HLester3

Hi. I was wondering if you have any experience with Hello Kitty Puro Land? We are in Tokyo for such a short time, but my 6 year old daughter loves Hello Kitty and I feel bad dragging her to all the temples later in the trip if she doesn't get to do something she really enjoys.

Do you have any experience with this place? If you do, is it doable if we give some sort of a 2 or 3 hour time limit. I would try to get their when it opens at 10:00 a.m.

I am also concerned about all of the things we will purchase in Tokyo. This is just the begining of our Asia trip and I don't want to be lugging all sorts of Hello Kitty nick nacks around Cambodia and Thailand. I have read it is one of the worlds largest Hello Kitty Store, so I am guessing that there will be something too big to carry that she will have to have. I looked briefly at their webpage, but it looks like they only have domestic shipping available. I am guessing that DisneySea will be set up to ship things back home, but will it be hard for me to ship everything else? Does Tokyo have little corner shipping places? We are going to be at Ryokan Asakusa Shigetsu after the Miracosta so I don't think they will be able to help me ship like a larger hotel.

I hate to almost waste Tokyo on DisneySea and PuroLand, but I am mainly using Tokyo as a place for the kids to get over the 12 hour jet lag, since it was the connection point for our trip to Thailand anyway. I have now reconcilled myself to spending 1 1/2 days around the Asakusa area, with maybe a little time thrown in at Puroland, even though it seems like 45 - 1 hour to get there from there.

We land on Sat. at 2 p.m. and are staying for 2 nights at Miracosta for Tokyo DisneySea/Disneyland. Then are going to Ryokan and have Monday and part of Tue. until our flight for Thailand leaves at 6:30 p.m. I was thinking of perhaps going to Puroland on Tuesday before our flight. However, the shipping problems could be an issue then.

Do you have any suggestions about how early we should head to Narita for the 6:30 flight?

Any suggestions would be appreciated.
Sorry to ramble so much.

Thanks, Heather

KimJapan

I haven't been to Puro Land, and don't even know anyone who's been. In the Tokyo tourist magazines it isn't pushed too hard and looks kind of mediocre to me. Disney Sea, on the other hand, is fabulous. Even my Disney hating husband loves Disney Sea. You can pick up Hello Kitty goods anywhere...toy stores, 100 yen stores, department stores, variety shops, gift shops, even Tokyo Tower has a Hello Kitty Tokyo Tower gift line.

To ship things, you can just take your goods to the post office (ask at your hotel for the nearest one). They have boxes in at least 3 sizes, tape and everything you need to send it home. Sending by land is most reasonable, but check the EMS rates if you want to use air mail, because EMS is faster and cheaper in many cases. Insure your package for a minimal amount of money so you get the ability to track it.

If your flight departs Narita at 6:30 PM, count backwards 3 hours from there (plan on getting there 3 hours before departure unless you have elite status or business/first class tickets...both give you access to elite check in lines which are short...econ check in is terrible if you have no status to skip the line and takes forever). So, saying you need to be at Narita at 3:30 PM, from wherever you are find the train or bus that gets you there at that time. It can take a couple of hours to get to Narita, so on the departure day, you've really only got until after lunch.

HLester3

Thank you so much for your very quick reponse! I have been trying to figure out a way to avoid goingto Puro Land, as it is about as appealing to me as going to the dentist.
Thanks, Heather

KimJapan

Just skip it, and go to a department floor kids floor. Besides clothes and toys, there is an area with stuff for kids to play with..better stores have better stuff. You'll also have no trouble at all finding Hello Kitty goods without going to Puru Land. She'll love Disney Sea so much Hello Kitty will be but a distant memory.

W9London

We found Hello Kitty corners at Daimaru department store next to TOkyo Stn (surely there must be many). We also found a cool kimono-clad barbie (can't remember the local version's name) at Hakuhinkan Toy Park between Ginza and Shinbashi. Then again, you have the entire building of a famous toyshop Kiddyland in Harajuku.

Barkinpark

Well, I have been a Hello Kitty fan for more than 20 years and went to Puroland a few years ago. It was fantastic though it wasn't too big. I had buffet lunch there (it wasn't of the same quality of a 5* hotel, of course) for 2000 Yen. I also visited Hello Kitty's house and it was very cute. It's all indoors and thus you don't have to stand in line under the hot sun or in the rain. I think 3 hours should be enough.

Well, another upside you'll get from a Puroland visit is that you will tire your girl out and she won't be restless on the flight. Plus, you'll gain a lot of bargaining power over her during the trip.

laurie_ann

Heather, if you are staying at Ryokan Shigetsu, the neighborhood with the temple and such is great just for walking around. You might also enjoy the wonderful Edo Tokyo museum. www.edo-tokyo-museum.or.jp/english It is not too far (I know we walked from RS, just across the river if I remember right). It is a wonderful museum about Tokyo with lots of great displays that would appeal to kids (models of ships and buildings, costumes, etc.) and lots of labels in English (have a look at their website, it includes a map and subway directions, only two stops from Asakusa if you don't want to walk).

HLester3

Thank you for all of your suggestions. My daughter has been working on her father, the weakest link, to get in her stop at Puroland put into the iteneray. I guess if you love hello kitty like she does she has to go to the mecca. I have tried to bargain with going other places, but she really has her heart set on this place.

My new plan is to walk around the area by the shrine, since it sounds like there are a lot of shops and other interesting places places to look around. Then we will head over to Puroland around 2 or 3 p.m. that way it will naturally limit her to 2 or 3 hours because they will be closing at 7:00 p.m.

Thanks, Heather