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Holidays

Use our Travel forum for recommendations on everything from day trips to the best family-friendly holiday destinations.

Anyone done a self-organised family holiday to Japan. All tips welcome!

32 replies

Saucisses · 30/09/2024 19:01

We've finally bitten the bullet (train) and booked flights to Tokyo in April. I can't wait, we've wanted to visit for years. We have twelve nights in Japan.

It will be me, DH, DD16 and DS13. We are pretty well travelled and have never used an agent to organise a tour. Has anyone travelled independently in Japan?

Where would people recommend for a family to visit? Obviously, a few days in Tokyo, I'm keen to visit Kyoto, ride the bullet train, get into the countryside, would love to do a family stay and of course bask in cherry blossom. DS loves anime, especially One Piece and has been fascinated by masks since babyhood. They both love Japanese food.

One slight concern I have is that DS has severe dyspraxia. Despite being 13 he is only just able to use a fork (not a knife) and cannot use chopsticks. Is this likely to be a problem or attract unwanted attention?

Our budget is 15k (BA flights already sorted.) Any hints, tips and recommendations would be amazing.

OP posts:
PosiePerkinPootleFlump · 30/09/2024 19:05

Shamelessly placemarking as considering doing the same!

FeltCarrot · 30/09/2024 19:13

We did it in March, just missed the cherry blossom as it was so cold it snowed when we were in Kyoto!

We flew in to Tokyo and had a few days there, did Akiabara, Shibuya, Ueno, Ghibli museum ( DS had to stay up until the early hours to get tickets).

We used the Shinkansen to travel around and used a luggage transfer company to transfer luggage from Tokyo to Kyoto whilst we took hand luggage to Hiroshima.

Travel is easy, trains run frequently although the stations are absolutely massive, we used the bus quite a lot around Kyoto, save up your coins for bus fares!

Spent a day at Universal Studios and bought fast pass tickets with timed entry to Nintendo world. Expensive but worth it. The Mario cafe is fun.

Flew home from Osaka.

FeltCarrot · 30/09/2024 19:15

If you search Japan in the Holidays topic you will find quite a few recent threads that you will find helpful.

josa · 30/09/2024 19:16

Looking to do the same so following with interest

Takoneko · 30/09/2024 20:28

You may find this thread helpful.

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/holidays/5152514-japan-planning-thread?latest=1

I don’t think you’ll find not being able to use chopsticks a huge barrier. If in doubt, go to Japanese curry restaurants. Curry rice is eaten with a spoon. We had people in our group who weren’t great with chopsticks and most places offered a fork when they noticed.

Japan planning thread | Mumsnet

I’ve just booked the hotels for my third trip to Japan next year and about to start planning the itinerary in earnest. Japan threads pop up here qui...

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/holidays/5152514-japan-planning-thread?latest=1

Takoneko · 30/09/2024 20:49

To answer your OP, I really don’t think you need a tour company nowadays. Japan is not difficult to navigate and your budget should stretch pretty far in Japan.

Chewbecca · 30/09/2024 20:50

Nigiri are traditionally eaten with fingers too!
Or go to the private restaurants where you sit in your own little booth.

theeyeofdoe · 30/09/2024 20:53

Have you tried making the chopsticks easier to use by tying an elastic band around them?

I’d recommend joining one of the Facebook groups too.

Saucisses · 30/09/2024 21:28

Thanks so much. I'll have a look for other threads but there's already lots of helpful information here to be going on with.

@theeyeofdoe we've had pairs of rookie chopsticks before, and tried the elastic band trick too bit I think we are a while off!

OP posts:
elspethmcgillicudddy · 30/09/2024 21:31

We went in 2019. Hired a car and drove round. Got air bnbs. It was really easy- much like going anywhere else.

ProfessorLayton1 · 30/09/2024 22:20

We did it this year and was really easy to plan. We did Tokyo, Takayama, Kyoto, Hiroshima and Miyagima. Good luck planning.

SonicTheHodgeheg · 30/09/2024 22:22

Restaurants won’t be surprised by a foreigner asking for a spoon or fork.

hattie43 · 30/09/2024 22:31

PosiePerkinPootleFlump · 30/09/2024 19:05

Shamelessly placemarking as considering doing the same!

Me too

HighlandsExpat · 07/10/2024 05:07

Just back from Japan (as in, yesterday!). Went for two weeks with DH and DD (10). Here is some information I wanted to include that I haven't seen posted everywhere...

You don't need a tour company - save your money! Japan is insanely easy to navigate around and you don't need any specialist knowledge to book things or research activities. I'd also avoid Klook and similar services as you can very easily book your own tickets to things if you have a bit of patience navigating Japanese websites (Google Chrome will automatically translate the sites if they don't have an English option). Having someone book your tickets to attractions or the train is just a waste of money.

We flew in and out of Tokyo Narita. Two nights in Tokyo, five nights in Kyoto, two nights in Hiroshima and then five nights in Tokyo. This is a very "beginner" itinerary but was a good introduction for future trips. While the Shinkansen (bullet train) is fast and efficient (you can show up to the station five minutes before it leaves), the travel days are still draining due to the crowded stations and the humidity/heat (less of an issue in April, I imagine?).

Japan has embraced credit cards (they didn't prior to the pandemic) but the transit system and some smaller restaurants and shops are cash only. 7/11 ATMs can be used with your bank card for withdrawals.

Highly recommend keeping a list of things you'd like to do versus having an hour by hour, or even day by day, itinerary. You won't get to everything on your list and that's perfectly fine - half the pleasure is just strolling around and immersing yourself in Japanese life. Sometimes places are more crowded that expected or not as interesting as they are hyped up to be so being flexible is key.

The metro in major cities is easy to use - just input your destination into Google Maps and it will tell you the fare, the platforms to take and the exits to take. That information is very helpful as without it, you can easily get lost in the stations as they are large and confusing.

The Japanese are incredibly friendly. Please, for the love of God, learn how to say "hello", "thank you" and "goodbye" in Japanese. It's common courtesy and goes a long way - people appreciate the effort and it's thoughtful as even as a foreigner, you are served in Japanese as many will not attempt English out of fear of not speaking it well.

We stayed in hotels the entire trip. Highly recommend finding hotels that offer breakfast as it's quite hard to find restaurants or cafes open before 10 a.m. in Japan. People rave about 7/11 food but it's a bit boring to have every day for breakfast. Breakfast places are expensive and full of tourists, anyways.

Eating out is quite cheap. Many nicer restaurants take reservations by phone - ask the hotel staff to do this for you. You can also show up when they open and arrange a reservation for the next day (we did this a few times just randomly walking by places). Restaurant food is cheap and flavourful. We downloaded the Google Translate app and would use that to interpret menus in real time. It's needed - a lot of places offer things like horse meat so you'll want to know what you are ordering.

Japanese people are very mindful of public behaviour. They speak softly in public spaces and are mindful of things like which direction to walk on the pavement. We tried to emulate this as they have to deal with a lot of tourists as they navigate everyday life. Be especially mindful at shrines and temples, especially the less popular ones. People are coming for spiritual engagement, prayer and meditation and a tourist taking selfies or having loud conversations really ruins the vibe of these sacred spaces and feels disrespectful. It's not a church but it's also not a playground for foreigners.

Explore booking some experiences on platforms like Viator or Airbnb experiences. We booked a Japanese archery lesson in Kyoto and a bike tour in Tokyo.

Happy to answer any questions but you will have a fab time planning your trip!

TheReturnofthePinkPanther · 07/10/2024 08:02

Hi, I went to Japan this past spring, and would recommend Hiroshima (with a side trip to Miyajima) and/or Kanazawa as additional cities to visit - both are really interesting and quite affordable compared to Tokyo and Kyoto.

Also, if you are flying through Narita, I would recommend staying near Ueno station in Tokyo. There is an express train called the Keisei Skyliner that runs from Narita to Ueno, which is really convenient after a long flight, and you can get around Tokyo quite easily starting from Ueno station. Ueno Park is also definitely worth a visit - it has cherry blossoms and some interesting museums.

TizerorFizz · 07/10/2024 08:16

We didn’t book ourselves but we had a 12 day itinerary. It included Tokyo, Kyoto (4 nights), Tsumago for walking the Nakasendo highway,, we stayed in the Hakone area and also visited Matsumoto castle. We used the Shinkansen and luggage forwarding. Japan trains can be short of luggage space. We also used the monorail and Enoden Line railway to get to Hase and Kamakura. That was a great day out from Tokyo and gives you a look at local life. Walking part of the Nakasendo highway gets you into the countryside too and Tsumago is beautiful. We stayed in a Ryokan there and in Hakone. So decide if you want to do this.

We didn’t do a theme park as in many ways Japan is a whole new world on its own. We found eating out relatively ok in terms of price. There are western food outlets if you need one. We did have pasta one night! Forks are available.

We decided not to go to Hiroshima. Just too far for a 12 day itinerary. You could add in Osaka. Kyoto might well have blossom in April so prepare for it to be ultra busy. We used buses there and it’s a truly memorable place. We stayed at the Hotel Mume there which we found exceptional. Your budget might cover this hotel if it’s available. Good luck planning.

Citygirlrurallife · 07/10/2024 08:22

We took 8&11yr olds DC a few years ago and they loved it so much we’re planning a return trip

my top tip of all time is get a Goodwill Guide. Google it and get in touch with the organization that covers your city and tell them your dates and they’ll put you in touch with a volunteer. These volunteers will email back and forth to Create a day with you based on what you want to see and do and it costs nothing - don’t even tip as tipping isn’t really a thing there. We had this amazing retiree gentleman (you want a retiree over a student as students use it to practise their English) who had lived in America for 7 years so his English was perfect. He met us at our Airbnb on the first day, taught us how to navigate the public transport, took us to neighbourhoods we wouldn’t have heard of and for lunch at an out of the way but excellent noodle bar, taught the kids history of Japan, answered all our questions about culture etc. we asked if we could bring him anything to show our thanks and he asked for one packet of Californian almonds! We emailed a lot prior to going so he knew what to show us and we’ve stayed in touch.

also our favourite place and thing we did was a night on Koya-San. It’s a mountain outside of Kyoto and you can only stay in Buddhist monasteries. They do night time tours of the cemetery, the most sacred place in Japan, you get a full Ryorkan meal and can take part in the early morning prayer ceremonies. Genuinely wonderful experience

our route was Tokyo (5 nights) Kyoto (2nights) Koya-San (1 night) Kyoto (2 nights) Miyajima (1 night - we opted to visit Hiroshima but stay on Miyajima) Hakone (1 night)

Citygirlrurallife · 07/10/2024 08:25

Sorry not Ryorkan, Shojin Ryori

we also used publish transport only and did a mix of airbnbs and Ryokans

Br1ghtMoons · 07/10/2024 08:39

Hello, I visit Japan often. You won’t have problems with forks in Japan. You could try family-style restaurants as well. It may be a good idea to pack a travel fork for him as well just in case, no one will bat an eye. Japanese are very kind and accommodating.

It is very easy to get around Japan, so I think it is not necessary to use a guided tour if you would like to plan it yourself.

Your budget is huge for Japan so you will be able to do everything you could hope for! For the countryside I recommend staying one or two nights in a traditional Japanese inn with an onsen (hot spring). You can book rooms that have your own private onsen. It is heaven on earth, I’m not even joking!! Your dinner and breakfast will blow you away. There’s nothing quite like this experience.

There are lots of options to choose from in terms of famous onsen towns, depending on what your preference is. Btw your children might enjoy Ginzan Onsen, famous inspiration place of Spirited Away! But it will be jam-packed with tourists so you can find a more relaxing experience elsewhere.

boymum1989 · 08/10/2024 10:35

We went in May and did a road trip around Izu - it's absolutely beautiful and a more relaxed take on Japan. You can also do it by train. There's an account on instagram, hangrybynature, who has great tips of places to visit

Citygirlrurallife · 08/10/2024 14:42

i love her stuff @boymum1989

HighlandsExpat · 08/10/2024 17:49

TheReturnofthePinkPanther · 07/10/2024 08:02

Hi, I went to Japan this past spring, and would recommend Hiroshima (with a side trip to Miyajima) and/or Kanazawa as additional cities to visit - both are really interesting and quite affordable compared to Tokyo and Kyoto.

Also, if you are flying through Narita, I would recommend staying near Ueno station in Tokyo. There is an express train called the Keisei Skyliner that runs from Narita to Ueno, which is really convenient after a long flight, and you can get around Tokyo quite easily starting from Ueno station. Ueno Park is also definitely worth a visit - it has cherry blossoms and some interesting museums.

Ueno is nice but not the only option for somewhere easy to reach from Narita. The Narita Express stops at Tokyo Station, Shinjuku, Shibuya and Shinagawa but for some reason it does not appear on Google Maps. We stayed right near Tokyo Station for two nights and it was wonderful for getting to other parts of Tokyo and also being near Ginza and the Imperial Palace.

Takoneko · 08/10/2024 18:05

HighlandsExpat · 08/10/2024 17:49

Ueno is nice but not the only option for somewhere easy to reach from Narita. The Narita Express stops at Tokyo Station, Shinjuku, Shibuya and Shinagawa but for some reason it does not appear on Google Maps. We stayed right near Tokyo Station for two nights and it was wonderful for getting to other parts of Tokyo and also being near Ginza and the Imperial Palace.

I’m also a big fan of the area around Ginza and Tokyo station. There’s so many different transit lines running through that area, which makes it really convenient.

HighlandsExpat · 08/10/2024 18:19

I agree, @Takoneko. Tokyo Station is ideally located for getting to all the spots in Tokyo and I found it less hectic and touristy than Shinjuku and Asakusa and other more popular places. It seems like it's just office buildings but there are tons of hotels and restaurants on the side streets. I loved walking over to the Imperial Palace early in the morning. We will definitely base ourselves there on our next trip to Tokyo!

TheReturnofthePinkPanther · 08/10/2024 19:42

@HighlandsExpat Fair enough! Personally, I liked the Ueno area because it is less hectic than some of these other areas, and it was nice to walk around Ueno Park before/after spending time in a busier part of the city. But I suppose it depends on how comfortable you are with crowds.