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Japan with children 2017/8/17 07:48
Hi,
Only been to Japan solo and with my girlfriend. However. Now as our kid is growing older, soon enough to travel far, we wanted to go to Japan with her. She will turn 5 this year and I plan to visit Japan perhaps next year or the year after that, when she is 6 or 7.

We both stayed in the Toyoko Inn Hotel chain before in single and double bed room, but I am not sure staying with a 6 year old would be so easy in that chain.

Are there any other chains with the same rates that can be recommended? I Think we payed 6000-7500 JPY for the room when we stayed.

As we will be travelling not only in Tokyo, it would be good if it is not just a Tokyo based chain.

Maybe hostels would be a good idea?
by Mene (guest)  

Re: Japan with children 2017/8/17 11:16
Toyoko Inn does not charge children's fee under 12 yrs old(JP elementary/primary school age) include a free breakfast, while one adult accompanies. One bed must be shared with a child. They do not supply room amenities such as pillow and towel for your child, if you want to use an extra pillow and towel they will charge you 1,000 yen per night.
by tokyo friend 48 rate this post as useful

Re: Japan with children 2017/8/17 14:26
The Best Things To Do in Tokyo with Kids
1.National Museum of Nature and Science
2.Ueno Zoo
3.Fire Museum
4.Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation (Miraikan)
5.Museum of Maritime Science
6.Legoland Discovery Center
7.RiSuPia Panasonic Digital Network Museum
8.Science Museum (in Kitanomaru-koen)
9.Imperial Palace & Gardens
10The Railway Museum (Saitama City)
11.Ghibli Museum
12.Tokyo Tower
13.Tokyo Disneyland
14.Hato Bus Tokyo Tours
15.KidZania
by johnexplo rate this post as useful

Re: Japan with children 2017/8/17 15:56
Go while the child is under 7...many hotels will then let them stay for free if they use existing bedding...so a twin room can be good value (bearing in mind that many twins in Japan have either one queen bed and one single, or two queens).
Different rooms and different branches of the same hotel chains will have different configurations of beds. You will become expert in searching out bed sizes (which most hotels will have on their websites somewhere).
by Winter Visitor rate this post as useful

Re: Japan with children 2017/8/17 18:10
Thnk you for your replies.

I was thinking of Ghibli museum. What would be a good age for using the Cat bus room? Are there any staff there by the way to ensure safety and confort?

Been to some kid lands where I live and encountered a few parents not really observing the bad behavor of sole children and children bullying the smaller children. Maybe that is unavoidable when children are involved but I wouldnt want her to leave in tears when she can finally meet the cat bus....
by Mene (guest) rate this post as useful

Re: Japan with children 2017/8/18 00:01
Regarding Ghibli the challenge is to get tickets. They sell regularly out within hours that they are available. So your best bet is to order them through JTB. I think they open presell about 3 months before. Just check with them.

Regarding the cat bus room: it is just one room. I mean it is nothing where you can spend hours and hours. It is like two long sofas facing each other. Just to describe the size.

Japanese kids are generally very well behaved and parents have them under control so I would not worry about that. But Ghibli museum is not for small kids running around free. There isn't a lot to DO. there is a lot to SEE, but the museum is not very spacious and full of exhibits so you will need to keep an eye on your kid all the time.

Enjoy your trip to Japan!
by LikeBike rate this post as useful

Re: Japan with children 2017/8/18 03:01
Actually, the cut off at some hotels is under 6. I went to Japan last year when my daughter was still 5 and I just had to pay the single rate for all my hotel rooms. This year at 6, many chains charged me a discounted child rate, even though there was no room where it was an issue accommodating her, since we're just 1 adult and 1 child. I think only a few of the more expensive hotels I stayed in didn't charge for her at all.

A 5 year old is also free at temples, on trains, buses and subways. Some temples my daughter was free at 6, some she was not. It gets extra confusing because some places charge for elementary school students.
If we lived in a different US State, she would have not yet been in elementary, but in our state we have a late cut-off. She also now has a Suica for subways/private lines, since she is no longer free.
by rkold rate this post as useful

Re: Japan with children 2017/8/19 06:18
As this is our first child I do not really know which age would be good for her to actually experience and remember things too, not only us. As it is not sure we will be able to return to Japan.

As for the Cat Bus room, I am more afraid of any possible language barriers creating problems than the actual behavior of our and other kids. But I have heard the tickets are hard to come by. When I went to Japan myself I got one ticket by luck from a friend studying there, but I think JTB would be a good bet. I also heard you can buy online as well but these tickets run fast as well.

But I will not place it all on one bet. As other mention there are other things to see and do. We were thinking of going to some of the Anpanman museums in the west of Japan. I actually went to Kochi (not the museum though) myself, and I heard there is one in Kobe as well, as Kochi is a little distant and harder to reach than Kobe. She really fancies Baikinman, running around with the doll I bought from Japan.

Considering other places of stay than hotels, like minshuku, hostels or even ryokan. Anything to keep in mind when looking? Not sure how picky ryokan are coming to the accommodation of families. I know single travellers might have bad luck with ryokans. Many hostels seem to have bunk beds (if there are private rooms). Any other suggestions?
by Mene (guest) rate this post as useful

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