Day 5 in Tokyo: This is our third visit to Tokyo with our kids. We’ve seen and done a lot already. One of the few things left on my list was the Fire Museum and a visit to the nearby Shinjuku Gyoen.
Is the Fire Museum a must? Most definitely not, but we had fun. More fun than I expected. Plus it is free so if you are looking for something to do in addition to Shinjuku with kids, not a bad place to stop in for a visit.
The Fire Museum houses a working fire house which is off limits for visits. But there are many other things to see such as a helicopter on the 3rd floor with a simulator (although I am not sure it was really a simulator). Kids spent a lot of time in the helicopter. I didn’t last too long…I found it hot and confining. There is another helicopter that you can climb into on the 5th floor terrace but it was closed due to weather (a few rain drops that stopped.) Definitely safety conscious at the Fire Museum!
There is also a dress up area and part of a fire engine you can climb on. There are also many other interactive exhibits. The displays of old time fire fighting in Edo period were actually beautiful.
Shinjuku Gyoen is an oasis in the middle of Shinjuku. One could walk to it from the Fire Museum but with kids in tow we opted for a one train station ride on the subway. A bus is also a possibility. We stopped for snacks in the park and enjoyed its immense lawn and beautiful trees. It’s really beautiful and we weren’t even there for its cherry blossom viewing parties.
For lunch we headed to Takashimaya Times Square Bldg which is a 10minute walk from the Shinjuku gate of the park. Our favorite tonkatsu restaurant, Katsukara, is located on the 14th floor.
To top of lunch the kids made a bee line to one of many convenience stores dotting Tokyo. Today’s choice was am pm. Their idea of a great treat? Ice cream or popsicle from the convenience store. For between $1-$2, you can buy heaven for about 10minutes – which is what we did.
http://tokyoq.com/weekly_updates/tqoole/fire.html
http://www.env.go.jp/garden/shinjukugyoen/english/index.html
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