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Whether you're considering emigrating or an expat abroad, you'll find likeminds on this forum.

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Whether you're considering emigrating or an expat abroad, you'll find likeminds on this forum.

Living overseas

Taking the Children to Tokyo over Christmas, any Japanese mumsnetters here?

33 replies

HRHQueenMe · 21/09/2014 07:31

I would like to take the children to Tokyo over Christmas to visit family. We would like to do one day at Disney. Looking at Airbnb apartments. Please give me any advice and ideas! The children are 2,4 and 6. Which airport has better links? Haneda or Narita? Family live in Fuchu but are willing to travel to come and see us. Thank you!

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Yabbie · 07/01/2015 21:32

Great, I'm glad you enjoyed it!

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HRHQueenMe · 02/01/2015 20:45

Thank you ladies for all your useful tips!!! We survived our week in Japan, and had a ball! We did Disney on the 23rd which was mayhem but still fun, and saw lots of sights and ate more sushi than ever!
The Tokyo Urban baby website was fantastic, we did several of the things she suggests.
We brought a BabyJogger city mini double pram for the kids and had no problems getting through anywhere with it. A few cental tubestations have no lifts but as there were 2 adults we managed well. Having the pram was a godsend as the jetlag is severe and the children napped throughout the day to keep up.
Our air b n b apartment in Odaiba was perfect in every way, safe clean and well equipped, and the area was brilliant for the kids. Loads to do and see!
We only spent half (!) of our budget as we bought lots of cheap gyoza style snacks for out evening meals as we were all too tired to eat, and had lunches out instead.
We had no problems with language barriers at all, although many people dont speak english we pointed and charaded and never got lost.
Finally the weather was superb all week, bright sunny and cold like an alpine skiresort! Again thank you for all the tips!!!

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exexpat · 08/10/2014 08:29

I tried using a post office ATM last time I was in Japan, and had difficulty - it seemed to want me to input a 6-digit PIN, and mine is only 4-digit. But maybe that was an issue with my particular card or bank. I know they did open up the post office network to foreign cards in time for the World Cup in 2002, but I wondered if things had gone backwards…

A lot of AirBnB places in Tokyo seem to offer a pocket wifi device as part of the package - you can carry it around to get wifi anywhere in Japan. Does the listing for the one you have booked say anything about that? If not, it is possible to rent one independently for the duration of your stay (e.g. like this. They are relatively new, so I haven't done that yet (was last in Japan 2.5 years ago) but friends have done it and found it very useful for navigation, checking listings etc while out and about. Or you can rent a prepaid sim for data, if your phone is compatible.

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Yabbie · 08/10/2014 03:57

There is also an alternate queuing system at Disney, so if you there's a height restriction on a ride you can all queue up together, then one parent can do the ride, while the other waits with the child(ren) and then the other parent can go round, without having to queue up again. Also useful if one child decides to freak out and not want to go on the ride after all.
I found the Japan Post Office ATMs accept foreign cards, but you still need to let the bank know you'll be in Japan. Japan is still a cash-based society and you can take a lot more money out of an ATM (up to 500,000 yen a day = about 2800 pounds) don't expect everywhere to accept cards.
Museums and stuff are usually closed on Mondays, except when the Monday is a holiday then they are closed on Tuesday instead, so many might be open on 23rd but closed on 24th, best to check the websites before you rock up.
Speaking of which, there is barely any free wifi spots in Tokyo, so don't rely on getting wifi when you're out and about. Navigating Tokyo can be tricky as roads don't have names, but there are always maps in the train/metro stations (and toilets too), and often on the street and the tourist places are usually well sign-posted. But be prepared to get lost!

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HRHQueenMe · 06/10/2014 20:07

Thank you again for all the great useful advice! I will have hubby with me so we should manage Disney!
Doing lots of research and showing the kids youtube clips! So far the childrens castle, the monorail, the cat cafe, and the rooftop terrace overlooking tokyo station have been met with huge enthusiasm!:)

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exexpat · 06/10/2014 11:16

Tough one on the choice of day for Disney. I'd probably go for the 24th over the 23rd, as it is a working day for most people, but schools and universities are off, and Christmas Eve is the big 'romantic' day in the Japanese calendar (Valentine's day is for giving chocolate to colleagues) so there will probably be lots of couples there for Disnified romance, particularly towards the evening, so I'd get there early.

To be honest you're not going to find a quiet day that week, but presumably with children that young a lot of the big rides (with the huge queues) are not on the cards anyway, so it's more about watching the parades and seeing the lights and so on. Will anyone else be going with you? Even the smaller rides could be tricky with one adult and three children.

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ColdCottage · 06/10/2014 03:34

Have fun

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ColdCottage · 06/10/2014 03:33

I want to go to Japan.
Nothing to add just jealous. Maybe one day I will go and this might help me.

Interesting to read though. I love to travel. No chance at the mo though

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HRHQueenMe · 06/10/2014 03:21

Thank you ExExpat! Good tips re bank, will ring the cc company before I go, they are notorious for blocking my card for any minor strange transaction...(highly annoying but I know its for safety, but last time it was for filling up the car and going to the post office and shopping on line in the same day! Very bizarre!:))

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HRHQueenMe · 06/10/2014 03:18

So with the 23rd being a public holiday, is it better to do Disney on the 24th or 23rd? I was told the crowds get worse by the day so was going to aim for the 23rd!

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exexpat · 05/10/2014 20:26

A lot of museums close on Mondays, so you'd need to check, and the 23rd is a public holiday, so banks would be closed but all shops etc open. Christmas day is a normal business day. Otherwise the main shut-down is not until New Year, after you have left.

I don't remember seeing department store Santas in Japan - some nurseries and kindergartens get a staff member to dress up as Santa (or they ask a parent - DH did it at DS's nursery), but it's not such a widespread thing there as far as I know, though it is possible it has caught on since I left. You may have to fit a visit to Santa in before you leave the UK.

Thinking of banks, a tip for you: the best way to access cash in Japan if you have a foreign bank card is through ATMs in 7-Eleven convenience stores. Citibank ATMs are also OK (though there are very few of them) but most standard Japanese bank ATMs don't accept foreign cards. You can use a credit card in a lot more places than a few years ago, but I have found that using my credit card in Japan seems to trigger a security alert/block, even if I have told my bank in advance where I am going, so that involves phone calls to the UK etc to unblock it.

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HRHQueenMe · 05/10/2014 19:09

Final questions, is there any days over the christmas period where everything in Tokyo is closed?
Also can you meet Father Christmas anywhere? Department stores etc? Thank you!

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HRHQueenMe · 05/10/2014 14:45

Thank you Yabbie! My tea went cold reading through that blogg! Am taking notes and marking maps! So excited! Im under no illusion that it wont be hard and stressfull, but the children will have a ball! If you spot a harassed looking mum in Tokyo with 3 blonde kids having a public meltdown over Christmas , you know it will be me!

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Yabbie · 05/10/2014 11:32

just found this blog which looks useful for Tokyo travel. www.tokyourbanbaby.com/2014/10/top-10-tips-for-travelling-with-2-kids-to-tokyo.html

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exexpat · 03/10/2014 15:20

Oh, this thread fell off my list. Yes, Odaiba is a good place for children. DS used to love riding the Yurikamome (driverless monorail) - he would rush to get the seat right at the front so he could pretend to be the driver.

There's also the Toyota Mega-Web car showroom/museum, which appeals to any children keen on cars, and Odaiba Decks and Venus Fort (shopping malls with lots of places to eat, and Venus Fort has Tokyo's biggest lego shop). In the Decks area there is also a Sega Joypolis arcade and a Sony Explorascience centre, but your DCs might still be a bit young to appreciate those.

There is (or was - it's a while since I was there) a supermarket near Odaiba-kaihinkoen station, which could be useful.

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Yabbie · 03/10/2014 13:51

Yeah, Odaiba is fine, lots of shopping centres anyway, there is a good science museum too, hands on and enough English signage to get by, called Miraikan. There is pretty much no way to get cheaper Disney tickets, they keep it pretty tightly sewn up. Under 3s are free though :)
You can book online with visa.

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HRHQueenMe · 01/10/2014 13:42

ODAIBA!!! X

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HRHQueenMe · 01/10/2014 13:41

Hi ! Have booked and finally settled on a flat in Obaida, looks great an the area should be child friendly! Any thoughts? Also any tips for Disney land tickets? Is there any way of doing it cheaper? Can you pay for tickets online? Thank you!

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Yabbie · 29/09/2014 03:50

I was going to say Iidabashi too, very central, not too overwhelming. Or Shinbashi, where your first link is near. That place looks very nice, I wouldn't worry about the balcony too much, it'll be cold in december so you can keep the doors firmly closed.
The Ichikawa one is also nice, but it's the completely opposite side of Fuchu it'll take a couple of hours to get to Fuchu. It's near where I live, and while it is fine to get into Tokyo, take the Metro from Gyotoku station in about 20 minutes, it'll be a little annoying to get to Disney (two trains or a train and a bus 20-30 minutes)
btw this website is great for journey planning around Japan in English on the trains, planes and boats //www.hyperdia.com

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HRHQueenMe · 28/09/2014 15:26

Strong Contender

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HRHQueenMe · 28/09/2014 15:25

[https://www.airbnb.co.uk/rooms/2662534 Strong Contender]

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HRHQueenMe · 28/09/2014 15:24

Bunkyo house has been booked by someone else....grrrr

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HRHQueenMe · 28/09/2014 15:22

www.airbnb.co.uk/rooms/3469552

Looking at this, pricy but lots of space and views, yet high up and scary balconies for the kids.

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exexpat · 28/09/2014 13:09

Oh yes, and to confirm what Yabbie said - it is perfectly fine and normal for parents to ask for extra plates so that two children can share an adult portion of something, or have a bit of the adult's meal.

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exexpat · 28/09/2014 12:27

If you're just there for a short time and want to be out and about doing stuff, the most important thing is being close to train lines - if possible, close (10-15 minutes walk or less) to at least one subway and one JR line.

I used to live in Bunkyo-ku, and also in Shinjuku-ku, and there are lots of nice quiet areas with good transport links. My favourite part of Tokyo is around Kagurazaka - near JR Iidabashi station, but with several subway lines as well, and loads of interesting little restaurants and food shops, as well as some good playgrounds for the children. The Korakuen/Suidobashi area is also good for transport, and then heading further east, areas around Ueno are worth considering - there is the zoo and park and museums on your doorstep, as well as excellent transport links including the Skyliner to Narita.

Are there any particular AirBnB apartments you are looking at? If you link them, I could comment on which seems best. I'm actually going to be in Tokyo just before you (leaving on the 23rd) and I am also going the AirBnB route for the first time - I'm renting an apartment in Ichigaya, not too far from Kagurazaka.