Even the nearby cafés and restaurants welcome even the littlest ones with hospitality and a smile!