Travel: Japan - General

[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

[mamemo]

Oh another thing, if you intend to move from hotel to hotel, don’t pack a big luggage.


We learnt that there is no need to pack too many clothes, cos we don’t perspire in Tokyo !

We overpacked and had difficulty moving our big luggages from hotel to hotel. We used the Black Cat service once, but on the last leg, we didn’t just in case the luggage dont arrive before we fly back. So my husband gotta push the luggage through stations…

Just get 1 good down-feather jacket, 1 wool sweater, 1 set of thermal wear and 1 normal long sleeve if going during winter. Heat packs also very useful, and can be bought from Tokyo (Daiso or those ABC-type of shops). So no need to buy too many from SG.

Beware that the Sensoji Temple and Disneyland may get quite cold cos it’s near Sumida River / Tokyo Bay Area.

[tamarind]

mamemo,

Did you wash the thermal wear when you were in Tokyo ? Does it dry quickly ?

I agree with you about traveling big luggages. I brought my 6 year old daughter to Tokyo before, just the 2 of us and one medium size spinner. We had to walk about 20 mins to change trains at a station, fortunately there are lifts, otherwise I would have struggled.

[mamemo]

hi tamarind,


nope, I didn’t wash clothes in tokyo. Overpacked, so lots of clothes to wear ! haha… Although the air outside is very dry and we had to apply moisturiser and lip balm frequently, the air in the hotel room is not as dry.

Most hotels provide a humidifer, so clothes may not dry fast if hang in room.

Are u referring to the walk at Tokyo Station from the JR platform to the Platform to Maihama? Yes it is long ! But they have travellators, so not too bad.

The worst part is at transferring from JR Yokohama to Yokohama subway. Not many clear directions and the lifts are very out of the way. So we ended up spending 30-45 mins there. Waste time.

[tamarind]

mamemo:

Are u referring to the walk at Tokyo Station from the JR platform to the Platform to Maihama? Yes it is long ! But they have travellators, so not too bad.

That's right !

I will be going there for 1 week with my kids, wondering how many sets of thermal wear should I bring. Kids cannot possibly wear one set for 7 days right ?

Are heat packs really useful ?

[tankee]

Heat pads are very useful to warm up frozen fingers.

[schweppes]

tankee:

Heat pads are very useful to warm up frozen fingers.

my aunt said the same thing too. i think she swears by them

[smurf]

Hi Tamarind,


Not mamemo, but I brought ds to tokyo before for 6 days, and I only brought 1 set of thermals.

[happymom_aa]

tamarind:

Are heat packs really useful ?

Tam,
heat packs are really helpful.
do put the heat packs before you go out, else not really effective.

I bot DS 3 sets of thermal for 8 days, as he had super senstitive skin, wldn't want him to repeat for too many times since will be using moisturizer on body too. Personally cannot stand the idea of wearing the thermal for too many days.

[tamarind]

Hi aa, schweppes, tankee,

Thanks OK I think I better get some heat packs. I wonder if those from Daiso are good enough ?

smurf,
Did you wash the thermal wear in Tokyo ?

aa,
Now I am worried about my son's nose. He gets runny nose even in air-con room. Do you know of any medication good for runny nose ?