After exploring Kyoto, we took the bullet train back to Tokyo where we spent the remainder of our trip exploring Shinjuku and Shibuya. There is so much to do in this area, it’s insane! One thing I know for sure is that you will never go hungry when you are in Tokyo. The city is littered with restaurants!
My husband found a nice hotel that was in the Shinjuku area. It was brand-spankin’ new! It had only been open for about 4 weeks and it was in the perfect location, in my opinion.
The name of our hotel was Daiwa Roynet Hotel located in Nishishinjuku. Attached to the hotel was, of course, a 7-11. The train station was only 4 blocks away, and there was a Denny’s right next door, which turned out to be my kid’s favorite spot.
Restaurants in Japan are very kid-friendly. They have everything you need for young kids. They provided coloring pages, fun tableware for them to eat off of, and even had them pick out a new toy! This was of course why they loved Denny’s so much. The food was different than what we have here in the US. It seems healthier to me. Plus the portions are super small so I have a feeling that’s why the Japanese are so tiny!
Robot Restaurant
The most popular tourist attraction in Shibuya is the Robot Restaurant. I can absolutely see why. It’s one big, chaotic, confusing show. But its extremely entertaining!
In my opinion its not much of a restaurant so I would recommend eating at one of the many places around it. We did, however, get popcorn for the kids and champagne for mom. The kids really enjoyed the show! Some parts may be a little “scary” for kids. My youngest held my hand most of the time.
Godzilla
After the show, we walked around, visited one of the many arcades, had some dinner, and then found Godzilla. He is located on top of the Hotel Gracery Shinjuku. Just take the elevator to the top floor up and he will be right out on their patio.
Tokyo’s Famous Crosswalk
We also visited the famous crosswalk in Shibuya. It was definitely a sight to see! It’s massive! The kids loved crossing numerous times.
There was also a Disney store close by so, of course, we had to check it out. If you plan on visiting Tokyo Disneyland and Disney Sea (their California Adventure) then you’ll want to purchase your tickets in advance at the Disney Store.
They do things a little differently in Japan. The park tends to sell out quickly so it’s best to be prepared. I would suggest getting there right when the store opens because the line can get very long. To purchase your tickets, just head straight up the stairs to the 2nd floor.
Takeshita Street in Harajuku
Another popular spot was in Harajuku on Takeshita Street. I’m sure you’ve heard something about it since it was popular back in the day with Gwen Stefani.
My biggest advice here would be to pack your patients! We were instantly overwhelmed by the mass amounts of people. Your instincts will probably tell you to turn around but just go for it! Do not do what we did and “abort the mission” and duck into Wolfgang Pucks which is directly at the entrance of the street just to take cover. Bypass all of that and just keep on inching along.
I had Quinn in a stroller and I can’t even tell you how many times I had to say “sumimasen” for taking out people’s ankles. Takeshita is known for its cotton candy that is bigger than your head. The best place to get it is at Totti Candy Factory. If you plan on indulging in this fun treat, then you’ll need to grab a ticket before getting in line. You will receive a ticket that tells you what time to come back to get in line. I kind of liked that, that way you can walk around and explore other spots. At the very end of the street, we found a fun ice cream shop. The ice cream was delicious and the detail was adorable!
Disney Sea in Tokyo
Disneyland in Tokyo is a whole different trip on its own. You’ll need to block off an entire day, that way you can make sure to see everything.
We chose to just visit Disney Sea that way we had the chance to experience something different. Something different than what we are used to in the US. Disney Sea is beautiful! I felt like I was in a European City.
It was a rainy day so we had to be strategic in planning our path through the park. I absolutely loved Ariels Grotto. It felt like you were under the sea and its something totally different from what we are used to. The lines for these rides were much shorter so of course, that was a win!
I also loved The Little Mermaid Show. I feel like this is a can’t miss if you are a fan. It’s so fun to be able to watch something familiar in Japanese. Even though we didn’t understand one word, we still understood everything that was going on. I loved that experience for my kids.
I do have one regret about our visit to Disney Sea. I regret waiting in line for so long to go on the Toy Story ride. It was the exact same ride that we have here in California. The only difference is, while you are in line there are plenty of fun photo opportunities. The decor is so well put together. If you’ve been on the Toy Story ride in California then I would say skip this ride altogether. This is the most popular ride in the park so the line is usually about 3 hours long. NOT worth it!
The Mori Building Digital Art Museum: TeamLab Borderless
I think my favorite part of the trip was the Mori Building Digital Art Museum: Team Lab Borderless. I can’t even put into words how amazing this museum was. It was so well put together with every detail completely thought out. It’s like nothing I have seen before. There truly is nothing like it in the US.
First, you’ll need to purchase tickets online well in advance. This museum sells out quickly so you will want to plan ahead for sure. I would absolutely suggest making this place a priority. You could easily spend all day here so make sure to pack some snacks. There’s no food available inside, only drinks.
Even though you have your tickets for the day you will still need to wait in line for quite a while before entering. The line does move fast though. While waiting in line, you should download their app. This will make navigating the place much easier. Once you are inside the museum, take your time! Get lost, embrace the detail, and try to see every room.
You can literally spend the whole day here without getting bored, especially if you have kids with you. After exploring the museum, there are plenty of places around to grab some dinner. The museum is located in a mall so there’s plenty to see and do around there as well.
It truly was an adventure
Honestly, there is so much to explore while visiting Japan that it is impossible to see it all. We were only able to experience half of the things on our list. Some of which weren’t even mentioned in this blog. It would take me the rest of the year!
I really and truly enjoyed our trip to Japan. It was NOT a vacation whatsoever. I like to think of it as more of an adventure. And an adventure it was! We got lost countless times, the language barrier was super challenging, and the train system made me want to pull my hair out.
Overall, I learned so much. Even the kids were able to learn and see things that they will probably never see again. They saw my husband and I pushed to the limits at some points. We were out of our element and even felt helpless at certain times. But I wouldn’t change any of it. It has molded us into adaptable explorers. I feel like I can take on most anything after this trip!
