Best Temples & Shrines in Tokyo – Family Guide With Kids
Tokyo’s temples and shrines are not just “one more thing to check off.” With kids, they become places to slow down, walk under big gates, ring bells, watch incense swirl and let everyone breathe between trains and neon.
This family guide pulls together kid-friendly temples and shrines across central Tokyo and explains them in plain language: what each place feels like, why children usually love it and how to fold it into a realistic city itinerary without dragging little legs across half of Tokyo in one day.
Quick snapshot
- Best for: Ages 4–16, but toddlers can still enjoy gates, gardens and koi ponds.
- Where: Central Tokyo neighborhoods like Asakusa, Harajuku, Ueno, Bunkyō and Minato.
- Trip style: Half-day “temple loops” paired with parks, snacks and playgrounds.
- Good to know: Temples are usually Buddhist, shrines are Shintō. Kids don’t need to understand the difference to be respectful.
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Quick links in this guide
- How to use this temples & shrines guide
- Simple temple & shrine etiquette with kids
- Meiji Jingu & Harajuku forest walk
- Sensō-ji & Asakusa Shrine (lanterns & river)
- Zōjō-ji Temple & Tokyo Tower views
- Nezu Shrine (tunnels of red torii)
- Kanda Myōjin & Yushima Tenjin (anime + exam prayers)
- Gotokuji Temple (maneki-neko cat temple)
- Planning tips, timing & weather
- How to fit temples into your Tokyo family itinerary
- Affiliate note & how this stays free
- More Tokyo family guides to pair with this one
How to use this temples & shrines guide (without overwhelm)
You do not need to see every famous temple on your first Tokyo trip. Instead, think of this page as a menu:
- Choose 2–4 places total that match your kids’ ages and your hotel base.
- Pair each temple or shrine with a park, zoo, museum or playground so there is always something physical to balance the quiet.
- Use the links to each spot’s official website and local tourism page to check hours, festivals and accessibility before you go.
If you are tired, scroll down to the “How to fit temples into your Tokyo family itinerary” section and then come back up for the individual places that catch your eye.
Simple temple & shrine etiquette with kids
You do not need to be perfect. Locals know visitors are learning. A few simple habits go a long way:
- Walk, don’t run near main halls and prayer spaces.
- Keep voices soft once you pass under big gates or step onto wooden walkways.
- Do not touch statues or altars, even if they look sturdy.
- Use the cleansing basin together – it becomes a fun mini-ritual for kids.
- Ask before photos if people are praying, or skip photos in clearly signed areas.
A quick family rule of thumb: “If someone is bowing or praying, we give them extra space and stay quiet until we pass.”
Meiji Jingu – forest walk + shrine beside Harajuku
Meiji Jingu is one of Tokyo’s most famous shrines, tucked inside a surprisingly quiet forest right beside Harajuku and Shibuya. Wide gravel paths, gigantic wooden torii gates and occasional wedding processions make it feel calm and cinematic even with kids in tow.
Why kids usually love it
- They get to walk through a real forest in the middle of the city.
- Big gates, barrels of sake and tall trees make it feel like a movie set.
- The shrine pairs perfectly with crepes and shops in Harajuku afterwards.
How to visit as a family
- Use the official Tokyo tourism page for Meiji Jingu to check access and seasonal events.
- Arrive earlier in the morning or late afternoon for softer light and fewer crowds.
- Combine with the Harajuku family guide or the Shibuya family guide on Stay Here, Do That.
Sensō-ji & Asakusa Shrine – lanterns, shopping street & river boats
Sensō-ji is Tokyo’s oldest temple, famous for its giant red lantern and the Nakamise shopping street leading up to the main hall. Just behind it, Asakusa Shrine is a quieter Shintō spot in the same complex.
Why kids usually love it
- The huge Kaminarimon gate and lantern are instantly recognizable and fun to walk under.
- Nakamise Street is packed with snacks and souvenir stands.
- The nearby Sumida River offers water buses that feel like a mini-boat trip after temple time.
How to visit as a family
- Browse the Asakusa page on Go Tokyo for maps, river cruise info and local tips.
- Go early or late to avoid midday tour group crowds.
- Pair with the Asakusa family guide and a playground or park stop for balance.
Zōjō-ji Temple – quiet grounds under Tokyo Tower
Zōjō-ji Temple sits right beneath Tokyo Tower, which makes it an easy visual win for kids: traditional temple halls in the foreground, bright orange tower behind.
Why kids usually love it
- They can spot Tokyo Tower from the temple grounds.
- Rows of small Jizō statues with colorful pinwheels are memorable and gentle conversation starters.
- Open spaces give younger kids room to move respectfully between buildings.
How to visit as a family
- Check hours and access on the official Zōjō-ji access page.
- Combine with the Tokyo Tower family guide for a half-day loop.
- Use nearby parks and cafés for snack breaks between temple wandering and tower views.
Nezu Shrine – tunnels of red torii gates in a neighborhood setting
Nezu Shrine is a beautiful, slightly less touristy Shintō shrine known for its hillside paths of red torii gates and spring azaleas. It sits in a historic neighborhood with narrow streets and older homes.
Why kids usually love it
- They can walk through “tunnels” of red gates, which feels like an adventure.
- Ponds, bridges and stepping stones invite slow exploring (with hand-holding for smaller ones).
- The area feels more like everyday Tokyo than a major attraction zone.
How to visit as a family
- Use the Nezu Shrine listing on Go Tokyo for access details and seasonal flower info.
- Pair with nearby Yanaka and its old-town streets if your kids enjoy wandering.
- Bring snacks and water, as there is more walking and fewer big chain cafés here.
Kanda Myōjin & Yushima Tenjin – anime tech meets exam prayers
Near Akihabara and Ueno you will find two interesting shrines:
- Kanda Myōjin – a historic shrine now also famous for tech and anime collaborations.
- Yushima Tenjin – a shrine where students come to pray for exam success, especially during plum blossom season.
Why kids usually love them
- Older kids who like anime or games often recognize characters from Kanda Myōjin collaborations.
- Wooden ema boards covered in wishes make it easy to talk about hopes, exams and goals.
- The shrines are close enough to pair with Ueno Park or Akihabara arcades in one day.
How to visit as a family
- Check Kanda Myōjin’s official access page for directions.
- Use the Akihabara page on Go Tokyo to plan arcs between shrines and electronics streets.
- Pair with the Ueno family guide or Akihabara family guide.
Gotokuji Temple – the maneki-neko (lucky cat) temple
A little further out, Gotokuji Temple in Setagaya is famous for its army of white maneki-neko (beckoning cat) statues.
Why kids usually love it
- Hundreds of cat statues lined up together feel surreal and fun.
- It is a chance to ride local trains and see a more residential side of Tokyo.
- Shops nearby sell cat-themed souvenirs and snacks.
How to visit as a family
- Use the Gotokuji listing on Go Tokyo to check routes and hours.
- Plan this on a day when your kids are feeling curious and rested – it is more travel time than central spots.
- Pair with a low-key park or playground afterwards to give kids space to run.
Planning tips, timing & weather for temple days
- Go early or late: Mornings and late afternoons are cooler and calmer than midday, especially in summer.
- Pack light layers: Temples and shrines often have more shade and breeze than nearby streets.
- Use IC cards: Load Suica/PASMO (or mobile versions) so you are not juggling paper tickets between stops.
- One “big jump” per day: Choose one longer train ride (for example, to Asakusa or Gotokuji) and keep everything else nearby on foot.
- Hydrate & snack often: Convenience stores and vending machines fill the gaps between sit-down meals.
How to fit temples & shrines into your Tokyo family itinerary
You can build a whole day around one or two sacred sites, or treat them as gentle anchors inside bigger neighborhood plans. A few family-friendly combinations:
- Harajuku + Meiji Jingu: Morning forest walk at Meiji Jingu, then crepes and shopping in Harajuku. Use the Harajuku guide.
- Asakusa + Ueno: Sensō-ji and Asakusa Shrine in the morning, then Ueno Zoo or museums in the afternoon. Pair with the Ueno Zoo guide.
- Tokyo Tower + Zōjō-ji: Temple grounds first, tower views second. Use the Tokyo Tower family guide.
- Akihabara + shrines: Kanda Myōjin with older kids who love anime, then arcades and character shops in Akihabara.
- Slow day from a central base: Follow the Ultimate Tokyo Family Travel Guide: Central Neighborhoods and drop 1–2 shrines into your existing plan instead of building all-new days.
Most important: let each child choose one “must-see” from this list, if they want, and accept that it is okay not to see everything. You are building memories, not completing a scavenger hunt.
Affiliate note – how this temples & shrines guide stays free
Some of the links in this guide are affiliate links for Booking.com (hotels, flights, car rentals), Viator (tours) and SafetyWing (travel insurance). When you reserve a stay, flight, tour or policy through these links, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
That support keeps stayheredothat.blogspot.com online and lets me keep building deep, family-first guides like this one instead of filling the site with pop-up ads. I only point you toward platforms and trip styles I would feel comfortable recommending to real families planning big once-in-a-while vacations.
More Tokyo family guides to pair with this one
Use this temples & shrines guide as your “calm anchor,” then open these for full neighborhood and attraction plans:
- Best Tokyo Playgrounds – Family Guide With Kids
- Best Kid-Friendly Museums in Tokyo – Family Guide
- Family Travel Guide: Ueno Zoo, Tokyo
- Family Travel Guide: Tokyo Tower
- Family Travel Guide: Tokyo Skytree
- Family Travel Guide: Tokyo Disneyland
- Family Travel Guide: Tokyo DisneySea
- Family Travel Guide: teamLab Planets Tokyo
- Family Travel Guide: Ghibli Museum, Mitaka
- Ultimate Tokyo Family Travel Guide – Central Neighborhoods
If you use this guide to plan your trip, come back after you travel and leave a comment with which temples or shrines your kids loved most (and which ones you would skip next time). Your real-world notes help the next parents breathe a little easier.
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