one week in Tokyo
 

I am travelling from New Zealand to Tokyo with my 12 month old baby and 2 friends - next week (early September). This will be our first time in Japan, and we would appreciate any tips, suggestions, do's and don'ts etc.

Some questions I have already are:

- Should we buy a JR pass before we leave, we are staying in Roppongi and want to see gardens, go shopping etc - but if we can walk to where we need to go we'd rather do that. The rail pass is quite expensive. Would we be able to buy day passes on the days we need it, or does that work out to be more expensive?

- Do eateries/restaurants have baby chairs in them, or should we take a portable one?

- Since we are only in the city for 5 days, what would you suggest is an absolute must do?.. we are into art, culture, nature, fashion and electronics.

- If we want to buy electronics, will the salespeople understand that it needs to be compatible with the voltage in New Zealand?.. or is there something on the product that we should look out for? Do many salespeople speak/understand English?

- Is there any outlet shopping in Tokyo?

- Can we buy high fashion clothing for sizes to fit curvy ladies (US size 8/10), since all the Japanese girls are tiny?

- Can we take the baby pushchair on the rail network?..

Any other tips and comments would be greatly appreciated - the more the better.

Thanks so much!

Answers to some of your questions:

I'm not familiar with the JR Pass. So maybe someone could help you with that.

- If we want to buy electronics, will the salespeople understand that it needs to be compatible with the voltage in New Zealand?.. or is there something on the product that we should look out for? Do many salespeople speak/understand English?

Yes. For all your electronic needs I would stick with going to Akihabara. There's typically English speaking agents at the stores around the area that are able to assist you. There's usually signs around the product you're looking for that states specific voltage.

- Is there any outlet shopping in Tokyo?

I don't know your interpretation of "outlet", but if it's anything like outlets here in the US...then NO! :) But you can generally do some bargain shopping at Ueno's Ameyoko street.

Can we take the baby pushchair on the rail network?..

Yes you can. But if you do, I would suggest to avoid rush hour as much as you can. which is 6-9 AM and between around 5-8 PM. All the hours outside of this time should be ok. If Tokyo is infamous for anything, it's the crowded trains. :rolleyes: All

Most touristy places you can reach by taking the green Circle line (Yamanote Line). Goes around all of Tokyo. For the most part you won't need to deviate off this line. Maybe here and there..possibly.

- Since we are only in the city for 5 days, what would you suggest is an absolute must do?.. we are into art, culture, nature, fashion and electronics.

Nature- Ueno Zoo/Park

Fashion- Harajuku, Shibuya, Roppongi

Electronics- Akihabara

If you stay in Tokyo for week, there is no way you will use up enough train fares to make a Japan Rail Pass worthwhile. It is worthwhile only if you are going to make a trip at least to Kyoto and back.

By the way, if you DO decide to travel to Kyoto, be advised that you MUST buy the exchange coupon for the JR Pass outside of Japan and exchange it for an actual pass at the airport or at a major JR station. It is not for sale in Japan.

To ease your way, I'd suggest buying a Suica or Pasmo card, which is a debit card for use on all trains and subways in the Tokyo-Yokohama area. They are for sale in all train and subway stations, and you can add more money to it if you run low. It won't save you any money, but if you're familiar with the Oyster Cards in London, it works the same way: just touch it to the turnstile. A ¥5,000 card should see you through a week in Tokyo.

As far as fashions are concerned, the major department stores have large size clothing, but the boutiques may not. They tend to use the odd numbers, like junior sizes in the U.S., and yes, clothing in sizes 9-11 is available.

Japan Rail Pass is a good deal for those who plan to travel on Shinkansen over long distances. For other people, not very much so. The local day passes, such as JR East's tokunai pass or the subway equivalent, are also difficult to realize true savings. Therefore, it is probably best if you pay as you go. You can, should you choose to accept the mission, purchase tickets at each station before you embark. Or you can pick up an e-wallet card like Suica or Pasmo. The Suica & N'EX is a good deal.

As for electronics, Akihabara. There are many "duty free" shops on both sides of Chuo-dori. They have salesmen who can help you bridge the voltage gap. If you or your companion know some basic electronics symbols, you can discern the markings yourself.

Ask for "menzei" on purchases over 10,000 yen. You can avoid paying the 5% consumption tax. The store clerk will fill out a form and staple it in your passport. Duty free shops should take care of the paperwork automatically for you. Some smaller shops may not have the forms on hand to process this for you.

Japanese mamas usually transport their larval offsprings in a mamachari, short for mama chariot, or single gear bicycle with baby seat.

thanks for the tips so far, I'm very grateful especially about travelling on the rail network.

has anyone been to the store Bingoya?.. if so, are the prices cheap/average/expensive?

also, are there any permanent markets that are worthwhile visiting?..

thanks!

For 5 days, I wouldn't bother with the JRPass. Leave Kyoto for another visit.
The JR NEX Suica pass will get you into Tokyo cheaply (or use the Keisei line, the Keisei Skyliner also has a NRT deal). - thanks abmj-jr!
If you are going before the end of December, then for day trips on the shinkansen to places like Nikko you can buy 3 days (non-sequential) with JREast for just 10,000yen. There's another thread dedicated to this. Even for two days it's not a bad deal as you can use the third ticket to get back to NRT.
Yes they do. Not all will have chairs (examples of ones that do are chains like Denny's, Royal Host etc) but they are easy to find. But also easy to find are Japanese restaurants with tatami floors. I wouldn't bother with the portable chair.

I'm afraid you'll be spoiled for choice. You're probably best off focusing on parts of Tokyo you can access easily.

My suggestions are: on a rainy day go to Ueno to see the museums there, or combine a visit to Akihabara with a visit to the Edo museum in nearby Ryogoku- Sumo land (there's a lovely park near the Edo museum too, the Kyu-Yasuda Teien) Also in the area is Asakusa.

On a clear day take in Shinjuku and all the shops there and be sure to go up to the observatory platform at the Tokyo Metropolitan government building from where you'll see fabulous views of the city and. perhaps, Mount Fuji too.

Combine nature and culture with a visit to Nikko.

For fashion, if you're there on a Sunday, visit Harajuku (and also Meijijingu - shrine), and/or combine a visit to Shibuya with Daikanyama (you can easily walk between these two neighbourhoods, beware Daikanyama station with the pushchair, the gap between station and train on the curved platform is enormous).

As mentioned, Akihabara may be the best place for you. Many of the larger electrical stores in this area have a department dedicated to sales for those who reside outside of Japan. Here they'll speak English and understand your concerns with voltage.

There is, at least there is just outside. You may want to open a new thread for this question.

No, not all the girls are tiny. Lots of baggy clothes this season and size 8/10US falls well within Japanese conventional sizes.

You certainly can on the Tokyo Metro area (Metro lines and JR). As aaron1262 has mentioned, forget about travelling at peak hours, also bear in mind that you aren't supposed to take the pushchair onto escalators. This means you'll need to find an elevator, this makes the process of getting through the station take considerably longer. You'll also have to queue up to get in and out of the station as you won't be able to take the buggy through the ticket barriers, time which also quickly adds up.
I only focused on this issue on my last visit to Tokyo when I went with a wheelchair. Although most Metro lines do have elevators, not all do (the newer lines definitely do, Oedo and Namboku lines are fine examples). I'm not sure what you're supposed to do then. As there are a group of you, perhaps one will need to carry the child, and the others the pushchair up any escalators/stairs. Tokyoites tend to be very friendly, if you do get into difficulties by yourself it's almost guaranteed that someone will try to help you.

Keisei Skyliner. You must have still been half asleep when you posted this. :p

The Sobu Kaiseki line also goes to the airport, and I hear the food and service are excellent.

Nope, I'm all bent on continuing to confuse Keio and Keisei. I'd love to think this will be the last time, but I doubt it. Thanks for picking that up ^

Cheers! You've sowed the seeds for my next trick where I'll be recommending that someone alights at Ochanomizu using JR Soba.

i recently went to japan just to study gardens. trust me, there are no "good" gardens in tokyo. kyoto is key.

pj

If the entire purpose of the trip is to see traditional japanese gardens, then one would be well advised to visit Kyoto. Same could be said for temples, geisha and ancient palaces...

But there are many pleasant gardens and parks that the OP can enjoy in Tokyo.

As the OP has little time to visit Kyoto, perhaps you can tell us why Hama Rikyu and Kyu-Yasuda (or indeed any of the Tokyo parks listed here: http://teien.tokyo-park.or.jp/en/hama-rikyu/index.html) are no "good".

Japan Forum recommended gardens in this thread: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=477341

I think you mean that I've planted the seeds for your next trick. In order to sow them, you may need divine intervention, so I assume you'll be doing this somewhere in Kanda.

For Soba kaiseki, let me recommend "Shimahei" in Nando-cho, Shinjuku.
It's a gem.

To reach it, you could alight at Ichigaya or Iidabashi. (Or better still, Oedo Line Ushigome Kagurazaka).

(I was going to say that it's a hidden gem, but it made it into the NYTimes magazine last year, so it's no secret any more).

the gardens in tokyo are sparse and boring with little hardscaping. i'm a landscape designer who went there soley to educate myself on japanese garden design. if you really want to just stay in tokyo, by all means, visit the gardens listed... I did. but if you truly want to see japanese design, head to kyoto for 2-3 days atleast. its only a few hours by high speed train. kyoto rikyu is vastly more impressive than hama rikyu.

pj