Eat Japan with Kids

I traveled around Japan, my home country, with my two little rascals. Both love to eat. Traveling with kids means keeping a few easy meal options in mind, especially when a restaurant you want to try has a long line. Japan has plenty of affordable chains where children are welcome and the food is good. These are some of our favorites.

Family Restaurants

“Family restaurant” is a restaurant category in Japan. The menus usually mix Japanese takes on Western food with Japanese dishes, and sometimes Chinese or Korean options. Kids’ menus are common. So is the “drink bar,” a self-service station with unlimited soft drinks for a set price. When everyone wants something different, these places make dinner easier.

Denny’s

Denny’s in Japan may surprise you if you know the American version. It serves Japanese meals alongside Western dishes, including teishoku, set meals built around a main dish with rice and sides.

Other writers have noticed the difference, too. In his 2019 comparison for LIVE JAPAN, Patrick St. Michel writes:

“Denny’s is practically an entirely different restaurant in Japan”

He points to dishes such as hamburg steak, a ground-meat patty eaten with a knife and fork, and the Japanese dishes on the menu. If you walked in thinking about pancakes and bacon, you might spend a little longer looking at your options.

Kristen’s account of taking her family there for breakfast includes a smaller detail: “They just about always come with salad for one.” Her article was first published in 2016 and updated in 2021, so it describes a past visit. I like that even a little salad beside breakfast was enough to make the difference stand out.

The Japanese breakfast menu includes a grilled salmon set. Having bread for one person and rice and fish for another is useful on a family trip. If you order the drink bar, you get up and help yourself. Some locations, including Nibancho, have different arrangements.

Saizeriya

Saizeriya serves Italian dishes, desserts, and wine at low prices. Students and families come here for an inexpensive meal, and it’s easy to order several plates to share, with a glass of wine if you feel like it.

There’s also some fun to be had combining those plates. Italian writer Massi’s guide to eating at Saizeriya has ideas that go well beyond eating the bread on the side. Some of his original menu items are no longer available, so I’ve included possible substitutions. Check the official menu book before ordering. These guides and menus are in Japanese, but the photos help.

For something like the Tuscan bread soup pappa al pomodoro, Massi tears a mini baguette into minestrone rosso, mixes it well, and adds olive oil. His recipe uses the 2021 menu. You could try the current country-style minestrone with focaccia instead. Add the bread a little at a time to decide how much broth you want left. I can’t say the substitutions will taste the same as his original combination.

His guide also suggests putting potatoes on one half of a Margherita pizza and folding it over, calzone-style. Keep the filling modest so it folds. A calzone is filled before baking; this is a way to get a similar folded shape from a pizza that’s already cooked. If the original crispy potatoes aren’t on the menu, another potato side could work.

For a lamb sandwich, P.K. Sanjun’s 2025 taste test uses arrosticini, shrimp salad, and cheese focaccia. He cuts a pocket into the bread, fills it with vegetables and lamb taken off the skewers, and adds the spice mix served on the side. He explains that the mini baguette and green salad he used before had disappeared from the menu, so he tried these replacements.

That combination makes me think of a Turkish şiş kebab sandwich, with grilled pieces of lamb tucked into bread. That’s my comparison, rather than a claim made in the taste test. Arrosticini are from Abruzzo, Italy, and the skewered meat is cooked differently from the meat shaved off a rotating spit for döner kebab. When sharing with kids, an adult can remove the skewers and set aside their portions before adding spices.

Royal Host

Royal Host is a step up in price from many family restaurants. It feels a little more formal, but families with young children are welcome. I like it for Western-style comfort food, especially the steaks. It can get busy, so an early or late lunch is often easier.

Gusto

Gusto is one of the less expensive options, with a broad menu that helps when everyone wants something different. The robot servers are part of the fun for kids. They may remember the robot longer than the meal.

Bikkuri Donkey

Bikkuri Donkey specializes in hamburg steak, a dish that has become a familiar part of everyday eating in Japan. You choose the size, sauce, and toppings on a touch panel. It’s a good option when someone wants a substantial meat-and-rice meal.

Fast Food Restaurants

McDonald’s

McDonald’s in Japan has its own menu items and seasonal specials. It can be a familiar stop for the kids while giving the adults something different to try. Drinks tend to be smaller than in the US, and free refills generally aren’t part of the deal.

Two regular options are the Teriyaki McBurger and Ebi Filet-O. The teriyaki burger uses a pork patty, with teriyaki sauce and a tangy sweet lemon sauce. The Ebi Filet-O has a breaded shrimp patty with pieces of shrimp inside. If you like shrimp, it’s a change from the usual beef or chicken burger. Recipes can change, so the product pages are the place to check the current sauces and ingredients.

Seasonal menus are worth a look, too. The fall Tsukimi Burger takes its name from moon viewing and uses an egg alongside beef, bacon, and a creamy tomato sauce. Chicken Tatsuta, with ginger-and-soy-seasoned chicken and cabbage, is another limited-time item. Shaka Shaka Fries, which you shake in a bag with seasoning, also come in changing flavors. The official menu shows what’s available. Regular items such as the teriyaki burger and Ebi Filet-O generally start at 10:30 a.m.; before that, you’ll find the breakfast menu.

The McDonald’s near Shonai Station in Osaka has a reputation for being especially good. The explanation people give is that the staff follow the preparation manual closely. I’d treat “the tastiest in Japan” as a reputation, rather than a promise, but it’s an interesting stop if you’re nearby.

2 Chome-4-1 Shonai Higashimachi, Toyonaka, Osaka 561-0831, Japan

KFC

KFC also has menu items adapted to Japanese tastes. You’ll find Burger King, Subway, and Wendy’s in Japan as well, but McDonald’s and KFC are the two I tend to recommend for trying something different at a familiar chain.

At KFC, one option is the Japanese-style Chicken Katsu Burger, often called Wakatsu. It combines a breaded chicken cutlet with soy-flavored teriyaki sauce, shredded cabbage, and a mayonnaise-based sauce.

The Teriyaki Twister wraps a crispy chicken strip, vegetables, mayonnaise sauce, and teriyaki sauce in a tortilla. The official product description notes that children and people sensitive to spicy food may find it hot. Teriyaki doesn’t always mean mild, so taste it before sharing if that matters for your child.

There have also been limited-time Wakatsu versions with yuzu and shichimi spice. Another item, Kenta’s Chicken Tatsuta Burger, uses a whole chicken thigh fillet. Its March 2026 return was a limited-quantity release. Select your location on the KFC menu to see what that restaurant is serving during your trip.

Revolving Sushi / Kaiten Sushi

When you picture a sushi restaurant in Japan, you might imagine sitting at a counter while a chef prepares each piece. The large kaiten sushi chains feel closer to family restaurants. You can come for sushi without everyone at the table having to eat it.

The menu is a cheerful mix of almost everything. Alongside tuna and salmon, you’ll find egg sushi and even hamburg steak sushi. Then there are fries, ramen, udon, desserts, and coffee. A look at Kura Sushi’s menu gives you an idea of the range. Some chains also have kids’ sets and other family offerings. Adults can have sushi while the kids eat udon and fries, followed by dessert together. With everyone adding little plates as they go, it has some of the lively, anything-goes feeling of a dim sum meal. It helps when you’re traveling with a child who doesn’t eat raw fish.

It’s usually easier on the budget than an omakase meal, too. But you pay for what you order, and premium fish and extra sides can add up. Prices and the number of pieces vary by plate, so check the screen and start with a few dishes.

“Kaiten” means revolving. Traditionally, plates of sushi travel on a conveyor belt that loops past the counter and tables, and you take what you want as it passes. Some restaurants also have a separate delivery lane for orders. These days, a restaurant called “revolving sushi” may deliver only what you order, with no plates continuously making the rounds.

Tablets and touchscreens are common at the big chains, and many offer English ordering. Sushiro’s terminals, for example, support English, Chinese, and Korean. Kura’s smartphone ordering also has English support. You can choose from photos without knowing how to say the fish names in Japanese.

From the entrance to the check

The equipment varies by location, but the process is usually similar. Kura’s first-time visitor guide has photos of the steps.

1. Check in at the entrance, either with a staff member or at a machine. Enter your party size and take a number if there’s a wait. Even with an app or web reservation, you may need to check in when you arrive. This is also the time to ask for a table where your family can sit together.
2. Find your assigned seat. A staff member may take you there, or your ticket may show a table number. Keep the ticket until you leave, since you may need it to pay.
3. Choose the language on the ordering screen. Look for “English,” then check the photos, prices, and quantities before confirming. Tapping a photo doesn’t always submit an order. Use the staff-call button if you need help; it may be labeled 店員呼出. Kappa’s ordering guide shows how its system works.
4. Take your food when the screen or a sound tells you it has arrived. If orders share a belt with plates anyone can take, check that a dish is yours. Keep any plate you’ve picked up off the belt. Leave empty plates on the table or put them in the collection slot, following the restaurant’s instructions.
5. Request the check on the tablet before going to the register. The button may say お会計. Follow the screen instructions or wait for staff to confirm, then take your ticket to the cashier or self-checkout. Even if the system counts plates automatically, you still need to finish the checkout step at your seat.

Water and tea are often self-service. Some tables have powdered green tea and a hot-water tap; an adult should handle that tap for the kids. Egg sushi, inari (rice in a sweet fried-tofu pocket), and udon are options for children who don’t eat raw fish. Check the menu and wasabi information as you order.

Sushiro: Japan’s sales leader, with changing specials

Sushiro leads Japan’s revolving sushi industry in annual sales. Its operator’s July 2026 announcement, citing Fuji Keizai research, reports 14 consecutive years in first place, from 2011 through 2024.

Alongside the regular sushi, there are frequent limited-time dishes and collaborations. Some locations have Digiro, a large screen where sushi images move past and you tap what you want. I can see the appeal of choosing together on a big screen. It’s only at certain locations, so check the linked store list if that’s part of the reason you’re going.

Kura Sushi: a game for the empty plates

At Kura, Bikkura Pon! gives kids something to do with the empty sushi plates. Put eligible plates into the collection slot at your table, and a game normally starts on the screen after every five. A win gets you a small capsule prize. Five plates don’t guarantee a prize, but clearing the table becomes part of the meal.

The covers over sushi on the revolving belt are another Kura feature. Instructions at the table show how to take a plate, and you can also order on the touchscreen or your phone. Between the food delivery and the plate slot, there’s a fair amount of machinery for curious kids to watch.

Kappa Sushi: sushi with a bowl of ramen

Kappa Sushi has offered a ramen series developed with ramen shops, including Ebisoba Ichigen and Nantsuttei. Those are past collaborations, so check the current menu for what’s available during your trip. A few plates of sushi and a bowl of ramen can make a satisfying meal.

At participating locations, you can scan a QR code on the table’s terminal and order on your own phone. That saves passing one tablet around the whole family. Before adding more food, check the order history for the table so you don’t accidentally order something someone else has already chosen.

These places give us some easy options between the meals we plan a trip around. Sometimes a familiar menu, a table for everyone, and a short wait are exactly what we need.