5-Day Tokyo Itinerary With Kids From a Nerima Base

A good 5-day Tokyo itinerary with kids has one big outing a day, a rest every afternoon, and short train rides. From a base in Nerima or Ekoda, that is easy: the Harry Potter studio is one stop from Nerima, Ikebukuro is about 6–8 minutes from Ekoda, and Ueno Zoo is one change beyond that. Here is the plan we give families staying in our houses, day by day.

It assumes kids roughly 4 to 12, a stroller for the youngest, and a house with a kitchen so breakfast and most dinners happen at home.

The plan at a glance

Day	Main outing	Travel from the base	Afternoon
1	Arrive, settle in, local walk	None	Supermarket run, early night
2	Warner Bros. Studio Tour Tokyo	Toshimaen, 1 stop from Nerima	Rest at the house
3	Ikebukuro and Sunshine City	About 6–8 minutes from Ekoda	Rest, or a park
4	Ueno Zoo and Ueno Park	Via Ikebukuro and the JR Yamanote Line	Optional Asakusa by taxi
5	Big local park	Seibu Ikebukuro Line or Toei Oedo Line	Laundry and packing

Day 1: Arrive and settle in

Check-in at our houses is from 3:00 p.m., and it is self-service with a code sent before arrival. From Haneda, our check-in guide puts the trip to Ekoda at about 55–65 minutes by train; from Narita, about 85–95 minutes via the Narita Express to Ikebukuro.

Once you are in, do one supermarket run for breakfast food, milk and snacks, then walk the neighborhood for half an hour. At Sakaecho and Ekoda there is a supermarket, a convenience store and a drugstore within a few minutes' walk. Keep the evening quiet. Jet-lagged kids do better with a full first night than with a first-night outing.

Day 2: The Harry Potter studio

The Warner Bros. Studio Tour Tokyo – The Making of Harry Potter is at Toshimaen, one stop from Nerima on the Seibu Toshima Line. Two rules shape the day:

• Tickets are sold only in advance on the official site, for a set date and entry time. They are not sold at the door.
• You need to enter within 30 minutes of your entry time, so leave a buffer on the train.

Book a morning slot and plan for at least half a day inside. Kids are usually tired by mid-afternoon, which is when you head back to the house. For step-by-step routes, read how to get to Harry Potter Studio Tokyo from Ekoda, and for age tips, Harry Potter Studio Tokyo with kids.

Day 3: Ikebukuro and Sunshine City

Ikebukuro is the nearest big hub, about 6–8 minutes by Seibu Ikebukuro Line train from Ekoda. Leave after 9:30 a.m. to miss the weekday rush, when trains are too full for a stroller.

Sunshine City, a short walk from the station's east side, has an aquarium with a rooftop area, plus shops and restaurants under one roof, which makes it a good choice in any weather. Aquarium prices vary by day, and on weekends and holidays a timed reservation is recommended, so check the Sunshine City website before you go. Come back for lunch or an afternoon rest at the house.

Day 4: Ueno Zoo and Ueno Park

From Ikebukuro, the JR Yamanote Line runs to Ueno without a change. Ueno Zoo opens 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (last entry 4:00 p.m.), is closed on Mondays (or the next day when Monday is a public holiday), and closes from December 29 to January 1. At the time of writing, children under 12 enter free and adult tickets are ¥600 (about US$4); check the zoo's official site for current fees.

The zoo is large and hilly in parts, so bring the stroller. Ueno Park around it has open space and benches for a picnic lunch. If the kids still have energy, Asakusa and Senso-ji are a short taxi ride away. If not, head home.

Day 5: A big park near the base

End the trip close to home. Two large parks are easy from our houses:

• Shakujii Park: ponds, wooded paths and space to run, by Shakujii-koen Station on the Seibu Ikebukuro Line, a few stops west of Nerima.
• Hikarigaoka Park: a large, flat park with big lawns, near Hikarigaoka Station at the end of the Toei Oedo Line from Nerima.

Our guide to parks in Tokyo for kids near Ekoda and Nerima covers playgrounds and smaller local parks. Spend the afternoon on laundry and packing; every house has a washing machine, so you can fly home with clean clothes.

Good swaps for your kids' interests

• Ghibli Museum, Mitaka. Tickets are date-and-time only and sold in advance. International sales open on the 10th of each month at 10:00 a.m. Japan time for the following month, through Lawson Ticket, and popular dates sell out fast.
• A free view over Tokyo. From Nerima, the Toei Oedo Line runs directly to Tochomae for the free observation decks at the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building. It is a good rainy-day option.
• December trips. Add an early-evening light display; sunset is around 4:30 p.m. See Tokyo in December with kids.

Why stay in Nerima or Ekoda with kids?

Our houses give a family two or three bedrooms, a kitchen and a washing machine, in quiet residential streets with direct trains to Ikebukuro. Nana House Nerima, one stop from the studio, sleeps 6 from ¥12,000 (about US$80) a night; Nana House Ekoda sleeps 8 from ¥14,000 (about US$93); Sakaecho, 3 minutes from Ekoda Station, sleeps 9 from ¥25,000 (about US$167). Extra guests and a one-time cleaning fee are added. A baby bed and stroller are available on request. For a full comparison, see our guide to family apartments in Tokyo and the main guide to where to stay in Ekoda and Nerima.

FAQ

Is 5 days enough for Tokyo with kids?

Yes, for the highlights. Five days allows one main outing a day with afternoon rests, which keeps younger kids happy.

How far is the Harry Potter studio from Nerima?

One stop. Toshimaen Station is one stop from Nerima on the Seibu Toshima Line.

Do we need to book anything in advance?

Yes: the Harry Potter studio (advance tickets only) and the Ghibli Museum (sales open on the 10th of the previous month). Most parks and Ueno Zoo do not need advance booking.

Is a stroller practical on Tokyo trains?

Outside rush hour, yes. Avoid inbound trains from about 7:30 to 9:30 a.m. on weekdays.

Book your family base

Check dates for a 2-bedroom family house one stop from the Harry Potter studio. Tell us your kids' ages, and we will set up a crib or stroller before you arrive.

Dollar figures use ¥150 = US$1.