Room for 8, steps from Tokyo Station: Japanese apartment hotels that actually fit your family
Apartment Hotel Mimaru in Osaka Shinsaibashi West has ample space for the whole family and is a two-minute walk from the nearest train station.
From thrilling rides at Tokyo Disneyland to marvelling at Osaka Aquarium's world of sea creatures, there is plenty to do with the family in some of Japan's most popular cities.
It is little wonder then, that a
record-breaking 691,100 Singaporeans visited Japan in 2024, said the Japan National Tourism Organisation's Singapore Office.
On your next trip, create meaningful memories with your loved ones while experiencing Japanese culture across different seasons.
When it comes to exploring the city,
Apartment Hotel Mimaru branche s are the ideal base, especially if you are travelling with toddlers in bulky strollers or elderly parents who need a break from the itinerary in the middle of the day.
Apartment Hotel Mimaru branches are conveniently located within walking distance to train stations. PHOTO: APARTMENT HOTEL MIMARU
With 27 locations, including two that are just steps away from Tokyo Station, Mimaru offers multiple accommodation options across the three major tourist favourites of Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka. Popular selections include Mimaru Suites Kyoto Central, Mimaru Tokyo Ginza East and Mimaru Osaka Shinsaibashi West.
But as any frequent tourist in Japan will know, hotel rooms there tend to be on the smaller side, which means you have to book more than one room when travelling with a big entourage. The downside: you cannot stay together as a family.
Thankfully, Mimaru's range of rooms accommodate between four to 10 guests, and include the more spacious two-bedroom apartments and family suites, some even with bunk beds.
Rooms with loft beds, such as this one in Mimaru Tokyo Ginza East, make the travel experience fun for adults and children alike. PHOTO: APARTMENT HOTEL MIMARU
Once you have checked in, you will be relieved to know that every Mimaru property has multilingual staff from as many as 38 countries. You will always find English-speaking staff who can offer you help as well as tips on where to go for child-friendly restaurants or family-centric cultural activities.
For instance, when you have done the usual Disneyland and Sanrio Puroland itinerary with your children in Tokyo, show them a different side of Japanese culture at Asakusa with its historic Sensoji Buddhist temple.
Enjoy a discount of up to 15 per cent
For
online bookings, get up to 15 per cent off* with this coupon code: natas_2508
Reservation period: July 31 to Sept 30, 2025
Period of stay: July 31, 2025 to April 30, 2026
*10 per cent off with free membership programme, plus 5 per cent off with coupon code. The coupon can only be used on
Mimaru's official website .
With the Mimaru Suites Tokyo Asakusa just a stone's throw from Asakusa Station, you can explore the area on foot, or choose to take your Gen Alpha kids back to the past with a rickshaw ride instead. Then treat them to traditional snacks like ningyo-yaki, Asakusa's famous sweet red bean cakes found along its 250m-long Nakamise shopping street.
Head to Asakusa in Tokyo for the Asakusa Sanja Festival in early May or stroll along Nakamise Street to soak in tradition. PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES
If you are in Osaka, Mimaru Osaka Shinsaibashi West is just two minutes from the Yotsubashi Station. Hop on the train for two stops to Higobashi Station and take a short walk to the Osaka Science Museum, which has four levels of interactive exhibits on the universe, chemistry, electricity and energy. It also has a planetarium with hourly shows, which will help bring those school science lessons to life for your little ones.
In Kyoto, Mimaru Suites Kyoto Central is within walking distance to the famous Nijo Castle, a Unesco World Heritage site. Or choose to visit shrines and temples to learn about the local culture and pick up small, colourful books known as goshuincho. At the end of your visit, a shrine official will inscribe the date as well as the name of the shrine or temple in this and stamp it with the official seal.
Kyoto's Nijo Castle was the residence of the Edo period's first shogun. PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES
This beautiful traditional practice recently became popular again among the young who love collecting these gorgeous albums. Who knows? Your kids may well discover a new hobby during this holiday.
A vacation that lets you relax
When you are done with your excursions for the day, head to the supermarket where you can shop for fresh seasonal Japanese ingredients. Since all of Mimaru's rooms come with a dining table, kitchenette and cooking utensils, you can whip up a homemade meal in the comfort of your room with ease.
The Two-Bedroom Suite at the Mimaru Suites Kyoto Central comes with a kitchenette so you can prepare meals for your little ones. PHOTO: APARTMENT HOTEL MIMARU
If you are travelling with younger children, multiple sets of clothes are sometimes needed throughout the day. Parents will appreciate that Mimaru has 24-hour coin-operated washing machines and some of its rooms are even fitted with washing machines and dryers – this means you can pack less and have more room for your shopping.
Insider tip: some Mimaru properties in Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka have once again converted a number of rooms into its popular Pokemon Rooms for a unique hotel experience. Young fans of Charmander, Snorlax and, of course, Pikachu, will love spotting touches of the iconic anime throughout these rooms, from the walls and ceilings to the beds and bathrooms.
Pokemon fans will love the themed rooms in some of Mimaru's locations. PHOTO: APARTMENT HOTEL MIMARU
Mimaru also offers several baggage delivery services. For a fee, make a reservation and the hotel will take care of your baggage the moment you touch down at the airport and have it sent safely to your hotel.
This allows you to head straight for sightseeing without lugging your luggage around or finding a place to store it.
The service also includes delivering your bags to your next hotel or the airport, so you can always sneak in some last-minute itinerary without having to haul all that excess baggage along with you – a perfect way to end your Japan holiday.
To learn more, visit Mimaru at Natas Holidays 2025 from Aug 15 to 17 at Singapore Expo Halls 5 and 6, Booth 5H18. Make a hotel reservation at the travel fair and receive free Mimaru gifts when you mention The Straits Times.
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It is hard to believe that these creatures, ponderous in appearance, are the world's deadliest land mammal – but their formidable canines, which they display in a yawn, warn otherwise. Each time they do, the shutters go off. Community experiences As fascinating as Kenya's wildlife are its people. Of the country's more than 40 tribes, the Maasai are the most well known for their striking traditional attire, semi-nomadic pastoral lifestyle and adumu, or ceremonial jumping dance. Maasai men demonstrate a traditional method of starting fire at a tourist camp near Maasai Mara National Reserve. ST PHOTO: CLARA LOCK I pay a visit to a Maasai camp, one of many that line the road leading to the Maasai Mara National Reserve. For around US$40 (S$51), visitors can peer into mud huts where families live and watch young Maasai men put on a perfunctory display of the adumu, which is typically performed during weddings, religious rites and cultural events. 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ST PHOTO: CLARA LOCK On the day I visit for lunch, a 12-member group from Spain on a wellness retreat takes part in a cooking class (US$40, go to ), where they learn to make vegetarian samosas, beans, stir-fried vegetables and rice. After they leave, the women tuck into their own seafood lunch. Ms Abdillahi, whose wages go to the school fees of her three children and supplement what her boat captain husband earns, picks apart a lobster with her hands as she tells me: 'We get money, we enjoy, we make friends, we laugh.' An apt description of the locals I have met, who have opened up a slice of their lives to tourism. Travel tips A glamping tent at Ashnil Samburu Camp. ST PHOTO: CLARA LOCK Airlines such as Emirates, Qatar, Air India and IndiGo fly from Singapore to Kenyan capital Nairobi in 15 to 17 hours, including layovers in Dubai, Doha, Delhi and Mumbai. Uber is a safe and reliable means of transport in Nairobi. If you are travelling across the city, expressway tolls are well worth the time saved. A one-way Uber journey from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport to the upscale Spring Valley suburb in Nairobi takes around 30 minutes and costs about $15, including tolls. Bargaining is expected at shops catering to tourists. As a rule of thumb, start at around a third to half of the asking price and work your way up. A nine-day Wonders of Kenya tour starts at US$4,725 (S$6,082). Other Africa tours offered by Trafalgar include a 10-day South Africa trip, starting at US$4,286, and an 11-day Morocco tour, starting at US$2,606. For more information, go to
New Paper
a day ago
- New Paper
Singapore reviewing Malaysia's request to start bus services from JB at 4am
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