The first question before thinking of our next travel adventure is “What are the kids into” (see more on the other questions here). This narrows down the options a lot and makes their experience more interesting, and they don’t feel as dragged around as they would otherwise. This year, the older ones (12, 10) got really into anime, so Japan was on the table. We (the parents) briefly lived in Japan pre-kids teaching English, so we were very interested in returning. My dad, at 70, had never been and was also very intriguing to him. And my 6 year old loves all cute things (so kawaii!), so I knew she would love it in Japan as well. Spring break was ahead, and cherry blossom season is such a fun time in Japan. So we were all sold on Japan for spring break and started planning the details.
Overview
Japan is a beautiful blend of modernity and tradition, making it an ideal destination for families who seek diverse experiences. This 10-day itinerary covers the bustling cityscapes of Tokyo and the serene temples of Kyoto. With highlights ranging from anime adventures to Harajuku street fashion, you’re in for a cultural rollercoaster! FOMO warning- there is so much to do in Japan, there’s just no way to fit everything in, so plan on having a fair amount of FOMO– but all the more reason to visit again.
Given 10 days isn’t enough see an entire country that has given us so much cultural relevance (great book on it here), we narrowed it down to Tokyo and Kyoto only. These two cities represent the very different sides of Japan, Tokyo the electric city, and Kyoto, the traditional side of Japan. Of course there is so much more to the country, beautiful countrysides, tropical beaches, and amazing skiing, but it will have to be on trip #2 to Japan.
Itinerary
Days 1-5: The Tokyo Chapter
Where to stay
Tokyo is huge, so make sure you’re staying in a neighborhood that is family friendly and near some of your activities. VRBOs are great for our size families (6 of us), most hotels will have 2-4 per room and are pretty small. If you have older kids, you can stay in a cool or funky hotel, consider a capsule hotel, but be careful not to book a love hotel! We stayed in Ueno and really liked its accessibility, ease of transport, big park (hello cherry blossoms!), and restaurant options. Here are some great Tokyo neighborhood options for families:
- Shinjuku – Vibrant area with huge transport hub, kid-friendly museums, and beautiful parks like Shinjuku Gyoen. Close to theme parks.
- Shibuya – Youthful, iconic area with shopping and entertainment. Near Yoyogi Park and Meiji Shrine for outdoor time.
- Ueno – Home to Ueno Park and Zoo, museums, and culture. Has traditional market and dining. More relaxed pace.
- Asakusa – Gorgeous Sensoji Temple, old-town ambiance, riverfront views, craft shops. Lots of kid activities.
- Odaiba – Artificial island with beachfront, malls, science museum, and fun themed attractions like Legoland.
- Roppongi – Expat-friendly neighborhood with international food and family-oriented attractions like Tokyo Tower.
- Ginza – Upscale area that’s very walkable and architecturally interesting. Department store toy floors for kids.
Day 1: Arrival and Anime Adventure
Day 1 jetlag will be hitting hard if you’re coming from the Americas, so keep agenda light, and try to get onto the local schedule- it’s important to see the morning light and have meals at local times.
- Where to go: Akihabara
- What to do: Explore the heartland of anime and manga. A great place to pick up some collector’s items.
- Note: You’ll be bombarded by these ball vending machines called Gacha Gacha Machines, or capsule machines are a variety of vending machines that dispense capsule toys in Japan. Gacha Gacha seems aptly named close to “gotcha” as they became the bane of my existence “gotcha-ing” me). My 6 year old could stand there putting 1 Yen coins in there all day, not getting the toy she wanted and being absolutely heart broken until the next machine. It’s like an early gambler’s addiction– so you’ve been warned!
- Consider renting a room for Karaoke! This is really fun and affordable as a family, you can order food to your private room and start belting out the tunes!
Day 2: Asakusa and Nakamise Shopping Street
Still keeping it light this day with the jet lag.
- Where to go: Asakusa
- What to do: Visit Sensoji Temple and shop for traditional crafts and snacks.
- This is a great night to go on a food walking tour or cooking experience, keeping your jetlag at bay and learning all about food, culture, and drink with locals. See more about an amazing tour we took in Ueno here.
Day 3: Harajuku and Takeshita Street : Kawaii (cute) day!
- Where to go: Harajuku
- Note: If you can do this day on a Sunday, it’s the best for catching action like musicians and cosplay.
- What to do:
- Dive into the world of Japanese street fashion. Try on some quirky costumes for an Instagram-worthy moment. Find an amazing rainbow cotton candy shop here. It will be hard to miss.
- Visit an animal cafe. Depending on the animal you’re interested in, they book out and you should book ahead of time. We did a micro pig cafe in Kyoto and Harry’s Hedgehog cafe in Harajuku, but I really wanted to go to the Otter cafe but it was sold out.
Day 4: Tsukiji Fish Market
- Where to go: Tsukiji
- What to do: Go on a food tour like this covering Tsukiji Fish Market and enjoy an authentic sushi breakfast. If you can’t get into a tour, just wander around and eat the things people are standing in line for. Go to Team Labs in the early afternoon (tickets book fast, book these before you leave home), an amazing experiential museum.
- Note: The market will be quite crowded by 10am, try to go early in the morning if possible. Some people will say to get up SUPER early to go see the tuna auction. If that’s your jam, do it- but for us the ROI wasn’t there.
Day 5: Free Day options: Day Trips or Theme parks
Now that jetlag is not so horrendous, depending on what your family is excited about, this day can be a great one for a day trip to see Mt. Fuji , go to a daytrip onsen, go to Disney , Universal Studio for Super Mario land and Harry Potter Warner Bros , Sanrio for cuteness overload, Legoland. Just looking at this list makes me want to go back from all the FOMO!
Note if you have to cut a Tokyo day, it’s this one.
Days 6-10: The Kyoto Experience
Where to stay
Stay in a ryokan for a traditional experience if you can, these will have Onsen (baths), dinner, breakfast. It’s a great traditional experience, just be warned that you’ll be sleeping on a mat on the ground (still very comfy), not a western bed. Many times the living space is changed over to sleeping quarters, so there’s one big room everyone sleeps in (kinda feels like a sleepover!).
Otherwise VRBOs work best for us as a family of 6, and we had an amazing experience here at a traditional home in Gion (Northern Higashiyama close to Kiyomizu). If this home is available, don’t hesitate to book immediately.
Here are some of the best neighborhoods for families visiting Kyoto:
- Central Kyoto – Convenient central location with easy access to Kyoto Station and public transportation. Close to attractions like Nishiki Market.
- Arashiyama – Scenic area on the western outskirts. Bamboo forest, monkey park, riverboat rides. Feels more peaceful.
- Northern Higashiyama – Temples, shrines, shops and cafes along quaint streets. Close to Ginkakuji Temple, Philosopher’s Path.
- Eastern Kyoto – Area around Kiyomizu-dera Temple. Old town ambience and shops. Walkable neighborhood.
- Southern Higashiyama – Historic sites like Kodaiji Temple mix with teahouses and craft shops. Quieter than other areas.
- Northwest Kyoto – Access to Kinkakuji Temple’s Golden Pavilion. More residential with local shops and dining.
Day 6: Arrival and Gion District
Take the bullet train from Tokyo to Kyoto. You will need to book your tickets ahead of time at any JR train station. I like to buy a little cute bento boxes for the ride, they are available at several kiosks at the train station.
You can see Mt Fuji from the Shinkansen window about an hour into your trip from Tokyo to Kyoto. Just sit on the right side, or look out the door window by the exit.
- Where to go: Gion
- What to do: Stroll through traditional wooden machiya houses and catch a glimpse of Geisha. Be respectful.
- Memoirs of a Geisha is a wonderful book that really helps get deeper into the Geisha history, and appreciate the art. The movie was ok and not true to the book, but still worth a watch.
Day 7: Temples and Tea Ceremony
- What to do: Visit Kinkaku-ji (The Golden Pavilion) temple and experience a traditional tea ceremony.
- Note: my kids really didn’t care for the tea or the red bean taste sweets. Worth prepping them ahead of time on red bean paste and matcha, so they don’t make any rude comments. One fun way we did that was through a subscription box through Tokyo Treat. It was a great way to get used to new tastes and also get excited for the trip ahead. It’s also a fun box to get after your trip to reminisce.
- Note if you have to cut a Kyoto day, it’s this one.
Day 8: Arashiyama Bamboo Forest and Monkey
- What to do: Walk through the mesmerizing Arashiyama bamboo forest and visit the nearby Tenryu-ji Temple. Hike up to see the monkey forest and eat some delicious soba by the river.
- Note: the bamboo forest can get crowded, get there early or late. There’s some great shopping on the street nearby.
- The monkey forest is really cool and relatively inexpensive, but the hike while short is quite the ascent and it was a tough uphill climb. Once at the top you’ll see lots of monkeys leaping and wandering around. Be warned to not look them in the eye and not leave anything shiny around for them to steal.
Day 9: Nishiki Market and Kiyomizu Temple
- What to do: Sample Kyoto’s unique dishes and visit the iconic Kiyomizu Temple.
- Nishiki Market breakfast food tour here.
- Visit the Manga museum on a rainy day
- Then Kiyumizu dera- this temple is beautiful and busy. The street leading up is great shopping, including the cutest Starbucks ever (sitting will require reservation) and some great Ghibli stores.
Day 10: Departure
- What to do: Say your goodbyes to the land of the rising sun. Finish any shopping and souvenirs.
Itinerary notes:
You can do this itinerary in 7 days as well, just carve off 2 days from Tokyo and one from Kyoto.
You might be wondering why not Osaka. If you are flying out of Osaka, it’s worth spending an afternoon on the Dotonbori street eating some delicious food. But as someone who lived in Osaka, I don’t recommend squeezing it into a tight itinerary. Osaka is very similar to Tokyo, but more industrial.
You might also be wondering about Hiroshima- we’ve been a couple of times now, it’s quite impactful and heart wrenching. If your kids are a little older for it to be memorable, I would recommend it and you can do it as a long day trip. My dad was also very touched by going there and it was one of the more special experiences for him in Japan.
Preparing for the Trip
Things to book ahead of leaving home (most 30 days in advance)
- Flights into Tokyo and out of Osaka/Kyoto (you could also do roundtrip if it works better, just take the bullet train back to Tokyo)
- Awesome VRBOs, Ryokans, Hotels (these book up quickly)
- JR Rail pass – only if you’re taking at least 2 train trips, like Tokyo to Kyoto and back. This is different than a subway pass, which you will also likely need.
- Team Labs experiential museum
- Food and drink tour in Ueno
- Cooking experiences- sushi, ramen, sweets, sake tasting, tea ceremony, etc
- Food tours in Tsukiji and Nishiki market
- Any restaurants that you have your eyes on- for our size family it was hard getting last minute drop in spots. Ninja restaurant in Tokyo is a good example.
- Day trips like Mt. Fuji from Tokyo
- Any animal cafes or cute cafes tend to open bookings 30 days in advance
- Amazing theme parks like Disney , Universal Studio for Super Mario land and Harry Potter Warner Bros , Sanrio for cuteness overload, Legoland.
Resources to get excited for the trip
See more about why you should “do homework” for the trip!
Books
- Honeybunny the Unipuppy Visits Japan, our book that gets kids excited for the trip ahead, eating new foods, visiting temples, and journaling on the trip. More on Honeybunny here.
- Tokyo coffee table book
- Lonely planet Japan
- Japan coffee table book
- “Pachinko” by Min Jin Lee – the book is fantastic and there is a show now too
- Memoirs of a Geisha is a wonderful book that really helps get deeper into the Geisha history, and appreciate the art. The movie was ok and not true to the book, but still worth a watch.
- Pure Invention a fascinating read through how Japanese Pop culture changed the world (hello videogames, walkmans, karaoke!)
Language learning
Movies/Shows
There is endless content that takes place in Japan! Here are just some highlights
Kids
- Anything Studio Ghibli, like “My Neighbor Totoro,” “Spirited Away”
- “Old Enough!” a reality TV show that follows Japanese little kids while they run errands
- Anime of course!
- Spy Family is the cutestPokemon, Narturo Shippuden probably the most famous and not as violent as the others
PG 13 +
- Anime:
- We liked Demon Slayer for parents and older kids (it’s pretty violent, but has good family themes- definitely not for little ones)
- “Tokyo Vice” (for adults, HBO)
- Tokyo Drift not the best Fast and the Furious, but entertaining nonetheless. My 12 year old is super into it
- Shoplifters
- First Love
- Memoirs of a Geisha
- 13 Assassins
Other buys
- Training chopsticks (get your kids used to chopsticks! We found ourselves without forks many times )
- Japan puzzle (fun activity before you leave)
- Tokyo Treat. One fun way to prep for the trip was through a subscription box through Tokyo Treat. It was a great way to get used to new tastes and also get excited for the trip ahead. It’s also a fun box to get after your trip to reminisce.
- Anime drawing class this was a fun activity for the kids over zoom, and I’ve also given this as a gift for friends that are far away as an activity to do together. Get $20 off here
Packing
Note that space in Japan is generally pretty tight, which means it was extra important to go carry-on only (see more on the philosophy here). Those carry-ons should be top open, not the hard ones that open like a book because that takes more space.
Travel and Luggage
- Aloha waterproof tote – this is a go to purse for me
- Compression cubes – keeping organized, so kids aren’t throwing their entire suitcase out on the floor
- Backpack that could be a weekend getaway bag it fits so much
- Carryon
- Toiletry hanging bag
- Waterproof pouch – good for so many things, including the kids toiletries
- Backpack kids
- Portable charger
- Kids wallet (So many coins and cash in Japan)
- Plug adapter (US to Japan) I would bring at least 2 for 6 people
- Shrink bag for bulky things (a must for keeping a carryon only)
- Portable charger
- Toothbrush holder
Flight Accessories
- Neck pillow
- Over the ear headphones for plane (because they’re comfy for long rides)
- Airpods
- Eye mask
- Inflatable sleeping pillow
- Melatonin kids (because that jet lag is a B)
- Melatonin adults (see above)
- Kindle
Clothing Essentials
- Wool leggings or joggers (not itchy and stink resistant! a GAME CHANGER for light travel)
- Travel dress (soft, has pockets, stink resistant- I took this dress on a 5 week trip without having to wash it). More on my love for merino wool here.
- Eurosoft sandals
- Nike tennis shoes (very versatile, held up really well, though not as cushiony as Nike Roshes
- Wool socks (wool will keep you warm, dry, and stink free)
- Packable sunhat
Pro Tips for an Unforgettable Journey
- Carry Cash: Japan is predominantly a cash society. This is surprise given how much we assume Japan is technologically advanced, but there were several times we got stuck at a dinner bill
- Coin Wallet: You’ll accumulate a lot of coins. A coin purse can be a lifesaver.
- Chopstick Skills: Brush up on your chopstick skills to fully enjoy Japan’s culinary delights. Here are the Training chopsticks we used with the kiddos
- Footwear: You’ll be walking a ton but also taking your shoes off a good amount. Opt for comfy and easily slip-off shoes as you’ll be required to remove them at certain places. Make sure you have socks that are clean and hole free. If you’re wearing sandals, bring socks.
- Onsens: These are gender separated and clothing free baths. It’s a fun experience, but not for everyone. And depending on your gender breakout of your family, it might not be an option.
- Waste: Coming from California, I was a little shocked by how much waste there was in individually wrapping food and well, anything. No tips here, just be prepared.
- Trains and Subways are amazingly timely and smooth in Japan. I would not recommend renting a car given the signage, traffic, and driving on the left side of the road. If you are taking at least 2 train trips (like Tokyo to Kyoto and return) buy here. Note this is different than a subway ticket (which you will also want to buy). When you get the JR pass, you will still have to take the proof of purchase to a train station so they can see your passport and plane tickets. Then you still need to reserve the actual seats on the train, which you can do at the office or on a machine. You won’t be able to do it before you are in Japan. And busy times like spring break the bullet trains will book up, so make sure you do that on day 1 or 2 of your trip.
Final Thoughts
With a blend of cultural experiences and modern attractions, this 10-day itinerary is perfect for families looking to explore Tokyo and Kyoto. So pack your bags and get ready for an adventure of a lifetime!
We’d love to hear from you! Have you ever been to Japan? What tips would you offer to families planning a trip? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
