TOKYO

Dear Curious and Creative, My two teenage sons and I visited the CupNoodles Museum the other day and absolutely enjoyed it. I have to admit I was quite surprised how entertaining and educational the entire museum was. Not only do you learn the history of the world famous Cup Noodles, …

Flying Tiger Copenhagen is a Danish design store that stocks a range of playful and affordable Scandinavian knick-knacks from party and holiday supplies to interior goods. The store is designed like a one-way street that leads you to an array of unique and originally designed products. The price ranges from the cheapest item …

I highly recommend the Suntory Museum Tea Ceremony if you have guests in town or have yet to experience a traditional Japanese tea ceremony yourself. The Suntory Museum offers a great value for visitors. I have yet to find a 1,000 JPY tea ceremony in such a lovely environment.  The …

2015 Update: Hill Valley Popcorn Factory now has over 10 locations in Japan, and new, delicious flavors! Stop by, eat-in or take home and enjoy! HILL VALLEY Popcorn Factory in Nakameguro serves fresh, delicious popcorn similar to Garrets in Chicago. They use non genetically modified corn and their flavors include Natural, …

*** BIKE RENTAL CLOSED MARCH 2019 *** Biking at the Imperial Palace is an enjoyable and economical way to spend your Sunday. You do not need to own a bike, nor be an expert biker. Sunday Biking at the Imperial Palace The Japan Bicycle Promotion Institute (JBPI), a non-profit organisation …

Ukai Tofuya at the base of Tokyo Tower in Shibakoen is one of my most favorite Tokyo culinary lunch destination. Ukai specializes in tofu cuisine, which compliments the seasonal fish and vegetables they also serve.  The restaurant is located in a lovely Japanese garden which adds to the excitement of …

If you are planning a day hike to Mt. Takao a must is to relax at the Keio Takaosan Onsen before you head back to Tokyo. The onsen facility offers both indoor and outside onsens which are very child. The Keio Takaosan Onsen is located right next to the station at the …

Roppongi Hills Hillside B2F is a great place to take your young kids. They have an indoor play area, an outdoor area for kids to run around, a Japanese Garden nearby, children`s clothing and toy stores, and infant & kid-friendly restaurants. Roppongi Hills Baby room notes Spacious Baby Room: 4 Diaper changing …

*** CAMDEN BLUE STAR DONUTS HAS CLOSED *** Camden Blue Star Donuts is a Portland-born doughnut shop that opened in Tokyo’s chic Daikanyama neighborhood in April 2015. Their unique and creative flavors have earned them the nickname “Donuts for Grownups”. The shop sits inside Fred Segal’s Mart in the Western-themed shopping …

Kageoka Playground (区立景丘公園) is a great spot to let your active kids burn off some energy. Just a 2 minute walk from the Ebisu Garden Place it`s conveniently located between the Shibuya-ku Ebisu branch Fire Department and the MLB Cafe; a nice spot to keep both parents and kids happy. Parents can …

We revisted Grill Burger Club Sasa in Daikanyama the other day. This down-to-earth local favorite has a casual 1960`s American Burger joint hipster feel. Their burgers are made with 100% Grade A Japanese beef with fresh vegetables, grilled onions and relish in whole wheat buns. They come in S/M/L (80g, 100g …

Playground Shibuya Kids is an indoor play space, located in Shibuya Tokyo, which opened in January 2016. The space is compact but filled with colorful hands-on toys, climbing and bouncing equipment. Playground Shibuya Kids was opened by a Japanese mom who has a toddler and struggled to find fun places …

The Japanese bamboo crafts at Take-no-Megumi in Moto Azabu are simple but so beautiful.  This wonderful little shop in Moto Azabu that has been in business for over 40 years. The founding family of Take-no-Megumi shop were originally manufacturers and wholesalers of bamboo products before opening their shop originally in …

If you love beautiful art that is highly utilitarian then I recommend shopping at Sugahara Glass Store in Aoyama, Tokyo.  I had never heard of the Sugahara glass until the concierge at the Grand Hyatt recommended as a “brilliant shop”.  Sugahara (SGH) is now one of favorite stores in Tokyo …

The Kawaii Monster Cafe in Harajuku is one of those places you go to and say “only in Japan.”  My 12-year-old and I went for lunch the other day and enjoyed environment (a mix of Manga and Willy Wonka) and food (visually very pleasing with average taste). As my 12-year-old …

One of my favorite place for a “mommy and kid” lunch is Salvatore Cuomo in Roppongi Hills. Salvatore Cuomo is conveniently located on the B2F level (Kids Level), and offers pasta, pizza and salad buffet from 11:00 – 15:00 for 800-1,500 JPY depending on age.  It is the perfect place …

Saru Shirogane is one of those restaurants that looks interesting from the outside, but you might not have tried it because it is slightly hidden under a highway overpass. However, Saru is not hiding anything; the staff can tell you exactly where each piece of meat or veggie originates from in …

Have you ever wondered how to make plastic food samples? You can enjoy making food samples the old fashion way with wax at Ganso Sample in Kappabashi, Tokyo (aka Kitchen Town located near Asakusa). Kappabashi is the main restaurant and kitchen supplies neighbourhood in Tokyo with over 150 stores supply …

Had a fabulous time at the Ninja Trick House in Shinjuku. Highly recommend for Ninja Fans. Learn the difference between a ninja and samurai, sword tricks, ninja star throws and learn hidden tricks of the ninja. Great fun in a small or large group. Located in a Shinjuku`s Kabukicho, and …

If you are a collector of Japanese housewares or looking for a unique gift Madu is a great spot. Madu has beautiful collections of ceramics from Japanese artisans. Each collection has a brief outline of the artist, and the shop staff can give you more details. Besides ceramics, they have …

We stumbled upon this adorable park after a Blue Seal ice cream break and train viewing near the Ebisu Garden Place. Ebisu South Park (Squid Park) Playground is a small playground located on the far side of the train tracks across from the Garden Place. Renovated in 2016 it`s a nice …

Kandu, #8 on our list of Top Theme Parks in Japan, is an indoor theme park similar to Tokyo`s Kidzania where kids aged 3 – 16 years can work a variety of jobs and get paid for them. Some of the jobs include a JAL Airlines pilot, JAXA Space engineer, …

The Tsuchiya Randoseru (ランドセル) is one of Japan’s most respected names in leather goods. For more than 50 years, the Tsuchiya Bag Co., Ltd has meticulously handcrafted high quality, original randoseru. In 2015, to mark its fiftieth anniversary, the company launched a collection of randoseru for working adults – the Otona Randsel Randoseru, which …

I took Baby to the Tokyo Toy Museum (TTM) the other day and had an AMAZING time. TTM is called a museum, but in reality it is a hands-on, play all you want center for babies and up. The toys are all analog toys mostly made from wood, and original …

The Science Museum Tokyo is ideal for tweens and teens with hands-on learning covering topics from mechanics, CO2, and global warming to robotics. Younger kids can enjoy some of the exhibits, but most of the concepts they will not understand. Although much of the exhibits signage is in Japanese, you can ask …