First world problems, Japan or Canada for family holiday?

[Fuckingfuckssake]

So we are finally in a position to be able to spend some proper(ish) money on a holiday, 5k probably, 2 adults and 1 child. Japan and Canada have always been the dream destinations, no a clue about either, any recommendations or advice please?

It is strange because I would say that Canada is the place where you have to pay a lot more for everything once you get there whereas Japan has always been doable on a tighter budget if you adapt your expectations.

I didn't find Canada too expensive at all, the the exchange rate is much better for the £ vs the US dollar (or it was last year).

Once you’re in Japan you can do it as cheaply or expensive as you want. It has something for everyone.
If you’re happy to go indirect I reckon 5k is totally doable.

Definitely need to double your budget, Canada has gone so expensive and Japan is notoriously expensive. Both stunning places but all depends on what you're most interested in seeing

I paid for a lot of mediocre stuff in Canada through gritted teeth. In japan, whatever your budget, it will all feel so much more worth paying for in comparison.

OP we are deciding between Japan and Canada too so following very closely!!

That wasn't my experience at all, having travelled through the US we found Canada much cheaper (East coast if that makes a difference) it was no different than the US in terms of spending as much or as little as wanting to.

Age of child? Been to a skiing holiday Japan with a 6 months old, hell on earth. Honestly. Until kids can go to skiing school it's really shit.

And that's flying business with the baby! Still hell, no one can persuade me otherwise

I don't know about that. 10 years ago Japan was ridiculously expensive. I remember paying about £10 for a coffee.
a really shit coffee.

Also the cigarette smell in Japan is intense! And everywhere. which is why I wore a face mask.

But anyway, still keen to go back 😊

Sorry but a skiing holiday with a 6-month-old baby would be hell wherever you go. Can't remember blame Japan for that.

I did Canada (Banff, Lake Louise, Sunshine Village) for 10 days and it was stunning. I remember it vividly and would love to go back with DD when she is older.

I went back in 2019 though, so I imagine costs have gone up significantly since then. We went end of Feb/March and did dog sledding, walks over frozen lakes, restaurant up Sulfur Mountain, snowboarding, Johnston canyon walks with two nights in a log cabin and the remaining nights in a one bed suite. All that came to 5k but we ate cheap while we were there for the most part, living off mcds and the local supermarket (not foodies).

If you can do it you won't regret it. The scenery almost looks fake it's that beautiful.

Sorry but a skiing holiday with a 6-month-old baby would be hell wherever you go. Can't remember blame Japan for that.

Agreed! Can't imagine what would possess someone to go half way across the world to ski with a 6 month old 🙈

It was Stupidity. Nativity. thinking 'it'll be fine'. well he screamed most of the nights, waking all other child free guests in the big house we rented.
I still shudder at that 'holiday'

*naivety

On that note does anyone recommend a good age to start taking kids skiing? Would love to go again (thinking 2.5 years old?) but scared to go at the 'wrong' age again.

How old is DC?

Lots of varied responses, DC is 10 and a breeze, can take them anywhere, we're used to travelling on a tight budget and I have a very boring job with lots of time on my hands for research so normally manage to keep costs down. Thanks for the all the comments.

I lived in Japan and I def would not go in summer the weather (specifically the humidity) is awful. The first summer I was there I arrived in May and we didn’t see the sun until septemebr it was just a hot grey mist.

UK Easter hols is your best bet if you’re stuck with school hols.

Great age to travel. Maybe price up and then decide?

Have you watched the most recent series of race across the world? My DH fancies Canada after watching that.

I think for the wow factor of somewhere completely culturally different and exciting for child and adults alike I would go to Japan (I have been to Tokyo and loved it!).

Having watch race across the world Canada looks lovely but it's so vast that I think it's hard to do it justice on a 2 week holiday where Japan is obvs so much smaller

When we went to Japan, the cheapest flights were Lufthansa via Munich/Frankfurt. Out with, as far as I can remember, Lufthansa then ANA yo Tokyo, Asiana from Tokyo to our planned stop off in Seoul on the way back, then Lufthansa home via Munich. So if you wanted some breaks en route, that might work out cheaper. I remember hotel accommodation being about £50 night in 2019 for Yokohama, Kagoshima etc.

If you want to travel around, I think you can only buy the Japan Rail Pass before you enter the country.

When was this though? Everything's changed enormously price wise

Just out of interest I've priced up some flights for next April, £2,400 for the 3 of us return with BA. Might be doable for not that much over our budget.

@StillWantingADog thanks so much for the advice, is late April early May a good time to go? My main concern is the weather and the crowds, how would I find out when the public holidays are there?