http://liezl.modkid.com/blog Discovering a Tokyo for Young Kids Mon, 12 Jul 2010 11:47:02 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en Enoshima 江の島　is a tiny island that is part of Fujisawa City in Kanagawa.  From Tokyo it's around a 2 hour drive.  We had a nice little day trip there with the kids.  They managed to climb up all the steps that lead to a small cave on the further end ... http://liezl.modkid.com/blog/2010/07/11/enoshima-island/ It's been raining non-stop the past two days and there is only so much the kids and I can take staying indoors for this long. We headed over to this place called Kid-o-Kid, also known as Bornelund. They have a few locations all over Tokyo. It's a really fun place ... http://liezl.modkid.com/blog/2010/06/22/kids-fun-at-bornelund/ This is like the all-purpose item that can practically clean everything in a home!  I had trouble looking for baking soda when I first arrived in Japan. I finally found some Arm & Hammer baking soda at shops that sell some items from abroad, like Kaldi Farm. One box usually ... http://liezl.modkid.com/blog/2010/06/15/my-household-cleaning-companion/ We woke up Tuesday morning and decided it would be a nice day to finally check out Tokyo Disney Sea Resort. We haven't been there before since we heard that it's more fun for adults than younger kids. But since grandma is in town, the kids are older now and ... http://liezl.modkid.com/blog/2010/05/24/tokyo-disney-sea-resort/ The cherry blossoms add a happy hue to the concrete grey backdrop of Tokyo's buildings. I miss seeing the rust colored brick walls found on most New York buildings, even when they are crumbling or splattered with graffiti. The short time cherry blossoms are in bloom make it all the more ... http://liezl.modkid.com/blog/2010/04/11/haginakapark/ In the States we know her as Hello Kitty, but here in Japan she is Kitty-chan and she can be found at Sanrio Puroland (pronounced pyuroland, but I'm not sure what this means).  It's an indoor little "theme park"  but there is really only one ride, which is similar to Disneyland's ... http://liezl.modkid.com/blog/2010/04/03/visiting-kitty-chan/ We weren't in Tokyo during the past two Girl's Days , so we missed the chance to display Arisa's hinaningyo dolls. When she first got them, she was just a few months old, so this is actually the first time she could appreciate them. We put them up rather late and ... http://liezl.modkid.com/blog/2010/03/05/girls-day/ http://liezl.modkid.com/blog/2010/02/13/happy-new-year-2/ Christmas was extra festive because the grandparents were here to celebrate with us. I am used to celebrating Christmas on Christmas Eve and on Christmas Day, so I really must do something on December 24 and 25 to acknowledge the holiday, no matter what day of the week it falls on ... http://liezl.modkid.com/blog/2009/12/13/happy-holidays/ So, in November the kids celebrated 七五三（しちごさん）shichi - go  -san,  which literally means 7 - 5- 3.  In Japanese tradition, these are the ages boys and girls could wear a kimono for the first time and would mark a special time for them. So on a day in November boys ages ... http://liezl.modkid.com/blog/2009/12/01/welcoming-a-new-year-and-bidding-farewell-to-the-old-one/