Japan Family Travel
This post is an overview of our two week Japan family travel experience. Japan is one of our favorite places, and one we keep going back to. We saw a good mix of traditional and modern Japan. We also ate some great Japanese food – it’s one of our favorite cuisines. Each section below includes a link to a more detailed post about each part of our trip.
Narita
We arrived at Tokyo’s Narita airport a day before our friends who were traveling with us. This gave us the chance to explore the small town of Narita near the airport. We checked out the Narita-san Shinshō-ji temple, and ate our first (of many) sushi meals for the trip.
Eastern Kyoto
JAPAN – A WALK THROUGH EASTERN KYOTO
On our first full day in Kyoto, we explored the temples and shrines of eastern Kyoto. We also spent some time strolling the famous Philosopher’s Walk that links many of them. Some of our group even got to try their hand at making a bowl on a potter’s wheel.
Traditional Kaiseki Meal in Kyoto
JAPAN – A FAMILY KAISEKI MEAL IN KYOTO
On our second day in Kyoto we experienced one of the highlights of our Japan family travel. This was a traditional multi-course kaiseki meal in a restaurant that has been in business for more than three hundred years. We also braved the rainy weather to do some sightseeing in the area around our AirBnB accommodation.
Western Kyoto Walking Tour
JAPAN – A TOUR OF WESTERN KYOTO
On our last day in Kyoto we went on a guided walking tour. We started at Nijo Castle, then made our way to some iconic western Kyoto sights. These included the Golden Pavilion at Kinkaku-ji, the famous zen garden at Ryoan-ji and the bamboo grove at Arashiyama. We stopped along the way for an okonomiyaki lunch. It was great having a guide along to give us background information on the things we were looking at.
Hiroshima
JAPAN – HIROSHIMA PEACE MEMORIAL PARK
After Kyoto, we headed south on the shinkansen (bullet train) to Hiroshima. We spent a day exploring the various monuments in the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park. We also visited the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum which provides an overview of the atomic bomb blast that occurred there and also the impacts on the people of Hiroshima.
Himeji Castle
While traveling between Hiroshima and Osaka, we made a stop at the town of Himeji. The main attraction here is Himeji Castle. This is widely regarded as Japan’s most beautiful castles, and is well worth the effort to see. We explored the castle grounds then made our way all the to the top floor of the castle. The views of the surrounding area were superb. We also had time to check out the nearby Koko-en garden before heading back to the train station to continue on to Osaka.
Osaka
Osaka is one of our favorite places in Japan. It’s a great city for wandering the streets to see the random sights of modern Japan, and the food is incredible, in variety and quality. We recommend at least a couple of days in Osaka in any Japan family travel itinerary.
On our first day in Osaka, we spent a few hours at the excellent Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan, then took a ride on the nearby ferris wheel for some spectacular views of Osaka. The next day we did a DIY walking tour, starting with Amerikamura, Osaka’s youth culture center. We then walked down Shinsaibashi, a covered shopping street, before ending up in Dotonbori, where we enjoyed seeing the lights and the crowds before finding somewhere to eat. On our final day in Osaka, the rest of the group went for a day trip to Nara, while Lachlan and I explored the attractions in and around the mammoth Osaka Station building.
Tokyo Neighborhoods
The final stop in our Japan family travel adventure was the capital city of Tokyo. We started our time in Tokyo exploring some different neighborhoods. Nihonbashi, Sugamo, Akihabara and Shinjuku all have different atmospheres and attractions, but are all worth checking out.
Two Tokyo Museums
We spent our second full day in Tokyo visiting two of the many museums that can be found throughout Tokyo. First we visited the Ghibli Museum which showcases the famous Studio Ghibli animation house. Displays there featured characters and scenes from their films, as well as an insight into how they are made. There is also a special short film that you can only see at the museum.
After lunch we visited the Yayoi Kusama Museum, featuring the work of Yayoi Kusama who is experiencing a surge in popularity late in her life after some highly popular exhibits in art museums around the world. It was a great experience to see examples of her early work as well as more recent examples in Japan. Both of these museums require some advanced planning to visit as they are small and very popular. Click through to the post for more information on how to get tickets.
Modern Tokyo
JAPAN – EXPERIENCING MODERN TOKYO
Our last day in Japan was spent experiencing modern Japanese culture in Ikebukuro and Harajuku. We visited the largest Pokemon Center in Japan, a cat cafe and a crazy dining experience at the Kawaii Monster Cafe in Harajuku. We did see have one more traditional experience, visiting the Meiji Shrine and marveling at the grand scale of the buildings and grounds.
Japan Family Travel Tips
Although our blog is more about sharing our experiences than “how to” guides for the places we’ve been, we do have a few tips to share.
Itinerary
Consider starting your trip somewhere other than Tokyo. This could mean flying in to a different city, or taking the train from Narita airport and connecting to a train to Kyoto or some other place. Tokyo can be a bit overwhelming, especially if it’s your first time in Japan. You may get more out of your visit to Tokyo if you leave it until last.
Getting Around
Trains are the best way to get around Japan, and you should get a Japan Rail Pass. If you are staying a week or more and visiting more than one place, it will almost always save you money to use a JR pass – you can enter your itinerary into an online calculator to confirm this. Although you need to buy your JR Pass before you travel to Japan, you generally don’t need to make specific train reservations in advance, unless you are traveling at one of the specific times of year that many Japanese people are traveling (e.g. “Golden Week” around the end of April). It’s actually better to avoid travel to Japan altogether at these times, as accommodation will also be booked up or expensive and sights and attractions will be very busy.
Food
Don’t be afraid to try different types of Japanese food. Japanese cuisine is not usually spicy or strong-flavored, so you’re unlikely to get an unpleasant surprise. Pay attention to prices though, or you may get a different kind of unpleasant surprise. While there are many opportunities to spend a lot of money, there are also plenty of budget options. Conveyer-belt sushi is generally very good quality and cheaper than ordering from a menu (although sitting at a small sushi bar and watching the chef make your sushi to order is a classic Japan experience you should try at least once). Food stalls around temples and attractions are a good source of budget eats. Japanese convenience stores are also a great source of quality budget food, and worth visiting in any case to check out the amazing array of things available there.
