Field Notes, Entry No.01 日本旅行記

Japan is easier with kids than you think.

We know, the flights, the food, the language. We took our kids to Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka and Hakone and came home with the guides we wish we'd had before we left.

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Lyndsie and our two boys in front of the Romon Gate at Fushimi Inari Taisha shrine in Kyoto
Fushimi Inari, Kyoto Lyndsie + the boys
01
Self-planned, start to finish
02
No tour groups or travel agents
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Real family, two kids in tow
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Start here

Everything we learned, in one place

Eight planning guides covering flights, trains, food, where to stay and what it cost, all from one family's trip. No sign-up, nothing to hand over.

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II Every concern, answered honestly 心配

The worries parents ask about.

Here's the honest answer to each, written from the other side of the trip.

Matt & Lyndsie

Q.
“The flights are too long with young kids.”
Nine hours on a direct flight is easier than you think, with activity packs and the simple fact that Japan itself makes it worth every minute. On the flights
Q.
“My kids won't eat anything.”
Japan is, surprisingly, one of the best countries on earth for picky eaters. Ramen, tempura, yakitori, udon, kids almost universally love Japanese food. On the food
Q.
“We won't be able to communicate.”
Google Translate’s camera mode handles most menus, most major attractions have English signage, and the Japanese are extraordinarily patient and helpful with foreign families. On the language
Q.
“Temples and shrines will bore the kids.”
Japan has deer parks, bullet trains, Studio Ghibli and Nintendo World. The temples become the calm bits between the magic. On bored kids
III Destinations we know and love 目的地

Six places we’d actually take our kids back to.

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More on the way for Hiroshima & Miyajima and Okinawa.

IV Two weeks in Japan with kids 旅程

Two weeks in Japan, the short version.

This is the shape of the route we actually walked, trimmed to fourteen days. Five stops, two of them day trips, done with an eight and a ten year old. The full day-by-day, why it runs this way and what we would change is on the itinerary page.

See the full route →
  1. Days 1 to 5 Osaka 大阪

    Land and plan nothing. The castle and the playground in its grounds, Dōtonbori after dark, the aquarium built as a walk down and around the tanks, and one full day at Universal Studios.

  2. Day 3 Nara 奈良

    A day trip out of Osaka for the Great Buddha and the deer, which are bolder than you expect. One of them bit Matt.

  3. Days 6 to 9 Kyoto 京都

    The Golden Pavilion, the bamboo grove, the monkey park across the river, Fushimi Inari and Nishiki Market. Plus one slow day after the kids hit a wall.

  4. Days 10 to 12 Odawara and Hakone 箱根

    Based down in Odawara rather than up the mountain. The Hakone loop in a single day, taking in the Open Air Museum, the cable car, the ropeway over the volcanic peaks and the pirate ship across the lake.

  5. Days 12 to 14 Tokyo 東京

    teamLab Planets, which you have to book ahead, then Shibuya and Harajuku, or Akihabara if you have a gamer in the family. Then home.

V Everything you need before you book 計画

The guides we’d read first.

VI Your kids will love Japanese food 食事

For the kids who “don’t eat anything.”

Japan is one of the best countries in the world for children who supposedly won’t eat a thing. Here’s exactly why.

See everything we actually ate →
Our family at a sushi making class in Shibuya Tokyo with homemade rolls in front of us
A sushi-making class in Shibuya. Everyone really enjoyed it.
Ramen is universally loved
Mild chicken ramen, gyoza, rice bowls, simple, delicious and endlessly available.
Convenience stores are parent savers
7-Eleven and FamilyMart stock onigiri, sandwiches, hot snacks and drinks. Your fallback for fussy days is always 50 metres away.
Street food is the best part
Takoyaki, crepes, taiyaki fish waffles, markets and food streets are highlights for kids, not obstacles.
Menus have pictures
Most restaurants use plastic food models or picture menus. Ordering with zero Japanese is entirely manageable.
VII Japan rewards the well-timed trip 季節

When to go, honestly assessed.

春 Mar to May

Spring

Cherry blossom season, the most magical time to visit, when parks become pink wonderlands. Book 6+ months ahead.

Best for families
夏 Jun to Aug

Summer

Hot and humid, but festivals everywhere. Fireworks, Obon dancing, summer matsuri. Kids love it despite the heat.

Good with preparation
秋 Sep to Nov

Autumn

Crimson maple leaves, fewer crowds than spring, and milder days as the season goes on. September can still be very hot, so plan for heat early in the season.

Best for families
冬 Dec to Feb

Winter

Cold but clear, Mt. Fuji views are sharpest. Christmas lights, ski resorts in Hokkaido, fewer tourists everywhere.

Right family only
Our family dressed up as samurai and ninjas at the Kyoto Samurai and Ninja Museum garden
The family behind the guide

We’ve been where you’re going.

We’re Matt and Lyndsie, with our two boys, Darrell and Ernie, and every trip on this site is one we planned and paid for ourselves. No tour groups, no agents, no sponsored posts. Just the honest guide we wish we’d had.

Read our story →
Where we actually slept

The places we actually stayed in.

Mostly self-contained apartments, with the odd hotel. Some links are affiliate, which keeps the site free. It never changes what we recommend.

Where to stay with kids → Plan the rest of the trip →
Where to start

Plan it the way we would.

We planned this trip ourselves, paid for it ourselves, and wrote down what worked and what did not. All of it is on the site, free, with nothing to sign up for.

  • Where to go, and how long to give each place
  • What to book ahead, and what to skip
  • Getting around with kids, without the guesswork
  • What it actually cost us
案内

The planning guides

Flights, trains, money, food, insurance and where to stay. Written after the trip, not before it.

Read the guides → Browse destinations