Update: Japan with Four year old twins
Jun 17th, 2008, 04:39 PM
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Update: Japan with Four year old twins
Just returned from a trip to Japan with four year old twins (not the easiest age to travel with--too old for strollers, and too young to walk for hours). But strangely....the rainy season is a good time to travel because when the sun is out: Whoa it is oppressive.
Anyway for very young kids:
Ghibli Museum was great but you have to get tickets ahead of time and have passports, an FBI background check, a reference, a psychological profile....O.K. not that strict but you do need to be organized about your visit. But definitely a good place to visit for Tortoro and Kiki fans. Kids can play on the cat bus and adults can see the beautiful drawings done by Miyazaki to make the animation.
Kiddieland was of course a huge hit. That unfortunately ate up a whole day (and the Tortoro souvenirs were actually better then at Ghibili). From there we had lunch at Maisen which serves tonktsu (cutlets). What kid won't eat cutlets? Mine hated the Children's meal and ate up my delicious pork cutlets from my set meal (sigh)
We went to Kamakura which I would not recommend on a weekend. But on a weekday it is an easy way to walk around temples and fun to take the "antique" train back to Fujisawa. Without kids I would have looked in more of the craft shops. Of course we got those yummy pigeon cookies while there. My kids liked having sembe right off the grill and we had a good lunch (I wish we had stayed at Nakamuraan but we didn't know they were soba fans).
Hakone of course is a big hit with kids because of all the modes of transportation and the "volcano". We took the mountain train and not the bus up because that in itself is an activity. Eating the eggs hardboiled in the volcanic sulfer pools was definitely enjoyable. We splurged on our Ryokan (Hakone Ginyu). When we called from the US, there were no rooms available but when we called from Japan rooms became available and we paid to have a gorgeous room with a private family bath on our private deck and to have dinner served in the room. (Perfect because the kids passed out on the futons but we got to keep eating). My Japanese mother-in-law was with us and she said over and over that the food was outstanding. Our view was something I will remember. I even took a second late night Onsen and looked at the stars. Unfortunately being the rainy season, we were POURED out of the Hakone outdoor art museum which I know my kids would like (I went before and kids like that kind of big outdoor "plop art"
.
The Aquarium at Enoshima was good and again, NOT ON A WEEKEND. But I thought it was one of the better aquariums I have been to. But we actually ate at Fujisawa station at a great Soba place that my brother-in-law likes on the second floor (who would think to eat at a train station!). But great soba.
My kids were tired by the time we got to the Edo-Tokyo museum which is an innovative museum for adults and kids with some English translation. You get a real sense of the history of Tokyo through the historic dioramas as well as the artifacts, scrolls and also some of the interactive stuff (like the buckets used to carry water and goods that you can try to lift). And the gift shop was VERY good. Really nice souvenirs and t-shirts. I look forward to going back when they are a little older.
We also just sat in ice cream parlors and people watched in Shibuya (my kids couldn't believe all the women were tottering in "high skeels". We went to Tokyo Hands which was not really worth it.
We got FANTASTIC pastries and Japanese treats in the basements of the department stores.
Since our flight was early and we were staying just outside of Tokyo we actually rented a room at the Narita Holiday Inn and got there the night before. BEST $150 I have ever spent. The flight on ANA was cramped and long and next time: Benedryl!! I know everyone loves ANA but I have sat on more comfortable lawn chairs frankly.
but with young kids, you won't see as much as you might want so try to soak in the life and just sit and people watch. Also with kids, you will meet A LOT of people. We met lots of people who wanted to know about my kids and Japanese people like kids (uhm, unlike New Yorkers!). It is overhwhelming and a lot of stimulus (and we live in NY!).
Anyway for very young kids:
Ghibli Museum was great but you have to get tickets ahead of time and have passports, an FBI background check, a reference, a psychological profile....O.K. not that strict but you do need to be organized about your visit. But definitely a good place to visit for Tortoro and Kiki fans. Kids can play on the cat bus and adults can see the beautiful drawings done by Miyazaki to make the animation.
Kiddieland was of course a huge hit. That unfortunately ate up a whole day (and the Tortoro souvenirs were actually better then at Ghibili). From there we had lunch at Maisen which serves tonktsu (cutlets). What kid won't eat cutlets? Mine hated the Children's meal and ate up my delicious pork cutlets from my set meal (sigh)
We went to Kamakura which I would not recommend on a weekend. But on a weekday it is an easy way to walk around temples and fun to take the "antique" train back to Fujisawa. Without kids I would have looked in more of the craft shops. Of course we got those yummy pigeon cookies while there. My kids liked having sembe right off the grill and we had a good lunch (I wish we had stayed at Nakamuraan but we didn't know they were soba fans).
Hakone of course is a big hit with kids because of all the modes of transportation and the "volcano". We took the mountain train and not the bus up because that in itself is an activity. Eating the eggs hardboiled in the volcanic sulfer pools was definitely enjoyable. We splurged on our Ryokan (Hakone Ginyu). When we called from the US, there were no rooms available but when we called from Japan rooms became available and we paid to have a gorgeous room with a private family bath on our private deck and to have dinner served in the room. (Perfect because the kids passed out on the futons but we got to keep eating). My Japanese mother-in-law was with us and she said over and over that the food was outstanding. Our view was something I will remember. I even took a second late night Onsen and looked at the stars. Unfortunately being the rainy season, we were POURED out of the Hakone outdoor art museum which I know my kids would like (I went before and kids like that kind of big outdoor "plop art"
.The Aquarium at Enoshima was good and again, NOT ON A WEEKEND. But I thought it was one of the better aquariums I have been to. But we actually ate at Fujisawa station at a great Soba place that my brother-in-law likes on the second floor (who would think to eat at a train station!). But great soba.
My kids were tired by the time we got to the Edo-Tokyo museum which is an innovative museum for adults and kids with some English translation. You get a real sense of the history of Tokyo through the historic dioramas as well as the artifacts, scrolls and also some of the interactive stuff (like the buckets used to carry water and goods that you can try to lift). And the gift shop was VERY good. Really nice souvenirs and t-shirts. I look forward to going back when they are a little older.
We also just sat in ice cream parlors and people watched in Shibuya (my kids couldn't believe all the women were tottering in "high skeels"
. We went to Tokyo Hands which was not really worth it.We got FANTASTIC pastries and Japanese treats in the basements of the department stores.
Since our flight was early and we were staying just outside of Tokyo we actually rented a room at the Narita Holiday Inn and got there the night before. BEST $150 I have ever spent. The flight on ANA was cramped and long and next time: Benedryl!! I know everyone loves ANA but I have sat on more comfortable lawn chairs frankly.
but with young kids, you won't see as much as you might want so try to soak in the life and just sit and people watch. Also with kids, you will meet A LOT of people. We met lots of people who wanted to know about my kids and Japanese people like kids (uhm, unlike New Yorkers!). It is overhwhelming and a lot of stimulus (and we live in NY!).
Jun 18th, 2008, 07:55 AM
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Thanks for the great report. Ah, pigeon cookies! Glad to hear y'all had great experience. We also travel to Kanagawa to see family friends during summer. (Our kids are alredy in school so pretty much restricted when we can travel. Enjoy the freedom to travel off-school holidays while it lasts!) On the other hand, you'll be amazed how much even small children can absorb from the travelling experience.
Jun 19th, 2008, 05:25 AM
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Hawaiin Traveler,
My mother-in-law went to the woman's bath and said it was great. I just stayed in our own bath because of the kids. In fact, we wanted a place with a family bath and that was part of the reason we chose Hakone Ginyu. All the public lounges and bars were really beautiful with great views. It was extremely posh (not my usual style of travel) and the service was better then any Ryokan I have stayed at on previous visits to Japan. It was also really nice to have the dinner in the room instead of a dining room. I love to meet local people and met lots of people on our stay because of my mother-in-law and because the kids are ice-breakers, but there was something really luxurious about rolling out of the hot bath and having dinner right there. I would definitely recommend this place as a splurge.
My mother-in-law went to the woman's bath and said it was great. I just stayed in our own bath because of the kids. In fact, we wanted a place with a family bath and that was part of the reason we chose Hakone Ginyu. All the public lounges and bars were really beautiful with great views. It was extremely posh (not my usual style of travel) and the service was better then any Ryokan I have stayed at on previous visits to Japan. It was also really nice to have the dinner in the room instead of a dining room. I love to meet local people and met lots of people on our stay because of my mother-in-law and because the kids are ice-breakers, but there was something really luxurious about rolling out of the hot bath and having dinner right there. I would definitely recommend this place as a splurge.
