Tokyo winter with children
 

Australian family-2 adults 2 children 9 & 12 visiting Tokyo in January. Any suggestions for places to stay and things to do?

Budget? Interests? Length of stay?

Budget $150-250 per day
Staying 4 days commencing 11 January 2008
Interests--the usual including kids things to open their eyes to a new world

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34796544

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34593582

are two reports by a mom who took each of her children to Japan. Very good reports with plenty of details.

http://www.itcj.or.jp/ should start you off for budget hotels. You will likely need 2 rooms in a hotel room with beds. In ryokan and minshuku, you pay per person (also pay per person in low end hotels as well most of the time).

There are a few theme parks for kids in Tokyo. Pop along on the bullet train to Kyoto, Hiroshima, etc (book day before or earlier). It's fast enough that you can do day trips.

I've been there in January and it was around zero with a cold wind so wrap up. It was snowing heavy in one area we went through by train on the return journey to Tokyo but Tokyo itself was clear.

In your place I would think about buying a Lonely Planet guide to Japan. Well worth the money, and a map of Tokyo. Use the subway to get around. Press button for your destination on the board, it lights up and tells you how much money you should desposit for a ticket.

http://www.tokyo.world-guides.com/

Sumo tournament in Tokyo in January. Definitely get the family in the line for chanko nabe.

I believe Disney Land and Disney Sea both have seasonal attractions--winter wonderland theme around that time, probably.
It will be cold, so think of some indoor attractions as well. There is a Tokyo Edo museum in Ryogoku (indoor, very good displays) near the old sumo stadium. Alternatively, Sega theme park (can't remember the name) is in Odaiba and Nintendo has an open show room
If your children are into high quality Japanese anime-work by Miyazaki, try Ghibli Museum outskirt of Tokyo.
If it is 4 days, you may be able to do one day-trip, either to Hakone (further) or Kamakura (closer).