Reiwa Year 1, Nine Days Eight Nights Kanto Family Trip 2019

2019.8.4～8.12

momo (2Y7M) and Mom and Dad

8.4 Beijing ~ Tokyo (Ibis Tokyo Bay Hotel)

8.5 Tokyo Disneyland

8.6 Sensoji Temple - Ueno Zoo - Akihabara - Tokyo Tower (chartered car)

8.7 Mount Fuji 🗻 (chartered car) Kawaguchiko - Oshino Hakkai - Lake Yamanaka - Yokohama (Shin Yokohama Prince Hotel)

8.8 Yokohama Hakkeijima Sea Paradise - Anpanman Museum (chartered car)

8.9 Sanrio Puroland - Shinjuku (chartered car) Shinjuku Cake House S Minshuku

8.10 Shopping day in Shinjuku

8.11 Odaiba - Akihabara (chartered car)

8.12 Return to Beijing

1. Three-person multiple entry visa for three years, 880 yuan per person on Taobao with minimal documents, issued smoothly in less than a month. If you don't mind the paperwork hassle, you can actually get a cheaper option. 2. We finally chose All Nippon Airways for the flights. After comparison, the price was cheaper than Air China and the timing was more suitable. Since we were traveling with a child, too early or too late flights were not acceptable. We started looking at tickets at the end of May, and the prices changed almost daily, so we quickly bought them. Then we called to reserve seats and they even asked if we wanted a kids' meal. The service was excellent. 3. We booked a customized trip through Taobao Fliggy Zhongxin Tour, mainly for hotel reservations, car chartering, airport transfers, and tickets. I personally think it was quite necessary. They helped resolve some unexpected situations during the trip, and having someone to consult when traveling abroad with a child for the first time gave us peace of mind. They also provided free WiFi and insurance. With over a dozen people in the group serving the three of us, the service was truly attentive. But next time, I think I can book it myself (ಡωಡ)hiahiahia. 4. Preparing things for the little one: every time we go on a long trip, I must make a list to avoid forgetting anything. The large suitcase was mostly filled with kids' stuff. This time we brought less because summer clothes take up less space, we didn't need as many diapers, and we still had a good amount of milk powder and eating/drinking supplies. Be sure to bring a portable electric kettle - it's super convenient. Mom and Dad brought only a few clothes; we mainly wanted to go shopping in Japan.

Our flight was at 10:45, so we arrived at the airport around 7:30. The little one was great - woke up 10 minutes before leaving and had milk. I was ready to carry her, but since she woke up so early, she slept through the entire flight, haha, that was amazing. The airport had few people in the morning; there was basically no queue for security. Especially after we reached the waiting area, there were even fewer people, perfect for running around. She even played with a stroller we rarely see. Overall, the departure process was very worry-free and effortless. We also ran into Guoan fans seeing off their coach, and I saw him when we went in, haha.

Kids' meal - the best part was a piece of Black Forest cake.

The small suitcase turns into a bed - we rely on it every time we sleep. The little one has clearly grown taller; her legs don't fit anymore 😄

The Japan Airlines meals were really good 😊

Just before landing, the little one woke up.

At Narita Airport, we were picked up directly. It took over an hour to get to Tokyo Bay. We stayed at the Ibis Hotel, chosen because it was relatively cheap, had a free shuttle to Disneyland, and the room was large - we booked a triple room which was spacious. The lobby was small but nice for kids to play. Accommodation in Japan is really expensive, and rooms are usually very small. This hotel offered great value for money. We didn't book breakfast at any hotel; we always got breakfast at 7-Eleven, and even dinner several times. It was tasty and convenient. There was a supermarket and drugstores nearby - drugstores are everywhere.

Three single beds; two can be pushed together to make a double bed.

Toiletries for kids were provided. The bathroom was square, small but very refined. I kept wanting to take a picture but always forgot. In the end, I didn't take any. The small bathtub and shower area felt really nice and clean. The little one loved the lowest faucet, playing while washing, so bath time was easy for all eight days, which was great.

There was plenty of space.

Soundproofing was excellent. Even though the room faced the road with various cars passing by, there was no noise. In the morning and evening, the little one could watch cars, saying things like, "I've never seen this one" and "I've never seen that one either."

We went to an izakaya near the first hotel. Inside, we found the menu had no pictures, but luckily the staff spoke English, and the child's father knew English and a bit of Japanese. We ordered a lot and spent over 6,000 yen. But it was really delicious.

Small garden in front of the hotel. The hotel is in Tokyo Bay, a suburb of Tokyo, with few people and nice scenery. If we had time, we could have gone to the seaside, but unfortunately our schedule was packed, so we didn't make it. The main reason for choosing this hotel was its convenience to Disneyland.

I feel this place really isn't suitable for very young children; it was exhausting. We went on a Monday, but there were still huge crowds everywhere. Lines were long everywhere. It felt like everyone in the world was playing there. Many rides were too small for the little one. We waited over ten minutes for a Stitch ride, only to watch a short movie. It was very dark at first, and before the movie ended, the little one started crying, so we quickly carried her out. The parade is definitely worth watching; I got so excited, especially when the princess float came out - I almost cried. This place suits people with some sentimental attachment. The little one loves McQueen the most; we kept telling her we were going to see McQueen, but in the end, there was no Cars theme. So we just went to various themed stores and bought things. The night before, we received the e-tickets very late, and we had to print them. That was a hassle. The printing spot at Disneyland was far away, and when we got there, there was a long line. At first, no one could print. The staff didn't speak Chinese and didn't understand either. Then I had the bright idea to use Internet Explorer, and we finally managed to open the email and print. It was really tough, and I also helped several others print. If you need to print tickets at the entrance, remember to use IE 👌👌. Renting a stroller at the entrance was easy - definitely rent one; it's more comfortable for the child.

Hotel shuttle bus: many departures, just wait in advance.

This was my first time at Disneyland; I was more excited than the child.

I really wanted to go on 'It's a Small World,' but look at the massive line - forget it.

A big improvement this time: she dared to shake hands and hug various character mascots, haha.

Although there was no Cars theme, they still had toys - cars, books, clothes, and even socks.

This coffee shop's kids' meal was really good (*๓´╰╯`๓)♡

Why aren't they afraid of people? 😳

Parade, parade, the parade was so beautiful.

When I saw those princesses, tears came to my eyes; I was so excited.

Because we watched the parade, we missed the 5:00 shuttle, so we went to explore the Disney hotel. It was magnificent. I'll go there when I earn enough money.

I have to talk about the chartered car. Labor costs in Japan are really high. We booked four consecutive days of car charter through the travel agency, and I booked one day through Yitu. The total for five days of car charter plus airport transfers cost me nearly 10,000 yuan, enough to stay two nights at a big Disney hotel. But traveling with a child to so many places, car chartering is really the best option. And they were all Toyota Alphards, haha, it was worth it. If it were just adults, taking the subway and public transport would be absolutely fine. In Tokyo, looking at the map, it seems like everywhere is close, but but but, when you're carrying a child walking under the blazing sun, it's pure torture. So, if you're with a child and want to visit attractions, don't think twice - charter a car.

The shopping street was small and long, with huge crowds.

I drew two fortunes at the temple; both were bad luck. I complained to the driver, and he couldn't believe it; he said he thought there were no bad fortunes inside. What luck.

Ueno Zoo was a last-minute decision; it turned out to be a lovely surprise. It's small but refined. Although it was very hot, the little one had a blast running around nonstop.

Facilities for children were excellent.

Chasing pigeons, chasing pigeons, shouting, "Little duck, don't run, come here for a hug, don't run!" Haha, they were pigeons, pigeons.

The weather in Japan was really good. Before we left, the forecast said it would rain almost every day 🌧, but it turned out to be sunny every day. The sky was so blue it looked fake, with big fluffy clouds. It was just too good.

Next to the zoo is the huge Ueno Park. Because of Lu Xun's "Mr. Fujino," I really wanted to visit Ueno Park and Nippori. Seeing these place names on the road felt very familiar.

This ramen shop in Akihabara is called "Color." It has a small entrance, with a Chinese-speaking staff inside. They offer one free noodle refill and accept Alipay. Most shops in Akihabara accept Alipay. Thank you, Daddy Ma. We exchanged 70,000 yen, but it wasn't nearly enough; we ended up relying on credit cards and Alipay.

The little one slept the whole time at the shop, then woke up and ate a big bowl of ramen. The staff even found a small chair for her; they were very considerate. We came back to Akihabara on the last day hoping to eat there again, but they closed at 4:00 PM, so we missed out.

Everywhere we went, she wanted to buy McQueen. After buying it, we found out it doesn't move - it's just a model. The little one gave it an appropriate name: "Turning McQueen."

In the One Piece Tower, we rented a snail to complete tasks, take photos, print pictures, etc. We also bought tickets online and had a separate queue to exchange them. That was good because the line to buy tickets was super long.

At Tokyo Tower, first time looking out...

Passed by Ginza. The biggest takeaway from the first day: traffic in Japan isn't great either - the roads are small and congested. I imagined it would be like the high-tech, super-fast roads you see on TV, haha, I was overthinking. Rush hour traffic jams happen everywhere in the world. But the roads were really clean.

It took about three hours to reach Mount Fuji, with traffic jams along the way. The highways were also narrow and small, but it was really beautiful. Because we arrived late and there were too many clouds, we couldn't see the summit. The driver said we could only see it early or late in the day. He took us to Kawaguchiko Oishi Park, Oshino Hakkai, and Lake Yamanaka.

On the road, she could only pass time watching videos on the tablet; it was really far.

Mount Fuji with its summit hidden 🙈

This ice cream was super delicious.

At Oshino Hakkai, we fed big carp. There was fish food beside them; you put in 100 yen and take a big box yourself.

This place reminded me of "The Story of Little Stone Pond." It became a popular internet-famous spot after Jay Chou's music video. The so-called "eight seas" are actually eight small ponds, but truly the water is clear and cold, surrounded by bamboo and trees. And there were flocks of tour groups everywhere.

An amphibious bus.

Also fed the fish and ducks.

From Mount Fuji to Yokohama, it was already late. We saw a huge circular building from far away. This might have been the most upscale of the three places we stayed, but it was also the smallest. Our suitcase barely opened at the door, leaving almost no space. I initially thought we could push two beds together, but found we couldn't move them at all.

The hotel had a shopping mall attached, but we came back very late every day and were too tired to explore properly. Besides, many shops closed at 9:00 PM.

The view was great.

We also bought tickets in advance here, with a separate queue for ticket exchange, saving a lot of time. There were huge crowds.

Taking the elevator through the underwater tunnel was really cool.

Turning McQueen became her new favorite.

Besides the aquarium, there was also a small zoo and an amusement park. We had a combo ticket that allowed entry to all, but we didn't play any rides with the little one.

This beaver must be the mascot. Many people came to pet it; it must be annoyed and just wanted to sleep.

There was a fish-feeding area. Nearby, a gacha machine dispensed fish food for 100 yen. Through a small locked door, you could enter and get close to many small animals.

This was momo's first time watching an animal show. It was fantastic; I hardly took any photos. It was truly impressive, although it's cruel to the animals. Especially the final performance with six dolphins or belugas - I'm confused - it was breathtaking. I hope they are all well taken care of.

Finally, we bought this little beaver plush; she insisted on placing it everywhere for photos.

Again, I have to marvel at how wonderful the weather was.

The photos looked like scenes from anime.

Passing by the Red Brick Warehouse, we saw a giant Pikachu. I have to complain about this: we originally booked Yokohama hoping to catch the "Pikachu Outbreak" event, but the actual event dates were several days later than the previously announced ones, so we missed it completely.

Anpanman Museum: tickets can be bought directly at the entrance. They were expensive - 2,200 yen per person, same for children. But playing inside was really fun.

I have to say, Japanese children and parents are very polite. They never grab toys. Before entering a spaceship, a child inside didn't come out. Her mom, seeing us waiting in line, directly pulled her head and dragged her out. They are really considerate.

It felt like an expensive early education center.

Momo's nickname turned out to be a popular Japanese boy's name - not bad, not bad.

I randomly ordered a small cake from a flyer, but it turned out to be a set meal. We only wanted the cake, but they insisted on taking photos, lighting candles, and singing a birthday song. Despite the language barrier, they wrote English notes to explain. In the end, we celebrated a birthday half a year early. The service was very thoughtful.

Finally, a last look at Yokohama, then we set off for Sanrio Puroland.

This pink and cute paradise is perfect for girls - so adorable. We caught a show; it was so dreamy. The e-tickets here could be scanned directly to enter, but we still queued to exchange tickets unnecessarily.

Shopping spree! Too bad we have a boy; none of it is usable for him.

So many people! We didn't play any of the amusement facilities, and it wasn't even the weekend.

It was super dreamy.

"Mom, you go shop; I prefer driving."

The train and Shinkansen models were so realistic, with all kinds of buttons - perfect for our little one.

From then on, I fell in love with Cinnamoroll.

The Airbnb in Shinjuku was spacious enough this time. It had a small balcony where we dried clothes that had been damp for days. Called "Cake House S." You can't find it on Baidu Maps, but it's right next to a Matsumoto Kiyoshi for easy location. The elevator only goes from the second floor up; carrying luggage was a bit troublesome. Luggage can be stored in their office in a nearby building. Check-in was also done there. At night, I went shopping in Shinjuku alone and almost got lost. The building is on Korea Street, full of Korean food.

Then we discovered a nostalgic anime show.

Today was all about shopping. Dad and I were running out of clothes. Lots of walking, lots of people, crowds everywhere.

Many places in Shinjuku accept Alipay. Remember to bring your passport for tax exemption, and some cards offer discounts.

Dad insisted on visiting a classic scene from the game Yakuza. He often says, "I've been here in the game," haha.

Found a building dedicated to men's shopping - hope for Dad's clothes.

Our only catch from the claw machine. Gacha machines are more worth it.

The meat was so thick and delicious. This meal cost 15,000 yen - the most expensive meal of the trip.

At Odaiba, we planned to visit the National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation. But even with pre-booked tickets, there was no convenience; we still had to queue for at least half an hour, so we gave up and the tickets went to waste. I suggest buying tickets on-site for this place. It was Saturday, and the entire country of Japan was about to start a week-long holiday, so you can imagine the crowds.

Instead, we went to see the life-sized Gundam. The attached mall also offers tax exemption with passport and accepts Alipay.

We stumbled upon a girl group performance. We didn't know them, but there was even a handshake event.

Standing at their feet, I instantly became a fan. So cool.

In her pocket were new gacha balls.

Finally, Akihabara. The little one fell asleep, so Dad was able to shop in peace for an hour. Then we went to a maid café. No photos allowed; I took two before being reminded. They only accept cash. Over 5,000 yen for two ice creams and a plate of rice - a real money trap. Before eating, we had to participate in a performance, haha.

On weekends, the street becomes a pedestrian zone for a while, super crowded.

Our flight was at 6:30 PM, and the airport transfer was arranged at 1:30 PM. They said it would take at least until 3:00 PM to arrive, but the traffic was so light that we arrived half an hour early. Before leaving, we did some shopping at Matsumoto Kiyoshi. Bye bye, Tokyo. Next time, maybe Hokkaido or Osaka 😄.

Waiting for the plane was so boring; the only thing to do was dance 💃.

Gifts from the two flights: small toys.

Clothing: Don't bring too many clothes; just buy them there. Especially for kids, because they want everything they see. Food: There's a wide variety of Japanese food. Since it's not too heavy in flavor, it's suitable for kids. Beef bowl was her favorite. We specially went to Yoshinoya - wahaha, so delicious. The onions were so soft and well-cooked. Domestically, we need to step up. Supermarket food was also delicious. Everywhere you eat, they serve ice water, which is great. But I couldn't find Yakult; they probably trust their local brands more. There were tons of snacks. Accommodation: We stayed at three different places. The Airbnb in Shinjuku was the most expensive, at 1,200 RMB per night. It was probably the largest, because for that price, a regular hotel in the city might be as small as the one in Yokohama. For a family of three, a larger space is definitely more enjoyable. The Airbnb did not provide amenities like toothbrushes, so you need to bring your own. Transportation: I don't have much to say. If traveling with young children or elderly, I strongly recommend chartering a car. Within the city, it's about 1,000 RMB per day; for longer distances, nearly 2,000 RMB per day. Prices are roughly the same. Buying tickets in advance is still convenient, except for the National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation - don't buy them in advance; there's no advantage. Total ticket costs were about 2,000 RMB, half of which was for Disneyland. Some places have separate queues for ticket exchange; some don't; some allow direct QR code scanning. It's best to check guides or ask in advance to reduce waiting time. Essentials: A portable kettle for hot water is a must. Other things you forget can be easily bought locally. A universal adapter: Japan only has two-prong outlets, no three-prong, so you might need one. Also, a small cooling mat for kids, like the Liangliang brand with a plaid pattern - easy to carry and keeps cool. Last time I went to Haikou, I forgot it and really regretted it. Also, a small dish rack is useful. I also brought a bottle of black elderberry syrup for the little one, one spoonful every morning, because I was worried she might get sick from all the running around. It's good for antiviral protection. Alright, I've written quite a lot. Wish everyone a pleasant journey!