Please note: Reservations are required; walk-ins cannot be accommodated.
Please note: Reservations are required.
"We came all the way to Japan, but because we have children, we gave up."
"We really wanted to experience an omakase sushi restaurant."
These are comments we hear surprisingly often from guests visiting Japan from overseas.
In fact, at REONA, one of the most common questions we receive before a reservation is:
"Is it okay to bring our children?"
Every month, we receive several inquiries like this.
Over one year, we've realized that for many international families planning a trip to Japan, finding places where they can comfortably enjoy a meal together is just as important as choosing a hotel.
If you're traveling all the way to Japan, it's only natural to want to experience authentic omakase sushi at least once.
However, many families decide to give up on that idea simply because they have young children.
Before guests visit REONA, we receive countless messages such as:
"Is it okay if we bring our children?"
"Would it be a problem if we come with our baby?"
"We're worried our child might get bored during the course."
After reading so many of these messages, we've realized something important.
The biggest issue isn't simply that there aren't many restaurants that welcome children.
It's that families don't know whether they're welcome.
That uncertainty is often the biggest obstacle.
Today, we'd like to share why dining out can be such a challenge for international families visiting Japan, and why welcoming families has become such an important part of REONA.
In many countries, taking young children to restaurants is completely normal.
Of course, every culture is different, but enjoying meals together as a family is a very common part of everyday life.
Japan is a little different.
There are certainly restaurants that welcome children.
However, the more upscale the restaurant is, or the more it focuses on counter seating, the more people tend to assume that children aren't welcome.
In fact, many sushi restaurants do not allow elementary school children, or only accept families if the restaurant is booked privately.
There's nothing wrong with that.
Many guests value a quiet atmosphere, and every restaurant has its own style.
However, for families visiting Japan from overseas, it often becomes difficult to know which restaurants they can actually visit.
What's more, it's often impossible to tell just by looking at a restaurant's website.
Some restaurants don't mention children at all but happily welcome families.
Others also say nothing on their website, yet decline reservations when families inquire.
Because many international visitors see Japan as a country with many detailed rules and customs, some hesitate to even send a message asking,
"Can we bring our children?"
Even so, many families eventually decide to contact us before making a reservation.
Every day, we receive questions like these:
"Is it okay if our child is three years old?"
"Can we bring a stroller?"
"Can our child sit with us even if they don't order a meal?"
When traveling in Japan, families already have plenty to think about—hotels, train reservations, sightseeing plans, and much more.
Having to spend extra time just trying to find somewhere they can comfortably enjoy a meal together becomes another source of stress.
We feel that's such a shame.
Many people assume sushi restaurants feel intimidating simply because they are expensive.
However, after speaking with so many international guests, we've found that the real reason is much simpler.
"My child might not be able to sit quietly."
This is by far the concern we hear most often.
At REONA, we offer two different dining options.
Adults can enjoy our Signature Omakase Course at the sushi counter, while children can enjoy their own Kids Menu in our dedicated Kids Room.
This allows both parents and children to enjoy their own special experience.
However, what many guests don't realize is that children are also welcome to order our Signature Course.
Children aged three and older can enjoy the same omakase experience as adults if they wish.
Our youngest guest to ever order the Signature Course was just three years old.
The family had traveled all the way from Alaska.
Even though he was only three, he happily ate almost everything. Out of the 14 pieces served, he only left one or two.
His parents couldn't believe it.
"At home, he never eats this much fish."
Even they were surprised.
Even our sushi chef said,
"I've never seen a three-year-old eat this much sushi before."
Of course, that doesn't mean he sat quietly through the entire two-hour course.
He went to the Kids Room to play for a while during the meal, and then came back.
For us, that's completely fine.
We love seeing children enjoy the experience in their own way.
Another memorable family visited us from Texas.
They had two young boys, and at one point the brothers started arguing over a tablet.
The disagreement became serious enough that they couldn't work it out on their own.
Since there were no other guests dining that day, we paused the omakase course while the parents helped settle things down.
About 30 minutes later, everyone was smiling again.
"Okay, let's continue!"
The family simply picked up where they had left off.
Their parents later told us,
"Thank you so much for stopping the course. That really helped us."
When there are no other guests, we're happy to be flexible like this and put the family's comfort first.
When people imagine an omakase sushi restaurant, they often picture something like this:
A quiet room.
A sushi chef carefully preparing each piece.
Regular customers enjoying their meal in silence.
Because of that image, many parents naturally worry.
"What if my child starts crying?"
"What if they get bored halfway through?"
"What if we disturb the other guests?"
In reality, children aren't doing anything wrong.
It's perfectly natural that young children find it difficult to sit still for two hours.
They're also traveling in a different country, often dealing with jet lag and tiredness.
We understand that very well.
Our staff also adjust the way we interact with each child.
Sometimes we prepare origami.
Sometimes coloring books.
Every child is different.
Some are shy.
Others immediately ask us to come and play with them.
When children are having fun, their parents can finally relax and enjoy their own meal.
And we believe that's just as important.
Most of our guests travel to Japan from overseas.
Over the years, we've come to realize something very important.
Travel is about creating memories together as a family.
It's not enough for only the father to enjoy the experience.
It's not enough for only the mother to be happy.
And of course, it's not only about the children.
The true value of a family trip comes when everyone can say,
"I'm so glad we came."
That's why, at REONA, we don't start by saying,
"It's difficult because you have children."
Instead, we ask ourselves,
"How can we make this enjoyable for the whole family?"
Of course, we also need to consider safety and be mindful of our other guests.
For that reason, if you're traveling with a baby, we recommend reserving a private lunch session.
We also have a dedicated Kids Dining Space where children can enjoy their meal comfortably.
For younger guests, we offer a special Kids Chirashi Sushi Menu.
Before every reservation, we also exchange emails with our guests to learn more about their family's needs.
We ask about food allergies.
Foods their children don't like.
How much they usually eat.
Their seating preferences.
And many other small details.
Quite often, guests tell us,
"We never expected a restaurant to take the time to discuss everything with us like this."
To us, those conversations are just as important as the food we serve.
Many families visit Japan to celebrate something special.
A honeymoon.
A wedding anniversary.
A birthday.
There is often an important reason behind their trip.
It's completely understandable to think,
"We'll save fine sushi for another trip, after the children grow up."
But we also believe that there are memories you can only create while your children are still young.
Many of the reviews we receive say things like,
"This was our child's very first sushi."
"This was the most memorable meal of our trip to Japan."
"We're so happy our whole family got to share this experience together."
Traveling as a couple is wonderful.
But the time you spend traveling with your children only happens once.
Years from now, when you look back at your family photos, perhaps you'll say,
"Remember? That was the first time we had authentic sushi together in Japan."
We believe we're doing more than simply serving sushi.
We're helping families create one page of their travel memories.
That's the feeling we bring with us every day when we welcome our guests.
And that's why REONA will continue to be a place where families don't have to give up because they have children.
Instead, we hope to offer experiences that are only possible because they're traveling together.