6-Day 5-Night Tokyo Free Travel with Elderly and Child

At the end of November 2024, I decided to take my mom and daughter on a free trip to Tokyo, Japan during winter break, with travel dates set from January 22 to January 27, returning home on Lunar New Year's Eve to catch the Spring Festival. Good news: I had full control over everything about the trip; bad news: I had to rely on myself for everything.

1. Flight preparation. I booked the tickets in early December. Considering we needed to take the high-speed rail to Shanghai Hongqiao and then fly, I chose a flight departing from Hongqiao Airport to Tokyo. Between Narita and Haneda airports in Tokyo, I chose Haneda because it is closer to central Tokyo, so we wouldn't be in a rush on the return trip. However, such flights are very limited. In the end, I booked round-trip tickets with ANA All Nippon Airways: outbound 13:40-17:25, return 10:00-12:25 (all local times, one-hour time difference), which was a good schedule and not too tiring.

2. Accommodation preparation. After searching online for a long time and comparing options, I chose a民宿 (minpaku) in Hamamatsucho on Airbnb. First, because it's close to Haneda Airport, accessible via the Monorail in 30 minutes, so we wouldn't need to wake up too early for the return trip. Second, the accommodation is very close to both Hamamatsucho Station and Daimon Station, making it convenient to go anywhere via the Yamanote Line.

3. Visa preparation. One month in advance, I found a travel agency on Taobao and applied for a visa. The entire process was electronic, convenient and fast.

4. Internet preparation. Considering there were three of us and I needed to receive calls from China on my phone, I booked a portable Wi-Fi device with 4G network on Taobao. I picked it up and returned it at Hongqiao Airport, which was very convenient. The internet speed in Japan was absolutely sufficient.

5. Cash and Visa card preparation. It's necessary to bring some cash to Japan. Although many places accept UnionPay, Alipay, WeChat Pay, etc., some places only accept cash. In addition, I prepared a Visa card because the Tokyo Disney Resort app requires a Visa card to purchase DPA (Disney Premier Access).

6. App preparation. First is Google Maps, which is a must-download. For transportation in Japan, this app is sufficient. Just follow the entrance/exit and platform information to board the train on time. You can also use this app to search for restaurants and shops, which is very convenient. Then there is the Tokyo Disney Resort app, which is also a must-download because we planned to visit Tokyo DisneySea. However, it was very frustrating that this app could not be registered in China. I even called Tokyo Disney's customer service, but they couldn't solve it. I only completed the registration after arriving in Japan using the local network.

7. Transportation preparation. Tokyo's transportation is very complicated, but a Suica card can handle everything. If you have an iPhone, you can add a green Suica card directly to your phone's wallet and top it up by linking a credit card. Just double-click the side button to swipe when using. After landing at Haneda Airport, I bought a red Suica card each for my mom and daughter at the airport's self-service machine (the green physical Suica card is no longer available due to chip shortages). The difference between the red and green Suica cards is that the red one does not store personal information; if lost, it cannot be recovered. Other than that, they are the same.

8. Language preparation. I studied Japanese a few years ago and passed N4. This time, I planned a trip to Tokyo and crammed Japanese again for over a month before departure. Japanese people's English pronunciation is really hard to understand, and there are few Japanese who can speak English. If you don't know a few Japanese phrases, a free trip can be very difficult.

So, the itinerary officially begins!

We took the train to Hongqiao Railway Station, then Metro Line 10 for two stops to Hongqiao Airport Terminal 1. Check-in and baggage drop, security check, boarding—all went smoothly. The flight departed on time and landed at Haneda Airport 10 minutes early. Japanese immigration was also convenient with not many people. After collecting our luggage, I bought two red Suica cards at the machine and took the Monorail. 30 minutes later, we arrived at Hamamatsucho. We pushed our luggage out of the station and followed Google Maps navigation to our booked accommodation, a 5-minute walk.

The room I booked was on the first floor, making entry and exit convenient. The accommodation was not large, and the ceiling was not particularly high, but it had everything we needed: a refrigerator, washing machine, microwave. Japanese appliances are very reliable. After dropping off our luggage, we took a short break and went out to eat. We found an izakaya nearby and ordered three set meals. The prices in Tokyo are no joke—three such meals cost over 5000 yen. After dinner, we walked around a bit. There was a 7-Eleven about 200 meters from our place and an even closer shop named "My Basket" (まいばすけっと). We went in and found that the prices were better than 7-Eleven. We bought breakfast for the next day: milk, juice, bread, cake—since the room had a refrigerator. Because we were going to Tokyo DisneySea the next day, we went straight back to rest after shopping.

Woke up at 7 am, had a simple wash and breakfast, then set off for Tokyo DisneySea following Google Maps. We transferred at Tokyo Station and got off at Maihama Station. Since we were going to Tokyo DisneySea, we continued on the Disney Resort Line and arrived at the entrance of DisneySea around 9 am. It was a sea of people.

We queued for ticket inspection and entered the park. I scanned the electronic ticket QR codes with the Disney app and linked all three tickets to my app. Then we started grabbing DPA, 40APP, and SP. DPA is like Shanghai Disney's FastPass; you need to buy it with a credit card. Of course, even if you have money, you might not get it—you have to grab it (you can purchase the next one after using it or after one hour). 40APP is an event for Disney's 40th anniversary; you can grab free FastPasses, but only a few desirable rides are available. Among them, Indiana Jones Adventure is the best. If you can't get that, choose either 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea or The Raging Spirits. SP is a free FastPass. If you arrive late, it's usually gone. If available, prioritize the new area's attractions (you can get the next one after using it or after 2 hours).

Tokyo DisneySea opened a new area in 2024 called Fantasy Spring. This area includes the following attractions:... You can enter the area, but if you don't grab a DPA or SP for these attractions, you can't ride them. So the priority is to grab FastPasses for these attractions. Except for Fairy Tinker Bell, the other three are quite fun.

Since I had prepared an itinerary in advance, we managed to ride all the fun attractions. We had lunch at a restaurant near 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. There were lines at the food stalls, which shows the number of visitors. Some restaurants in the park require mobile ordering through the app before you can dine.

We stayed until 8 pm and were quite tired. On the way back to our accommodation, we found an Ippudo nearby, had ramen, and then went to bed.

Today's schedule is to fulfill one of my wishes. We left at 8 am and headed straight to Kamakura. About an hour later, we arrived at Kamakura Station. We first walked out of the station to Komachi Street, eating, shopping, and strolling along the way. We arrived at Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine, washed our hands and rinsed our mouths with holy water, and bought an academic amulet for my daughter. We walked back to Kamakura and took the Enoden to Kamakura-kōkōmae Station. 100 meters from the exit is the famous Slam Dunk spot. There were indeed many people. I seized the opportunity with my backpack, waited for the train to pass, and took a series of photos. Finally, I fulfilled a wish—a great happiness.

After taking photos, we crossed the road, went down to the beach, felt the sea breeze, stood on the fine sand, and enjoyed the ebb and flow of the tide—it was also a pleasure.

On the way back, we didn't retrace our steps. We took the Enoden two more stops to Enoshima Station. Exiting the station, we crossed the road to take the Shonan Monorail, a monorail where the track is above the car. It was quite interesting.

We rode to the terminal station, Ofuna Station, then took the subway to Shinjuku. The day before, we had made a reservation by phone for "Dougen Yakiniku" in Shinjuku. We arrived on time at 5 pm. The restaurant was very simple, even a bit shabby. We ordered various meats, and the signature apple beef was a must-order. The meat soon arrived, and we grilled it ourselves. The meat was incredibly delicious, melting in the mouth. We quickly ordered a few more portions. After eating and drinking our fill, the bill came to 20,000 yen (about 1000 RMB), which was quite reasonable.

Morning came; we left our accommodation and walked to Ginza, about 1 kilometer. On the way, we saw a Don Quijote store and went in to browse and buy some items. Purchases over 5500 yen are tax-free. We went to Itoya stationery store in Ginza. Store opening hours in Japan are really late; most open at 10 am. We arrived just in time. Itoya has 7 floors; I bought pens, notebooks, pencil cases, etc., for my daughter. On the main street of Ginza, there are many big brands, a whole building of Uniqlo, and even a Moutai store.

Around noon, we took the subway to Ebisu. The day before, we had made a reservation at Kaniyoshi to try Japanese seafood today. It was indeed expensive; we booked a set meal for 20,000 yen per person. Starting with appetizers, dishes were served one by one. Usually, by the time we finished one dish, the next would arrive shortly. The taste was excellent.

After the crab feast, we took the subway to Shibuya. I had booked the Shibuya Sky observation deck for the twilight time at 17:40 a month earlier. We entered through the Scramble Square building, took the elevator to the 14th floor, where many people were already queuing. We queued to scan the code and entered the elevator. From the 14th floor to the 56th floor, it took only a short time. We checked in our bags and large items and then enjoyed the panoramic night view of all Tokyo from the high altitude. Standing at the top, it was truly breathtaking.

Today's itinerary: Sensoji Temple + Akihabara. We got up early and walked to Daimon Station, took the Ginza Line directly without transferring to Asakusa. A few minutes later, we arrived at Sensoji Temple. From afar, we saw the Kaminarimon Gate. Taking photos was a must. When we got closer, we saw the name of Konosuke Matsushita on it, probably funded by Panasonic.

Going further in, because we arrived early, many shops were not yet open. Actually, the most important thing at Sensoji is to draw fortune slips (omikuji). It costs 100 yen each time. Shake the lot, get a number, open the drawer, and check your fortune. Good fortune you take home; bad fortune you leave behind. You can also buy lucky bags and bracelets.

After visiting Sensoji, we headed to Akihabara. We mainly went to Animate and Radio Kaikan. We just skimmed through, but I was disappointed that I couldn't find any JoJo items. Maid cafes were not suitable to take mom and daughter in, so we could only look from afar.

Actually, shopping is also an important part of visiting Japan. I've organized it a bit; see the picture below.

For sundries like medicine, toiletries, snacks, etc., Don Quijote is quite good—lots of items and reasonable prices. Matsumoto Kiyoshi has some items a bit more expensive. I just went around Sundrug and Cocokarafine; most of my purchases were at Don Quijote, tax-free for purchases over 5500 yen.

For cosmetics, it's definitely Cosme. Since it was close to our accommodation, I went to Cosme in Ginza and bought a lot. If you get a store card, some items have an additional 5% discount. Cosme is on B1, but tax refund is on the 7th floor. There are many refund machines, and there are Chinese staff nearby to assist, so it's very efficient.

For stationery, Itoya is good but expensive. Instead, I found stationery at B2 and B3 of Bic Camera in Shinjuku, which was good value for money.

For electronics, I checked both Bic Camera and Yodobashi Camera; prices are basically the same. When buying, pay attention to the operating voltage and power. If the rated voltage is 100V, you need to buy a transformer to use it back home.

Last day of the Tokyo itinerary! We got up early, took the Monorail directly to Haneda. After baggage check and security, we could also stroll through the duty-free shops. There were quite a few people.

We left in the morning and arrived home in the afternoon. The 6-day 5-night free trip to Tokyo ended happily. Looking forward to the next trip!