Japan Advice - Itinerary and Stay Suggestions

virhlpool on 28/02/2019 - 11:25
Last edited 28/02/2019 - 11:41

Hi all.. We are travelling to Japan (our first time) during school holidays (17 - 30 Apr 2019) with a 5 yr old. I am a bit late in deciding the itinerary and booking the stay though I had booked air tickets a few months back. We want to keep it a slow paced (easier with kid) tour and cover as many of main attractions as we can. There's no particular choice but we wouldn't mind mix of cities, nature (less walking preferred) and 'technology' (bullet train etc). We may skip the amusement parks if there are not many rides that whole family can enjoy together (with kid) - would you still recommend to visit a park? I don't dislike historic stuff and temples but don't want to spend too much time on it.

I would love to spend maximum time in Tokyo to cover the city (and some surrounding if it's worth) well and then spend remaining days in any other city (confused about which one to pick).

Can someone please suggest itinerary and stay options? Is AirBNB legal there? I am looking for a convenient but budget stay. We'll be landing at Haneda airport and returning from Narita airport.

Any other planning that I should start doing (travel pass, SIM card, booking tickets for attractions, etc)? Will we be able to see cherry blossom during this time? Where should we ideally go to see it?

Appreciate your help in this last moment planning!

Travel Asia Japan

Comments

  • onetwothreefour on 28/02/2019 - 11:27
    +10

    What other threads on this site have you read about traveling to Japan and what additional info would you like from us?

  • fishball on 28/02/2019 - 11:31
    +1

    AirBNB is legal but now you have to provide a lot of details including a photo of your passport pre-trip.

    I bought the Sim card from one of the ozbargain offerings, 21 days for $40 or something = 500MB/day data. Good for whatsapp.

    JR pass is useful if you want to travel around Japan a fair bit (eg. bullet train) etc.

  • one man clan on 28/02/2019 - 11:42
    +2

    Just do Tokyo and Kyoto. Tokyo will be amazing but possibly overwhelming for a 5 year old. I recommend Disneysea if your kid is at all into Disney (or just amusement parks) - it's incredible.

    You can google cherry blossom season, there are prediction calendars. I think it might be late for Tokyo but you can get the bullet train to some places where it's still going. I went to some place about 2hrs by train but can't remember the name.

    Check out jtbtravel for booking activities. I recommend going to a baseball game (booked that myself, not through JTB).

    • virhlpool on 28/02/2019 - 11:46
      -2

      Thanks so much.

      • Are there enough rides in the parks for 5 yr old considering height limitations? Wasn't a great experience in Universal Studios SG as one of the parents had to stay back with the kid in most of the rides due to the height limitations. Is Disneysea better than the other Disney Park?

      • I was thinking of Kyoto too but I reckon it has more temples and nothing else much?

      • Which pass do you recommend for train? I won't be going to the game but may go to some placed in vicinity of Tokyo if it's convenient through train and this pass.

      • one man clan on 28/02/2019 - 12:23

        Yes, a 5 year old will love Disney. Contrary to the below Disneysea is way way better than Tokyo Disneyland. It's probably the best Disney park in the world.

        Kyoto has a lot of temples but is very interesting and is an insight into old Japan. The city area itself is very cool as well.

        Train pass is too complex to explain, contact JTB.

      • Antares on 28/02/2019 - 12:28
        +2

        Tokyo Disneyland is much more geared towards children. Tokyo Disneysea is a bit more mature.
        There are rides for children in both, but I would personally take a young child to Disneyland rather than Disneysea.

        If you're going to to travel via Shinkansen (Bullet Train), then they're recommending the JR pass because it costs about the same as tickets to and from Kyoto/Osaka and you get unlimited travel for 7 days.
        A lot of people make the mistake of buying this pass and using it for normal travel though, this pass can be used on regular trains, but you will not get your money's worth unless you're taking the bullet train.

        For regular travel, when you first arrive in Japan, one of the first things you should do is get an IC card, like a Pasmo or Suica card. Working out ticket prices on the train can be very difficult, and it's much easier just to tap on/off.

        You should also be aware that Japan is still largely a cash society, although they are pushing contactless payments a lot at the moment. You will absolutely need to withdraw money, and the best place to do that is at 7/11 ATMs.

  • yoonibear on 28/02/2019 - 11:48

    There's a massive Japan FAQ database on Whirlpool - it'll help you get the basics down.
    Do you know which attractions you wanted to visit? Have a look at https://www.japan-guide.com/, pick a few attractions/POI's and plan your trip around it.
    I'd recommend the Ghibli Museum - we thoroughly enjoyed our visit. (https://www.jtbtravel.com.au/tickets/ghibli-museum-ticket/) If you are interested in this, you'll need to hurry for tickets as it seems the only dates they have available during your stay would be on the 27th and 28th.

    • virhlpool on 28/02/2019 - 11:54

      Thank you. Is it possible to buy the Ghibli museum tickets from any other place online such as Klook app or any local website in Japan - just in case we miss this one? It's because I don't know my itinerary yet and hard to fix the date for it.

      • yoonibear on 28/02/2019 - 11:57
        +1

        Not 100% on Klook - but you can get tickets from the 7/11 terminals in Japan. Thing is, I'm not sure if there'll be availability. (was told the Ghbili tickets were popular - we booked our ones about 3 months in advance).

        What we did was choose a few places that we knew we'd 100% visit, book the tickets in then planned our itinerary around it.

        • virhlpool on 28/02/2019 - 12:01

          Thanks for the info. Makes total sense, mate.

      • balkandishlex on 28/02/2019 - 12:06
        +2

        Ghibli tickets are really, really hard - what we did was book through Viator for the "bus tour", which includes a ticket to the museum. Looks like these guys are doing advance bookings now, but they only have a very limited number of tickets each day and they sell out very very fast. The museum itself is wonderful and magical - my personal view is that this is really the only thing that's date dependent, so lock in this date and build everything else around it.

        https://www.viator.com/tours/Tokyo/to-Pre-Order-request-for-…

  • MoonlapseVertigo on 28/02/2019 - 11:49
    +2

    Disneyland tokyo, universal studios Osaka. Kyoto is good to see the old japan for a few days.

    I'd suggest 6 nights in tokyo (stay in shinjuku area - i recommend this hotel: https://www.jrk-hotels.co.jp/Shinjuku/en/) and go to disney for 2 of those days, get on the bullet train and go to Okasa for 2 nights for universal studios and see the running man area donburi. From there do a day trip to Hiroshima. Then get on bullet train to Kyoto for 2 nights and wander around. Then get the bullet train back to Tokyo for the final 3 nights and wander around. Plenty to see. easy going pace too.

    all the best with it

    • virhlpool on 28/02/2019 - 11:56

      Highly appreciate it. Universal Studios have very limited rides for 5 yr old and all adults in my group have been to Universal Studios parks elsewhere (US, Singapore) so I may skip this. I reckon Disney Park will have more stuff to offer for the kids. Do you recommend Displayland Tokyo or Disneysea?

      • MoonlapseVertigo on 28/02/2019 - 12:00

        We did both Disney parks and can recommend the original and the best, disneyland magic kingdom over disneysea BUT you should try both. You can get passes which allow you to go between the parks on one day

      • one man clan on 28/02/2019 - 12:24
        +1

        I wouldn't do 2 days in both, that's 4 days of a 13 day holiday you're spending in parks. There's so much to see in Japan you'd be wasting it IMO. Disney will be more kid oriented than Universal

        • MoonlapseVertigo on 28/02/2019 - 13:22

          Agree. I'd even try 1 day at disney (go to both parks) then another day there if you like one of the parks….so 2 days of 13 at disney

  • DarthAntz on 28/02/2019 - 12:12
    +1

    You're going to Japan in 6-7 weeks, and you havent booked any accommodation.

    I recommend you book accommodation today, as 30 million people visit Japan every year, and they all go to Tokyo. You're running out of time to expect cheap accommodation.

    Airbnb and also Rakuten travel offer accommodation, known as minpaku in Japan. Check booking.com to see the availability, then compare with prices at the website. Use google chrome to view as there is auto-translate when you right click on a page. Dont get accommodation in Shinjuku or Roppongi, its expensive and close to the red light districts. There always good chicken and ramen in these areas, but not worth it for the harassment you'll cop to enter a bar. Youtube tourist traps in Tokyo.

    Japan is a lot of walking and internal travel. Just plan to do 1-3 things a day.

    I recommend Teamlab for a family event.

    Ueno and Odaiba have a lot of things to do and see in Tokyo.

    And as the first comment, make the effort and read everything thats already been posted countless times per year here and on whirlpool. There is a wealth of information already.

    • meowmeowmeow on 28/02/2019 - 13:49

      Was going to mention teamlab too - we are going to Tokyo in October and it's on our list. It's called Teamlab Borderless digital art museum or something, i think it should be good for kids as it's supposed to be quite interactive. You need to buy tickets in advance for a specific day, but i think you can turn up at any time during that day. There's some other tourist sites in the nearby area as well, so could dedicate basically most of the day to the surrounding area.

    • virhlpool on 28/02/2019 - 16:30

      Which areas do you recommend for budget accommodation that’s convinient too?

      • DarthAntz on 28/02/2019 - 17:21
        +3

        I recommend you do research instead of relying on others to google it for you.

        I don't think you've read the comments on here, let alone where others have suggested you read, as areas in Tokyo have already been mentioned, and you obviously haven't looked at Kyoto on a map, because its not that big.

        accommodation Link

        • virhlpool on 28/02/2019 - 20:26
          -2

          Sorry, you advised not to stay in Shinjuku or Roppongi, and hence I asked for your recommendations for budget and convenient stay in that case. Sorry for the confusion. You didn't mention areas' names in your comment. Appreciate your help though.

        • watwatwat on 28/02/2019 - 23:51
          +1

          I recommend you do research instead of relying on others to google it for you.

          OP doesn't like doing work himself. It confuses him more.

    • GaryQ on 08/03/2019 - 19:07

      I bought a Data only SIM on Osaka and used Agoda / Booking to book a place as soon as we stepped off the Shinkansen in whichever city we arrived in next. Always found a place less than $100 a night within 500m walk of the station, including Ueno (wanted to try a capsule hotel at least once). Most of the time they had their own Onsen in the basement.

      • DarthAntz on 08/03/2019 - 21:44

        That's what you want. How long before your stay did you book? And was this recently?

    • virhlpool on 10/03/2019 - 22:47

      Managed to book an airbnb at Sugamo, close to the JR train station. It's on Yamanote Line so moving around within central Tokyo should be easy.

      • DarthAntz on 11/03/2019 - 00:41

        excellent. Close to a train station is good. Have a great time, and I'm glad you found somewhere.

      • DarthAntz on 11/03/2019 - 13:12
        +1

        If you start missing meat pies while you are in Tokyo, this guy opened up a bakery https://punk-doily.business.site/

        • virhlpool on 11/03/2019 - 13:14

          I am a vegetarian but sweets options look great too. Thanks!

          • DarthAntz on 11/03/2019 - 13:17
            +1

            @virhlpool: They have vegetarian pies and yes the sweets look great ;)

  • Mistymoo on 28/02/2019 - 13:03
    +2

    This is one of the absolute peak seasons for Japan so I'd strongly advise hurrying up and booking accommodation ASAP. Tokyo and Kyoto are my two recommendations for cities, especially if this is your first time there! If you have time, Hiroshima is amazing but maybe not for a five year old so much.

    • virhlpool on 28/02/2019 - 13:54

      Thanks. Any recommendation for areas for budget accommodation in Tokyo and Kyoto? Open for hotels or AirBNB.

      • Mistymoo on 28/02/2019 - 16:19

        I haven't been in several years so I don't have any current recommendations but I'm sure a bit of research on Trip Advisor or the like will help :)

  • Bonbi on 28/02/2019 - 15:34
    +2

    Seems like you have done absolutely zero research whatsoever

    • DarthAntz on 28/02/2019 - 16:23

      ozbargaining the tickets and itinerary

  • lainey13 on 28/02/2019 - 21:45
    +1

    People like you are what travel agents live for…

    • virhlpool on 28/02/2019 - 21:49
      -3

      Thanks for a valuable advice.

  • belbird on 01/03/2019 - 10:23
    +1

    I've been several times with kids. I recommend Tokyo and Kyoto also. Split time between.

    Disney Sea is better than Disneyland, HOWEVER has less rides suitable for a 5 year old. It's great to walk around however.

    Highly recommend the Ghibli museum, about an hour out of Tokyo for young kids. MUST be booked well in advance (can buy online from here). My kids adored it and were bummed they couldn't go back there this year.

    I'd recommend a hotel in the Disney area. We've stayed a few times at the Hilton near Disneyland and it has very very cute themed rooms that the kids really loved, plus a free mickey mouse shuttle taking you to the shops, parks, station.

    Kids also like seeing the deer at Nara temple near Kyoto. The temple is amazing and worth a visit.

    It would be better to fly out of Osaka if you did the above trip - not sure if you can change tickets?

    Good luck with the planning. I've been taking the kids there for years and we all love it. I've had about 5 trips, the kids have gone more than that!

    • sakurashu on 13/03/2019 - 17:02

      Absolutely +1 for Nara, I saw plenty of young kids running around with the deer and having a great time. There is also the world's largest bronze buddha statue at Tōdai-ji in Nara which is worth seeing :)

      • DazMon on 14/03/2019 - 10:33
        +1

        Shika broke my phone screen!

  • belbird on 01/03/2019 - 10:25
    +2

    PS, the SEGA centre in Tokyo is also wonderful for the kids and is free entry. That's where my cheapskate husband takes them. Being an ozbargainer, that may suit ;)

  • belbird on 01/03/2019 - 10:26
    +1

    And skip Hiroshima with the kids … mine didn't appreciate it.

    • GaryQ on 02/03/2019 - 20:58
      +1

      They don't have to appreciate it, but you will. If you're there before 8am you will see the Seiko clock chime at Zero-Hour. Its surreal

      For the children, its a park, but if they remember being in Japan at all, thats a special moment

  • CyberMurning on 02/03/2019 - 15:03
    +1

    kabukicho………..

    • GaryQ on 08/03/2019 - 19:10

      Kawaraguchiko

  • DazMon on 05/03/2019 - 10:21

    USJ in Osaka is a great way to spend the day.
    Don't listen to others telling you just go to Tokyo & Kyoto,
    there are many other worthwhile cities and Osaka and Kobe are two.

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