Charlotte studied and lived in Tokyo before settling in both Rotterdam and Paris with Julien (Japanese/French) and their two daughters Lila (5yr) and Ima (2yr). She worked as a film programmer for ten years and has always written about film and art.
Each year, the family returns to Tokyo for work and family, and every year, friends and acquaintances ask Charlotte how she survives the metropolis with two young children.
That’s what inspired her to create Coffee and Lullabies.
In her guide and online travel journal, her passions for writing, photography, and travel come together.
The guide includes 50 restaurants with amazing food, lot’s of coffee places where kids can play, tips and tricks for travelling with children in Japan and many offbeat activities.
Japanese people are generally soft on young children whether it’s their kids, or yours; You will often hear them say kawaii, meaning cute, at the playground.
What I love about travelling with children in general, is that you get in touch with the local community more easily.
The bar used to be my favourite spot for that, but now it’s the playground.
Japanese parents and obāchan (granny’s) are open when you are with children, or maybe it is the other way around: our children make
contact with each other and therefore we, the parents, start talking as well.
An extra relief – at least for me – is that in Japan people don’t touch your children without asking – they will just tell you kawaii (cute).
I don’t feel comfortable with people randomly touching my baby or child, which happens all the time in for example Vietnam.
In Tokyo this wouldn’t happen, because especially in Tokyo, people live by strict social norms.
There are many customs in Japan, but here are a few that are important and that are useful to know when travelling with children.
Being loud in Japan is frowned upon: never play music or video games out loud; always use headphones, especially in a public transport!
When young children are laughing and playing a little loudly, this is no issue – people are understanding.
Know that in spite of that
Japanese parents are strict when it comes to their own children being noisy, from a very young age!
Children can be children, but they can’t bother other people.
Use your “small voice” at all times.
In Japan it is customary to take off shoes in homes, schools, bathhouses, but even in restaurants you are often asked to take off your shoes, especially when there are tatami rooms.
When you use public transport make sure your children take off their shoes when they play on the seats at all times.
Don’t worry if you forget, because people will tell you (with their eyes).
They really don’t like it when children touch the fabric of the seats with their outside shoes.
In Japan people don’t eat while they are on the move.
It is not frowned upon like playing music out loud, but it is considered sloppy.
It is different with children of course and to tell you the truth, I often shove an onigiri (rice ball) in my mouth while pushing the stroller – sloppy as I may be.
Eating on local public transport is really not done.
In Shinkansen and on other train rides that get you out of the city however, people go all out and bring bento boxes, snacks and beers.
With these three ‘rules’ in mind you are good to go!
And I’m sharing some of my favourite spots in Tokyo that are perfect to visit with your kids.
Starting an undoubtedly chaotic and intense day in Tokyo has to be with a calm and good coffee. I’ve tried plenty of them! Two of my favourite places to start the day are:
Blue Bottle Coffee is a chain coffee shop, but their coffee is really good and they have shops in some amazing locations. Also: they open at 8:00 while in the commercial centers lot’s of shops open at 11:00, late when you are with kids.
The Shibuya location is beautiful, it provides a calm relief after dealing with humans and car traffic around Shibuya crossing. The modern designed, wooden building is situated in a square park where your children can play safely.
If they are too small to play alone, there is a spacious terrace outside as well.
Next to Nakameguro Station you find Onibus Coffee, a great coffee stand, with few seats available.
The best part of this coffee place is that you have a small playground next to it with a public toilet.
We’d often go to get croissants at the bakery shop nearby, then coffee at Onibus Coffee and spend an hour at the playground, drinking, eating and playing.
There are so many food options in Tokyo and regarding the quality it’s almost hard to go wrong. However, I share some of my favourite local spots for you:
Yes. Crêpes. And your kids probably love them just as much as mine. They are not made with buckwheat flour – as you could have expected in Japan – but with wheat flour and they are filled with cream, custard, fruits and even ice cream if you like.
Marion Crepes, on Takeshita Dori in Harajuku, is the most famous one and has been
making crepes for decades.
For sweet hunger, I highly recommend a Taiyaki, a waffle in the shape of a fish, with anko (sweet red azuki bean paste) inside. Or matcha, chocolate, chestnut or whatever the season of the moment has to offer.
I love this place and I have been coming here for years. It’s situated very close to Nakameguro Station and the sweets will make you come back.
This onigiri (rice ball) shop is next to Setagaya Park and it’s simply perfect.
Onigiri and natural wine are sold together. The prices of the wine are no joke, but the onigiri is priced well and everything is super delicious.
This chaotic, tatami, sushi restaurant is a wonderful experience for the whole family.
Good food – many vegetarian options too, although they like to add something fishy in some dishes that would otherwise be vegetarian – good drinks and a great, lively atmosphere.
I highly recommend the wasabi maki!
High end Japanese food, but so kind and welcoming to kids! Very good for a date night too!
There are private, tatami rooms where you can sit with young kids. They ask not to bring children under 6 years old on weekends, but otherwise they are super welcome.
My ultimate favourite thing to do in Tokyo might just be walking around all day, watching people and taking photos. However, since I have kids, that has become a bit more challenging.
We still walk a lot, accompanied by strollers and even kickboards, but the guide is full of fun, local activities, gallery routes, pools and small, colourful museums.
Don’t confuse this museum with the new huge attraction park in Nagoya! This is only a small museum in Kichijoji, a very charming neighbourhood.
The museum is really nice and full of lovely details of the films, but also of the studio itself. The museum is situated in Inokashira Park, which is very beautiful as well.
You can rent a (swan) boat and enjoy the lake.
If you visit during the Sakura season, this is a park that is less busy, but very suitable for hanami, flower viewing. It’s a 20-minute walk from Kichijoji Station, of which a majority of the walk goes through a park. Lovely!
A sento is a Japanese public bath, not to be confused with onsen, hot water springs. We love visiting sento when we are in Tokyo.
However, keep in mind that the bathhouses, especially fancy and bigger ones, often don’t approve of tattoos.
The more local ones or brand new ones don’t seem to care. Outside of Tokyo it is even easier.
This sento is situated in the Omotesando, a popular shopping district, with four different types of baths!
There is a ‘milky bath’ which is not too hot and my kids love it. However, it’s a bit strict. You need to tie your hair, but so does your kid; and tattoos are a no go. It opens until 23:00 every day, also good if you suffer from jet-lag and such.
Taro Okamoto wass an incredible Japanese avant-garde artist, who created paintings as well as incredible, playful sculptures.
His studio and house for over forty years was turned into the Taro Okamoto Memorial Museum only two years after his death. His wife led the reconstruction because she wanted to pass on his knowledge and passion.
We are forever grateful she did. It’s one of the best museums I have visited and a wonderful experience with children.
His colourful works speak to them as much as to us.
By Charlotte
Coffee and Lullabies is more than just a guide—it’s a love letter to Tokyo, seen through the eyes of a mother, a traveler, and a storyteller. Whether you’re planning a family trip or simply dreaming of one, Charlotte’s insights make navigating the city with kids both magical and stress-free.
Grab her tips and start your Tokyo adventure!
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