Want to book a holiday to Japan- what should I know?

[hullabaloo]

My DH and I both turn 40 this year. He has always wanted to go to Tokyo and so we have decided that we will book a holiday to Japan this summer.
What should we try to see? Have you any recommendations for hotels, places to visit etc? We're taking our 8 year old son who is really excited so all advice will be gratefully received!

Hi
We went to Japan with a 3 year old and are thinking of going again this year (he's now 8). It's a great place for kids. Try this book, Japan for kids
www.amazon.com/Japan-Kids-Ultimate-Children-Classroom/dp/4770023510
You should try the Children's Museum in Tokyo, but all the department stores etc are heaven for kids, often with play areas in the toy section. Tokyo can get a bit much after a bit, so I would definitely go for a daytrip (perhaps Kamakura or Asakusa for local temples). Not sure how interesting Kyoto or Nara would be for them, but the bullet train is very exciting for kids. Then there's disneyland and lots of playgrounds (but especially on the outskirts). I would avoid swimming pools and beaches, they get v. crowded.
Have fun!

OK so the general plan at the mo is to go to Kyoto first and spend a few days in an apartment there. We can use our rail pass to venture further afield from Kyoto too. Then we'll go to Tokyo for the last week and explore the city and do the Disney thing too (have finally persuaded my DH that it would be rude not to since we've com all that way ) We sat and watched Lost in Translatio again last night as we surfed for hotels and wished we had Bill Murray's budget!

We had a 2-night stopover in Tokyo on way back from Oz (this was back in March or April 2002) and stayed in a traditional riyokan - a Japanese inn - and it was FAB. We didn't have the dcs then but am sure our room would have fitted a child as well. I would really recommend, if it is still there. In the Asakusa district - I think this might have been the one but it was so long ago am not 100% sure...

Doing a boat trip up the river was also v fab and visiting the big temple in Asakusa. Just wish we'd had longer there - we WILL go back at some point and see more of Japan - I loved it.

PS I was surprised that English was not as widely spoken as I'd assumed it would be...

I think a river trip would be fab. We have more or less planned what we want to do now. We are going to Kyoto first and staying in an apartment (washing machine etc so will be able to go to Tokyo with clean clothes!)then staying at Park Hotel Tokyo which is dearer than we intended but we're worth it. Planning to have one day at Disney , 5 in Kyoto and the rest of the fortnight in Tokyo. Also planning a day trip to Hiroshima. Just need to work out what sightseeing we want to do and then we'll finalise all the details.

And yes we'd heard that English wasn't very widely spoken and my DH has now downloaded Japanese Pod 101 for his ipod and is listening to Japanese in the car every morning as he sits in traffic!

You may want to look at the Japan Rail Pass website as well. I think you need to buy those tickets before you leave the UK.

Yep you do thanks for that!