Travel tips: Is it better to book a hotel or Airbnb in Japan?

MY FAMILY OF TWO ADULTS AND CHILDREN THREE AND SIX YEARS OLD ARE TRAVELLING TO JAPAN. WOULD YOU SUGGEST AIRBNB ACCOMMODATION OVER A HOTEL? WE LIKE HUSTLE AND BUSTLE BUT THIS MIGHT BE CHALLENGING WITH OUR CHILDREN. PREFERABLY CLOSE TO ATTRACTIONS, TRANSPORT AND AMENITIES. M. AIKENHEAD, BRUNSWICK

Airbnb is a great option for your family. Hotel rooms in Tokyo are typically tiny and an apartment will give you slightly more room – although don't expect too much – as well as a kitchen and possibly a laundry, and that's a godsend with young kids. Stay somewhere close to the Yamanote line. This is a train line that runs in a giant circle around central Tokyo. Stations on the Yamanote Line include the fashion hotspot Harajuku, the giant shopping districts of Shibuya and nearby Shinjuku, wonderful at night, Yoyogi Station for the Meiji Shrine, Akihabara for everything electronic and Ikebukuro, another major shopping area. The Yamanote Line gives you access to Tokyo and Ueno Stations, important if you're travelling by train to other parts of Japan. It's also fairly easy to buy tickets for the stations on this line, which is not something you can say for all the capital's rail system.

I like the Ebisu area, one stop south of Shibuya Station. It's medium bustle for Japan and classy, with lots of dining options and convenience stores, but more relaxed and neighbourly than many other parts of Tokyo. If you want something a little quieter, Daikanyama sits just to the west of Ebisu, a great neighbourhood and still within easy walking distance of the station. Another plus – the N'EX train from Narita Airport goes to Shibuya Station, just one stop from Ebisu.

The metro trains become giant sardine cans during the rush hours, 8am-9am and 5pm-6:30pm, plan ahead so you can avoid travelling during these times.

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