Tokyo · onenicetrip

The reason we’re here

15 November 2027 (busiest on the weekend of 13–14)

Shichi-Go-San

Shrines across Tokyo, including Meiji Jingu and Kanda Myojin

A rite of passage for children aged three, five and seven. Families take them to a shrine, often in kimono, to pray for healthy growth. 15 November is the traditional date, but shrines are busiest on the weekends around it.

Every year on or around 15 November. Source ↗

The plan(snack breaks included)

Five days with two small people: shrines, a mountain, and as many trains as they can count.

Where we sleep

4 nights

Base in Shinjuku

Shinjuku, Tokyo

Day 1 · Sat 13 Nov
Big lantern, small streets
Start at Senso-ji and the giant lantern before the Saturday crowd arrives, then take the train across to Yanaka, where the lanes are narrow and the snacks are fried.
- Senso-ji and Nakamise2 h
  Tokyo’s oldest temple, entered through the big red Kaminarimon gate and a lane of souvenir and snack stalls. The grounds are always open.
  What to see
  - The Kaminarimon gate and its giant red lantern
  - The stalls along Nakamise street
  - The incense burner, where people waft the smoke towards themselves
  Time
  Two hours with snack stops.
  Tip
  Go early on a Saturday. Nakamise is packed by mid-morning, and a stroller or small hand is easier to manage in the quiet.
  To eat
  Ningyo-yaki, little sponge cakes filled with red bean, and senbei rice crackers.
- Yanaka Ginza and the old lanes2 h
  An older Tokyo of low houses, small temples and a street of little shops. The cat is the neighbourhood mascot, and it appears on signs and souvenirs.
  What to see
  - The steps of Yuyake Dandan, the “sunset stairs”
  - The little shops of Yanaka Ginza
  - The cats on signs and souvenirs
  Time
  Two hours of dawdling.
  Tip
  Most shops are small and close early in the evening, so come while the light is still good for photos.
  To eat
  Menchi-katsu, a hot fried minced-meat cutlet, eaten on the street.
Day 2 · Sun 14 Nov
Kimono Sunday
The weekend before 15 November is peak Shichi-Go-San at Meiji Jingu: small children in kimono and hakama walking through the forest. Then crepes on Takeshita Street.
- Meiji Jingu2 h
  The shrine of Emperor Meiji and Empress Shoken, built in 1920 inside a forest of about 100,000 trees planted from donations across Japan. In mid-November it is full of children in kimono for Shichi-Go-San.
  What to see
  - The giant wooden torii gates
  - Families in kimono and hakama
  - The wall of sake barrels along the path
  Time
  Two hours at an easy pace.
  Tip
  The weekend before the 15th is the busiest. Ask before photographing a family, and keep out of their pictures.
  To eat
  Chitose-ame, the long red and white “thousand-year candy” sold in bags decorated with cranes and tortoises.
- Takeshita Street1 h
  A short, crowded pedestrian lane beside Harajuku Station, lined with crepe stands, sweet shops and teenage fashion.
  What to see
  - The crepe stands and their plastic displays
  - The fashion shops
  - The Harajuku Station building
  Time
  An hour, mostly eating.
  Tip
  It is shoulder to shoulder on a Sunday. Hold small hands and agree on a meeting point before you go in.
  To eat
  A Harajuku crepe, a thin pancake rolled round cream and fruit.
Day 3 · Mon 15 Nov
The day itself
It is the 15th, the traditional day. We join the families at Kanda Myojin, then walk off the excitement in the calm of Rikugien.
- Kanda Myojin1 h 30
  A shrine founded, by tradition, in 730, with a bright vermilion gate and a main hall among office blocks. In November it is one of the places where families bring children for Shichi-Go-San.
  What to see
  - The vermilion gate
  - The ornate main hall
  - Children in their best clothes
  Time
  An hour and a half.
  Tip
  A Monday is calmer than the weekend, but the 15th is the traditional date, so expect families. Keep a respectful distance during the rites.
  To eat
  Taiyaki, fish-shaped cakes filled with red bean, warm in the hand on a cool day.
- Rikugien Garden1 h 30
  A garden laid out around 1700 for Yanagisawa Yoshiyasu, a shogunal official, with a pond, a small hill and paths that echo scenes from classical poems. Its maples usually colour best in late November, so expect the first reds rather than the full show.
  What to see
  - The pond and its islands
  - The path round the pond
  - The first red maples
  Time
  An hour and a half at a child’s pace.
  Tip
  The last entry is at 16:30, and it gets dark early in November, so arrive by mid-afternoon.
  To eat
  Matcha and a wagashi sweet in the garden tea house, if open, or a snack from the station.
Day 4 · Tue 16 Nov
Up a mountain by cable car
About fifty minutes west of Shinjuku, Mount Takao has a cable car, a temple with long-nosed tengu statues and the first reds of the season.
- Mount TakaoFull day
  A 599-metre mountain at the western edge of Tokyo, about 50 minutes from Shinjuku, with a cable car, a chairlift, temples and walking trails. Its leaves usually turn between mid and late November.
  What to see
  - The cable car on Japan’s steepest slope
  - Yakuo-in temple and its tengu statues
  - The view from the summit, with Fuji on clear days
  Time
  A full day, with the cable car up and a walk down.
  Tip
  Trail 1 is mostly paved, so it works for small legs, and the cable car saves the steepest part. Leave the mountain by 16:00, as it gets dark early.
  To eat
  Tororo soba, buckwheat noodles with grated mountain yam, a speciality of Takao.
Day 5 · Wed 17 Nov
One last crossing
A quiet morning in Shinjuku Gyoen, then the great crossing at Shibuya before the flight home.
- Shinjuku Gyoen2 h
  A large park in the middle of Shinjuku with a Japanese garden, an English landscape garden and a French formal garden. It is closed on Mondays.
  What to see
  - The Japanese garden and its ponds
  - The big lawns for running around
  - The greenhouse
  Time
  Two relaxed hours.
  Tip
  The garden closes in the late afternoon, earlier than you may expect in November, so come in the morning.
  To eat
  A picnic of onigiri rice balls and fruit from a shop near the gate.
- Shibuya Crossing1 h
  The scramble crossing outside Shibuya Station, where every light turns red at once and people cross in all directions.
  What to see
  - The crossing from the pavement edge
  - The big screens and signs
  - The Hachiko statue by the station
  Time
  An hour, including the crossing a few times.
  Tip
  It is best at dusk, when the signs come on. Keep hold of small hands: the green light is short and the crowd is dense.
  To eat
  Tonkatsu, a breaded pork cutlet, a favourite with children.