Travel: Japan - General

[ksme]

Herbie:

Hi, Today is our first day in Tokyo. We stayed at b, ikebukuro hotel which is under the Ishin Hotel Group.


Room is good for 2 adult and 2 children, hotel is very clean however the partition in between the hotel rooms aren't solid wall so you can hear noises coming from neighbouring room.

Hotel location is good. Easy accessible via train and Airport Bus..

Tx

Thanks for the update. Pls post some pics if you can. Do you get beds or tatami?

[nani]

Hi


Anyone has issue with the reception while checking in for 2 adults 2 children? Are they fussy about kids sharing existing bed?

Thanks.

[rocklee]

Just came back from Tokyo. Weather was sunny yet cooling. However, it did get a bit chilly at night.


Our highlight of this trip was supposed to be Disneyland for the kids. Unfortunately, due to the big crowd (even though on a weekday), the long hours of queueing, standing and waiting really killed our interests. We had to queue for at least 30 to 45 mins for every ride. I regretted not finding out more about the Fast Pass, it could have saved us a lot of time. Kids grew so tired that they couldn’t really enjoy. I suggest that for those parents with young kids who would not stand still or are very impatient to go for the Fast Pass.

On the next day, we visited Disneysea. It was obviously less crowded as some of the rides required certain height limit. If you are looking for more thrilling rides, this is the place. However, I feel that this park is less colourful and vibrant cmpared to Disneyland. Nevertheless, hubs and DS 1 preferred Disneysea as the queues were very much shorter.

Overall, the place that my kids enjoyed most turned out to be the Ueno Zoo. They spent about 3 hours there and enjoyed themselves very much.

Contrary to what I thought, travelling on the JRs and subways was as easy as ABC as there are very clear instructions which platform to go to. Announcement of the stations are made in both Japanese and English. Of course be sure to do your own research first on which line to take before heading for the station.

If you are just travelling within Tokyo, get the Suica or Pasmo cards which work exactly like our ez link card. Suica cards are sold at JR stations. It costs 2000 yen for adult and the same price for the child except that child fare will be deducted from the card. Passports are needed when buying the Suica card for child. The value of the card is 1500 yen plus 500 yen for deposit. Any unused amount can be refunded at any JR station.

Bring enough clothing if you are going in December. Enjoy yourselves if you are going there soon.

[Herbie]

Ksme and nani


Wrt yr queries, I have updated my comments on 29 Nov 2010. As mentioned by rocklee, taking the Jr and subways is really easy… if not sure can always ask around. Pple there are generally very helpful.

Tx

[alanlim]

hi everyone, need some hotel recommendation.

i will be going to toyko on 2 feb 2011 for 7D6N free and easy. both my parents 70+, me, my wife and two daughters 5 & 8. i intent to stay at Sheraton hotel near disneyland resort for the last 3 nights.
can someone recommend me hotels (where airport limouse bus will arrive at the hotel doorstep) in city or central area in tokyo for the first 3 nights. Intent to go hello kitty land and do some shopping and sight seeing for the first 3 days, after that might take taxi to transfer to sheraton hotel.
any hotel which is convience ( budget ard 20,000 yen per room).
alan

[peapot]

Hi!


I m going Toyko on the 23rd this month with my husband and 6 years old gal. Can you imagine I haven’t even book my hotel?? My husband wanted to book Keoi Plaza and its S$400 per night. That’s ridiculous!! Can anyone tell me is that a normal hotel rate in JApan or what??!!
Any suggestions for a good hotel near train station in central Toyko? I will be staying 5 nights in Toyko and after that moving out to Osaka for another 5 nights.

Please help me with some hotels recomm. I think I m abit late for this!!??

[superduperks]

Hi peapot


There are many budget ones. For me, I will stick to those tt are near train station. Asakusa is one of my choice as it’s strategic. 19000yen per night can try asakusa plaza hotel. Btw, good size for triple.

[carebear]

peapot:

Hi!


I m going Toyko on the 23rd this month with my husband and 6 years old gal. Can you imagine I haven't even book my hotel?? My husband wanted to book Keoi Plaza and its S$400 per night. That's ridiculous!! Can anyone tell me is that a normal hotel rate in JApan or what??!!
Any suggestions for a good hotel near train station in central Toyko? I will be staying 5 nights in Toyko and after that moving out to Osaka for another 5 nights.

Please help me with some hotels recomm. I think I m abit late for this!!??

Hi peapot, you can try the business hotels. They are not luxurious but are not budget hotels either. They are neat, clean and functional. I stayed in one a few years back but can't recall the name. You can try this website :
http://gojapan.about.com/od/accommodationintokyo/tp/Tokyo-Cheap-Hotels-Asakusa-And-Ueno-Area.htm

It would be helpful if you can speak a little Japanese cos these business hotels cater for the Japanese business people, so they may not understand very much English.
Japan has never failed to excite me.
I love the country.
I hope that in my retirement, i can tour Japan over and over again with my DH.
Hope you have a pleasant trip!

[mamemo]

hi hi,


sorry hope my reply is not too late. The onsen hotel itself is nice. However we find the bath area a little cold, cos it’s on the balcony and balcony is exposed to the cold autumn air. The bath is hot ! Hotter than the public bath. End up, my husband went to the public bath, but I thick skin a bit and jumped into the private bath.

another thing, the room is not well insulated, so cold air came into the room at night through the gaps at the balcony door. My dotter fell ill cos she kicked away the thick blanket and wasnt adequately dressed.

The food was so-so only.

Hope that helps !

[mamemo]

Hi alanlim and peapot,


I just came back from tokyo with my 2 preschoolers and my parents, so hopefully I can help.

For accomodation, depends on whether you intend to travel only in tokyo, or want to take day trips to hakone / yokohama / kamakura.

If u intend to travel only in tokyo, I strongly recommend hotel villa fontaine shiodome...http://www.hvf.jp/eng/shiodome.php

The airport limo reaches conrad hotel which is just 5 mins walk to the hotel. Location wise, it's near Ginza, not just crowded as Shinjuku. And there are 3 train lines (JR, Yurakachao, Odeo) near the hotel, so very convenient. Somemore there are escalators, so very convenient for prams and elderly. The hotel staff is very nice, however, can only check in after 3pm (very strict). There is free basic breakfast which I tot is adequate.

If u intend to travel to outskirts, then shinjuku is more convenient. I stayed at Kadoya Hotel...http://www.kadoya-hotel.co.jp/eng/index.html. As usual, the hotel staff is pretty helpful, but checkin is strictly 2pm. But Shinjuku station does not have escalators, and we couldn't find any lift either, so my parents have to climb stairs to the platforms slowly and we have to carry the prams up and down.

Shinjuku is one of the main stations, but it's really a mad house. We got lost once while trying to find a stair-less way from the station to the hotel. And the station people couldn't give good directions in English.

Hope that helps