Hi everyone!
Just wanted to ask for some advise regarding our itinerary. Will be in Osaka & Tokyo from Dec. 27 to Jan. 12, 2024 with our 7 YO daughter. This will be our 2nd time for me & partner, thus our itinerary revolves mainly for our daughter.
Thus are our sample itinerary:
Osaka:
Day 1: staying near Namba station, rest & explore the area.
Day 2: USJ (1.5 Day + express pass)
– I’ve read that this week will be super crowded & expensive. How was the waiting time for the kiddie rides? Would appreciate any tips.
Day 3: USJ
Day 4: Downtime – explore Dotonbori / Kuromon Market, shinshekai
Day 5: Nara Park
– Any tips for New Years Eve celebration? Like fire works and count downs?
Day 6: Downtime – Outside Osaka Castle
January 2:
Day 7: Travel to Tokyo , staying at Shinjuku area (already booked our shinkansen trains)
Day 8: Sanrio Puro Land
Day 9: Downtime – explore Shinjuku + Shibuya
Day 10: Gotemba Premium + Mount Fuji Tour (can be swapped to any Free time) – is it much better to get a tour on Klook or do free and easy? As I do my research travel is quite complicated. Any tips?
Day 11: Downtime AM, PM – Asakusa area
Day 12: Tzukiji Market, Odaiba Area, Team Lab, PM Downtime
Day 13: Disneyland – Jan. 8 (Public Holiday)
*** here starts to complicate things. Will it be too crowded on this public holiday? This will also be the last day for Beauty and the beast Ride & Mickey magical music world (which my daughter is looking forward to) will be closing for maintenance start Jan 9th. So we are thinking to just brave the crowd for this 2 rides and come back.
Day 14: Check-in at Disneyland Hotel (cheaper)- rest & free day to explore the resort. Is it worth it to stay at the hotel for experience? Or stay at Toy Story Hotel instead?
Day 15: Disneyland or Disney Sea?
As the crowd will ease at these dates, we are thinking to go back at Disneyland if Day 13 gets too crowded or Go to Disney Sea instead? Disney Sea’s show Believe! Sea of dreams and Toy Story Mania is closed at these dates too. How is Disney Sea for kids as we are not planning to ride thrill rides. Thoughts?
Day 16: Rest and last minute shopping
Day 17: Flight back home
Want to ask:
1. How was the weather? Will most days will be rainy or sunny or mostly gloomy? How cold will it will be?
2. As we will be staying at Shinjuku Area- the nearest station will be Higashi Shinjuku, which I believe a Subway. Will it be worth it for us to buy Day passes for subway or a JR pass or just a Suica card?
3. As for our luggages (3x 30kg) *came back from home country before going back to 🇦🇺- we are planning to use Ta-Q-Bin from Osaka and Tokyo. As we are leaving Jan. 2 and Jan 1 a holiday, can we send it like 2 days in advance? Have you experienced any delay with the luggages?
4. Are there any big taxi’s at stations? In case we need to use it for our luggages?
Any tips and suggestions and advise from your previous experience will be greatly appreciated.
Thank You.
7 comments
How have you already booked your trains?
>Suica card?
This is the one
>Disneyland or Disney Sea?
Sea
>How was the weather?
Cold and dry mostly.
Disney land
>Will it be too crowded on this public holiday?
Yes and no. On This particular holiday most of the 20year old people should be occupied at ceremonies, but sometimes Disneyland hosts these ceremonies.
>Are there any big taxi’s at stations?
Yes
My Ramen tour guide does a YT shorts channel that I wish I would have watched before going. Quick little recommendations on foods to try and places to check out. Bungalogic is the channel. Something to casually check out and maybe jot down some places/foods to try out!
I’d recommend to go to Sapporo since its winter season
Where are you from?
Tokyo winter weather is similar to Vancouver-Seattle except generally warmer. Occasional rain, even more occasional snow flurries or sleet especially overnight which is usually gone by lunchtime.
Osaka is another 600km south, so generally similar to say, San Francisco. Rarely sub-zero, typically 10-15c.
Suica & Toica (JR West) are usable across the country now as cash-cards for transit, vending machines, convenience stores and even many other retailers for small purchases too. You definitely need them for convenience, and to keep your pockets free of the accumulation of worthless single 1& 5-yennies..
I went this past winter during a very similar time frame as you will be! USJ during this time of year will always be crowded. But, if you prioritize the kiddie rides first, I think you’ll be able to get a lot done. Most people will immediately go toward Nintendo World, HP or the flying dinosaur rollercoaster.
The weather ranged from 1-15 degrees Celsius while I was there. There was only one day it hit 1 degree and it was actually in Osaka. It snowed for a super short period. It was windy in Osaka and Tokyo which added to the cold, but most the days were clear skies. I’m from an area where our winter is usually 12-18 degrees without the cold wind so I definitely bundled up much more while in Japan.
If you have an iPhone, you can load your suica card on your Apple wallet, but believe your daughter will still need a physical card. You can also get a pasmo card which has cuter characters on it if she’s into that (:
Yes, you can send luggage early. I did this while I was there with yamato and they pretty much held it at a facility until it was closer to my check in date for my hotel. (I sent it a week early)
Day 5: fireworks and countdowns aren’t common in Japan for new years as it’s more of a quiet holiday spent with family. You can go to a temple or shrine around midnight and hear the bell ring 108 times. Some of the more popular shrines in the area will be crowded but small local ones will usually do the bell as well.
Be careful as smaller restaurants and shops may be closed from Dec 31 – Jan 3.