A Kid-Centric Trip to Japan and TDR - Trip Report (Completed - copied to blog)

[wanderlust7]

great trip report and awesome pictures. you definitely gave me some ideas of what to do on my trip coming up

Thank you! Hope you have a great trip!

 

[lullwater]

Well organized, researched and informative trip report. With some of the most accurate photo’s I’ve seen of Tokyo Disney. You hit the nail on avoiding some of the typical tourist behavior and going to sites and partaking in visits a local would. Using the Kesei line from the airport surprised me as that’s the old school way of moving from Narita.

 

[wanderlust7]

Well organized, researched and informative trip report. With some of the most accurate photo’s I’ve seen of Tokyo Disney. You hit the nail on avoiding some of the typical tourist behavior and going to sites and partaking in visits a local would. Using the Kesei line from the airport surprised me as that’s the old school way of moving from Narita.

Aww, seriously, I'm blushing.

I love planning, it's like half the fun for me and this trip was really something I could sink my teeth into! With the Keisei train, I just wanted something that would take us to Asakusa with no transfers, I had no idea beforehand that it was a commuter train. In my head I was picturing something more similar to the N'Ex.

 

[Karin1984]

Hi!

Question about your time spend in Nikko. We might want to make a day trip from Tokyo to see the gardens and the shrines. Do you think that's doable? You spend half a day if I read it correctly. I'm not sure if it's worth it with the 2-hours train ride. (Especially as we only have 2,5 day in Tokyo, but it's a suggestion from my friend, something she would like to see).

Thanks!

 

[lullwater]

When are you visiting Japan? Nikko is much better in the Fall when the autumn colors are out.
Have you thought about Kamakura as it has much more history as a former capital as opposed to just being a mausoleum? It's closer to Tokyo and they have amazing hydrangeas in June. And a chrysanthemum blossom festival in November that is a truly unique experience and will change perceptions into how many varieties a flower can truly have. The 800 year old Great Buddha is a great visit. I'm always amazed that it was supposedly indoors before a tsunami washed the building away as its quite distant from the water.

If you visit Kyoto I would consider skipping Nikko and concentrate on Tokyo.
Get a train pass and spend an hour at each of the following places; Kappabashi, Akihabara, Ginza, Harajuku, Shinjuku, the hachiko statue in Shibuya, Tsukiji market, Odaiba and at around 8:00 pm at Shimbashi station to watch the hostesses go to work; can't really spot a real geisha or maiko in Tokyo. Consider the observatory at Sunshine city, Tokyo Tower and Tokyo Skytree. Dinner at the New York Grill above the Park Hyatt Tokyo is a wonderful meal with a panoramic view.

 

[wanderlust7]

Hi!
Question about your time spend in Nikko. We might want to make a day trip from Tokyo to see the gardens and the shrines. Do you think that's doable? You spend half a day if I read it correctly. I'm not sure if it's worth it with the 2-hours train ride. (Especially as we only have 2,5 day in Tokyo, but it's a suggestion from my friend, something she would like to see).
Thanks!

I believe it's common to do Nikko as a day trip. Looking at the time stamps from our photos (from Shinko bridge to our photo of lunch ), it only took us 2 1/2 hours to tour Toshogu Shrine and that includes the time walking there with little kids. If you get an early start on your day trip, you can also go to Lake Chuzenji and Kegon Falls. It looks very picturesque from photos, but we couldn't fit it in.

That said - I do agree with @lullwater. I wouldn't recommend Nikko to a first time visitor or someone with very limited time. Since DH and I have been to Japan before, I chose Nikko for the Ninja park, Edo Wonderland, and to stay in a ryokan.

 

[bruin89]

Wow, absolutely epic TR, really enjoyed it. Also very timely for me as we're planning a similar trip for June. I have a very specific question about the Sheraton. Like others I've been very confused about the bed situation in Japan. I wanted to use Starwood points for our stay with our two kids. Like most, we're accustomed here at home to getting a room with two beds for the four of us. I was perplexed that no rooms were showing available when I plugged the kids into the reservation, however there was availability when I put in just two adults. I'm sure this is due to the Japanese wanting to put us in a room with four beds.

I saw like you did that kids under 17 can stay in the room with bedshare, so I booked it for two adults similar to you. My question is, once you arrived to check in, did you inform them that you had kids with you, and if so were they recognized? Or did you just not say anything?

From photos, looks like the two-bed rooms are sized at least like our full/doubles if not larger correct? Should be fine with our kids (a little older than yours, but still small.)

 

[wanderlust7]

Wow, absolutely epic TR, really enjoyed it.

Thank you!

I saw like you did that kids under 17 can stay in the room with bedshare, so I booked it for two adults similar to you. My question is, once you arrived to check in, did you inform them that you had kids with you, and if so were they recognized? Or did you just not say anything?

From photos, looks like the two-bed rooms are sized at least like our full/doubles if not larger correct? Should be fine with our kids (a little older than yours, but still small.)

I just checked the Sheraton website and it looks like their policy has changed. It now says 6 and under can bedshare. If you booked when the policy was still under 17, maybe you should e-mail them to see if you're grandfathered in under the old policy.

The beds are probably like full size. I thought it was fine sharing with one kid, except when they rotated perpendicularly.

 

[wanderlust7]

Since none of the photo links work anymore due to Photobucket policy changes , I've copied the trip report to a blog here:

travelswith2kids.wordpress.com