My Daughter's 13th Birthday Trip to Tokyo!
May 19th, 2015, 12:50 PM
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My Daughter's 13th Birthday Trip to Tokyo!
Hi all,
Thank you for all of the help that you have given me thus far in planning my daughter's 13th birthday trip to Japan and Bali. As some of you may remember, this was my daughter's choice and not on my bucket list, so research and planning started from scratch. Please also keep in mind as I share our itinerary that I am entertaining 4 children aged 13 and under. But they are well-traveled children and foodies, hence the request to travel throughout Japan! We are doing a combo of self-guided walking tours, guided walking tours, and sight-seeing with a driver. This is what we have so far:
June 25 - Depart NYC on Asiana to Tokyo through Seoul,Korea
June 26 - Arrive Tokyo at 9:00 pm and check into the Shangri-La for 5 nights
June 27 - Guided walking tour through Shinjuko, Kabukicho, Harajuku and the Meji-jinju Shrine
June 28 - (Birthday day!) Guided walking tour of Tsukiji Fish Market, Ginza, Imperial Palace. Self-guided sushi-making, visit to a Cat Café and back to Harajuku. Dinner at Robataya.
June 29 - Self-guided Japanese Manicure, Ueno Park, Senso-Ji Temple, Edo-Tokyo Museum, Dinner at Jiro at Ginza (our reason for coming to Japan for my foodie 13 year-old and yes we have reservations!), Robot Restaurant with the rest of the crew
June 30 - Tokyo Disney Sea
I want to also fit in Akakusa Shrine, Nakamise Shopping Street and Kappabashi Shopping Street (I love to cook and all I want to bring back are knives!) Can you suggest where we can fit this in?
Looking to eat at a great noodle shop and a great tempura restaurant as well. Suggestions welcomed please!!
July 1 - Train to Hiroshima, guided walking tour of Hiroshima, ferry to Miyajima, check-into the Iroha Ryokan inclusive of dinner.
July 2 - Self-guided tour of Miyajima and dinner at the ryokan
July 3 - Ferry to Hiroshima, train to Kyoto and check-into the Hyatt Regency Kyoto
July 4 - Guided walking tour of Nanzenji-ji temple, the path of Philosophy, yoshida-yama area and temples, Yoshida-jinja shrines, change paces to Gojo Street, Pure Land Buddhist Cemetery, Kiyomizu-dera Temple, Chion Temple
July 5 - Guided walking tour of Nara inclusive of Issui-en Garden, Todai-ji Temple, Nigatsu and Sangatus-do Halls and Kasuga Grand Shrine
July 6 - Self-guided tour during the day ...What are we missing? What should we see? In the evening we are having a private dinner with a Maiko and Geiko and Kaiseki course meal.
July 7 - 1/2 day Guided walking tour inclusive of Tofuku-ji temple, Mt. Inari, Fushim-Inari Terrace, Inaro-San
July 8 - Fly to Bali through Osaka
Guys, am I missing anything glaring in terms of sightseeing, cultural experiences, etc. Please offer restaurant choices and suggestions in both Tokyo and Kyoto.
Thanks so much in advance for your suggestions and for your continuing help.
Thank you for all of the help that you have given me thus far in planning my daughter's 13th birthday trip to Japan and Bali. As some of you may remember, this was my daughter's choice and not on my bucket list, so research and planning started from scratch. Please also keep in mind as I share our itinerary that I am entertaining 4 children aged 13 and under. But they are well-traveled children and foodies, hence the request to travel throughout Japan! We are doing a combo of self-guided walking tours, guided walking tours, and sight-seeing with a driver. This is what we have so far:
June 25 - Depart NYC on Asiana to Tokyo through Seoul,Korea
June 26 - Arrive Tokyo at 9:00 pm and check into the Shangri-La for 5 nights
June 27 - Guided walking tour through Shinjuko, Kabukicho, Harajuku and the Meji-jinju Shrine
June 28 - (Birthday day!) Guided walking tour of Tsukiji Fish Market, Ginza, Imperial Palace. Self-guided sushi-making, visit to a Cat Café and back to Harajuku. Dinner at Robataya.
June 29 - Self-guided Japanese Manicure, Ueno Park, Senso-Ji Temple, Edo-Tokyo Museum, Dinner at Jiro at Ginza (our reason for coming to Japan for my foodie 13 year-old and yes we have reservations!), Robot Restaurant with the rest of the crew
June 30 - Tokyo Disney Sea
I want to also fit in Akakusa Shrine, Nakamise Shopping Street and Kappabashi Shopping Street (I love to cook and all I want to bring back are knives!) Can you suggest where we can fit this in?
Looking to eat at a great noodle shop and a great tempura restaurant as well. Suggestions welcomed please!!
July 1 - Train to Hiroshima, guided walking tour of Hiroshima, ferry to Miyajima, check-into the Iroha Ryokan inclusive of dinner.
July 2 - Self-guided tour of Miyajima and dinner at the ryokan
July 3 - Ferry to Hiroshima, train to Kyoto and check-into the Hyatt Regency Kyoto
July 4 - Guided walking tour of Nanzenji-ji temple, the path of Philosophy, yoshida-yama area and temples, Yoshida-jinja shrines, change paces to Gojo Street, Pure Land Buddhist Cemetery, Kiyomizu-dera Temple, Chion Temple
July 5 - Guided walking tour of Nara inclusive of Issui-en Garden, Todai-ji Temple, Nigatsu and Sangatus-do Halls and Kasuga Grand Shrine
July 6 - Self-guided tour during the day ...What are we missing? What should we see? In the evening we are having a private dinner with a Maiko and Geiko and Kaiseki course meal.
July 7 - 1/2 day Guided walking tour inclusive of Tofuku-ji temple, Mt. Inari, Fushim-Inari Terrace, Inaro-San
July 8 - Fly to Bali through Osaka
Guys, am I missing anything glaring in terms of sightseeing, cultural experiences, etc. Please offer restaurant choices and suggestions in both Tokyo and Kyoto.
Thanks so much in advance for your suggestions and for your continuing help.
May 21st, 2015, 02:48 PM
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Warm, early Friday morning greetings from Bangkok to you, Lolazahra, and well done on some rather fine planning for your forthcoming Japan journey.
Do wish to commend you for accommodating your daughter's Japanese birthday wishes. I was privileged to initially travel to Japan with my parents and siblings when all of single digits of age; left some lovely, life-long impressions. To the present day, always an honour to travel to Japan every ~ six months (albeit, mostly for business in Tokyo).
The Shangri-La, Tokyo should work well for you. Stayed at the SL, Tokyo last December for meetings. She was perfect for that particular business trip, as my rather brief review on my profile page duly notes. For you, Lola, nothing to lose by letting the SL staff know of your daughter's imminent birthday. Wouldn't be surprised if they come through with a thoughtful gift for her. Over the years, I've always experienced most satisfactory business travel stays at SL properties in Bangkok, Hong Kong, London and Shanghai. The Tokyo sister was particularly serene for my corporate stay. Best of Shangri-La times to you.
Regarding Kyoto, have always stayed with long-time family friends. Kyoto dining, our friends once treated us to a memorable dinner at Kikunoi. Love Kyoto and suspect you will also appreciate that region.
Savour your planning and holiday, Lola; happy for you. Normally close with a modest promotion of 'our' Singapore Airlines; for various ongoing business travel purposes, will be flying good old Thai Airways out of Suvarnabhumi today. (And much more to report in future concerning recent developments in the ever-evolving, 'high-end' lodging scene in BKK; never a dull moment doing business in the City of Angels.)
Early and warm weekend wishes to you, Lola, and all, from Bangkok,
macintosh (robert)
... Thai -- Smooth as Silk ...
Do wish to commend you for accommodating your daughter's Japanese birthday wishes. I was privileged to initially travel to Japan with my parents and siblings when all of single digits of age; left some lovely, life-long impressions. To the present day, always an honour to travel to Japan every ~ six months (albeit, mostly for business in Tokyo).
The Shangri-La, Tokyo should work well for you. Stayed at the SL, Tokyo last December for meetings. She was perfect for that particular business trip, as my rather brief review on my profile page duly notes. For you, Lola, nothing to lose by letting the SL staff know of your daughter's imminent birthday. Wouldn't be surprised if they come through with a thoughtful gift for her. Over the years, I've always experienced most satisfactory business travel stays at SL properties in Bangkok, Hong Kong, London and Shanghai. The Tokyo sister was particularly serene for my corporate stay. Best of Shangri-La times to you.
Regarding Kyoto, have always stayed with long-time family friends. Kyoto dining, our friends once treated us to a memorable dinner at Kikunoi. Love Kyoto and suspect you will also appreciate that region.
Savour your planning and holiday, Lola; happy for you. Normally close with a modest promotion of 'our' Singapore Airlines; for various ongoing business travel purposes, will be flying good old Thai Airways out of Suvarnabhumi today. (And much more to report in future concerning recent developments in the ever-evolving, 'high-end' lodging scene in BKK; never a dull moment doing business in the City of Angels.)
Early and warm weekend wishes to you, Lola, and all, from Bangkok,
macintosh (robert)
... Thai -- Smooth as Silk ...
Jul 2nd, 2015, 02:30 PM
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You are most welcome, Lolazahra, and warm Friday morning greetings from Singapore to you.
Hope the Shangri-La, Tokyo treated you kindly; I so loved staying at that property for work last December. Should you be travelling to Kyoto today as per your listed itinerary, will give a Kyoto shopping suggestion of R. Kita Imari & Kutani Ware; bit of a family connection going back to the late 1940s. It's been awhile since my last R. Kita visit; at the time, lovely items and most gracious and hospitable family friends.
Do wish to congratulate you again for taking your daughter to Japan; love that country and look forward to returning at least once more for meetings by year-end. You are giving her fine memories.
In future, perhaps you will be interested in venturing off to a beloved place I'll be returning to in a few days, Nepal. (Will be bringing in supplies, funds and companionship to some cherished climbing Sherpa friends, their families and other lovely Nepalese friends I've known since the 1980s.)
Savour your Japan times, Lola; look forward to your impressions. Early and warm weekend wishes to you and all from Singapore,
robert
Hope the Shangri-La, Tokyo treated you kindly; I so loved staying at that property for work last December. Should you be travelling to Kyoto today as per your listed itinerary, will give a Kyoto shopping suggestion of R. Kita Imari & Kutani Ware; bit of a family connection going back to the late 1940s. It's been awhile since my last R. Kita visit; at the time, lovely items and most gracious and hospitable family friends.
Do wish to congratulate you again for taking your daughter to Japan; love that country and look forward to returning at least once more for meetings by year-end. You are giving her fine memories.
In future, perhaps you will be interested in venturing off to a beloved place I'll be returning to in a few days, Nepal. (Will be bringing in supplies, funds and companionship to some cherished climbing Sherpa friends, their families and other lovely Nepalese friends I've known since the 1980s.)
Savour your Japan times, Lola; look forward to your impressions. Early and warm weekend wishes to you and all from Singapore,
robert
Jul 2nd, 2015, 03:10 PM
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Should be a great trip!
Your plans for June 29 and July 4 look like they might be overly ambitious to me.
Nijo-jo and Heian-jingu were among my favorites in Kyoto; I don't think you mention either?
Your plans for June 29 and July 4 look like they might be overly ambitious to me.
Nijo-jo and Heian-jingu were among my favorites in Kyoto; I don't think you mention either?
Jul 8th, 2015, 12:31 AM
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hi! Did you know about the rabbit cafe and the owl cafe in tokyo???
I went to the rabbit cafe and it was reaally cute! It's in Harajuku, very easy to access. You can find info here: https://whereismimiyu.wordpress.com/...cafe-harajuku/
I also researched about the owl cafe near tsukiji market, but unfortunately it was closed on the week i went, so i havent writen anything about it.
Speaking of animals... in Kyoto you can visit Arashiyama and go see and feed the monkeys. you need to walk up for maybe 15-30min (dunno how fit your kids are) but it's totally worth it! Check here: https://whereismimiyu.wordpress.com/...p-osaka-kyoto/
And last but not least, I have 2 ramen suggestions. 1 is in Tokyo, near the Tsukiji market, it's actually a stall with an old grandpa and his helper cooking the best ramen ive ever tried. dunno if it will be good with kids, as its an open space and no chairs...
so the other one i recommend is in Osaka, in Namba.Called Happiness Ramen: https://whereismimiyu.wordpress.com/...-kyoto-part-i/
i hope this helps!
I went to the rabbit cafe and it was reaally cute! It's in Harajuku, very easy to access. You can find info here: https://whereismimiyu.wordpress.com/...cafe-harajuku/
I also researched about the owl cafe near tsukiji market, but unfortunately it was closed on the week i went, so i havent writen anything about it.
Speaking of animals... in Kyoto you can visit Arashiyama and go see and feed the monkeys. you need to walk up for maybe 15-30min (dunno how fit your kids are) but it's totally worth it! Check here: https://whereismimiyu.wordpress.com/...p-osaka-kyoto/
And last but not least, I have 2 ramen suggestions. 1 is in Tokyo, near the Tsukiji market, it's actually a stall with an old grandpa and his helper cooking the best ramen ive ever tried. dunno if it will be good with kids, as its an open space and no chairs...
so the other one i recommend is in Osaka, in Namba.Called Happiness Ramen: https://whereismimiyu.wordpress.com/...-kyoto-part-i/
i hope this helps!
