The Travelling Kid: Destinations!

The Travelling Kid: Destinations!

Tokyo rocked my preschooler’s world…in a Godzilla, crazy anime, 186 miles-per hour-bullet-train kind of way. This super-sized city rocked my world too…in an idiosyncratic, complex toilets, raw snails, can’t-read-the-signs kind of way.

Tokyo is like one big effervescent, over the top music video that immediately throws you into sensory overload from the moment you step out of the plane into Narita Airport and keeps on rockin’ ya until you hop a plane home and wend your way back to familiar toilet seats.

AND…my son Jacob can’t stop talking about it.

Join me, as I take you on a remake of our December magical mystery tour of Japan’s iconic capital and try to dissect our adventures in this singular city into a user-friendly, travelling kid-savvy guide.

First of all, expect the unexpected and you will only be mildly shell-shocked by the constant bombardment of people and trains and skyscrapers and video billboards and sights and smells that you never imagined existing before. It is, to quote my friend Lucy, “like being drop-kicked and then landing on the surface of Mars”. I’m not exactly sure what that means…but it really comes close to how I feel when I’m in Tokyo. AND…just like Jacob – I love this crazy city.

December in Tokyo is a particularly ‘mars-like’ experience. The millions of lights in the city are joined by MORE lights adorning giant Christmas trees and streetlights…creating a kind of Las Vegas effect. In the Shibuya area (home to Meiji Jingu Shrine) you’ll find no less than 600,000 lights decorating an already über-illuminated part of town. Shibuya is only ONE of several major neighborhoods in Tokyo – which brings me to:

HOW THE HECK TO FIGURE OUT WHERE YOU’RE GOING

Here’s the deal. Many of the streets aren’t named. Ai yi. Imagine the millions of people living there with nameless streets and pity the poor postman. Adding insult to injury, the numbers on the streets that actually ARE named are not sequential. The buildings were numbered in the order they were constructed NOT in the order they are on the street. Merry Christmas.

No worries. Many people who live in this glittering metropolis are confused too. Thankfully, in this ordered confusion, everyone is happy to help you figure out how to get where you’re going…although you may not understand one another. Needless to say you will need maps and guidebooks. We actually ended up getting around just fine. Just be prepared to embrace serendipity, know that things will take longer than you expected and be willing to occasionally ‘throw money at the problem’ and take a very expensive taxi ride. Know that some people speak English, but MANY do not. Especially taxi drivers. Make SURE to always have your hotel information written in Japanese and ask your hotel to write your day’s destination (s) in Japanese for you. This will be very helpful whether you are taxi-ing or going by metro.

The metro is both fantastic AND formidable. SO formidable, in fact that it deserves special attention. So…before I bore you with the ins and outs of the Tokyo Metro system –

1. I will chat about all the wonderful things there are to do with your kid (s) and then tackle...

2. ...the specifics of the Metro and navigating Tokyo in a special section below.

WHAT TO DO AND SEE - DISTRICT BY DISTRICT
First of all, just walking around Tokyo is a sensory extravaganza. So much so, that I would be remiss to not mention how many meltdowns my pre-schooler had despite my impeccable (ha-ha) planning, a bag filled with snacks and water and my attempts to bribe him with Strawberry Pocky (a tasty Japanese pretzel cookie type snack). I realized in retrospect that he was on sensory overload and I should have built in a lot more down time and I should have returned to the hotel either earlier or more often. You won’t make the same mistake, because you will be prepared. You can’t change Tokyo and you can’t change your kids, but you can modify your approach to the possibly lethal combo.

Tokyo is SO big – you kind of need to take a ‘divide and conquer’ approach. A good way to think about Tokyo is not as one massive, impossible to navigate city, but as several mini-cities all linked together by trains of all sorts (which for my train-philic son was a big plus).
With that in mind, I will break down our fave places by major areas.

UENO PARK
Ueno Park is a great, fun family destination that is only a short walk from the Ueno Station. One of the largest open spaces in Tokyo, this enormous, lovely park is home to a Zoo, museums and a plethora of pigeons.
Even though it was a grey, drizzly, December day – we found ourselves amid an explosion of gleaming gold ginkgo leaves and the park was filled with school children and families and people on bikes – all taking in the crisp air and beautiful surroundings. When the drizzle turned to rain, we made a b-line for the:
National Science Museum:
We couldn’t miss the museum with its 100-foot life-size Blue Whale statue standing guard just outside the entrance. If Jacob’s favorite creature of the seas wasn’t awe-inspiring enough…imagine my son’s delight when he discovered that his other life-love was there: a real Steam Locomotive, parked just inside the entrance.
This is a GREAT museum. Granted, most of the signs are in Japanese – but who cares? Mostly kids just run around like madmen in museums, especially when there are hands on exhibits and rooms full of dinosaurs and animals. Jacob was on cloud nine as he dashed through the dino hall, fiddled with all the science experiments and faced off with what can only be described as a taxidermists’ dream.

The gift shop has TONS of great things to buy and there is even a child friendly cafeteria where you can stop for a snack. For more info go to: www.kahaku.go.jp/english
Ueno Zoo:
The rain put a damper on our plans to visit Japan’s oldest zoo. Founded in 1882, it is small, but you will find all the favorites including Giant Pandas. Rumor has it that we didn’t miss a spectacular zoo – but if your travelling kid is as big an animal fan as mine it might be worth a look. For more info go to: http://www.tokyo-zoo.net/english
Tokyo National Museum:
You can’t miss this giant museum, home to the largest collection of Japanese art in the world. Not all of it would be interesting to all kids…BUT if you have a sword and samurai armor fan in the family DO NOT miss this collection. I don’t even like swords and I thought it was pretty cool. For more info go to: www.tnm.jp/en/index.html
More of Ueno:

If you have true art fans in the fam you may want to visit the National Museum of Western Art and see it’s French Impressionist collection and other western art. http://www.nmwa.go.jp
The Ueno area also has a fun little museum a few minutes walk to the west: The Shitamachi Museum. It is a tribute to old Edo, complete with a reconstructed merchant’s shop-house and alleyways and articles of daily life as it was before the great earthquake of 1923 destroyed most of Shitamachi (downtown).
Shitamachi: 2-1 Ueno Koen +81 (0)3 3823 7451 9.30am-4.30pm Tue-Sun

Ameyoko-cho Market – just south of Ueno Station. A jumble of smells and sounds, this former black market is filled with stalls selling tea, food, shoes, fish and clothes alongside and underneath the elevated JR train lines. Jacob loved the trains, but walking this market at the end of an exciting day was a meltdown waiting to happen. And it did.

ASAKUSA
Asakusa is home to the famous Buddhist temple:
SENSO-JII. Jacob was totally entranced by the main gate: Kaminarimon (THUNDER GATE) with it’s giant red lantern and two scary and crazy looking guardian gods: Thunder and Wind. I enjoyed the promenade of what my husband likes to call ‘ticky-tacky’ shops that runs from the gate to the temple. This little street (Nakamise-dori) is carnival like and fun to walk along. We bought Jacob a little yellow umbrella that he cherished throughout the whole Japan trip for about $4.00. I bought some ‘ticky-tacky’ stuff for my friends. My husband bought weird food to try.
But I digress. The Senso-jii Temple (also known as the Asakusa Kannon) dates back to 628 AD, when fable has it, two fishermen brothers netted a small gold statue of Kannon, the goddess of mercy and happiness. The temple was built in her honor, but you can’t see the statue because it’s never shown to the public. Go figure. The building that stands today was built in 1945, after the original was destroyed. Senso-jii is a lovely and very interesting place to visit.
Asakusa is simply a great area to walk around, get a good meal and buy little souvenirs. The surrounding streets are filled with craft-shops, restaurants and pubs. We bought some wonderful spices at a small shop and the little packets of “who knows what they are” still give us great pleasure to cook with. For lunch, we ate at a great little Kaitin sushi place (the kind with the conveyor belt where you can pick your dish). It was $20 for all four of us.
Whether you go to visit the Temple or for the people watching or to eat octopus or to buy a Godzilla keychain - you and your travelling family are sure to enjoy Asakusa.

HARAJUKU, SHIBUYA & AOYAMA
This area is a triple threat showcase of culture and style. Toss in a fabulous shrine, a cemetery, punk rockers and the toy store of toy stores…and you’ve got a groovy part of town.
From Ometesando dori, the ‘Champs Elysees’ of Tokyo; to the bustling hub of Shibuya station; to Takeshita Dori…teen mecca - you will not be disappointed you came, saw and conquered this mini-fiefdom in Tokyo.
Harajuku is a fun area and at the very heart of ‘trendy’ Tokyo. There are so many things to do and to see AND any meltdown can be mitigated (possibly) by a promise to visit the toy store of toy stores aptly named ‘Kiddy Land’ for a plastic replica of the Shinkansen.
Just get off at Harajuku Station on the Yamanote line and head down the alley-like Takeshita Dori for piercings, punk, pink umbrellas and the most delicious street crepes you’ll ever have. The center of the punk/teen world in Tokyo, this street a see and be seen sector for students and is spectacular people watching. If you are over, let’s say 24 years old, you might feel a little antediluvian. Vibrant, trendy and walk-able it is great fun for your travelling kids if they are young girls or pre-teen or teen boys or girls. I also loved the Daiso Store - it’s like the 99 cent store with tons of cool stuff. www.daiso-sangyo.co.JP
If you have young boys that don’t like to buy stuff, get off at Harajuku Station and head for the Meiji-jingu Shrine. Simply put, this is a beautiful shrine in a stunning wooded setting. This oasis of acres of green space is a haven for your travelling kid (s) to zip around in. Oddly enough it is also home to the Jingu Baseball Stadium and if you are a Yakult Swallows fan you might be able to catch a game. The Meiji Jingu Ice Skating Rink is open year-round 12:00-18:00 (10:00-18:00 on weekends and holidays) and an outdoor swimming pool, Jingu Pool is open from mid-June to mid-Sept.
Hungry? Hit one of the many cafes on and around Meiji Dori and the elegant Omotesando Dori, Tokyo’s ‘Champs’. The network of streets surrounding these major boulevards is jam-packed with restaurants and bars and groovy little shops. If you are travelling with teens be careful! They may be devoured by the hydra of teen fashion stores and you may head home with a much lighter pocketbook.
Once you’ve rested and/or find the need to mitigate a meltdown head for:
KIDDYLAND (http://www.kiddyland.co.jp/en/index.html):
…a toy store to be reckoned with. This is a toy store for all ages. The floors are crowded with kids and teens alike, not to mention grown-ups who ‘collect’ stuff. Jacob ended up with two Shinkansen trains and ‘Santa’ picked up a couple of items for Jacob while he was there. Christmas morning in the US was awash with the wonder that Santa had been to Japan and had known exactly what Jacob wanted. That Santa is a clever guy.
If you are not already maxed-out (and my guess is you will be) head for:
THE NATIONAL CHILDREN’S CASTLE (Kodomo No Shiro)

If I were you, I would make this a separate destination and not try to squeeze it in at the end of the day like we did. My pal Lili who was born in Tokyo told me about this activity center for kids which was conceived by the Ministry of Health and Welfare for the International Year of the Child in 1979. It is a fabulous place for kids, filled with room after room of activities for kids of all ages including a climbing gym, a music room, a computer play room, building blocks, art projects, and a video room with private cubbies where kids can view videos including Sesame Street and your fave fairy tales. If that’s not enough, there is a rooftop playground replete with tricycles and a wading pool. Just in case none of this tweaks your travelling kid’s fancy, there are puppet shows, origami presentations and more scheduled throughout the week. (5-53-1 Jinguemae, Shibuya-ku 03.397.5666 http://www.kodomono-shiro.or.jp/english)

GINZA – Land of De-pa-to
December in Tokyo is a really cool time to visit…literally and figuratively. I had been to Ginza before, but seeing the effervescence of this city at Christmastime through Jacob’s eyes was amazing.
GINZA means ‘place where silver is minted’, named when Shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu started minting coins there around 1600. Aptly named, Ginza glitters still…elegant with snob appeal. At night, Ginza is like no other spot on the planet…neon lights, videos blaring from giant screens on skyscrapers and thousands of well-heeled feet pounding the wide boulevards. Add giant Christmas trees and displays to that and you’ve got an iconic explosion of what one would expect from Tokyo.
Home to the most prestigious shopping area in Japan, Ginza is filled with high-end stores from all over the world. I personally don’t care about Tiffany and Shiseido and Mikimoto – BUT I do lust after Ito-ya. Ito-ya is floor after floor of handmade papers, and pens and stationary and art supplies. Itoya is not a destination per se for travelling kids unless they are older and have the same paper and pen addiction that I do BUT you may want to pop in and buy some art supplies for the kids for the hotel room or the flight home or buy that special fountain pen you’ve always wanted. (Ito-ya 2-7-15 Ginza +81 (0)3 3561 8311 Open Hours 9.30am-7pm Mon-Sat; 10am-6pm Sun.)
Ginza is also filled with Department Stores (known as DEPATO). The main department stores are Mitsukoshi, Matsuya and Matsuzakaya and they are all here and you should go to one of them. WHY on earth would you want to visit a department store with your kids you may ask? Visiting department stores in the US with your kids is not your or my idea of recreation, for sure! So, here’s one major reason why the Tokyo DEPATO are cool: The food courts. These basement mini-kingdoms are amazing. There is really no way to describe them…you just have to go. The food, people, sights, sounds are truly astounding AND you can get the most delicious treats there. Trust me. It’s a destination. I suggest going to the food court in the Mistukoshi department store that was founded in…1673! They’ve got the department store thing down by now, I think. All of the depato in Tokyo are GIANT and they have ALL sorts of stuff – some even have art galleries and all have restaurants and clean bathrooms.
Another place to check out in Ginza is THE SONY BUILDING at the intersection of Harumi Dori and Sotobori Dori. The Sony Building is geek central with 6 floors of the latest and greatest Sony gadgets to play with. After you’re through with the games and gadgets you can rest and grab a bite at one of the cafes and restaurants there. The 6th floor is devoted to Play Station and there is a High Vision Theater showing free flicks every Saturday at 4:30pm. Check out the musical staircase between 1F and B1F. There’s a little something for everyone here…and hey, it’s free!
Nearby and also free is the lovely HIBIYA PARK and just beyond the park is THE IMPERIAL PALACE. Hibiya Park is a small, pleasant place to unwind and it is across from the Imperial Hotel, which has clean bathrooms. The Imperial Palace is the residence of the Imperial Family and although I am sure that they, too have clean bathrooms you cannot go inside the palace. However, you can view the palace from the outside, check out the moat and the groovy bridges, and stroll the Imperial East Gardens.
Just beyond the Palace to the north is KITANOMARU-KOEN, a big park that is home to a couple of museums: The National Museum of Modern Art, The Crafts Gallery and the kid-friendly SCIENCE MUSEUM (not to be confused with The National Science Museum in Ueno Park). The interactive displays are made for travelling families. Looks like a lot of fun.
(http://www.jsf.or.jp/eng)
There has to be something said for a city that has not one, but two cool hands-on science museums gracing it’s beautiful kid-friendly parks. In fact, Tokyo has so much to offer a travelling family, we were not able to ‘do it all’ in one trip.

MORE!
So, here are some other places you may want to consider taking your travelling kid (s) when you visit Tokyo and more Tokyo info...

GO TO TOKYO PART TWO (click here) for
MORE places to go
FOOD!
TOILETS!
TACKLING THE METRO!
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The Travelling Kid: TOKYO! Part One

TRAVELLING KID FANS IN TOKYO

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