Our Travel Our Way

Japan was on our family bucket list for years. We’d heard it was expensive, that it was difficult to navigate with kids, that it was a far-from-easy destination. We’re here to tell you: every single concern we had was completely wrong. Japan ended up being one of the best trips we’ve ever taken as a family.

📅 Our 2-Week Japan Itinerary

Days 1–4: Tokyo

We landed at Narita Airport and immediately the adventure began. Tokyo is HUGE — the world’s most populous metropolitan area — but it’s also remarkably easy to navigate thanks to the incredible train network. We got IC cards (Suica) for the whole family and within an hour we were riding the metro like locals.

Highlights: TeamLab Borderless (the kids were absolutely speechless — digital art like nothing we’d ever seen), Shibuya Crossing at night, the Robot Restaurant, ramen at a tiny 8-seat counter in Shinjuku, and Tokyo Disneyland (yes, we’re that family).

Days 5–6: Hakone (Mt. Fuji Region)

A short bullet train ride from Tokyo brought us to Hakone, a gorgeous mountain resort town with the best possible view of Mount Fuji on a clear day. We stayed in a traditional ryokan (Japanese inn) — sleeping on futons, wearing yukatas, and eating elaborate kaiseki dinners. The kids absolutely loved the novelty of it all.

Days 7–10: Kyoto

If Tokyo is Japan’s future, Kyoto is its soul. Ancient temples, geisha districts, bamboo forests, and golden pavilions — Kyoto is visually stunning in a way that photographs simply can’t capture. The kids became amateur historians, peppering our guide with endless questions about samurai, ninjas, and emperors.

Don’t miss: Fushimi Inari at sunrise (we arrived at 6am before the crowds), the Arashiyama Bamboo Grove, Kinkakuji (Golden Pavilion), and a traditional tea ceremony experience.

Days 11–14: Osaka

Osaka is Japan’s food capital and the kids’ favourite city. Takoyaki (octopus balls), okonomiyaki (savory pancakes), and ramen on every corner — it’s a food lover’s paradise. We also visited Universal Studios Japan, which has a fantastic Nintendo World area that had the kids completely losing their minds with excitement.

💰 Japan on a Family Budget

Japan has a reputation for being expensive, but we found it surprisingly manageable. Convenience stores (7-Eleven, FamilyMart, Lawson) sell incredible food for very little money — some of our best meals in Japan came from these stores! The Japan Rail Pass saved us a significant amount on bullet train travel.

👨‍👩‍👧 Japan with Kids: What You Need to Know

• Japan is extremely safe — children can roam freely in ways unthinkable at home
• The Japanese people adore children — expect lots of smiles and kindness
• Download Google Translate with Japanese offline — it’s a lifesaver
• Carry cash — many smaller restaurants and shops are cash-only
• Buy a pocket WiFi router at the airport — you need connectivity for navigation

Would we go back to Japan? In a heartbeat. It’s genuinely one of the most family-friendly countries on earth. Check out our full video diaries in the Family Vlogs section!