My toddler’s jet lag had us roaming Tokyo before dawn. We saw a side of the city most tourists miss.

The author flew form the US to Japan with her toddler. Courtesy of the author I traveled from San Diego to Tokyo with my 4-year-old daughter. Jet lag meant predawn convenience-store runs, naps, and a few public meltdowns. Waking early also let us experience a quieter side of Tokyo that most tourists miss. At 3:47 a.m., my daughter sat fully upright in bed, wide awake and ready to start the day. It was still dark outside our hotel room in Tokyo, but trying to explain time zones to a 4-year-o...