Fun Japanese Food Experiences For Kids
Last Updated on June 20, 2025 by Kay
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In recent years, Japanese food has become something that’s not so exotic and instead easily found in not only Japan, making most kids familiar with it.
But if you’re traveling to Japan, I guarantee you will find Japanese food you have never seen or tried before. And some of these dishes are really fun to eat as a family!
In this article, I’ll share Japanese food experiences that my family loves, which are enjoyable due to being hands-on and, not to mention, delicious.
Fun Japanese Dishes to Enjoy With Kids
Yakiniku
Yakiniku is basically BBQ, and the various cuts of meat and veggies you can enjoy in Japan are unlike anything else. (And yes, you can get yakiniku wagyu beef, too!)
Although older kids can enjoy cooking the meat themselves, make sure you handle the cooking when it comes to little kids, because they can easily burn themselves. When my daughter was a baby and toddler, we made sure she sat far away from the grill so that she wouldn’t accidentally touch it.
Our family’s favorite chain yakiniku restaurant in Japan is one kalbi, which has various all-you-can-eat courses that range from 4158 yen to 7238 yen for adults.
Shabu-Shabu
This is another dish that might be a bit difficult for little kids, but it’s super fun for older kids who can use chopsticks well.
Shabu-shabu is basically a hot pot dish where you swish pieces of thinly sliced meat in a broth until it’s cooked. After this, you dip the meat in a sauce and enjoy.
Shabu-shabu menus have lots of variety, including desserts like little cakes and ice creams, and even French fries, so there’s something for everyone.
Our favorite shabu-shabu restaurant is kinnobuta, which has various locations in Japan, such as in Osaka.
Prices for an all-you-can-eat course range from 4268 yen to 7480 yen for adults. Kids ages 4 to 6 pay 594 yen to 1045 yen, while those in elementary school and up pay 2134 yen to 3740 yen. Children ages three and under are free.
Conveyor Belt Sushi
This is a favorite of pretty much every child in Japan. In fact, we almost always run into one of my daughter’s kindergarten classmates when we go to Sushiro, our favorite conveyor belt sushi chain in Japan.
At age five, my daughter is still too young to grab the plates of sushi herself, but she enjoys looking through the menu on a tablet and ordering what she wants. She usually gets a kids’ plate, but she’s also tried lots of other kid-friendly sushi.
Nagashi Somen
Kids and adults alike absolutely love nagashi somen (flowing somen), where you use chopsticks to catch somen from flowing water. Traditionally, the somen flows from a piece of bamboo cut in half, but since this takes up quite a bit of space, you’re more likely to see a machine like this being used.
After you catch the somen, dip it into a broth and enjoy.
The one problem is that it can be very hard to find a restaurant that serves nagashi soumen, and even if you do, it’s out of the way.
Our favorite nagashi somen restaurant is Miwa Somen Nagashi in Nara.
Convenience Store Food
No trip to Japan is complete without a stop at a konbini (convenience store).
Although my daughter was born and raised in Japan, she still gets excited about trips to the convenience store. There’s always some new, limited food item or drink to try, as well as many kid-friendly favorites.
Supermarket Food
One of my favorite things to do when we travel abroad is explore supermarkets, and my daughter loves this, too! There are so many great new treats, as well as healthy, that kids will encounter for the first time, so it’s perfect for budding minds.
Read my guide about Japanese grocery store food for kids to know more!
Theme Restaurants
Japan is great for wacky theme restaurant experiences featuring ninja servers or anime meals. My daughter is a huge fan of these types of restaurants, and it’s no surprise, because it’s undoubtedly exciting and fun for kids.
For my recommended list of themed restaurants to consider visiting in Japan, read this article. (Note that some of these are not necessarily kid-friendly, but I point out which ones are not in the article.)
Wrap-Up: Fun Kid-Friendly Food Experiences in Japan
I hope this look at kid-friendly food in Japan that’s hands-on and great for family time has been helpful.
If you’re interested in learning more about other kid-friendly food and family-friendly restaurants in Japan that aren’t as interactive but still appeal to picky eaters, such as toddlers, and are great when you’re on the go, read this article.
I’ve also written about kid-friendly cooking classes in Japan, so make sure to check that out, too!