Hello, everyone! If every question that I ask has an answer in the FAQ section, I apologize in advance. It’s getting close to crunch time and I’m starting to feel a little overwhelmed. I mainly have questions about activities and logistics.
I am heading to Japan with adult 3 siblings, 3 spouses, my 80-year old mother, and 2-year old toddler. We will be visiting my aunts and uncles in the Fussa/Nakagami area, all of whom are over the age of 68 and have no children. It hopefully will not be the last time we ever get to see them, but we’re sort of on our farewell tour for my family.
With that in mind, we will be spending a lot of time hanging out with them in their tiny apartments, so I don’t feel a ton of pressure to cram a lot of sightseeing into this trip, but we would like to get out and enjoy ourselves, as well. There will be about a week where all of us will be in Japan at the same time (7 American adults, 1 American toddler, 4 Japanese older folks), and during that time we only have the Ghibli museum scheduled. We will be staying in Asagaya for the first couple of weeks, then Fussa for the remainder. A couple of us might sneak off to Hakuba, as well.
Onto the questions:
1. **OMG, cell phones.** This is probably the most confusing logistical item for me. My husband will be in Japan for about a week and will need to be able to use his phone with his US phone number active for work while we’re over there. I know that a ton of people use pocket wifi. I do not believe that eSim is an option for us since we have Verizon iPhones, but I believe that Verizon also has a foreign roaming plan. What are your suggestions and experiences? We will need the most reliable option for him. For me and for my siblings, I am okay with doing something less expensive. I know there are tons of guides on cell phones, but maybe because the answer is not a straightforward set of instructions, I’m very overwhelmed.
2. Hanami: It’s about that time, and I’m hoping to see some choice cherry blossoms while we’re there. Are there any places that y’all like the best in the Tokyo area? I don’t mind heading a little out of town or going off the beaten path to see them. Are there any festivals going on that might be toddler-friendly?
3. Large group activities: I imagine that we won’t be going out as an entire family much, but my siblings and kid will probably want to do some touristy stuff, totaling 7 adults and one toddler. We have a trip to the Ghibli Museum booked, and we are looking at doing teamLabs and Toyosu. Ueno and Hamura Zoos are on the list, as well. Do you have any favorite museums or parks that are a must-visit? Are there other places or restaurants that are friendly for groups? My Japanese relatives loathe traveling into Tokyo, so are there things out west (Ome, Takaozan, etc) that might be doable for a bunch of grumpy older folks?
4. UNIQLO, Daiso, Don Quixote: Okay, not restricted to those three stores in particular, but are there certain locations that you love best? What are your favorite places for Japanese home goods, goofy shirts, used books, etc? I am also interested in flea markets and thrift stores that you love. Oh, and cool children’s clothing stores maybe?
5. Children’s books and toys: I am desperate to get my hands on some nice Japanese language learning materials for my kid. Stuff like kana blocks (do those exist?), fun games and workbooks, picture books, toys that speak in Japanese, etc. I would love both new and used. Someone had pointed to Miwa Shobo, so with that in mind, do you know of anything similar?
6. **HAKUBA:** I know absolutely nothing about this place, but my sister has Epic snowboard passes that she can use at Hakuba Valley. I am on the fence on whether I will join her or not, since I am a little wary about taking my toddler with me. I know that Hakuba Valley has kid’s activities, but I just don’t know if I am cut out to handle my kid and snow sports? And with the snow monkeys and temples, how difficult is it to get around by public transport?
I also have a specific question about trying to cram Toyosu, teamLabs, and then get my husband (by \~4pm) to Haneda Airport in the same day. Does that even sound reasonable? He will have luggage with him, and unless we swing by Haneda first and check/locker it, he’s going to be dragging a suitcase and backpack with him. What would you do in that situation?
Thank you for reading through my wall of text. I am super appreciative of the perspectives and opinions of everyone here!
3 comments
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1. Check with your US carrier about adding an international plan to his phone. That would be likely the easiest option.
2. Kunitachi (not far from Fussa) is awesome. Kawagoe is also a good spot not far away from Fussa. Within Central Tokyo, Aoyama Cemetary is gorgeous and much less crowded.
– [7 Hidden Cherry Blossom Spots in Tokyo](https://jw-webmagazine.com/hidden-cherry-blossom-spots-in-tokyo/)
– [Cherry Blossom Mega Guide](https://tokyocheapo.com/entertainment/outdoors/tokyo-cherry-blossoms-top-hanami-spots/)
3. Search Google Maps for nearby Hard Off Thrift Stores. [This site has a list of upcoming flea markets in the a Tokyo area.](http://yumemakura.travel.coocan.jp/Antique.html)
Check out these websites for lots of family travel tips and restaurant recommendations. If you search the first few links below for the city name or neighborhood/area name you’ll find some great ideas and tips. Best to get your #1 thing to see/do done early in the day so anything wise after that is just a bonus since it’s hard to know how the day will go with a larger group.
– [Best Living Japan](https://bestlivingjapan.com/category/travel/)
– [The Tokyo Chapter (has info on other cities too)](https://www.thetokyochapter.com)
– [Passports and Playgrounds](https://passportsandplaygrounds.com/) This is written by someone at Yokota AB in Fussa so good recs geared towards west of Tokyo.
– [Best Living: Baby and Toddler Fun](https://bestlivingjapan.com/category/age/baby-toddler-fun/)
These sample itineraries might be helpful to look over too.
– [Tokyo Itineraries with Children](https://trulytokyo.com/tokyo-1-day-itinerary-with-children/)
– [Kyoto Itineraries for Families with Children](https://www.insidekyoto.com/kyoto-itineraries-families-children)
– [Osaka with Children](https://insideosaka.com/osaka-with-children/)
– [JapanGuide: Traveling with Children in Japan](https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2460.html)
You can also use the wheelchair accessible option in Google maps to make it (a bit) easier to find the elevators for your stroller in train/subway stations. When traveling on the Shinkansen you’ll need to always book the [luggage storage seats at the back/last row of the train car.](https://global.jr-central.co.jp/en/info/oversized-baggage/)
This way you can fold up your stroller and store it behind your seat. Another tip is to book the window and aisle seat in the 3 row on the Shinkansen or other trains with reserved seats. You’re less likely to have someone in the middle seat then so you’ll likely have an extra seat/room for the baby/infant and all their stuff.
– [Tokyo Now Has Wheelchair Accessible Routes in Google Maps](https://www.accessible-japan.com/tokyo-now-has-wheelchair-accessible-routes-in-google-maps/)
[Department stores](https://www.tokyoweekender.com/2020/10/baby-tokyo-department-stores-take-your-children/ ) will also be your friend. They have mother/baby rooms where you can breastfeed in privacy as public breastfeeding is not common in Japan. The rooms also have a microwave to warm up bottles/food and baby changing areas. There are usually one or two floors of restaurants on the top floors that are easy to eat at with a wide array of foods and, especially during the day, there will be other diners with small children in many of them. In the basement floors there are awesome food halls where you can get high quality takeaway food to eat at your lodging if you need a midday rest or for dinner. Much better selection than konbini fare. You may find it easier (and a bit cheaper) to have your main/large/nicest meal at lunch too. After lunch, if you’re lucky, your young kids/s may nap in the stroller so you can explore a bit.
Don’t forget to build in playground time and/or children’s museum time for toddlers/young kids. They need time to crawl/run and not be strapped in the stroller or baby carrier. Bonus, if they get tired enough they may nap in the stroller so you can better enjoy your next stop.
– [Tokyo Baby and Kids Playgrounds](https://bestlivingjapan.com/top-10-recommended-baby-and-kids-parks-in-tokyo/)
– [Tokyo’s Retro Playgrounds](https://www.thetokyochapter.com/tokyos-retro-playgrounds/)
– [Japan Playgrounds and Play Centers](https://bestlivingjapan.com/category/attractions-in-japan/playgrounds-and-play-centers/)
– [10 Best Children’s Museums in Tokyo](https://www.timeout.com/tokyo/museums/best-museums-in-tokyo-for-kids-and-families)
– [Osaka: Oiyzumi Ryokuchi Park](https://insideosaka.com/oizumi-ryokuchi-park/)
– [Osaka With Kids](https://insideosaka.com/osaka-with-children/)
– [Kyoto City Tourism: For Families With Children](https://kyoto.travel/en/info/families-kids.html)
Q1 A pocket WiFi will be the most straightforward option for him, but another possible option is for him to bring another phone (ie an old phone that you’ve upgraded from) and put a Japanese sim into that.
Q2 Hanami will be very busy in Tokyo itself. Maybe ask your relatives if they have any lesser known hanami spots near their home.
Q3 A toddler is a huge drag to travelling, especially if they still need naps. To be fair on the other adults, I’d suggest you guys split up. Let them do what they want, and you do as much as your toddler allows you to.
Q5 I don’t have any specific suggestions, but most department stores have book and children toy sections. They are also the most reliable place for you guys to sit down, rest and have baby bathroom facilities. Tokyo is notorious for not having anywhere to sit and rest. I often buy a drink at a cafe just to be able to sit down (the massage chair section of Bic and Yodabashi is another common resting place for me).
Q6 Unless you’re keen to ski yourself and staying 3 or 4 days, I’d skip Hakuba. It’s a skinkansen + bus ride from Tokyo. Takes about 2.5 hours each way. I brought my son there when he was 5 and he had a really good time at the ski school, but I seriously doubt a 2 yo will get anything out of that. And seeing the snow monkeys means going in the opposite direction from Hakuba, and requires a bit of a hike to get to the actual hot spring.
Q7 He can leave his things at a locker at a central station and pick it up on his way to Haneda. In this case, Shimbashi is a logical place to leave his things while at teamlabs.