The scene consists of more than just the parade, though. Often, on the streets surrounding the shrine, there are games and foods and vendors of various types all hawking their wares with loud voices and strong lungs.

For a parent, Japanese or foreign, the scene can be a frightening one. The crowds alone are enough to cause panic. Figuring out how to get the most out of the experience while still keeping the kids safe, happy and well-fed can cause quite a quandary. But it doesn’t have to be that difficult.

First of all, bag the pram. In most places the crowds are so thick on the day of the matsuri that there is no way to navigate while pushing a toddler in a stroller. And for the toddler, it is frightening to look out into a sea of unfamiliar legs. For the child who is under two years old (or as long as you’re comfortable) try a backpack. There are the soft ones that literally strap the child to an adult’s back or the steel-framed hiking backpacks. If you use the hiking backpack, the child can actually experience the scene by looking over his or her parents’ heads.

Some strollers these days fold very small and weigh very little. These small ones often come with a strap for slinging over the shoulder. I’d highly recommend the Aprica version sold all over Japan at places like Akachan Hampo. It’s less than three kilos and slings comfortably enough to hold both stroller and child. If you can do this, then you can go a little bit into the crowd and then fold and carry the pram when the crowd thickens. This type of stroller is also useful when using the trains in Japan because often the stations only have steps, not escalators.

Older kids just need a firm hand holding theirs. In our family we end up with children on our shoulders to see above the crowd, too. The myriad of sights and sounds and smells could potentially overwhelm some children, but we have found that our kids (ages 9 and 6) revel in the experience and ask to go to a matsuri whenever there’s a chance.

After watching the parade for a while, make sure to see everything around it. Many places will have games for the kids. There’s one where they get a little colander and fish little toys out of a stream of water. There is the omnipresent water-filled, thick balloons on a stick to bounce. Often there are masks of various Japanese and non-Japanese characters to buy. Sometimes there are even small goldfish to win. Each area of Japan has their own way of catering to the children, so you’ll find different games in different places, but there will always be some way for parents to spend money and children to walk away with small prizes.

The food will be as varying as the number of shrines in Japan. Hot dogs, which Japanese refer to as sausages, will almost always appear along the walk of vendors. Most kids will be excited to eat that. Often men and women clad in yukata are sautéing noodles for yakisoba. It might differ in style between Kansai and Kanto, but okonomiyaki will most always put in an appearance at a matsuri. Sometimes referred to as a Japanese pancake and sometimes as Japanese pizza, the reality is somewhere between the two. It’s a flour-pancake base with heaps of veggies and some seafood heaped on top before folding over, omelet style. The sauce is slightly thick and sweet. Some kids might shy away from all the things that are in it, but if they’re remotely adventurous with food, they’ll love it! Especially as summer progresses, there will be sno-cones with as many as eight different flavor choices available. Buyers get to pump their own syrup right on their shaved-ice. It’s decadent!

All in all, a matsuri is a not-to-be missed experience, no matter what ages your kids might be. There are definitely ways in which the whole family can have the uniquely Japanese experience without any trauma. It will be a day to remember for everyone.

There are thousands of festivals in Japan every year – many small towns have their own shrines and accompanying festivals. Check the city or town’s website for a specific listing or peruse the Japan Event Calendar where you will find links to a number of festival listings as well as movie listings, and art & design events that you can add to your itinerary.

This article is by, writer and writing professor, Aimee Weinstein.  You can read more from Aimee on her website The Weekly Weinstein: Tales of Tokyo Life where she blogs about Tokyo, parenting and the intersection of the two.

Image Credit:  Flickr, Child, The ball catchers, YoyogiHachiman shrine & Stick Your Wieners, But Wrap ‘Em First

The Slide-Out Parking

One of the best car parks is at the Grand Hyatt in Roppongi Hills. The driver pulls up to the curb and the car is whisked away to heaven-knows-where, but upon returning and then paying at the valet desk, the car magically appears, sliding out from inside the building with a move reminiscent of Tom Cruise in “Risky Business.”

Big Brother is Watching…

Another favorite is under the Shin Marinouchi Building in central Tokyo. It is a little more mundane in that drivers pull a ticket from a machine as they enter, and then pay at a machine in the elevator lobby. But somehow the machines know the car and if the driver has paid or not, because upon exiting, even though the red and white gate at the top of the ramp is down, if it “recognizes” the car from the photo it has, the gate rises automatically.

Can’t Run Over Me!

Some parking lots are just commonplace. The driver pulls into the spot in the lot and within a few minutes a barrier rises underneath the car. Upon returning to the car, the driver must insert the correct amount of money as calculated by the machine to force the bar to lower under the car so he can leave.

Dial-a-Car

There are parking lots where the driver must drive onto a Ferris Wheel of sorts and the car is taken for a ride of its own. The operator of the lot must make all the cars go around until the right one appears when the driver is ready to leave!

Car Vending Machines

In some places, there are complex machines that layer the cars one on top of the other. To get them out, the parking attendants much do some car jockeying, pulling cars in and out so the right one is reunited with its owner. Of course then there’s the computerized ones where the attendant pushes in the right number for the parked car and it is lowered automatically to the ground after moving other cars on their metal plate to the right positions.

Dizzy Parking

In certain cases, the parking lot is inside the building, but there is no street entrance to get to the actual structure. In this situation, drivers drive the car onto a circle in the floor. The circle spins the car about ninety degrees so that the car is facing the right direction to enter the parking structure. Often this means that once the car is turned, it will go forward onto some sort of Ferris Wheel parking, or stacked parking structure.

Not So Do-It-Yourself Parking

At the new building in Aoyama, aptly named the Ao building, the parking works in a combination of methods. After the driver pulls into the lot and down the ramp, the attendant motions him into a little box-like area. Passengers are ushered into a parking lobby where a different attendant helps them get a ticket from the machine, so the shoppers can go on their way. After people do their shopping and return to the parking lobby, the attendant puts the ticket back into the machine, collects the money and puts it in the machine. Instantly, the car/ticket number appears on a little screen with “notes” attached to each number. “Retrieval in progress” “Car is next in line” “Car approaching the gate.” It’s all reminiscent of the airport. There are even benches on which people sit while waiting for their car to magically appear, watching the update screen all the while. The car comes out a side entry and the number is announced. Drivers collect their cars and drive out up the ramp. It’s all very civilized and pulled off with a minimum of fuss. I wonder if the building and parking owners don’t trust the drivers to use the machines themselves or if they just want to make the experience that much simpler. Given the level of service that we’ve come to know and love in Japan, I would bet on the latter.

Pricing

The price of parking varies by area and proximity to the main street. There can be two parking structures right by each other, but the one closest to the restaurants can cost double of the one just one street back. Often there will be one price for mid-day parking and a less-expensive one for after 4pm or before 8am. Make no mistake though: with the sophisticated machines in charge, the price can be calculated differently over different hours. Do not assume that because you entered the garage before 4pm that all of your hours are calculated at that price; more than likely you will have the post-4pm charges calculated at a higher price when you come get your car. On average, parking can be between 100 yen per hour for outside of the city and 800 yen per hour in a central spot. It varies widely.

One thing is for certain when driving and parking in Japan: it’s like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re going to get. However, I can guarantee that it will never be boring.

This article is by, writer and writing professor, Aimee Weinstein.  You can read more from Aimee on her website The Weekly Weinstein: Tales of Tokyo Life where she blogs about Tokyo, parenting and the intersection of the two.

Image Credit:  Flickr, Car Park in Nara, Car park, car-jail, DP2 multilevel car parking tower, Multilevel parking lot

Passers-by can often ogle what the patrons have on their plates and sometimes the odors of the delectable treats waft from the kitchen right out of the open front of the restaurant.  Right on Roppongi Dori, situated under the Shuto expressway, there are restaurants with open fronts for al fresco dining.  Such places are located all over the city – including in some of the large office buildings in Shinjuku.  Restaurants that have a window on the courtyard open it all the way and allow in as much fresh air as possible.  Diners take off their ever-present allergy-barring masks and have the experience of eating in the best nature that a city like Tokyo can provide.

One of my favorite venues of this sort is Le Petit Tonneau right in the heart of Azabu Juban (map), with two other locations in Toranomon (map) and Kudankita (map).  The food is French and authentically so.  The Steak Fritte melts in the mouth, the Poisson de vie is cooked lightly in oil.  There is always crème caramel or crème brulee for dessert.  And the best part of the Azabu Juban location is the fact that the entire front window is removed in the spring so that diners spill out onto the street and the atmosphere is like a bistro or café right on the Champs Elysee in Paris.

Patrons sip wine with their lunch and enjoy the shoppers and families enjoying the day.  Lunch sets begin with cold cream soups thickened with a rich béchamel sauce. Choices for the main courses on the lunch set include quiche, risotto, Poisson, or beef. There is often a large, main-course sized salad with cheese and meat sprinkled liberally within.

The charge for such indulgences, including a small glass of wine and coffee or tea to finish is a mere 1800 JPY.  Dinner is considerably more expensive and does not come in such sets, but is still a good value for the money considering the delectable food.  The staff is omnipresent without being pushy and somehow the manager, who comes to Tokyo via New York and Paris, remembers every face that he sees and inquires politely after one’s children.  It’s an experience that visitors and locals alike can enjoy.

Outdoor dining is a staple of the restaurant experience of Tokyo throughout the spring and summer months.  Diners enjoy the atmosphere of nature without leaving the city.

This article is by our newest contributor, writer and writing professor, Aimee Weinstein.  You can read more from Aimee on her website The Weekly Weinstein: Tales of Tokyo Life where she blogs about Tokyo, parenting and the intersection of the two.

Image Credit: Aimee Weinstein Personal Collection – Used with Permission