Dining in Japan with Children - Recommendations?

[Kenamoto]

Looking for restaurant recommendations Tokyo, Kyoto, Takayama, Yonago: Me, hubby, kids are Japan bound, we love to eat, cook, and travel. Kids are 6 & 5, "restaurant trained". We are foodies and Japanophiles (my husband is a sansei (3rd Generation) Canadian of Japanese decent, I lived in Japan for all of 1991) - in short a lifetime ago! So we are looking for current, and lifestyle appropriate recommendations. (Any thoughts on how the children will be received would also be welcome.)

Looking for Noodles, Yakitori, Sushi, street vendors, whatever, and the occasional "Western" meal etc... Probably not so interested in Kaiseki, since I am not sure it would be cost effective with the children. First night - Odaiba, then to Yonago, Kyoto March 11-15th, Takayama, Tokyo March 18-24th in Akasaka. Help! (used to like Honmura-An and ToriShin in NYC).

Edited January 25, 2008 by Kenamoto (log)

[helenjp]

I'm afraid your kids will be kidnapped, treated like royalty, and only returned to you under duress!

I can't speak for extreme high-end central-city restaurants, but found that even in "good" small restaurants, my children were kindly accommated when young. It is quite normal to ask for "one XXX...and two extra bowls and spoons/chopsticks, please".

Without going as far as kaiseki, restaurants which serve formally-influenced sets will almost always have a kiddie option, and when you are lucky, they will be put together with considerable care and thought for children's tastes and appetites, and often come with a free toy, too.

Restaurants which serve "set meals" (teishoku) usually have single items too, so you can always order set meals for yourself and noodles for the kids, or share some of your order and order a couple of extra items for the children.

With young children, I always looked for "zashiki" seating (sitting on tatami mats). It's so easy for a tired and bored child who has finished eating to curl up discreetly with a book, toy, or sketchbook.