JAPAN
KYOTO
Closest Airport:
Kansai International Airport[KIX]
Samurai Museum: This is tucked right in the central area near the food court. There is a long line for walk-up so advanced tickets are recommended. There are numerous displays and interactive exhibits to engage kids and adults alike.
Food Halls: The food Halls are amazing, delicious and daunting. If you don’t speak the language, most has an English translation but those working do not always speak English so be prepared to point and gesture to communicate, or use Google Translate. The Strawberry Bao, fluffy pancakes, fish (of all kinds) and pickle sticks were some of my favorite items.
Hello Kitty Store: Not large but iconic and fun for those who are avid fans however it is priced accordingly and Don Quixote has as good if not a better of a selection at a fraction of the cost. The best part of the purchase is the Hello kitty store bag which my girls still use as a coveted toy. It’s just a paper bag but it’s very durable and has gotten its mileage in our home.
Nikko: A short day trip from the city, this quiet town is in the mountains/forest and is worth a visit to see a more laid-back vibe and some of the surrounding area.
Mt. Fuji: We didn’t climb the mountain but you can take the bullet train to the town outside and walk around. There are several restaurants with great views of the mountain and you can hike to the very top to view a temple and take the iconic photo of the bell which you ring for good luck.
Closest Airport
Kansai International Airport [KIX]
TOKYO
Closest Airport
Tokyo [HND]
Crowds are the name of the game. Streets, tourist sites, neighborhoods, shops-they are all packed with people. It can be daunting as most are focused on their own purpose and you have to walk confidently. Strollers can be a challenge, especially on a rainy day when umbrellas are ubiquitous and add the challenge of dodging the spines as you walk (especially if you are taller).
SkyTree Mall: A massive, multistory mall with every shop and food type you can imagine. They had kid play areas within the footprint as well as a mini zoo/animal exhibit where you could meet small mammals and birds for a fee. The footprint is massive, but on the food level there is exceptional cheese, gourmet cakes and so many delicious things to try and also bring home as gifts.
Fish Market: Very crowded, hard to navigate with a stroller as the stalls are very narrow and cramped.
Transportation:
Airports: HND is much closer to the city and you can take a train into the downtown area. NRT is further out (about an hour) and a bit more complex though trains are available to the downtown from there as well.
Train: The train is clockwork precision. It uses an app (Suica) that you tap to enter the terminals. It works across the different trains and is very easy to use. The inter-city trains require a special ticket, but all local trains are clean, easy to use and have good lifts available if using a stroller.
City: Very clean, though crowded. There is no trash and no trashcans around, so be prepared with bags to tote your trash should your kiddos make a mess, they don’t have public waste bins available in downtown Tokyo.
Closest Airport
Tokyo [HND]
TOKYO DISNEY
Closest Airport
Tokyo [HND]
DisneySea:
Transport: Easy to access from anywhere in the city by train, Tokyo Disney and Tokyo DisneySea are next to each other, similar to the layout of other Disney properties. It is clearly marked in English and Japanese when you get off the Mickey-themed tram that transports you from the standard public transit to the magic of the mouse.
Entry: The entry was easily one of the craziest I ever experienced. We arrived 20 minutes before gates and there were thousands of people lined up, on a TUESDAY. Turns out, we went during spring break and holds of tweens flocked to the most magical place, all in groups of 3-8 and in matching outfits-it was wild! I didn’t take photos of that, but suffice it to say, I would NEVER return during spring break week. The entry took nearly 90 minutes. The used very slow, standard mags, checked bags and had far fewer staff than needed. When we left at 2 pm, all but one gate were closed and there was not a single person waiting to get in, it is a very early arriving crowd-apparently they used to sleep overnight to be the first in.
Rides & Wait Times: Brace yourself, the wait times were INSANE. For marquee rides in DisneySea it averaged 2 hours, but some of the bigger ones were over 4 hours-for a single ride! They have a system where you can get a fast pass every hour, however, to reserve, you have to have scanned your ticket and be inside the park. By the time we got in, gates had been open for an hour and all the rides were gone. We were only able to purchase a couple of rides and the rides in Fantasy Land didn’t even allow walk ups. The DisneySea property was stunning, completely gorgeous, however the crowds were a lot to navigate and the lines were massive. The app shows wait times for food and even the popcorn cart was 30 minutes. We ended up going on Jasmine’s carousel and Simba’s Adventure (which is basically It’s a Small World style boat cruise telling the tale of Simba). The Tower of Terror was one we visited, a different take on what Disney World offers with a very short drop. The Nemo AI experience would have been cool if we spoke Japanese, it’s very interactive and not speaking the language in that situation left us not understanding. It was one of the few parts that did not have English translation or subtitles.
Food: In addition to the long lines noted above for food, the options were far below what you’d find at other Disney parks and all of the food was pre-packaged. Some of the English translations were a bit off as well. I purchased a tiramisu ice cream bar...it was just a plain ice cream sandwich if you’re going by US standards. There were mostly snacks as well, hard to find a drink stand and there are nearly no places to get drinks or fill your water so come prepared.
Merchandise: They have penny press machines around for small souvenirs. On these you don’t have to insert a coin, it provides you with it directly, which is nice. They have many stores but they all seemed hyper focused on one product type or theme. Some of their merchandise didn’t resonate with English audiences, other things were very unique an special. They do not have one “main” store I DisneySea to get a variety of items, that is likely in Disneyland Tokyo’s main park.
Closest Airport
Tokyo [HND]