Tokyo advice please.

Bob'n'weave · Jan 4, 2017

Roppongi Park is great fun, at the weekends they have loads of bands on and a market. Shinjuku at night is a must for the 'Blade Runner' experience, great in the day for shopping. Tube/Trains are just fantastic, stick to the JR line as much as you can, you'll see more, mostly above ground unlike some of the cheaper lines which are buried way down and defo not so great in an earthquake (don't panic, they get little ones quite regularly). V friendly place all round. Pick up a tube map at the Airport and you won't go wrong. Ask any foreign street seller about attractions/directions and bow a lot, the Japanese will love you for it.

Herr Tubthumper · Jan 4, 2017

And watch Lost In Translation a few times before you go.

Steve in Japan · Jan 4, 2017

I'd go - you say you're not too worried about jet lag, my experience with our son is that he deals with it much better than the grown-ups! And going East is easier than the journey home IMHO.

Parks - an abundance of great choices, my favourites would be Shinjuku Gyoen and Yoyogi Koen. They are very large and very peaceful. Pack a picnic, job done.

Beaches - not really, but you could get a train to Kamakura (which is actually a pretty good day trip without the beach, very pretty town with more than its fair share of temples)

I sense you are keen to not spend all week in central Tokyo and if that is the case, you could also do a day trip to Mount Takao - 50 minutes from Shinjuku, and an easy hike to the top. Very family friendly.

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3029.html

Steve in Japan · Jan 4, 2017

Steve in Japan said:
I'd go - you say you're not too worried about jet lag, my experience with our son is that he deals with it much better than the grown-ups! And going East is easier than the journey home IMHO.

Parks - an abundance of great choices, my favourites would be Shinjuku Gyoen and Yoyogi Koen. They are very large and very peaceful. Pack a picnic, job done.

Beaches - not really, but you could get a train to Kamakura (which is actually a pretty good day trip without the beach, very pretty town with more than its fair share of temples)

I sense you are keen to not spend all week in central Tokyo and if that is the case, you could also do a day trip to Mount Takao - 50 minutes from Shinjuku, and an easy hike to the top. Very family friendly.

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3029.html

oops when I say "pack a picnic", I meant go into one of the convenience stores - Lawsons, 7-11, Familymart - and buy sandwiches, onigiri (rice balls), fried chicken and a few beers. Don't do any work!

Mental Lental · Jan 5, 2017

A lot of people will tell you Tokyo is expensive. It isn't. If you know where to go. Basically stay away from the touristy areas if you don't wanna get fleeced.

Mental Lental · Jan 5, 2017

Steve in Japan said:
And going East is easier than the journey home IMHO.

I find the exact opposite. West to East is more difficult for me because you lose time and this throws my body clock completely off. Takes me 5 days or so to get back into the rhythm. East to West you gain time and as such in my experience your body just thinks it's staying up late. So just push through to around 10 o clock and have a good night's sleep and basically I'm ok.

W.C. · Jan 5, 2017

Psychobilly freakout said:
I hate big crowds hustle bustle like NYC

You hate big crowds you say? http://uk.businessinsider.com/crowded-train-tokyo-subway-japan-rush-hour-people-commute-2016-11 :thumbsup:

Seriously though Tokyo is fantastic and the Japanese are very accommodating with kids. I'm surprised at people saying it's not that busy though. Last time I went to Yoyogi park it was cherry blossom season. Relaxing it was not!

Steve in Japan · Jan 5, 2017

Mental Lental said:
I find the exact opposite. West to East is more difficult for me because you lose time and this throws my body clock completely off. Takes me 5 days or so to get back into the rhythm. East to West you gain time and as such in my experience your body just thinks it's staying up late. So just push through to around 10 o clock and have a good night's sleep and basically I'm ok.

I think it depends on where "home" is - when I lived in Japan I would have said exactly the same as you. Now I find going East easiest.

Guinness Boy · Jan 5, 2017

Steve in Japan said:
I'd go - you say you're not too worried about jet lag, my experience with our son is that he deals with it much better than the grown-ups! And going East is easier than the journey home IMHO.

Parks - an abundance of great choices, my favourites would be Shinjuku Gyoen and Yoyogi Koen. They are very large and very peaceful. Pack a picnic, job done.

Beaches - not really, but you could get a train to Kamakura (which is actually a pretty good day trip without the beach, very pretty town with more than its fair share of temples)

I sense you are keen to not spend all week in central Tokyo and if that is the case, you could also do a day trip to Mount Takao - 50 minutes from Shinjuku, and an easy hike to the top. Very family friendly.

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3029.html

Yoyogi Koem and Kamakura seconded here for park and a day trip. Excellent day trips.

Guinness Boy · Jan 5, 2017

Herr Tubthumper said:
What do you do if you don't mind me asking. PM if you prefer.

Work as a business analyst / consultant providing software and processes to insurance companies and investment houses. I actually think another gig out there would be difficult. The Japanese don't really like foreign consultants and many of their financial services systems are old and creaking but they want to maintain their data and processes. It was fun while it lasted though.

Herr Tubthumper · Jan 5, 2017

Albion my Albion said:
It's strange but I never have had a bad experience with time change but then I also keep some strange hours in the UK.

I find I get hungry at strange times but I can get over the time difference/sleeping thing quite easily within a 24 cycle.

Herr Tubthumper · Jan 5, 2017

Also, there's a burgeoning craft beer scene in Japan as well. These guys are well known but there's plenty of others http://hitachino.cc/en/

Herr Tubthumper · Jan 5, 2017

Guinness Boy said:
Work as a business analyst / consultant providing software and processes to insurance companies and investment houses. I actually think another gig out there would be difficult. The Japanese don't really like foreign consultants and many of their financial services systems are old and creaking but they want to maintain their data and processes. It was fun while it lasted though.

I'd lik to spend some time there myself at some point; maybe a year or so. It's certainly on my bucket list. And I need the Tokyo marathon to complete the Majors.

HastingsSeagull · Jan 5, 2017

Have swapped HK for Shenzhen China and now Manila past couple years. Always found going east long haul messes up my sleep but going west messes up my eating pattern. That or the cold British weather (and less rice) makes me crave food constantly!

Deffo want to get a week in Tokyo this year if work is calm enough and super glad it's only a few hours rather than most of a day to get there. Will certainly use this thread for the activities etc. though so thanks to contributers ^_^

Any tips on the area around Himeji castle and cities near there as sure I met someone living down that way and extra insentive to go explore a few days out of the hustle and bustle

Garry Nelson's Left Foot · Jan 5, 2017

Psychobilly freakout said:
Not too worried about the jet lag myself, we have been to Thailand as a family and America (Michigan & San Fran, Vegas) and little one has coped well. To be honest she is like me and operate on 5 hours sleep much to the wife's annoyances. We are looking at airb&b in the Asakusa area and thinking of doing trips on the bullitt train to Mount Fuji etc...

The little one enjoyed Thailand and the temples, and enjoyed walking around Etna for a day so has stamina.

I am just worried that there may not be places like parks for downtime for her.

Is there a beach etc.

Thanks everyone

If your daughter is fine with the long haul flight and jet lag(I find going to Japan to be much worse than coming from it) then I say do it.

I can heartily recommend Asakusa as that's where I live. However, for a tourist it might be easier if you headed a kilometre or so west and stayed in Ueno. It has a direct train to Narita airport that only takes 40ish minutes and has much better transport links for Tokyo and beyond than Asakusa. It also has a park (no grass....) that is home to a zoo(Panda included) and several of Tokyo's finest museums as well as a small boating lake.

There is no beach in Tokyo but Kamakura is about an hour or so away and that not only has a beach but a whole host of temples and the Great Buddha - Japans largest or possibly second largest bronze Buddha. Going to Kamakura would negate the need to visit Kyoto and Nara which I fully recommend visiting...just not when you only have 6 days in the country. An added benefit of Kamakura is that Yokohama is nearby so after a day traipsing around temples you can spend the evening traipsing around the very nice minato mirai waterside area before heading to Japan's largest china town for dinner.

There aren't a huge number of parks in Tokyo but if you want some grass and tranquility you could head to Shinjuku gyoen(it costs a small fee to get in and closes at 4:30) or if you want grass, tress and a run around you can go to Yoyogi Koen. You could also go to Meiji Jingu shrine-it's cool to visit and has sizable grounds out the back that are relatively underused.

If you want your daughter to have a day for herself and a rest day for you and the wife you could try Kidzania. http://www.kidzania.jp/tokyo/en/ It's a 'Town' where kids get to try their hand at any job they want. It doesn't sound too great when put like that but I work with kids and they all seem to love it. Schools - both Japanese and International- go there.

Other places I'd recommend visiting are the obvious places like Shibuya, Harajuku and Shinjuku...the former for the famous crossing and busy youthful vibe, Harajuku for the youth fashions and cosplay kids(although these are less and less nowadays) and Shinjuku for it's blade runnery aceness, Kabukicho's neon wilderness, the Robot Restaurant(a must visit IMO) and very polite Japanese seediness, nishi shinjuku's sky scraping grandeur including the gotham-esque Tokyo Metropolitan Government building that is free to enter and has an observation floor with stunning views of Tokyo as well as the Park Hyatt and it's bar with equally grandiose views of Tokyo forever linked with Lost in Translation(be warned drinks here are fairly pricey and if you want to guarantee a seat with a view you might have to book). Even the station is a sight to behold...it's huge and is the busiest in the world.

Basically Tokyo is ****ing awesome and I 100% recommend visiting so long as your daughter is fine with the flight. Any questions feel free to ask.

Garry Nelson's Left Foot · Jan 5, 2017

It's not my part of Japan so I can't give too much info but Osaka, Kyoto and Nara are all near to Himeji. Hiroshima is pretty close too and if your down that way should definitely be visited. Out of the four, Kyoto and Hiroshima are musts, Nara and Osaka bonuses.

Oops, forgot to quote [MENTION=15444]HastingsSeagull[/MENTION]s

Bigtomfu · Jan 5, 2017

So very bold to consider going for such a short period of time as Japan is a seductive soul that will entice you by everyone of your five senses....

I can't add anything to the ideas already quoted above but suffice to say the only consideration for me would be can we wait until we can fit in a two/three week holiday there instead?

So much more to see than just Tokyo. If you had two weeks you could easily take in Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, Hiroshima and maybe consider heading down to the islands around Okinawa for some rest and relaxation or head north for a completely alternative experience.

Amazing country and ever so friendly people who love nothing more than practising their English on you.

Hampster Gull · Jan 5, 2017

I am there now on way back from NZ. Fantastic place. Love the people, the city is full on but as someone said bizarrely calm. The night scene is great to glimps. Don't miss the chance to visit, i have already decided to return for longer

Psychobilly freakout · Jan 5, 2017

Thank you all very much for you input, greatly appreciated... :thumbsup:

Just booked the flights booked no turning back....

2 adults and a sprog £1300.00

Hopefully I can wear a Brighton & Hove Albion top and people will know who we are by then because we maybe a "Premiership team" :drink:

Herr Tubthumper · Jan 5, 2017

Psychobilly freakout said:
Thank you all very much for you input, greatly appreciated...

Just booked the flights booked no turning back....

2 adults and a sprog £1300.00

Hopefully I can wear a Brighton & Hove Albion top and people will know who we are by then because we maybe a "Premiership team"

Excellent work!

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