Itinerary for Tokyo/Yokohama

Dear all

Pls take a look at my below itinerary and kindly comment:

We will be arriving 2 days before day 1 but starting our vacation later. We will be staying in Shinjuku during the whole trip and we are 2 adults and our 4yr old kid.
Day 1
- Tsukiji Fish Market
- Tokyo Imperial Palace
- Ueno/Ameyoko Shopping Arcade

Day 2
- Mt Fuji 5th station via direct bus from Shinjuku
- Lake Kawaguchi via Retro bus
- Yoshida Fire Festival, then head back to Shinjuku

Day 3
- Ghibli Museum in Mitaka
- Laketown mall in Koshigaya

Day 4
- Yokohama Sea Paradise
- Yokohama Ramen Museum

Day 5
- Mother Farm at Kitmisu

Day 6
- Flight departing in the evening, so will drop by AEON shopping mall near Narita after depositing our luggage in airport


Questions:
1. My itinerary seems loosely planned. Can you suggest places which I can go along the way, for any of the days? We are not particularly keen on temples/shrines but anything else will be good
2. Base on the itinerary, should I be getting any special rail/bus pass?
3. We are ok to skip Mother Farm for better suggestions.

Thank you.

Apple,

Have you been to Tokyo before? Is there any special reason why you want to see the Laketown mall in Koshigaya? It is no different from any of the other large malls you will see in Japan or other countries. If you like casual shopping/eating, Odaiba would be a lot more interesting and picturesque for starters, I think.

Hi Dave

I have been to Tokyo before, and I am going to Laketown mall partly because of big supermarkets like Jusco for inexpensive snacks/groceries etc, and also smaller retail shops which sells kid�fs apparel. Would like to do some shopping but not in the cities like Shinjuku or Shibuya which will be far more expensive.

Do you think it�fs not worth the trip(for the reason above), or should I be going to some other malls which are nearer? Appreciate all feedbacks and suggestions. Thank you!

This is totally a personal preferance, but from a Yokohama resident's point of view, it's a bit disappointing that you chose to only visit Sea Paradise and Ramen Museum while in Yokohama. There are much more better spots for tourists to see here, and those spots are far away from either See Paradaise or Ramen Museum.

Plus, if you have the time and money to visit Sea Paradise and Ramen Museum, there are good enough aquariums to visit in Tokyo, and the Edo-Tokyo Museum is a lot more worth while. If you happen to be in the neighborhood, I would suggest Sea Paradise and Ramen Museum, though. I go to the Museum all the time myself.

Which country are you from and why Yokohama? Perhaps I can suggest some particular sightseeing spots. How about the Landmark Tower and the surrounding modern Bay Area, or China Town and the old Yamashita Port area, or the colonial area of Yamate uphill?

Hi Uco

I am from Singapore. We chose the sea paradise because I tink it will be fun for my 4 yr old. I presume after sea paradise, whole day would be gone, and probably whatever energy left will be to eat, thus the ramen museum. Will the sea paradise be taking up so much time? We will only be going to the aquarium side, not the scary rides. Also thought that the ramen museum is a big tourist spot as heard a lot about the place. Will be fine to drop it if it�fs just another ramen shop.

Is the sea paradise the largest aquariums in Japan? I went to the one in Osaka was very impressed, so hopefully this one is better. I thought with shows and all, could be a fun time.

I went to Yokohama China Town before, and other than that, not been to other part of Yokohama. No particular reason why I chose this city, just thought that with the number of days in Tokyo, might as well venture out one day. I definitely do not have sufficient info!

Pls do suggest more places for us to go, thank you!

That sounds to be a hectic schedule for a little child of 4 years old....

As to Fujiyoshida trip:
You plan to see Yoshida Fire Festival, so Day 2 is 26 August 2009, right?
It may be hard for your kid to go there and come back to Shinjuku in one day.
That's an overnight festival, isn't that? Why don't you stay there?

As to Ghibli Museum, Mitaka:
Leaving Fujiyoshida Sta. in the morning on 27 August by 09:35, you will be able to enter Ghibli Museum by 12:30 if you have appointed the time and purchased the tickets in advance.
- Ghibli Museum, Mitaka: TICKETS
http://www.ghibli-museum.jp/en/ticket_information/

As to Yokohama trip:
Yokohama Hakkeijima Sea Paradise seems to have plenty of attractions related to marine creatures, presumably too many for a little child to enjoy in a few hours, even if you can persuade your kid to limit them to those in the aquarium side.
Spots suggested by Uco-san sound to me better if you make a one-day round trip to Yokohama with a little child.

As to Mother Farm:
I suppose Mother Farm, which is not in Kimitsu but in Futtsu City, is ready to welcome little children.
If the day falls on 29 or 30 August 2009, then a direct bus is available from the east entrance of Kisarazu Sta. Another option is to catch a local bus from Sanukimachi Sta.
Only a few trains stop at the nearest Sanukimachi Sta. Probably it's better to stay in the place near a station (between Chiba and Narita Airport) at which Rapid Airport Narita trains stop.

As to hotel reservation:
Considering probability of bad weathers to suspend train operations, such as a storm by a typhoon, it may be a good choice to book guest rooms of the same hotel for consecutive days. You will arrive 2 days before Day 1, so I think you can reserve two hotels for Days 2 and 5 then cancel one easily judging from weather forecasts. I guess no charge is required for canceling 3 days before.

As to gaps in prices and Saitama trip:
Mitaka in Tokyo, Koshigaya in Saitama and Yokohama in Kanagawa are located to the different directions of Shinjuku.
Sorry, I see no reason for you to drop by Koshigaya, taking your kid along for such a long time and distance in only two days.
And, I can not guess why you plan to stay in Shinjuku where presumably accommodation prices are at higher rate, while on the other hand you care gaps in prices of goods between Tokyo's urban spots and its suburb in Saitama.
Even the urban area of Tokyo is not filled with retail shops of popular high-class brands. I suppose "big supermarkets like Jusco" exist here and there in and around Tokyo.
If you with your kid visit Ueno, Mitaka, Yokohama this time, I think it's better to leave nice spots in Saitama until the next time.

//

To add to your busy itinerary, for your 4 yr. old, may I suggest the Anpanman Children's Museum while you're in Yokohama. My wife and I fully enjoyed our visit there and felt young again among all those Japanese kids.

http://www.yokohama-anpanman.jp

Apple76,

If you've already been to Yokohama before, I suppose you made your choice according to experience and I have nothing to say against it.

But as suggested by Omotenashi, I do think that Sea Paradise may be too much for the child not to mention the long trip to Hakkeijima and back. And if your child is tired the walk from the station to the Ramen Museum is probably untolerable and not really worth the trip. When my son was four, he was better off at Shinagawa Aquarium.
http://www.aquarium.gr.jp/en/index.html

Also still, may I suggest Minatomirai district of Yokohama instead of Hakkeijima and Shin-Yokohama where the Ramen Museum is. If you're from Singapore the Yamate colonial district may not be so interesting, but modern Minatomirai has the tallest building in Japan, connected to a mall, and there is a little fair ideal for four year olds, as well as more than one grassy little park by the sea or by a sail ship. It's a cozy harbor area for both locals and tourist families. If you have more energy, you can walk all the way to the brick house mall where the pony carriage and bicycle taxis are. Plus there are plenty of places to dine, including ramen. Give it a thought.
http://www.minatomirai21.com/english/index.html

You may notice that Anpanman Children's Museum is also located in the Minatomirai (MM21) area.

Hi omotenashi
The fire festival ends at 10pm. I have thought of staying overnight in Fujiyoshida but worried that the next day journey back to town and to Mitaka might be a little too tiring for us to begin the day, and we wanted to enter Ghibli at the 10am slot to fully utilize our time there. Either we stay overnight for the festival, or we leave by 8pm back to Shinjuku
I am thinking to drop the Mother Farm because it seems to be out of the way and quite far. Under consideration.
We stayed in Shinjuku for business reason, and we found a really cheap hotel there. Another reason also because it�fs a good location to go out to everywhere. I don�ft seems to find another big enough Jusco around the place. The one I went is at Shinagawa Seaside and I find it kinda small
I am curious to find out why the sea paradise dun sounds a good choice? If there is plenty to play/see, wouldn�ft it be good? The regular aquarium wouldn�ft have shows to see dolphins and the bigger animals right?
Hi William
Will consider the anpanman museum. Can you advise roughly how much time we will be spending there?
Hi Uco
I am also thinking about going Minatomirai, can you tell me which are the must see attractions there? 1 day in Yokohama is definitely not enough now!

Thank you all for your kind comments!

I wouldn't say there is a "must-see" in MM21. It's all a matter of preferance.

But my son used to enjoy the fair, as well as the Maritime Museum which are both right beside the sail ship Nihon-maru and a grassy area.

Not many people realise how fun the Maritime Museum is. It's low-key enough to prevent your child from getting too tired, but at the same time has a lot of interacting exibitions that are fun for the little ones.

Unless it's cloudy, every tourist climbs up to the Landmark Tower observation floor. For lunch or dinner, unless it's too hot or too rainy, half-outdoor tables might give more freedom to the child. You can see many of them from the fair. They're mostly located at Queen's Tower.

So perhaps, a typical route would be, Landmark Tower - Maritime Museum - Fair - Dinner. MM21 is crowded on Saturdays and Sundays, but on these days will be legal street performers performing just outside Hard Rock Cafe or the surrounding areas.

The great part of MM21 is that everything is not too big, so if you happen to get tired or bored, you can go elsewhere very easily. My son also used to enjoy ferry rides from MM21 to Yamashita Park or vice versa.

Hope you have fun!

Hi Uco

I am thinking the possibility for a 2 days trip to Yokohama, staying over for 1 night. The first day probably will follow your route in Minota Mirai, and 2nd day to the sea paradise, and that will be Fri and Sat.
Do you think the sea paradise is worth for us to stay on for one more day?

I am tinking to drop Mother Farm for either extra day at Yokohama, or go to Kamakura.

Thank you!

You are going to make the hike from Mitaka to Koshigaya and back to Tokyo in one day? I used to live in Koshigaya, and that mall would have to be something really spectacular to make it worth going all the way up to northeastern Saitama from western Tokyo, because there is absolutely nothing else there and it is a long way.

There must be shopping areas along the Chuo line that would do just as well.

Will your 4-year-old really be okay with all that time spent on local trains in Saitama, Kanagawa, Chiba, without any real rest days built in?

There's no way I would want to take a small child to that many places in that short an amount of time.

: I am thinking to drop the Mother Farm because it seems to be out of the way and quite far. far. Under consideration.
: I am tinking to drop Mother Farm for either extra day at Yokohama, or go to Kamakura.
: I am curious to find out why the sea paradise dun sounds a good choice? If there is plenty to play/see, wouldn�ft it be good? The regular aquarium wouldn�ft have shows to see dolphins and the bigger animals right?

I don't know what you imagine as "regular aquarium" but this question reminded me of three aquariums in Tokyo and Chiba. Two of them offer dolphin shows.

If you ask me which of Sea Paradise and Mother Farm I recommend, my answer is clearly Mother Farm, while I don't directly know either in details.

It's a hard task for a little child to control well oneself, maintaining balance between curiosity and stamina. A little child is liable to let curiosity excessively arisen and get exhausted. A shower of attractions does not always act as a good medicine.

Southern area of Chiba Prefecture (called Nansou after old province) is known for mild climate. I think Mother Farm of 250 hectares, if blessed with weather and not too crowded, has enough spaces to have rests.

As a Japanese, I hope your kid have good memories of Japan to call up later.

//

We stayed about 2 hrs. at the Anpanman Children's Museum. How long you spend there really depends on your kid. We saw children cry when their parents said it's time to go!

Another place kids may love is the Snoopy Town Shop in AT shopping mall. When we were there, there was a giant Snoopy hung high in the mall's foyer.
http://www.at-yokohama.com/floor/shops/shop.php?id=0005...

Also, if you are visiting Yokohama this summer, don't miss its 150th port anniversary event in which this is part of the highlights
http://event.yokohama150.org/topics/vol_7.html

Hi Sira

Ok now I am beginning to feel a need to drop the idea of the Laketown mall. I probably find a nearer mall in my other thread on supermarkets. My son was pretty ok the last year when we stayed in Tokyo for 11 days, every single day out for more than 12hrs. He¡¦s very energetic and always recharged after a short nap in his pram. It¡¦s us who felt our legs were breaking every night, yet we wanted to do more the next day! He should be fine with a pram along, we are the ones who is carrying the pram up and down stairs¡K
Would appreciate if u can suggest some local malls which are along the way of my itinerary, thank you!

Hi omotenashi

Sorry by regular I meant just the aquarium without shows, because the only one I went to is the Osaka Aquarium(opsss!)
My kiddo is easily satisfied as long as he has space to run about, and also chances to see toys. Last year we brought him to DisneySea/Land, Universal Studio, OSA Aquarium, and almost everyday to malls to look at toys, and that make him a very happy child.
Eventhough at 3yrs old last year, now we asked him what he can remember of Japan, he will said toys and cold noodles. ļ I guess the real satisfaction we have is seeing his face brighten up every morning, when we tell him what we will be seeing for the day.

Thanks William for your suggestions.

Apple76 wrote
Do you think the sea paradise is worth for us to stay on for one more day?

I'm sorry, but if you're asking me, like I said, I don't think Sea Paradise (in Hakkeijima) is worth it at all unless you're huge on aquariums and roller coasters. Also, I'm wondering what part of Yokohama you're planning to stay just to go to Hakkeijima. Hakkeijima is at the farthest part of Yokohama, therefore it's already a big trip just to take your little one to a hotel nearby. And as shown in the link I provided previously, Shinagawa Aquarium has dolphin shows and sea lion shows a few times a day, too.

But it's all up to you. You seem to have your mind set in Hakkeijima.

If you are coming in the end of July or some time during August, keep in mind that you can also swim in one of the beaches in Kamakura.

Hi Uco

Thanks for your advise. I will recosider my whole itineray again this weekend and do a revision. We are not really HUGE on aquariums, and even less so on roller coaster. Just thought it might be nice for my son but since Shinagawa has one, probably will check that out.

For the Y150, is it walking distance from Minato Mirai? It seems near from the map.

Also, can you suggest some nice and not too expensive Japanese food in that area? We have no special preference on type of food(since everything looks yummy!), but wouldn't mind "all-you-can-eat" style as we are big eaters.

Thank you!

For the Y150, is it walking distance from Minato Mirai?

The main events are held within the Minatomirai district which is quite a huge disctrict. It is, however, walking distance for healthy adults from the Landmark Tower.

But as much as I, as a tax payer of Yokohama, want visitors to spend money here, so far I haven't met anyone who said the events were worth the high entrance fee. Although you do seem to be big on organized event-type attractions, so you never know.

What you can do is this. 150th anniversary souveniors are sold everywhere in Yokohama. Take a look at them, and if you feel that you want to see more along the lines, you can think about going to the main events. The big spider from Europe can be viewed from the pedestrian overpass between World Porters mall and the Red Brick Warehouses, so take a look at that too and if you feel like getting closer, you can buy the ticket to get in.

can you suggest some nice and not too expensive Japanese food in that area?

I have no specific suggestions, but the maps at each mall are illustrated and all malls have information counters. There also is a tourist information booth between Landmark Tower and Sakuragicho Station.

Hope it helps.

Thank you Uco, you have been very helpful.