Family trip to japan

[Climbles]

We are planning a trip to Japan for 14 days in October. My DH, DD (12) and DS (9).
We are flying in and out of Tokyo. Any recommendations for places to go, hotels to stay at etc?

We keep flip flopping about whether to go next October or wait. Kids will be 8.5 and 6.5 if we go next October. There’s obviously so much we can do in Europe, for cheaper, I can see the logic of waiting a few more years before doing long haul with kids so they remember it. But DH so desperate to go so am very tempted to go for it, telling ourselves we could always save and go again in 7 years or so if they are keen to experience it again as teens. Do we think 2 weeks is long enough?

We have just booked our flights to go next March! I’m hoping to see the cherry blossom somewhere.
No hotels booked yet, we are going to plan an itinerary that will give us an idea of how many days to spend in each place but have a rough idea of 5 days in Tokyo, 1 near Mt Fuji, bullet train to Hiroshima and then up to Osaka/Kyoto.

We were in Japan last month and are already plotting a return trip. It was everything we wanted from a holiday and we plan to spend more time in Kyoto and Tokyo next time. We had no problems booking anything from tours to trains and there were some great excursions on Klook.

We are spending 9 nights in Japan next summer, how many nights should we do in Tokyo and Kyoto. We would like to do day ttips to other near by places from those cities.

Thinking 4 Tokyo 5 Kyoto? But not sure what things there are to see and do.

Matilda - We’re in Tokyo right now, though we go most years as I have family there, so less of a holiday. Currently doing lots of teenage girl shopping, which is hard work. It’s hot but bearable as there is a little cloud, but make sure you’re ready for the heat if you go in July / August…

I’d say it depends a lot on what sort of things you want to do, but a few suggestions below:

Tokyo - 4 nights - see the imperial palace, Asakusa, fish market, and a day shopping such as Harajuku etc. Buy some good Japanese knives in Kappabashi St near Ueno.

Kyoto - 2 nights - kyomizu dera, and a day just wandering around and taking the atmosphere.

Nara - 1 night - go to todaiji and the deer park, but be prepared to get nibbled.

Go to a hot spring resort for a night. I’d suggest Kusatsu or Ikaho in gunma as they’re relatively accessible from Tokyo, and Kusatsu in particular is quite unique.

We did 2 weeks in Japan with 2 days in Osaka, 1 in Nara, 2.5 in Kyoto and the remainder in Tokyo. Osaka was (for us) underwhelming or we were too jet lagged to deal with it and too many social media types photographing their food. It was peach, melon and cherry season and we sampled as much as we could. The ice creams (konbini - we refuse to queue for something beautiful hyped on Instagram in 35 degree heat) are delicious.

We like museums, gardens and doing quirky stuff just as much as having a couple of days to just wander, eat and appreciate smaller temples not in the guidebook. Tokyo had a couple of random pop up markets at the weekends selling vintage kimono and such. Though we also rummaged in the Book Off branches for secondhand clothes and collectibles. I now own a navy Hawaiian dress patterned with pineapples. Somebody must have mentioned the kitchen shops and we loved 3 Coins, useful home things. I had half a day in peace to browse in Loft and Tokyu Hands for stationery and bought many beautiful things. Branches of the post office also have pretty stationery and, oddly, Moomin merchandise. I did stationery shopping while partner went to Yokohama for the ramen museum and wasn’t hungry for the next day… . The Character Street shopping area for anime, Ghibli, Miffy, Harry Potter, Moomins and lots of others we couldn’t identify was fun to walk about in at Tokyo Station.

Of everything we preferred Nara for historical sites and wonderful craft shops, plus the quieter Gachapon shops to play in. The deer leave you alone if you aren’t carrying food. They know which tourists to target and they do push if you’ve bought the special biscuits you are allowed to buy and feed them.

For hotel chains we used Mercure and Daiwa Roynet. Both recommended.

Thank you, that’s very helpful

I've just booked for September 2024 and am hugely excited now reading this thread . I booked an all inclusive tour because I didn't know where to begin as Japan is totally new to me .

Who did you book with out of interest? I’m trying to summon the nerve .

Following with interest

@Nofixedabodewell

I went with riviera travel . They have great reviews and have been uber helpful .

We are on route to London today, flying from Heathrow tomorrow. Just realised DDs exam results are not on our first day in Tokyo but when we are mid-air 10 hour flight 😳Oh well, can’t be helped now…hopefully will have plane WiFi! Wish me luck 🍀

Best of luck @Peachy2005!!
I think its even more exciting to find out the results while on route to Japan, best of luck to your DD!
Have a great time on your trip and please let us know how did you get on whenever you come back. All the best. xx

Hey
we are off to Japan in October, doing a mini tour of Osaka, Tokyo and Kyoto.

Can anyone who has been recently or there shortly let me know about using Monzo. I know they tend to prefer cash but I’m unsure of changing before we go or just withdrawing when we are there.

thanks!

I’d take a decent amount of cash as it is essential for small purchases, e.g. snacks and other stuff under £20 or so, but otherwise UK visa credit cards are the way to go and accepted most places.

I will be getting a digital payment card on my iPhone to cover small purchases plus all the subways.

(And a small amount if cash for emergency)

We want to go one day but I'm scared about food as I'm medically restricted as to what I can eat and I don't speak Japanese. I hope you have an amazing time and see all sorts of things there.

We are going in March next year, travelling with one person with a regular diet, two vegetarians and one person with a medically restricted complex diet.

I've found Duolingo surprisingly good in grasping some basic Japanese, and there are websites you can print cards with handy phrases about what you can and can't have in your diet to show people.

@DrCoconut You can find the cards that a PP mentioned here. https://foodallergycardjapan.com/

I have similarly found Duolingo pretty good for learning Japanese and I’ve got to a pretty decent level using it alongside a bit of textbook stuff and some online conversation practice.

I think you will find the Japanese food surprisingly accessible. Lots of rice, vegetables and chicken. It’s becoming more common to find vegan restaurants, I went to a great one in 2018, not sure if it’s still there, called Tipple. The convenience stores are amazing for food if you prefer to prepare at home to be sure of ingredients.

I have a suica from previous trips, I hope I can just top it up when I arrive otherwise I will purchase another one. Can’t wait 😌
Staying near Asakusa and the food on offer looks amazing

Useful app https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/japan-official-travel-app/id1230367186

Who did you book with? Would love to visit Japan but not a clue where to start and would prefer to have some sort of structured tour

@yesno124

Riviera travel

Inside Japan are supposed to be excellent .

They are amazing.