Hi all,
Going on a trip to Tokyo, Japan (cruise) and then to Taipei, Taiwan with our 4 year old for the first time. He loves trains and busses.
I know this group is full of travel knowledge and experience. Please help with your tips, what to do/see, eat, stay, etc and port activities etc.
Flying to Tokyo Oct 19 arrive 20th late so thinking of staying at a hotel near the airport and then changing to another hotel for easier access to transportation and activities.
Cruise Oct 24-Nov 5 (ports in the pic).
Leave for Taiwan on Nov 6 night flight.
Return to YVR Nov 12.
Thanks in advance!

Which airport in Tokyo are you flying into? NRT or HND? Although NRT is further from the city, but I don’t recall any hotels near by. Your best bet is go straight to your hotel in the city. HND is close to the city, so you should also go straight to your hotel in the city.

Stephen thanks! I will have to double check which airport

Outside of the regular transit trains - the Bullet train .... it goes to various cities like Kyoto
, Osaka etc. The Hop On-Off double deck bus (if I recall correctly - the top deck is open top). Have Fun! / Taiwan - EVA air has special flights (not every flights - the Sanrio flights are only on certain days to and from Taiwan, and seemingly not the long haul routes, but within Asia) of Sanrio everything ... kids who like Hello Kitty, Little Twin Stars etc love it. Everyone's meals has star shaped veggies ... utensils, the seats are covered with Sanrio head-rests/cushions... even toilet paper in the washrooms! Their goodie-activity bags for the kids are all Sanrio too .... even Adults who enjoy Sanrio, have asked for these - if they have extras.

YZ totally forgot about the hello kitty flights. That would be for the nostalgic me. Would be nice if we by fluke got that flight. Will have to check…. Yes I would like to go on a double decker hop on bus one day somewhere maybe on this trip. Thanks!

there is a great group Japan Travel Planning with Kids with lots of advice!

If you haven't booked your flight to taiwan. Check out peach air. Flypeach.com budget airline in japan and they are good.
FLYPEACH.COM
【公式】Peach ピーチ | Peach Aviation株式会社

Andrew awww booked already but maybe one day I will get to go to Taiwan again

Paula just saw your itin. In Osaka visit arashiyama bambo forest. https://enjoy-osaka-kyoto-kobe.com/.../hankyu-tourist-pass/ Also Nara is another awesome town near kyoto. Deers are roaming around and you can feed them.
ENJOY-OSAKA-KYOTO-KOBE.COM
Enjoy OSAKA KYOTO KOBE

I won’t be of much help as it was over 11 years ago when I went to Tokyo but I remember this. The fish market, soooooo unbelievable but you have to go at like 5am as I believe they limit the numbers (you will see things you had no idea lived in the ocean), also the sushi places on the market perimeter look like shacks but best sushi you will ever have. Temples - amazing- try to get to a couple. Hotels are ridiculously expensive as are their food prices. Humidity - like nothing you’ve ever felt.

Liz would love to go to a fish market one day. 5am! Lol sushi can’t wait…. thanks!

I think you should go straight to a hotel in the city. It’s not that long a ride, don’t waste your time switching hotels.

Go to Udon Shin possibly the best udon in Tokyo. You’ll line up but it’s worth it

Must visit!
https://www.ghibli-museum.jp/en/
GHIBLI-MUSEUM.JP
Ghibli Museum, Mitaka

Which cruise is that? I've been looking for trips during that time too

Ivy celebrity millennium Oct 24 to Nov 5/23

F

Add Disney Sea to your list - I think it could be fun for a 4 year old!

In Kyoto- look at taking a rickshaw into the bamboo forest.

So look like you only have 3 days in Tokyo I recommend stay Yokohama Minato mirai which is near the cruise terminal many direct buses from airport both Narita or Haneda. Do not think about use train for your 4years.
I am from Japan I don’t recommend use the train in the downtown Tokyo with 4year old.
Yokohama is so many things to see . And if you have a time go to Hakone I highly recommend.
https://www.odakyu.jp/english/passes/hakone/
ODAKYU.JP
Hakone Freepass | Odakyu Electric Railway

Yoko thank you. He will be so disappointed not to go on the subway train downtown. How about downtown busses?

http://www.mm21railway.co.jp/global/english/
You can use train from Yokohama to downtown Tokyo Shibuya takes only 30 minutes and transfers to subway then anywhere you want to go.
Sorry i means do not use the train to the hotel with big suitcases. Use limousine bus from airport to the hotel.
MM21RAILWAY.CO.JP
Minatomirai Line

Yoko oh lol thank you for your advice. Much appreciated!

Alishan if you can fit it in. You can take a very cute train to the nearest mountain town and transfer to a bus to Alishan. And you can basically get around the conservation area by train, including a unique wooden one

My friend, UK actor, was the Hogwart's train conductor at at Universal Studios Harry Potter World.
Close to Osaka.

Hi.if you have a child who loves trains I definitely recommend a fun
easy daytrip from Tokyo to Kamakura! Less than an hour on regular train. From that small seaside town take a ride on the historic electric Enoden train along seaside to Enoshima Island where there are caves- beautiful beaches along the way and in Kamakura its a charming small town with lots of cafes historic buildings- shops- a giant Buddah- an excellent traditional japanese sweets/wagashi shop- and a great Ghibli shop! Excellent freshly made churro shop! Something for everyone there! I lived there for many years. Fun every day! Enjoy! Fyi....not a lot for kids at Hakone and its very touristy.

If you are flying direct from YVR most likely you will arrive in NRT.
Tokyo has an amazing network of trains and buses that run from Narita to various areas. The limousine bus service gets you directly to main hotels in each area (I.e. Keio plaza Hotel in Shinjuku, sunshine city Prince Hotel in Ikebukuro). If train they way to go, there's many trains that take about an hour and goes straight to a couple main stations (I.e. Tokyo station, Ueno). One of the airport Express trains becomes Asakusa line.
The asakusa line then becomes a train that takes you to Yokohama. I have stayed along that train line a couple of times and it's been very convenient.
Also to note, a lot of stations for the city's metro trains are walking distance to Yamanote line which brings you most of the main areas in Tokyo.
If it's your first time in Japan, would recommend to just stick to being in Tokyo until your cruise.