Hi All! Family of 3- mom, dad, boy (8) finally going back to Tokyo for 7 days Oct 1-7. First time, Long time. To start off, big Shoutout and thanks to this community. Lurking on here pointed me in the right direction to get our visas! We are Staying in the tokyo station area, Yaesu side. Tokyo Station/ Kyobashi station will be our main transpo hubs. Never stayed in this area, any tips are appreciated. Trip came together last minute so not a lot of pre planning. We’ve been to tokyo a few times previously so have checked a lot of the must see/ dos off. Last there in jan 2020.
Hoping for insight and recommendations, tips. Looking to fill our time in Tokyo with fun, food, shopping that we can do as a family. We like to play it loose with a rough list of plans and be a little loose with our itinerary. Forecast looks good for now, but we are prepared for rainy days.
Itinerary
* Saturday/ Day 1 – Arrive at Haneda around 5:00pm, catch the monorail to hamamatsucho station, Cab to hotel in Kyobashi. Check in and Dinner in the area. Depending on when we get to out hotel, we would ideally like to eat at a restaurant in the area. Weve researched some spots, but open to any recs. if too late, we hit the conbini.
* Sunday/ Day 2- Chill day. Shopping, explore the neighborhood. Glasses shopping at Zoff. Maybe Ginza dept stores to take advantage of the exchnage rate. end up in Shibuya for dinner at Zauo fishing restaurant and check out Parco, and explore all the new stuff in shibuya.
* Monday Day 3- Disney land
* Tuesday Day 4- Disney Sea
* Wednesday Day 5- Open, Maybe a day trip
* Thursday Day 6- Open Day trip?
* Friday Day 7- Shopping, last meals, check out and back to airport in the late afternoon.
Activities/ Daytrips- hoping for feedback and recs
* Day trip- Looking to go somewhere within 90 min or so of tokyo station. Weve been to Hakone (briefly), hiked Takaosan, and been to the ramen museum in yokohama. Looking to go somewhere weve never been, has a natural onsen, good food and interesting sights. Leaning toward enoshima or enoshima/ kamakura. Would enoshima be enough to make a day out of? combination of the caves, the onsen, lunch, snacks, walking around the island? Any other day trip suggsestions? weve though of kawagoe or going back to hakone.
* Daytrip to Toyosu/ Japan Open- Never been to Toyosu fish market or the surrounding area. Was previously never interested in going, but was thinking of making a day out of the area. Possibly getting tickets to the Japan Open at ariake tennis park (day or night), lunch at toyosu, team lab planets maybe.
* Sunshine city/ ikebukuro- this is our rainy day fall back plan. Pokemon center, aquarium.
* Neoghborhood/ shotengai recs- any other recs for a neighborhood/shortengai to spend a day/ 1/2 day in? within 30 min of tokyo station. weve been to kichijoji, and gandma harajuku, tsukiji. Both shimokitazawa and yanaki ginza are on our radar, but dont know if the kid will appreciate those.
* Kappabashi festival- weve read there is a cookware festival going on during our trip. any one ever been? Im in the food industry, so i have interest, rest of my family not so much.
Must dos/ Recs- assorted must dos ans
* Yaesu/ Tokyo station area restaurants- any restaurant recs for the area or in the underground mall? Most likely we will be eating Dinners in this area often during our trip. Weve bookmarked ebisoba ichigen, some sushi, any other worthwhile spots?
* Onsen- big onsen fans. We usually stay in Mitsui garden hotels, and love the onsen facilties on site. probably wont make it to La Qua. Would there be any other onsen spots in Tokyo?
* Pizza- we try to hit 1 pizza spot each trip. Maybe Savoy if the tourists hordes aren’t back in full effect yet by the time we are there? been to Savoy tomato & cheese, and PST. any Recs?
* Ramen- we are big Ramen heads, but having the kid with us we are hesitant to go to some of the top rated spots due to wait, and “discipline, rules” kind of behavior it seems like is expected of customers. Afuri is one of our favorites since its convenient, easy, good enough and we are fans of Shoyu style. Ginza kagari is on the list, and might try to hit that this trip, the main branch in Ginza looks a little “fancy” to take a kid? anyone have any experience going? Ive been looking at the IRUCA ramen in Roppongi and might make a trip to eat there but would a kid be frowned upon?
* Shabu shabu- we want to eat shabu shabu/ Sukiyaki and it looks like its either high end or an AYCE type situation. any recs for chain or individual restaurant?
Thanks in advance!
1 comment
Speaking about ramen and fancy restaurants + kids – doing a practice run, talking about what to expect and allowing devices is what makes for successful fancy dining with my 4 year old.
If there’s a wait, I’ll usually allow a “pre-eating” treat or snack.
Let them pick a drink & substantial snack to eat in line. It might ruin their dinner, but better than whining up a storm or getting cranky, because the fancy ramen is for us, not her. If she tries the noodles and a bit of broth, I’m happy. If she’s willing to try a topping, even better.
She’ll usually draw and talk to me or play on my phone with headphones. I usually err to the latter if it’s a quiet restaurant because my kid’s chatterbox. I’m lucky in that she loves drawing so that’s an option for me – I keep a drawing pad and markers in my purse a lot of the time to give her if I need her busy for a few minutes. The big thing is just that kiddo doesn’t disturb others.