Finally catching up on my posts from last November that I started writing but never finished or published.

These are a few of the items we traveled with to Japan that I couldn't live without.

1. The boys had a full luggage allowance but given they weren't going to be lugging around their own luggage, it seemed crazy to take 4 suitcases, 4 carryons and the pram in its wheel bag to Japan.
Instead, we borrowed these amazing huge duffle bags from my sister that she got in the US. They are on wheels and zip down into a small flat square that fit in our suitcases.
We always planned to use them coming home - plan was to stuff all excess luggage and shopping in the pram wheel bag then at the airport, put it into these bags and the pram in its bag at check in so we didn't have more to juggle for long. This worked exactly as I imagined but we also used one of these bags to take our requirements for the 2 nights at Fuji and the 3 nights at Disney so we could avoid big suitcases.
These are just amazing and so convenient.

2. With my total dedication to organisation, packing cubes were a logical choice for our suitcases. E and I shared a suitcase and S and C shared one so to keep things organised, I bought us each a set of packing cubes in a different colour. From there, I went slightly overboard (I do not regret this at all), and packed the boys an entire outfit for each day in a large Ikea ziplock bag including socks and singlets/thermals. I packed 4 extra days worth of outfits for C (so 14 total) and 12 days for E. This was the best timesaver each morning when we were trying to get out the door to start exploring, especially for E as he could just grab a bag and dress himself. It also made packing for our short trips a breeze as I just threw the number of days and a spare in the duffle and was done.
The ziplocks also were a spacesaver as I could squeeze out the air and layer.
I definitely overpacked as we had a laundry in our apartment and also a laundromat at Disneyland but I really didn't know what to expect so better safe than sorry in my opinion.
I only bought cheap cube sets from eBay as I wasn't sure if they would be worth it but having used them, I'll invest in some good qualities ones for our next big OS trip.

3. The cutest ever Kikki K children's travel journal. I fell in love with this as soon as I saw it and bought one for E and another to store for a future family trip. I love the idea of recording their knowledge of where they are travelling to as well as their thoughts and experiences while travelling. Such a great keepsake to look back on when they are older.

4. A Trunki. Before we left, I started to get worried about how we would juggle the boys and all our luggage through the airport and trains/train stations. I had heard of Trunki's so did some research and decided they would be the solution to our problem.The boys absolutely loved riding them around, they were something to play on in the quieter parts of the airport, something to sit on in Customs queues and freed up our hands getting through terminals.
Lightweight, they are able to be carryon luggage and we just clipped them onto our luggage and tugged the boys along with us ... or they tugged them along themselves - meaning we didn't have then complaining about it being too heavy to carry.
As they were carryon, I filled them up with a pair of pjs, the boys' coats, a change of clothes, a book, some small toys and extra snacks to cover us for anything unexpected.

5. I debated about the necessity of a carrier as obviously CB is long out of the Baby Bjorn but everything I knew already and read about Japan with children recommended one. I looked into carriers for toddlers and obviously didn't want to spend a fortune but figured it could be handy to have one so I bought a Manducca. Lightweight and easy to pack, it easily carried the weight of both boys for medium periods of time. I found it alot more comfortable than S did. E loved it and went it a few times comfortably,  C on the other hand didn't like being restricted and only went in it 5 times max - 2 times under extreme protest.

6. I am a total Bugaboo disciple ... I had a Cameleon with E, upgraded to a Donkey when CB came along and with Japan in mind and then booked, downsized to a Bee and comfort board. Best investment ever! I weighed up getting a Yoyo or similar but in the end, couldn't go past the addition of the comfort board for E.
Having a good quality pram over an umbrella stroller meant that CB could comfortably nap (or E on occasion) while we were on the go instead of heading back to the apartment and it came in handy most days for this. The comfort board also meant that we didn't have E getting tired out from walking and from a safety aspect, it was great to have them both contained from getting lost in a crowd.
The Bee has a decent basket which was handy for storing coats, snacks, water bottles etc, is lightweight, a big factor as Tokyo is not pram friendly and S had to carry it up a million flights of stairs, and it also folds in half easily and quickly.

7. Uniqlo puffer jackets. A must for all the family if you're traveling to cold climates. With low temperatures predicted for Fuji and Tokyo while we were there, I worried about keeping the boys warm and not being used to freezing weather, I wasn't sure how they would cope with heavy layers and big coats.
Uniqlo jackets are ultra light, they weigh next to nothing so the don't inhibit movement and you forget you're even wearing one. I got the boys one each and a vest and they lived in them. They found them easy to put on, not bulky, warm but not hot and at night, they wore their vests over their jackets.
Bonus, they're waterproof too.
I got one also,the longer line one and like the boys, lived in it.

And of course, snacks, lots and lots and lots of snacks!

One of our favourite days in Tokyo was our last full day before heading home.

We started out in the morning heading to Yoyogi Park and the Meiji Shrine via metro. I had planned this adventure for a Saturday having read it was the best day to see the young and old who congregate in and around the park, dressed up and at play.

Walking into the Torii gate up to Meiji Shrine was amazing. It was hard to believe inside this thick tranquil forest, we were still standing within the World's busiest most populated city. It was silent and peaceful and even the boys spoke in hushed tones realising this place was special... admittedly though, they loved the open space and did do some running on the gravel.

In a stroke of luck, I hadn't realised when planning, that day, was part of Shichi-Go-San festival , a traditional rite of passage and festival day in Japan for three- and seven-year-old girls and three- and five-year-old boys, held annually on November 15 to celebrate the growth and well-being of young children. As it is not a national holiday, it is generally observed on the nearest weekend which was the Saturday we were there so we were lucky enough to see the children being brought to Temple in their beautiful traditional dress for blessings. 

The children were completely adorable, very excited and their costumes stunning. I managed to snap some photos of the outfits but avoided faces as it didn't seem appropriate given the ages and special occasion.

Our boys loved watching the Japanese children and thought the girls looked 'so pretty'. Their highlight was completing the bowing and clapping ritual before throwing money into the Emperor's Shrine and they helped me write down our family wishes.


Just when we were about to leave, as if the experience could get better, a wedding procession came through the grounds and we got to witness (behind a small low fence) the ceremony. E especially was full of curiosity and questions about the clothes and rituals.








I would definitely recommend Yoyogi Park on any day for children, if only for them to have space to burn some energy. I would also say Meiji Shrine is a must and suggest a Saturday so you can get the most of the traditional experience.

We had decided on Harajuku next so took the short walk to Takeshita Dori from the park and shrine. The pram was a bit tricky down Takeshita Dori just because of the volume of people in such a narrow space but we managed without too much fuss - although had to leave the pram outside if we went into any shops.

S had promised to take the boys to an animal cafe before we went home and we quickly came across a combination Cat Owl cafe right on Takeshita Dori. Not being a cat person, I was happy to sit this one out and let S take the boys while I went souvenir shopping. We agreed to meet back at the entrance in 45 minutes so I headed up the street to the huge Daiso to pick up some inexpensive gifts to take home for the boys' friends.
I think the Daiso was 4 or 5 floors and 45 minutes passed quickly ... definitely worth visiting for small souvenirs like rising sun ninja headbands, erasers shaped like sushi, pretty glass Chrsitmas decorations, stickers and stationery, bento box bits & bobs etc.
I met the boys back at the cafe and they were on a huge high having had a great time with the cats. S filled me in that he just had to pay an entry fee for himself and buy the boys each a juice drink. He said the place was very clean and the cats were pretty relaxed and happy to be patted but moved away to their hidey holes or up high when they had had enough.

Random place we stopped for a beer & cheeseburgers in a laneway

Next up was Kiddy Land toy store, a short walk from Takeshita Dori - be warned, to cross the street in the midsection to get to the store, you need to use the pedestrian overpass and there are only stairs. We all enjoyed browsing the toy store, they had great Disney and Star Wars sections and the prices were mid to high range. We bought a few things here for the boys including Toy Story cars and merchandise for C and Star Wars cutlery and Pokemon figures for E. We also bought our nieces some beautiful little Japanese mini dolls and spent a lot of time browsing.

We wanted to see the Shibuya crossing again and I wanted to check out the Disney Store there so as it was late afternoon and starting to get dark , we set off by foot. We walked, it wasn't a long journey and we wanted C would nap in the pram, but I'd recommend taking the metro otherwise for convenience.


The Disney Store was easy to find with ts themed entrance but be warned, its cramped and very busy with a narrow winding staircase and a ticket booth on the top floor where you can purchase tickets to Disneyland but the line is long and snakes around the floor.
I honestly found the Disney Store really disappointing as I was looking for Princess items for my nieces (dress-ups and dolls) and costumes and toys for the boys but there were no costumes at all, only a few dolls - Tinkerbell and Alice - and little in the way of toys. There was a whole floor of jewelry though. E and I left with only a handful of things and nothing that was actually on my list (or his).
We also managed to catch the busy rush of the Shibuya Crossing at dusk and it was crazy chaos but honestly, E wasn't at all interested so its not something I'd bother specifically seeing kids unless you're in the area for other sites..

Our last day in Tokyo before flying out in the evening, we set off from Shinjuku to Ikeburo and the Sunshine City mall, specifically to visit the Pokemon Store and the rooftop aquarium.
Ikeburo was bustling with crowds and was a maze underground of metro and trains ... super easy to get lost. We actually couldn't pinpoint the mall as it is set back from the main area and looks like an office building from the outside. We ended up running out of time after spending too long looking for it so had to give the aquarium a miss. We did stop in at the Pokemon store and E spent ages with the crowds looking at stuffed Pokemon toys. I would recommend coming back here but allow yourself more than a few hours so you can see the aquarium and other attractions.

There is so much I haven't included now that I read back so if you have any questions on places to visit with children in Tokyo, please leave a comment ... I love Japan and love to share our amazing experiences there with anyone and everyone - Everyone has to visit Japan!

I'm a researcher and a planner... it makes me feel comfortable and safe ha.

I spent hours - and hours and days and weeks - on researching and planning our trip to Japan in November. So much so I even had a display folder crammed with itineraries, directions, shortlists of food and restaurants for every occasion - teppanyaki, tempura, sushi, korean bbq, burgers and everything in between - and of course, the best things to do and see with children.
S laughed at the folder but he found it pretty handy while we were there - so who had the last laugh ;)

So to recap, we arrived in Tokyo on a Thursday night, traveled by highway bus to Fuji-kyu and Lake Kawaguchiko for two nights, back to Shinjuku for 1 night then Tokyo Disneyland for 3 nights before back to Shinjuku for our last 3 nights.

While in Tokyo, I wanted to keep the travel minimal for the boys' sake so unlike last time when it was just S and I and we flitted from place to place via metro, unconcerned about times and the number of trains, I actually grouped attractions together and planned our days around neighbouring suburbs. This worked for the most part and the efficiency of the Tokyo rail network was a Godsend.

Our first day in Tokyo was only a few hours in the morning before we headed to Fuji-kyu so we made the most of our apartment surroundings and took a short walk to the Tokyo Metropolitan Building observation deck. S and I had visited it previously so knew it to be a good observation deck to show our friend who was traveling with us - his first time in Japan. We also thought it would be fun for the boys to see the City sprawled out before them.
Entry is free and we were there just before the 9:30am opening on a Friday morning and managed to be first in line. The queue quickly grew at 9:30am and there was a fair wait when we left.
Having visited at dusk previously, it was a beautiful crystal clear sight first thing in the morning and we even spied Mount Fuji afar. The boys enjoyed seeing the tall building all around and E (age 4.5) particularly enjoyed us pointing out landmarks and funny buildings.
We probably spent about 30 minutes here and that was more than enough.
Given it is free, I'd say its a must do with or without children, just try to keep them away from the giftshop/souvenir stand.

After a few days out at the Fuji lakes, we arrived back in Shinjuku on Sunday afternoon, ready to start exploring Tokyo. We spent the afternoon around Shinjuku just taking in the atmosphere and the neon lights before catching the metro to Roppongi.
It was dark early and by the time we got to Roppongi at around 5pm, night had fallen so we walked towards Tokyo Tower to show the boys it all lit up. We didn't want to go up the Tower as we had done so on a previous trip and were planning to visit the Sky Tree the following day.
We grabbed dinner at the very safe TGIFridays as we all felt like burgers and salads after some adventurous eating and the boys were desperate for a milkshake - which proved impossible to get anywhere other than an American eatery.
After dinner, we had a look around at the Winter Illuminations and elaborate Christmas decorations which E really enjoyed - C fell asleep in the pram.

The following day was Monday and our day started with a small earthquake around 6am - E was fascinated and I thankfully kept my cool.
Our local friend we met on our previous travels met us at our apartment to guide us on a day of exploring Sumida, Asakusa and more.
First stop was Sky Tree Town in Sumida and the boys were amazed at how tall the Sky Tree Tower was. We decided S and our friends would go up to the observation deck given wait times, cost and the fact the boys were much more interested in running around the Christmas 'village' set up outside the entrance.



So while we waited, the boys and I played at the entrance which was actually a large rooftop area with gardens and seating, before heading into the shopping complex which featured E's highlight, a dedicated Pokemon store!
It was packed with foreigners frantically grabbing merchandise and filling up carts with stuffed toys and really wasn't that big but the boys happily spent about 45 minutes browsing and exclaiming over the characters.
I then took them over to the Sky Tree lobby and our exploring lead us to an Asahi shop that featured a toy and character section and the boys just loved browsing and exclaiming over everything they saw.
There was plenty to do around the Sky Tree complex if you decide not to take children up to the observation deck or if one of you is going and the other needs to entertain them.
We had planned to take them to the aquarium but we really ran out of time after our browsing.
Note (there is a McDonalds near the Asahi shop if your kids are as fussy as mine).

Once S and our friends came down, we walked over to Asakusa - maybe a 25 minute walk over the bridge. It was a pleasant walk and we passed a great looking playground and park just over the bridge on the Asakusa side that we would have stopped at if C wasn't already asleep in the pram.
We entered at Sensoji Temple and took the boys straight to the incense where its believed you will gain wisdom from wafting the smoke over you - here's hoping.
C was still asleep and the area was teeming with tourists and locals alike (late afternoon) so E went with the big boys up into the Temple while I waited below. He loved the small rituals involved, like the money offering and of course seeing the carved Gods and Buddhas everywhere.
We took a walk around the gardens and shrines and E had fun throwing money in the ponds filled with huge Koi.


We strolled the Nakamise shopping street which was filled with kitschy tourist souvenirs before we found a wonderful tiny little place offering just pan fried gyoza and karage chicken so we sat for awhile feasting on delicious food and drinking beer.


After eating our fill, we headed towards Shin-Nakamise shopping street where our Japanese friend arranged for the boys to enjoy a traditional game played in Summer by local children for a small fee.
It involved using rice paper nets to catch as many goldfish as possible from a small pool with extra points for catching the black fish and put them in your bowl filled with water. The nets broke easily so the idea was to be gentle and delicate and once the game was up, the goldfish were put back in the pond. They played for around 25 minutes and the proprietor was very friendly and helpful (but spoke no English).
The boys absolutely loved this game and still talk about it.

S was desperate to visit Tokyo Dome City so we decided to do that on the way back to Shinjuku despite it being around 5pm and dark.
Not great on a cold wet night, I think this would be fun to take children to during the day with Sega World, amusement park rides and a shopping centre. Easily accessible by metro and with lots of food options and restaurants (Japanese and American).
We didn't go on anything as most of the rides were closed due to the rain but the rollercoaster looked fun.

On Tuesday we were due to set out for three nights at Disneyland - and I was more than a little excited! We had booked 3 nights at the Tokyo Disneyland Hotel so I will dedicate a whole post to this part of the trip.

After 3 nights at Tokyo Disneyland, it was time to leave the happiest place on earth and return to reality. We got back to Shinjuku around 10:30am on the Friday morning and set out to look around Shinjuku and find a burger place to eat at. We were determined to find one we had eaten at in a back street on our last visit and after a lot of walking, spotting Godzilla peering at us over a building (much to Es delight) and a walk through the amazing Takayama department store basement foodhall, we finally found it - JS Burgers. A great pitstop with kids as they loved the fries and there was a salad bar included with some cold pasta salads the boys enjoyed.
After eating our fill, we caught the metro to Ginza with a promise to the boys of visiting a big big toy store. We arrived and strolled up the streets taking in the sights of Tokyo's answer to Fifth Ave and Rodeo Drive. There wasn't much chance for browsing with the boys in tow so we pretty much headed straight to Hakuhinkan Toy Park. If you get stuck, head to the Tourist Information and they will give you a map with it clearly marked.
As one of the biggest toy stores in Tokyo, we adults were a little underwhelmed simply because the entrance seemed to be for a discount store and while there were some greats toys, different toys and fun displays on offer, the 5 floors are small and cramped - although well laid out by genre/age.
The boys however were in heaven and I'm sure we spent at least an hour and a half there browsing and playing.
We headed back to Shinjuku late afternoon so S could take E to play in a Sega World - E loved the skill testers and the games - while I took C back to rest, play and shower ahead of dinner.
Our local friend met us around 6pma nd we set off for dinner at a well-known Yakiniku Japanese BBQ he had booked. JoJoen was a  highlight for us all with the grown-ups loving the food (I stuck to the sirloin type pieces while S was more adventurous with tongue and offal) and the boys loving 'helping' us cook the food at the table. It kept them entertained and occupied the entire time.
The restaurant itself was beautiful, high up on the 9th floor with private tables and typical amazing Japanese service. The boys were each bought their own child friendly bowl, cutlery and bib and were made most welcome for dinner.
We went with ordering individual plates of meat and vegetables off the menu as most of the sets included offal which I refused to have.



It is on the higher end price was but entirely worth it - this is definitely on the list for a family or date meal on any future visits.
We finished up our night in Shinjuku on the skill testers where our friend won (paid through the nose) for a Ted for CB - that traveled home with us and now sleeps in CBs cot and is affectionately known as 'Club Elaine' which is CBs pronunciation of 'Clubber Lang' (as per the Ted movie).

I'll continue with part 2 in another post...

... well, barely.

The flight there was the worst I'd say. We departed at 10:30am and landed after 8-9 hours in Narita just outside Tokyo at 6:30pm with a one hour time difference.

We got to the airport early (I would always do this with children so you have plenty of time for any surprises) and spent lots of time walking around exploring, watching the planes land and take off etc.

They both slept well thankfully and E was fine by morning much to our relief.


The flight home was an overnight one, leaving at 8:30pm and arriving home at 6:30am.
This is the one that had me worrying the most because the good thing about day flights is that people don't NEED to sleep apart from to kill time so if your children do act up, its really not the end of the world. A screaming toddler at 3am on the other hand is hideous for everyone.

We set off for the airport early and lucky we did as check in and immigration/screening took forever ... we had just 30 minutes before our plane boarded by the time we got to the gate.
At the gate, we changed the boys into pjs (Bonds zippies are ideal for travelling) and encouraged the boys to run around and pretend to be different animals, do little jump skip hop obstacle courses etc - anything to tire them out.

Again, we waited to board last and I highly recommend this if you are flying with kids - minimise your time on that plane!

Once seated, things looked grim for the flight ahead with CB ... he was overtired and not happy to  be on the plane. He spent the first 90 minutes carrying on and pushing boundaries while E watched a movie. Then suddenly, he took himself to the floor, grabbed his bunny and blankie, and WENT TO SLEEP! I couldn't believe it. E was out too and while I tried to rest, even managing a few fitful hours, every time one of them moved, I stopped breathing, terrified they would wake.
I finally relaxed when there was an hour and a half till landing - I realised we were going to make it unscathed without everyone on the flight hating us.
As it was, the boys slept right up until we were making the descent, so 45 minutes before landing. I seriously couldn't believe how lucky I was, a dream come true.
The flight home was a breeze, especially compared to the trip there.



What worked from my carry-on
If you've been following along, I packed a pretty extensive carry-on and there were a few things that worked really well with the boys.

• triangular crayons (they don't roll off the table) and small colouring books
• snacks, lots and lots of snacks ... try to go easy on the sugary ones but the biggest hits were Shapes biscuits, mini Oreos, pre-cooked Barilla tortellini, blueberries/grapes/strawbs/mandarin segments, le snacs, fruit cereal bars, yoghurt squeezies (frozen prior) and lollipops for take-off and landing
• mini Star Wars micro machine playset - kept E busy for hours
• Blind bags - Thomas mini's, The Good Dinosaur, Mash-Ems ... I had a few of these and they definitely entertained 
• Blankie & bunny - both boys used these as comforters 
• Large ziplock bags and  2 packs of wipes - story above, enough said
• Ipads, wireless hardrive and kids headphones - we loaded the hardrive up with the boys shows and movies plus a few they haven't seen 
• plasticine - CB loved this stuff and spent a good ten minutes at a time playing with it
• The fruit pouches - a must! Flying can play with bowel movements and I think these really helped the boys (take a few to have once at your destination also - CB really needed them).