My 10 year old and I are heading to Japan for 2 weeks in May!
We will be in Tokyo for a wedding so I plan on being based there.
I am wanting to have a comfortable trip, definitely want to be as frugal as possible but still be clean and comfortable.
His research has bullet trains, foxes, disneyland, pokemon, food and capsul hotels on his radar!
Has anyone stayed in a capsul hotel with a child, I understand they are seperated by gender so we may have a problem.
I'd love advice on any of it!

Tokyo Disney is pretty awesome. There are 2 parks there, so if you have time you might want to plan on staying the night and doing 2 days.

Odaiba in Chiba has many fun places for kids and adults!!!!! Trick art museum, light illumination museum

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The Mom Trotter on Instagram did. I believe she also has a blog.

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Tokyo Disney seas is definitely worth a day

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Most capsule hotels do not allow children fyi. DisneySea is definitely do-able in a day and is the only one in the world! Disneyland which is right beside it I've been told is more kid-centric. Both are accessible by train. Tokyo Station has a dedicated Pokemon store in the section called Character Street.

I would say just buy single tickets for bullet train, round trip, unless you will be going around a lot. The JR pass is only good if you do a ton of travel with trains. The Fox village is a little far sadly, about 3 hours by bullet train from Tokyo. As for food, street vendors!!! Kura Sushi is best for sushi, and super cheap! Also, if you have no allergies or restrictions, I highly recommend Takoyaki. You will not regret it.

Yes do the calculations beforehand on cost of trains - I worked out it was cheaper just to pay as you go than getting a rail pass when I was in Japan.

I liked the rail pass, but thats because we did a lot of trips on bullet trains. It saved a lot of hassle. But you can get a Suica card, which you load with money to use on buses, trains, and even at some convenience stores. It has a 500jpy deposit, which you get back as well as all the money remaining on it when you are leaving. You just have to return it.

I agree.do the calculations... I just did 16 days in Japan and went to Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka and did lots of local and bullet train trips from each of those cities, and it was still cheaper to buy 1 way tickets at the time than buy a JR pass. About 30-40% cheaper so not to be sneezed at!

There are several locations of Pokemon store so pick one near you. They also have Pokemon cafe but you have to book it in advance and you cannot be late, otherwise you lose your spot. You can also try to do standby. Look into the instant noodle museum (Cup Noodle Museum), your son might like it and is near the Tokyo area.

I found a couple capsule hotels that are ment for couples I guess, room/bed is bigger and floor is coed. But I would confirm the age requirement with them. You have to buy the JR pass before you go, as visitors get a get price that is not available while there.

I just took my 2 sons 5 & 8 last year feel free to pm me

We spent almost 2 weeks in Tokyo with a 9 and 10 year old last April. We loved Japan and it was a great destination for kids that age. My husband wrote up the experience here: https://runawayfamily.ca/.../walking-through-blossoms-tokyo/
RUNAWAYFAMILY.CA
Walking Throughthe Blossoms in Tokyo - Runaway Family

The largest pokemon store is in Ginza. Each pokemon has a unique product for the store. I assume to get people to go to every store and buy it. They also have unique statues in each store.

If you are heading to Kyoto, I just stayed in a capsule hotel in Kyoto with my husband last week and it was fabulous! they have mixed gender options, so we each had a bed that looked across to each other with a blind that came down. they weren't as full 'capsule' as some of the stacking ones you may have seen, but they were pretty cool. would highly recommend the place and it was so cheap, felt safe, and was clean! It's called The Millenials in Kyoto (also there is free coffee and a beer happy hour...)

Becky Watson

If you make it to Osaka the Osaka aquarium is really awesome! They have a whale shark in a huge tank.

Studio Ghibli museum, if you're interested in animation http://www.ghibli-museum.jp/en/ you need advance tickets to enter
GHIBLI-MUSEUM.JP
Ghibli Museum, Mitaka

Buy a Japan Rail Pass before you go

Do not expect the kind of privacy you will get in a regular hotel when you’re at a capsule hotel. Most capsule hotels are meant for solo travellers or working people that needs to stay for short term.
You’re probably better off getting a private room in a hostel that’s big enough to fit your family.

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Reasonable and convenient location (only 3min from Ryogoku station)
https://www.viewhotels.co.jp/ryogoku/english/
Only 5min from Oedo museum
http://www.edo-tokyo-museum.or.jp/en/
VIEWHOTELS.CO.JP
Ryogoku View Hotel

Yoko we bought a japan railway pass in canada - made Osaka our base

Some of our kids favourite places in Tokyo are on this list they made: https://lifamilytraveltips.weebly.com
LIFAMILYTRAVELTIPS.WEEBLY.COM
LI FAMILY TRAVEL TIPS

There are hotels that have sleeping pods in the rooms. Not quite capsule but if you're going for that experience, it's quite close.

Janaka Scorey

I disagree with everyone saying buy a JR Pass .. there is more than one train company there, and you will find yourself using other train lines to get to destinations - particularly in Tokyo and Osaka (if you go there). I spent 16 days in Japan last Sept, went to Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka and did bullet trains between those cities, did subway and overland trains IN those cities, and also took trains out of the cities for day trips like to Hemiji Castle and Nara and it was still about 30-40% cheaper than a JR pass. I was probably only on JR trains for about 6 trips, and I would estimate I caught trains over 40 times.
I'd have been pretty upset at how expensive and how little use I would have got out of a JR pass if I'd bought one!

Sally that’s what I heard. I’m going in April and just buying as I go.