A real account of a one-month, five-base-camp family trip across Japan with two school-age kids. What we booked, what surprised us, what we'd tell a first-timer before they go.
30Days
5Base camps
8Cities
2 kidsTravellers
About Japan
One month, five base camps, eight cities. This guide is a real account of that trip — Tokyo (twice, bookending the month), Osaka as the ten-night hub for Kyoto/Nara/Kobe day trips, Hiroshima, and Hakone — plus everything a first-timer needs that isn’t specific to any one stop: entry requirements, money, etiquette, language, and how the whole transit system actually works. It’s written to be useful whether you’re copying the itinerary outright or just borrowing the parts that fit your own trip.
The Don’t-Skip List
A month gives you room to be picky. If your trip is shorter than ours, these are the five things across the whole month we’d tell you not to cut.
Miyajima Island
Don’t skip this. The day trip from Hiroshima was one of the best of the whole month
Kobe Suma Sea World
Don’t skip this, even with the 90-minute train ride. See the Kobe section — the aquarium beyond the orcas was as good as the orcas themselves
The Insect Expo at Tokyo Skytree
Don’t skip this if it’s running when you visit — holding the beetles was a genuine highlight for the kids, not just a filler add-on to the observation deck ticket
teamLab (Borderless or Planets)
Don’t skip this. The best immersive art experiences we’ve tried anywhere — see the Tokyo section for the full take
Yukata dress-up & photo shoot
Don’t skip this. Worth doing once, even with the imperfect photos — see Yumeyakata Kimono in the Kyoto section
Entry Requirements
Good news for US travelers: this is genuinely simple. Here’s exactly what’s required, as of 2026.
Do you need a visa?
No — US citizens are visa-exempt for tourism, short business trips, and visiting family/friends, for stays up to 90 days
This covers over 70 countries total, including the US, UK, Canada, Australia, and most of the EU
Visa-free entry doesn’t guarantee admission — the immigration officer at the airport makes the final call, so have your return ticket and accommodation details ready if asked
Passport
Japan officially only requires your passport to be valid for the duration of your stay — no 6-month rule like some countries
That said, many airlines enforce their own 6-month-validity policy and can deny boarding over it, so check with your carrier and renew early if you’re close to that window
You need at least one fully blank page for the entry stamp
A damaged, water-stained, or peeling passport can cause problems at immigration — get a new one if yours is rough
Before you land
Register on Visit Japan Web ahead of time — it generates the immigration and customs QR codes that speed up the airport process significantly (see Before You Go)
Have proof of onward/return travel — airlines can ask before they’ll issue a boarding pass
Travel insurance isn’t legally required for entry, but strongly worth having given how expensive Japanese healthcare can be out of pocket
Once you’re there
Visa-exempt entry grants “Temporary Visitor” status for up to 90 days, starting the day you actually land — not the day you booked
This status doesn’t allow paid work or long-term study
A US green card (permanent residency) does not grant visa-free entry on its own — it depends on your actual citizenship, not your US residency status
Money & Payments
Japan has a reputation as cash-only. That’s outdated, but not entirely wrong — the truth is a mix, and the easiest approach is cards for most things, cash as a buffer, IC card for everything in between.
The real picture
Card acceptance has improved a lot — hotels, department stores, chain restaurants, and convenience stores all take Visa and Mastercard reliably
What still needs cash: small ramen counters, neighborhood izakaya, shrine and temple donation boxes, coin lockers, and some rural buses and taxis
Carry roughly ¥15,000–20,000 per person at any given time — enough to never be caught out, not so much you’re hauling a stack of bills
Visa and Mastercard are accepted almost everywhere that takes cards at all. JCB is a solid backup. American Express and Diners are noticeably patchier outside big chains
IC cards (Suica / Pasmo)
Beyond train gates, these tap-to-pay at convenience stores, vending machines, station kiosks, and a long list of chain shops — genuinely the fastest way to pay for anything small
If you have a recent iPhone or an NFC Android phone, you can add a digital Suica or Pasmo to your phone’s wallet in a few minutes and top it up with a foreign card — no need to track down a physical card or the machine that sells them
See the Welcome Suica Card entry in Before You Go for the kids’-fare version we actually used
ATMs
7-Eleven (Seven Bank) ATMs are the most reliable for foreign cards — English menu, accepts Visa, Mastercard, Maestro, Cirrus, and runs 24/7. This matches what worked for us — see Money in Before You Go
Lawson and FamilyMart ATMs also take foreign cards, with a somewhat lower success rate — if one machine declines you, try a different chain before assuming your card doesn’t work here at all
Most bank ATMs (not the convenience-store ones) do not reliably take foreign cards
Expect a foreign-transaction fee from your own bank on top of whatever the Japanese ATM charges
Tax-free shopping
Non-resident tourists can buy goods tax-free (skip the 10% consumption tax) at any store displaying a “Tax Free” sign — department stores, electronics chains like Bic Camera and Yodobashi, drugstores, and many souvenir shops
Minimum purchase is ¥5,000 (before tax) in a single store on a single day. Bring your passport — it’s required at checkout
Consumables (food, cosmetics) bought tax-free must leave the country unopened
The system is changing from Nov 1, 2026: instead of skipping the tax at checkout, you’ll pay the full tax-inclusive price and apply for a refund before departure. If you’re traveling after that date, plan for the refund process rather than an instant discount
Tipping
There is no tipping culture in Japan — not at restaurants, not for taxis, not for hotel staff or tour guides
Leaving money on the table doesn’t read as generous, it reads as confusing — staff have been known to chase travelers down to return what they assume was forgotten change
The one common exception is a small, folded cash gift in an envelope for a private tour guide or ryokan housekeeper — never handed over loose
Etiquette Basics
Nobody will yell at you for getting these wrong — Japanese culture is famously forgiving of tourist mistakes. But knowing them ahead of time means you spend less energy watching what everyone else is doing.
On trains
No phone calls, ever. Put your phone on silent (called “manner mode” locally)
Keep conversation quiet — trains are treated as shared quiet space, not a place to chat loudly
Eating and drinking is frowned on on local/commuter trains, but completely normal on the Shinkansen and other long-distance reserved trains — see Riding the Shinkansen
Queue in the marked lines on the platform and let people off before boarding
Shoes & indoor spaces
Remove your shoes at the entrance of homes, ryokan, some restaurants, and temple interiors — look for a shoe rack or a step up onto a different floor level as the cue
Slippers are usually provided; there’s often a separate pair just for the toilet — swap into those at the bathroom door and swap back out before rejoining the room. Forgetting this is the classic tourist slip-up
Wear socks without holes on days you know you’ll be taking shoes off — you will end up doing this more than you’d expect
Trash
Public trash cans are genuinely rare, yet the streets stay remarkably clean — the local habit is to carry your trash until you’re back at a hotel or find a konbini bin
Keep a small bag in your day pack for wrappers and empty bottles
Shrines & temples
Purify your hands (and traditionally your mouth) at the water basin (temizuya) near the entrance before approaching
Shrine prayer: toss a coin in the offering box, bow twice, clap twice, make your silent prayer, bow once more
Temple prayer is quieter — palms together, no clapping
Photography is often restricted inside main halls — look for signage or just watch what other visitors are doing
Stay quiet and respectful inside, even though the grounds outside are often lively
Onsen & public baths
Wash thoroughly at the shower stations before entering the bath — this isn’t optional, it’s the whole point of the ritual
No swimsuits in a traditional public onsen; a private in-room onsen (like the one we used in Hakone) is a different story and doesn’t carry this rule the same way
Long hair gets tied up so it doesn’t touch the water
Tattoos are traditionally banned at many onsen due to old associations with organized crime, though this is loosening — some venues allow a cover patch, others offer tattoo-friendly hours, and private baths sidestep the issue entirely. Worth checking a venue’s English website in advance if this applies to you
Dining
Don’t stand chopsticks upright in a bowl of rice, and don’t pass food chopstick-to-chopstick — both echo funeral rituals and are the two genuine taboos worth knowing
Slurping noodles is totally fine, even encouraged
At the register, place your money in the small tray provided rather than handing it directly to the cashier
No tipping — see Money & Payments
Language & Communication
You don’t need fluency. You need about a dozen words used consistently, plus a translation app for everything else. Major cities and tourist sites have English signage; smaller towns and family-run spots often don’t.
The essentials
Sumimasen (すみません) — excuse me / sorry / how to get someone’s attention. The single most useful word in the language for a traveler
Arigatou gozaimasu (ありがとうございます) — thank you. “Arigatou” alone is a fine, slightly more casual version
Onegaishimasu (お願いします) — please / a polite request, tack it onto almost anything
Kudasai (ください) — please give me — use with an item: “kore o kudasai” (this, please)
Ikura desu ka? (いくらですか) — how much is it?
Eigo no menyuu wa arimasu ka? (英語のメニューはありますか) — do you have an English menu?
Toire wa doko desu ka? (トイレはどこですか) — where is the bathroom?
Hai / Iie — yes / no
Apps that carry the rest
Google Translate’s camera mode — point it at a menu, package, or sign and it overlays a live translation. We used this constantly, see Navigation in Before You Go
Google Maps’ station-level accuracy for trains is genuinely reliable — trust it down to the platform number
It’s not considered rude to speak English — most people in tourist areas and businesses have at least basic English. The courtesy is to open with a few Japanese words first, then switch
What to expect
English signage is strong at major stations, tourist sites, and chain restaurants
It thins out fast in smaller towns, family-run restaurants, and rural areas — this is where the translation app earns its keep
You do not need to learn hiragana, katakana, or kanji for a trip like this — station names and menus almost always have a romanized version alongside
Konbini
You’ll see 7-Eleven, FamilyMart, and Lawson signs constantly throughout this guide — they came up in nearly every city. They deserve their own explanation, because “convenience store” undersells what they actually do.
Not what the name suggests
A konbini is a 24/7 institution — genuinely more like a bank branch, post office, and quality-controlled restaurant sharing one small footprint than the gas-station shelf the English term implies
7-Eleven, FamilyMart, and Lawson are the three you’ll actually see; they’re interchangeable for daily use, each with a couple of signature items — 7-Eleven’s egg sandwich, FamilyMart’s famichiki fried chicken, Lawson’s Karaage-kun
What you can actually do there
Withdraw cash — 7-Eleven’s Seven Bank ATM is the most reliable for foreign cards (see Money & Payments)
Pay utility, phone, and tax bills in cash at the register — just hand over the paper bill with its barcode
Print or scan documents — every konbini has a multifunction printer, useful for a boarding pass or a form you need on paper
Pick up tickets — many event, concert, and theme-park tickets in Japan are sold through konbini kiosks (Loppi at Lawson, FamiPort at FamilyMart) rather than sent directly online. Have your reservation code ready
Ship a package — Yamato and Sagawa both have drop-off points at most locations, usually next-day delivery nationwide
Why it matters for families specifically
Genuinely good, cheap hot food at any hour — onigiri, fried chicken, bento boxes — which makes it a reliable fallback when kids won’t eat the adventurous option. See the “Have backups” card in With Kids
Air conditioning strong enough to double as a heat-break stop — see Beating the Heat
Both IC cards and credit cards work at the register for anything you’re buying (though bill payment specifically is usually cash-only)
Fit 5 check-in bags, 2 carry-ons, and 2 umbrella strollers without issue
July weather
Very hot and humid — frequent popsicle/snack breaks between stops
Biore cooling spray and cooling wipes, found at any drugstore
Neck fans and a sun umbrella both helped
In hindsight: try cooling neck rings
Money
Capital One debit card — no foreign transaction fees
Withdrew 50,000 JPY at a time from 7-Eleven ATMs
No issues with the card or with withdrawals
Navigation
Google Maps + Google Translate were the only apps needed
Correct on which platform side to stand on
Big stations connected to malls (e.g., under Skytree) took extra time to find the right connecting train
Translate’s camera mode was used to read product labels
Drugstore staples
7-Eleven / Lawson
Coca-Cola Plus (white label) and Fibi-Mini (small pink glass bottles) — for the veggie gap
Vitamin C chewy candies, marked with a big “C” — many brands
Cough drops recommended by a cashier — tasted more like candy than medicine
Pokémon GO
Huge in Japan — easy to jump into raids with strangers
Community Days were a highlight
Trains, Luggage & Passes
The part of the trip that takes the most planning and gets written about the least. With five bags, two carry-ons, and two strollers, moving between cities was the single hardest logistical problem of the month.
The oversized luggage rule — read this first
Tokaido, Sanyo, Kyushu & Nishi-Kyushu Shinkansen
Since May 2020, any bag whose three dimensions add up to more than 160 cm needs a reserved “seat with oversized baggage area.” Boarding without one is a ¥1,000 penalty per bag
The reservation itself is free — you just have to make it. Most standard large check-in suitcases sit right at 157–158 cm, so they squeak under; anything larger does not
Nothing over 250 cm total is allowed on board at all
Strollers, sports gear, and instruments are exempt from the rule, though you can still reserve space for them
Measure with wheels and handles included — there are measuring frames near the Shinkansen gates
This is the real reason luggage forwarding is worth $20 a bag. Forwarding the big suitcases ahead means you board with only what fits overhead, and skip the reservation problem entirely
The inter-city legs we actually rode
Tokyo → Shin-Osaka: about 2.5 hrs on the Nozomi, 3 hrs on the Hikari. Trains leave roughly every 15 minutes
Shin-Osaka → Hiroshima: about 1.5 hrs on the Nozomi
Hiroshima → Tokyo direct: just under 4 hrs on the Nozomi; about 5 hrs if you transfer at Shin-Osaka instead
For Hakone: take the Shinkansen to Odawara, then the Hakone Tozan Railway in. From Tokyo Station that’s roughly 50 minutes total
Buy at a manned counter rather than in an app — see the Smart EX warning in Before You Go
Day trips from the Osaka base
Kyoto — about 15 min by Shinkansen, or ~30 min on regular lines
Nara — roughly 45 min
Kobe (Suma Sea World) — about 1.5 hrs
All are comfortable same-day round trips, which is what made the 10-night Osaka stay work
Do you need a JR Pass?
Probably not, and this surprises people. After the 2023 price hike the nationwide pass runs ¥50,000 for 7 days / ¥80,000 for 14
It only breaks even if you’re stringing several long-distance legs into a short window. A Tokyo–Kyoto–Osaka loop, or a single long round trip, is cheaper on individual tickets
The pass also doesn’t cover the fastest Nozomi and Mizuho trains without a surcharge — you’d be on the slower Hikari or transferring at Shin-Osaka
For a base-camp itinerary like ours, with long stays and only four inter-city moves, point-to-point tickets won easily
Kids 6–11 ride at half fare; under 6 ride free on a lap. Regional passes (JR West, Kansai Wide) are often the better buy if you want a pass at all
Hakone Free Pass — the one pass that did pay off
Covers the Tozan railway, cable car, ropeway, Lake Ashi pirate cruise, and designated buses, plus discounts at 70+ local museums and onsen
Riding the full Hakone loop à la carte runs past ¥8,000, so the pass clears its own cost in a single day
Sold in 2-day and 3-day versions; buying from Odawara is cheaper but excludes the Tokyo connection
Watch out: other bus companies operate in the area and don’t accept it — this caused us real confusion
The Romancecar limited express to/from Shinjuku is not included; it’s a ~¥1,200 seat surcharge on top
Riding the Shinkansen
It looks intimidating from the outside and turns out to be one of the easiest things about travelling in Japan. Here’s the whole process, in order, including the two parts that actually trip people up.
1 · Buy the ticket
Go to a manned ticket counter (midori no madoguchi) rather than an app. We tried Smart EX, it crashed mid-purchase, and the refund took days
Tell them your destination, date, rough time, and how many adults and children. They’ll print everything
Ask for a reserved seat (指定席 shiteiseki) if you’re travelling as a family — unreserved cars are first-come, first-served and you may end up standing or split up
This is the moment to also ask for an oversized-baggage seat if any bag exceeds 160 cm total — see Getting Around
2 · Understand what you’re holding
A Shinkansen fare is actually two tickets: a base fare ticket and a limited express supplement. Sometimes they’re combined onto one slip, sometimes they’re two separate slips
If you have two slips, insert them into the gate together, stacked. This is the single most common point of confusion
Your ticket lists: train name and number, departure time, car number, and seat (row + letter, like an airplane)
3 · Through the gates
Shinkansen gates are separate from the local JR gates and marked in blue. At Tokyo Station, check the line name too — Tokaido and Tohoku Shinkansen have different gate areas entirely
Insert your ticket(s), then take them back out the other side. You need them again to exit at your destination
If you entered the station through a local gate first, you’ll hit a second set of transfer gates — same procedure
4 · Find your car on the platform
Check the electronic departure board for your train name and platform
Platforms are painted with car numbers and door positions. Find your car number and stand at that marker — the train stops exactly there, every time
Unreserved cars are usually 1–3; look for 自由席 on the signage
Arrive 10–15 minutes early. Platforms are long, and with kids and bags you want the buffer
5 · On board
Let arriving passengers off first, then board. Dwell time at each station is short — sometimes under two minutes
Overhead racks are about 42 cm deep and swallow a medium roller bag or large backpack easily
Eating and drinking is completely normal here (unlike on local trains). Fold-down tray tables are built for it
Buy your ekiben (station bento) and drinks before boarding — the trolley cart service was discontinued on most Tokaido routes in 2023
Seats rotate to face each other, which is worth knowing with a family of four — ask staff or do it yourself when the car is empty
6 · Getting off
Start gathering your things a few minutes out — the stop is brief
At the Shinkansen exit gate, insert your ticket(s) again. If you inserted two, one comes back out — take it
You’re still inside the JR station at that point. Insert that last ticket at the regular gate to actually exit
Worth knowing
Nozomi and Mizuho are the fastest services; Hikari and Sakura stop more; Kodama stops everywhere
Trains are punctual to the minute. If it says 10:47, it leaves at 10:47
Kids under 6 ride free on a lap; 6–11 pay half fare
Free Wi-Fi is available, and most cars have power outlets
Mount Fuji appears on the right side heading Tokyo → Osaka, and the left heading back — worth requesting seat E when you book
Where We Slept
A month in Japan doesn’t mean thirty hotels. We used five bases and did day trips out from each — which meant unpacking five times instead of fifteen, and gave the kids a room that felt like “theirs” for a stretch. Worth copying if you’re travelling with young children.
THE BLOSSOM HIBIYA — Tokyo
Jul 2–8 · 6 nights · arrival base
Central Tokyo, walkable to Ginza and a short hop to Asakusa, Odaiba, and Harajuku
Good landing spot for the jet-lagged first week, when you want short travel days
Centara Grand Hotel Osaka
Jul 8–18 · 10 nights · the Kansai hub
The longest single stay of the trip, and the one that did the most work
Kyoto, Nara, and Kobe were all day trips from here — no repacking for any of them
If you copy one thing from this itinerary, copy this: one long Osaka stay beats separate Kyoto and Osaka hotels
THE KNOT HIROSHIMA
Jul 18–21 · 3 nights
Hiroshima city plus the Miyajima day trip; three nights was about right
Rakuten STAY Fujimi Terrace Hakone Ashinoko
Jul 21–24 · 3 nights · on Lake Ashinoko
Private open-air onsen and a balcony foot bath — see the Hakone section for the full write-up
3 nights was one too many for a weekday visit
Mitsui Garden Hotel Roppongi Tokyo Premier
Jul 24–Aug 1 · 8 nights · departure base
Bookending the trip in Tokyo turned out to be the right call — you land knowing nothing and leave knowing exactly what you want to go back for
Also the base for the DisneySea day and the final shopping run before flying home
Tokyo Airporter picked us up from here for the airport run
The Cities
東
Tokyo
東京
We bookended the trip here — The Blossom Hibiya for the first six nights (Jul 2–8), then Mitsui Garden Hotel Roppongi Tokyo Premier for the last eight (Jul 24–Aug 1). Ninja cafés, sumo, an entire theme park based on the sea, and more udon than any one kid should reasonably eat.
JINS — eyeglasses
Ikebukuro Sunshine City Alta, 1F, 3-1-3 Higashi-Ikebukuro, Toshima-ku, Tokyo
Many locations citywide; same-day service for regular lenses, about a week for special orders
Prescriptions were brought from a US provider, but adults can get an eye exam there for a new one
Frames fit well for Asian face and nose-bridge shapes
Ninja Experience Cafe, Harajuku
1-16-11 Jingumae, 539 Bldg. B1, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 150-0001 · official site
This was awesome — real ninja lessons, not just a photo-op experience
Learned how to pose like a ninja, how to throw shuriken, and how to blow a dart gun
Full costume, then hands-on training with shuriken (throwing stars), blowgun, and katana
Staff stay in character the whole time — half show, half genuine training
Indoor, so it’s a solid rainy/hot-day option; a Kyoto Gion and Osaka Dōtonbori location also exist if this one’s booked up
Harry Harajuku Terrace Café
Held bunnies, chinchillas, hedgehogs; hand-fed otters
Animal food is extra
Next time: also book a capybara café
Pom Pom Purin Café, Harajuku
Walked in on impulse for a break — food was better than the Pokémon Café
Cute theming, if repetitive music
teamLab Borderless
Azabudai Hills Garden Plaza B, B1F, 1-2-4 Azabudai, Minato-ku, Tokyo
The best immersive art experiences we’ve tried, anywhere — gorgeous, genuinely creative, extremely well done
Interactive, sensory digital-art museum — lots of photo ops
A room lets you color a sea creature that then “swims” on the wall
Preferred of the two teamLab museums
teamLab Planets
Toyosu, 1-16 Toyosu, Koto-ku, Tokyo
Wear shorts — you wade through water in parts of the exhibit
A really cool way to see the city — eating a traditional dinner while cruising is a genuinely different kind of meal, and the kids loved the novelty of it
Made a stop mid-cruise to watch the sunset
Calm, slow cruise on the Sumida River; passengers can go outside when the boat stops
Bridges and buildings lit up at night — Tokyo Skytree and Rainbow Bridge visible
The food was actually pretty good, not just a backdrop — unlimited drinks, and kids got adult-size portions
Lunch and dinner shows both available; book via the website
Loved the chanko nabe (hot pot) — recreated it at home afterward
The kids loved the food, and thought the show itself was hilarious — genuinely educational, not just a photo op
The wrestlers were very kind with the kids throughout
Guests can volunteer to be pushed out of the ring
Photo op with wrestlers at the end
Tokyo Skytree
1-1-2 Oshiage, Sumida-ku, Tokyo 131-0045 · official site
Bought a combo ticket online, paired with the limited-time Insect Expo
Solamachi mall at the base has a food court — useful for picky eaters
Kids loved holding the beetles at the Insect Expo
Sunshine City (Ikebukuro)
A huge mall, and genuinely worth a visit if you’re here with kids — the Pokémon Center, the largest gashapon store we saw, and a great claw-machine arcade at Bandai Namco all stood out
The aquarium was really good — garden eels standing in the sand were a favorite
Easy to combine with other errands — we came here for glasses at JINS and it worked out perfectly as a full day
Miffy Café (cute, got dessert); Sanrio Café had too long a wait
One Piece, Pokémon Center, and Ghibli Store on-site
Kumachan Onsen — hot pot
This one’s a core memory — we still have a gashapon shaped like an actual Kumachan Onsen hot pot at home. Hilarious, adorable, and the food was actually pretty tasty
The bear-shaped broth block melts into the pot over the heat
Kids found it entertaining; food was okay
Booked via Google
DiverCity Tokyo Plaza (Odaiba)
Life-size Gundam statue outside, store inside
Unko (poop) Museum — Mom dragged everyone in on a whim, and it turned out to be a huge hit. The kids got a genuine laugh out of it, and “unko” is still a running joke at home
Sanrio store, small Hello Kitty café, Round1 on-site
KidZania Tokyo (Odaiba)
Was awesome — the kids got to participate in real jobs producing real products they kept afterward
They made ice cream, baked goods, and gashapon — and a batch of gyoza sauce we still use at home today
Dressing up for work is cute; kids “worked” jobs and earned pretend money — ice cream shop, bakery, gashapon factory, ponzu factory, delivery
Gets crowded; kids tired out after 4–5 jobs
Sensō-ji Temple, Asakusa
The temple itself is traditional and genuinely impressive
The shopping street surrounding it was just as much of a highlight — lots of good food, including amazing udon, takoyaki tacos, and candy apples
Walked Nakamise shopping street and the surrounding neighborhood
Liked Taco Taco Asakusa Koromo Brothers (air-conditioned) and a nearby green tea dessert shop
Took a water bus/taxi from Asakusa over to Odaiba
Shibuya Crossing
A genuine vibe at night — Hailey soaked it up and loved the controlled chaos of it
Found dessert nearby and just enjoyed the views and atmosphere for a while
Went at night, crossed a few times for photos
Lots of restaurants and shops on the surrounding streets
Kappabashi — kitchen town
The whole street is a vibe, but do a little research and have a plan before you go — it’s genuinely easy to get overwhelmed by the sheer number of shops
A great place to pick out a few knives — they made excellent gifts
Bought kitchen knives for home and as gifts, nicely boxed
I’m Mikan for a frozen satsuma drink/dessert
Nearby Adores arcade was cheaper and easier to win than Taito in Asakusa
Art Aquarium, Ginza
Not really worth it
Interesting to see, but the goldfish are kept in oddly shaped tanks and enclosures purely for visual effect — it didn’t sit right with us, and seemed genuinely unhealthy for the fish
Ornamental goldfish in small tanks — used as a “slow day” activity
Walked Ginza’s high-end shopping district afterward
Tokyo Tower
Both towers are cool, and both offer great photo ops — Skytree just had more to it overall, felt more modern, and had better dining options
Nicely lit at night; went up the observation deck
Fewer shops and restaurants than Skytree — Skytree preferred overall
Tokyo DisneySea
1-13 Maihama, Urayasu, Chiba 279-8511 · official site
A genuinely great day — easy to reach by subway, and the kids had a blast start to finish
Fantasy Springs, the park’s eighth “port,” had opened just weeks before our visit (June 6, 2024) — the largest expansion at Tokyo DisneySea since it opened in 2001. We got to see it brand new
Tickets can be rescheduled in the Disney app if plans change
Entered right after opening to skip the worst of the line; spent the full day
Standouts on the food side: Alien Mochi (Little Green Men shaped, a must-eat), the flavored popcorn, and the popsicles
Peter Pan’s Flight and the Toy Story shooting ride were favorites
Left before the closing light show to beat the crowd to the train
Hanamaru Udon
local Japanese chain, found everywhere
So clutch after long days — a reliable local chain, not a tourist spot, which made it feel like an easy win rather than a compromise
A plain bowl is about ¥300 (~$2) — the younger one could eat it every day
Plain curry-udon combo was also a hit
大
Osaka
大阪
Based at the Centara Grand Hotel Osaka for 10 nights, Jul 8–18 — the hub the whole middle of the trip ran out of. Street food, an aquarium built like a descent into the ocean, and a restaurant where you catch your own dinner.
Dōtonbori, Shinsaibashi, Nipponbashi
Our hotel was a 10-minute walk away, which made this area easy to pop into for a quick bite or an evening walk rather than a whole planned outing
Saw the Glico running man sign
The gyoza, takoyaki, and crab were all genuinely good
Tried 551 Hōrai dumplings/bao (fine — the meat tastes different from the US version)
Japanese cheesecake from Rikurō’s
Nipponbashi is great if you’ve got an anime fan in the family — plenty of shops to browse in that stretch
Round1 & Taito arcades
We preferred Round1 and Taito over Gigo — better win rates and better prizes overall
Adores was another standout, mentioned in the Tokyo section too — worth seeking out
Taito was pricier and harder to win than Round1
This Round1 enforced a curfew — the younger one couldn’t stay past a certain hour
Bring vacuum storage bags and a hand pump — flat-packs your claw-machine plush wins for the flight home
Tennoji Zoo
Probably skippable
The zoo felt poorly maintained overall, and it was a stark reminder of how animal-welfare standards can differ from what we’re used to in the US — a number of enclosures didn’t seem suitable for the animals in them
Some areas were under renovation; a few older enclosures had pacing animals
Species you don’t see stateside: polar bear, hippos, red panda (a decent-sized exhibit), a nocturnal house, a new walk-under penguin exhibit
Kids were too small for the nearby indoor rock climbing
Fresh-squeezed orange juice from a vending machine outside the zoo
The kids REALLY loved this — genuinely one of the standout experiences of the trip
You fish for your own dinner — caught a sea bream and a flounder
Catching your fish isn’t always easy — we saw other tables need staff assistance, so don’t expect an instant catch
Each fish can be split and cooked two ways (e.g., half-fried, half-sautéed)
Reservations online; seating is on a “boat” surrounded by swimming fish — even a shark
The fish itself was genuinely delicious, not just a novelty — worth it on the food alone, not only the gimmick
Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan
A different experience from Kobe Suma Sea World, not a lesser one — this is a pure aquarium, versus Suma’s focus on performances. The sea-creature selection here was really awesome and noticeably different from what you’d see at an American aquarium, with a lot more exhibit variety overall
Tour starts at the top and works down, mimicking different ocean depths
Rode the adjacent Tempozan Ferris Wheel afterward
Lunch at the connected shopping strip’s food court — just okay
Cup Noodle Museum, Osaka Ikeda
a different location from the Yokohama museum
Went on a rainy day
The younger one was too young for the “chicken ramen factory” (kneading/drying the dough) experience
Everyone made a custom cup noodle — soup base options like curry and veggie, comes with a carrying bag
Lunch after at Ippudo down the street — ramen, gyoza, iced tea, all as good as remembered
Pokémon Café, Osaka Shinsaibashi
inside Daimaru Shinsaibashi department store
Worth it if you’re a Pokémon fan — it’s more of an experience than a meal, so go in with that expectation
Actors come out dressed as Pokémon; the food itself was mediocre, but the kids had a great time regardless
Paid about $20 to a booking service (found via Facebook) for help securing a reservation
Ordered via tablet — Pikachu curry, kids’ meal, drinks, dessert; some served in souvenir cups
Pikachu made a table-side dance appearance, though didn’t visit individual tables
京
Kyoto
京都
Day trips from the Osaka base — about 15 minutes each way by Shinkansen, which is why we never booked a Kyoto hotel. Yukata portraits, a tea ceremony, monkeys on a mountain, and a bamboo grove that was every bit as tall in person.
Yumeyakata Kimono, Gojo shop
Really fun, start to finish — the kids got to pick out their own yukata, which made it feel like their own experience rather than something done to them
Rented yukata (summer kimono); a photographer took portraits at a traditional Japanese home nearby, indoors and in the garden
Some genuinely amazing pictures came out of it — a nice, tangible memento from the trip
Outdoor shots came out best
Photos emailed via a download link afterward
Photographer had limited English, used a translation app — a few shots weren’t perfectly centered
The Museum of Kyoto
Saw “Giant Robots: The Core of Japanese Mecha Anime” — fun to trace the genre’s evolution
Cut the visit short after carsickness from a taxi ride there (the driver braked and accelerated sharply); staff weren’t thrilled
Nishiki Market
Nishikikōji-dori, Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto · known locally as “Kyoto’s Kitchen” · near the Museum of Kyoto
A five-block covered arcade, about 130 stalls selling Kyoto specialties — yuba, pickles, dashimaki tamago, mackerel sushi
Browsed the covered shopping street
Picked up a jinbei (kids’ summer outfit) since clothes were running low
Eating while walking is discouraged — most stalls have a small eat-in counter instead
Jinmatsuan — tea ceremony
A genuinely cool experience — it stuck. Our son still remembers it, and now actually likes matcha because of it
Matcha tea ceremony plus making wagashi sweets
Taught the “correct” way to make and drink matcha
The wagashi tasted like pressed sugar — fun to make, very sweet to eat
One kid was into it, the other was bored at the time
Arashiyama Monkey Park Iwatayama
The hike up was a real challenge in the heat — don’t underestimate it
Worth it anyway: hand-feeding the monkeys at the top was a core-memory-level experience for the kids
Kept kids close and on the inside of the trail going up
Bought peanuts and apples at the top to feed the monkeys
Buy bug spray at a drugstore beforehand
Arashiyama Bamboo Grove
Passed a street-food shopping street on the way in
Crowded near the entrance, thinned out further along the path
Bamboo was taller and more striking in person than in photos
Cooled off after with citrus shaved ice and matcha nearby
奈
Nara
奈良
A day trip from Osaka, roughly 45 minutes out. Friendly deer, a giant bronze Buddha, and mochi pounded by hand while a crowd watches.
Deer Park
The deer near the entrance aren’t very hungry — the more engaging, interactive deer are deeper into the park, so keep walking in if the first ones seem uninterested
Deer roam freely; bought crackers from a nearby vendor to feed them
They’ll bow back and can be petted — one licked our daughter
A very cool, core-memory kind of experience for the kids
Taxis were scarce at night getting back to the station
Nakatanidou Mochi
Famous for hand-pounded green tea mochi with roasted soybean flour
Crowds gather at the window to watch the pounding
Fresh, chewy, well worth the wait
Tōdai-ji Temple
406-1 Zōshi-chō, Nara 630-8211 · northern end of Nara Park
Scenic grounds; a huge bronze Buddha with the guardian kings
The Daibutsuden (Great Buddha Hall) is one of the largest wooden buildings in the world, despite being rebuilt smaller than the 8th-century original
The Buddha itself is about 15m tall, cast from more than 400 tons of bronze
Cash needed for the Buddha Hall admission
Mi Nara (shopping mall)
1-3-1 Nijōōjiminami, Nara 630-8012 · free shuttle from Kintetsu Nara, JR Nara & Kintetsu Shin-Ōmiya stations
Round1
Nara Kingyo (goldfish art museum), 4th floor — Japan’s largest goldfish museum, over 3,000 goldfish across seven art-themed zones with projection mapping and mirror balls; includes optical-illusion rooms for photos
Ikimono (Living Creature Museum), same floor — over 100 species of reptiles, fish, and amphibians, including hands-on animal handling with staff supervision
Also has a food court, drugstore, and duty-free electronics shopping — a good rainy-day or heat-break stop
神
Kobe
神戸
A day trip from Osaka, about 90 minutes each way. One destination, one full day: orcas.
Kobe Suma Sea World
1-3-5 Wakamiyachō, Suma-ku, Kobe, Hyōgo 654-0049 · official site
About a 1.5-hour train ride from Osaka
Opened brand new in June 2024, just weeks before this visit — the only orca show in western Japan
Spent the full day; saw the orca show twice since it’s a rare opportunity
The splash reaches the lower half of the stadium seating
Outside of the orcas, the rest of the facility genuinely impressed us — top-notch aquarium, great touch pools, an unusually interesting selection of sea life
Aqualive section: sea turtles, stingrays, seals, a mudskipper/crab vivarium, octopus, touch pool
The raffle for a random-size orca plush (~$10/kid) was cheaper than buying one in the gift shop
Café line was long — the food trucks were the better call
広
Hiroshima
広島
Based at THE KNOT HIROSHIMA, Jul 18–21. A bigger city with a slower pace — oysters, okonomiyaki, and a castle with its own mascot.
The city itself
Noticeably less crowded than Tokyo or Osaka
Known for oysters and okonomiyaki — had both at an izakaya off Hondori
Skipped the Peace Memorial Museum as too graphic for young kids
Locals seemed to embrace American music and fashion more visibly than other cities
Shukkeien Garden
2-11 Kaminobori-chō, Naka-ku, Hiroshima 730-0014 · official site
The kids really, really enjoyed this one — feeding everyone in sight was the highlight
The garden’s water system used to connect to the nearby river, so there’s a surprising amount of wildlife native to the area beyond just the koi — a massive amount of creatures to spot and feed
A daimyo’s stroll garden dating to 1620, modeled on Hangzhou’s West Lake — a central pond ringed by tea houses and miniature “mountains”
Bought fish food for the koi and turtles
The garden was damaged in 1945 but its two historic pavilions have since been restored — a quieter counterpoint to the Peace Park if you want a nature-focused stop instead
Hiroshima Castle
21-1 Motomachi, Naka-ku, Hiroshima 730-0011 · official site
Beautiful, and a genuinely cool cultural experience for the kids — you actually get to walk up into the castle itself, not just view it from outside
Nicknamed “Carp Castle” (Rijō) — the same nickname behind the Hiroshima Toyo Carp baseball team’s name
Several flights of stairs to an observation level; a large moat surrounds the castle
Samurai armor/sword exhibit plus castle history — the castle has its own mascot character
The original was destroyed in the 1945 bombing; today’s tower is a 1958 concrete reconstruction
Hondori Shopping Street
A typical shopping street on paper, but what made it great was the pace — nowhere near as busy as Tokyo or the other big cities, which made it an easy, relaxed browse
Shops, restaurants, arcades
Caught the Hiroshima Toyo Carp mascot “Slyly” at an arcade claw machine — a genuine treasure of a win, given how big the Carp are locally as the city’s Japan pro baseball team
Gyoza Ryu — several styles of gyoza and small plates
宮
Miyajima
宮島
The floating Torii gate — and deer with a very different attitude than Nara’s.
Getting there & the island
Took the Aqua Jet ferry from Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park — faster than train transfers, and you pass the Atomic Bomb Dome on the way
One day was enough
The deer are friendly, but bolder around food than Nara’s — see the story below
The deer here really are friendlier than Nara’s — Hailey got a great photo with one — but be careful eating around them regardless
Funny story: we had individually wrapped sweets tucked inside a bag hanging off the back of the stroller. A mischievous deer rustled through both layers of bag and stole one anyway
One deer wouldn’t stop following Linda around while she ate ice cream
Grilled fish cake on a stick was a hit with the kids
Walked the Omotesandō shopping arcade
The gate was cool — low tide lets you walk out closer to its base, but watch out for the mud
Rode the two-stage ropeway from Momijidani Station up to Mount Misen, at 535m the island’s highest point — about a 14-minute ride, then a short walk to the summit for the view over the Seto Inland Sea
箱
Hakone
箱根
Based at Rakuten STAY Fujimi Terrace on Lake Ashinoko, Jul 21–24. A weekend getaway town visited on weekdays — a private onsen, a sulfur-scented ropeway, and eggs that supposedly buy you seven years.
The town
A weekend getaway town — many restaurants closed on weekdays; posted hours may not be accurate
Went for 3 weekday nights, which felt like one night too many
Lots of tuned sports cars on the mountain road from the station
Hakone Free Pass
Bought at the train station; covers train, boat, ropeway, and bus
The bus system was confusing — other companies operate locally and don’t accept the Free Pass
Rode the pirate-ship-themed Hakone Sightseeing Cruise to all three piers
Took a swan boat out toward the Torii gate on Lake Ashi — more effort than expected
Rakuten STAY Fujimi Terrace
on Lake Ashinoko
The hotel itself was beautiful, and the private onsen was really nice — though it runs genuinely hot, uncomfortably so at first, and takes a few minutes to adjust to
Our son loved the heat once he got used to it
Clean but a little dusty
Unmanned property — no luggage holding or forwarding, so plan ahead and forward bags from the previous hotel
Room has a private open-air onsen bath, comfortable for about 10 minutes at a time
Private balcony with a table and foot bath — kids blew bubbles out there
Mt. Fuji visible early morning, weather permitting
Hakone Ropeway
included in the Free Pass
Crosses over the volcanic Ōwakudani valley — sulfur smell, masks provided
Ōwakudani stop: black eggs boiled in the volcanic hot springs, taste like regular eggs
Local superstition says eating one adds 7 years to your life — the kids found this hilarious given their own ages, and genuinely enjoyed the whole experience
Had the black eggs together with some black ice cream — a fun, if slightly odd, pairing
Photo op next to a Hello Kitty statue shaped like a black egg
Hakone Open-Air Museum
1121 Ninotaira, Hakone-machi, Kanagawa · official site · steps from Chōkoku-no-Mori Station
This place is huge — a massive amount of both indoor and outdoor exhibits, more than you’d expect
The Picasso Pavilion in particular was cool. The kids enjoyed it, but it’s art — mileage will vary depending on your kids’ ages
Japan’s first open-air museum (opened 1969) — about 120 sculptures (Rodin, Moore, Miró) spread across 70,000 sqm of grounds
Very hot — most of the collection is outdoors; cooled off in the Picasso Pavilion and café
The Picasso Pavilion alone holds 319 of his works — mostly ceramics — and is air-conditioned
Kids ran through an outdoor sculpture maze and a climbing/swing structure (“Woods of Net” is the standout interactive piece if you want to seek it out)
What We Missed
A month sounds like a lot until you’re actually there. These are the well-known places we skipped — some deliberately, some just because the heat or the kids’ patience ran out first. If you’re using this guide to plan your own trip, these are the obvious gaps to fill.
The thousands of vermilion torii gates winding up Mount Inari — probably the single most photographed thing in Japan
Free and never closes, which makes it the rare Kyoto site you can do at 6am to beat both crowds and heat. That’s how we’d approach it next time
The full mountain loop is 2–3 hours; the dense gate section near the base is the first 20 minutes
Kinkaku-ji — the Golden Pavilion
1 Kinkakuji-chō, Kita-ku, Kyoto
A gold-leaf-covered pavilion sitting over a reflecting pond; UNESCO-listed and genuinely worth the crowds
Short, mostly flat, and viewable in under an hour — a reasonable ask even with tired kids
Kiyomizu-dera & the Higashiyama slopes
A wooden temple on stilts over a hillside, approached via the Ninenzaka and Sannenzaka lanes lined with shops and snack stalls
The shopping-street approach is the part kids actually enjoy, which makes it an easier sell than a standalone temple
Gion
The historic geisha district — best at dusk
Note that photography is restricted on some private lanes and enforced with fines; stick to the main streets
Osaka
Universal Studios Japan & Super Nintendo World
2-1-33 Sakurajima, Konohana-ku, Osaka
The biggest miss of the trip for a family with young kids, and the obvious counterpart to the DisneySea day
Super Nintendo World requires a free Area Timed Entry Ticket on top of your park ticket — get it through the official USJ app the moment you enter the park, or at kiosks inside. Distribution can end early on busy days
Alternatives: arrive at park opening and go straight there, or buy an Express Pass, which guarantees a timed entry slot
Download the USJ app before you go, not at the gate
Osaka Castle
1-1 Ōsakajō, Chūō-ku, Osaka · 9:00–17:00, last entry 16:30
A reconstructed keep with a history museum inside and a large surrounding park and moat
We did Hiroshima Castle instead; if you’re only doing one castle on a Kansai-based trip, this is the more convenient one
Elsewhere
Mount Fuji & the Fuji Five Lakes
We saw Fuji from the balcony in Hakone on clear mornings, but never went to it
Kawaguchiko is the usual base, and Fuji-Q Highland is there if you want the theme-park version
July and August are the official climbing season, though that’s a serious undertaking, not a family day out
Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum
Skipped deliberately — we judged it too graphic for our kids’ ages, and stand by that call
The Peace Memorial Park and the Atomic Bomb Dome can be walked without entering the museum, which is a reasonable middle ground for families
Worth revisiting when the kids are older; it’s the reason most people come to Hiroshima
Capybara café
The kids fell in love with capybaras during the trip and we never got to one
Filed here as a genuine regret rather than an oversight
Also on the list
Himeji Castle — the original, never-destroyed castle, and an easy stop between Osaka and Hiroshima
Nara’s Kasuga Taisha, with its lantern-lined approach, which we walked past
Akihabara for the arcade and anime side of Tokyo
Cup Noodle Museum Yokohama, to see how it compares to the Ikeda one
The chicken ramen factory workshop at Cup Noodle Museum, once the younger one is old enough
Packing
Pack to manage heat, not just to dress for it. And pack lighter than feels sensible — you can buy almost anything on the ground, and every extra bag is one more thing to haul through a station.
Clothing
Everything light, breathable, and quick-drying. You will sweat through cotton in about twenty minutes
Linen, or moisture-wicking synthetics. Uniqlo AIRism is what locals actually wear and it’s worth buying a few once you land
More shirts than you think — plan on changing mid-day on the worst days
Skip jeans entirely
One light layer for indoors: air conditioning on trains and in malls runs genuinely cold
Something covering shoulders and knees for temple visits
Comfortable walking shoes, and slip-ons help — you’ll take shoes off more than you expect
Bring from home
A rechargeable handheld or neck fan (or buy at Daiso/Don Quijote for a few hundred yen)
Cooling towels — they pack flat and work well in humidity
Reusable water bottles, plus holders for the kids so they carry their own
A folding umbrella that works for both sun and sudden downpours
Any prescription medication, plus your prescriptions on paper
A power bank — you’ll be on Google Maps all day
Don’t bother packing
Shampoo, conditioner, body wash, toothbrushes, razors — every hotel we stayed at provided them
Hair straighteners or curling irons. At 80% humidity it’s a losing battle
Bulk diapers, wipes, or formula — drugstores and Akachan Honpo have everything
Excessive clothing if your hotel has coin laundry. Most do, and it’s the single best way to pack light for a month
Buy once you’re there
Biore cooling wipes and cooling body spray — the best ¥400 you’ll spend
A sun umbrella (日傘) from Don Quijote; UV-blocking ones genuinely drop the temperature around you
Cooling neck rings — gel tubes that refreeze quickly. We didn’t try these and regretted it
Salt tablets and Pocari Sweat from any konbini
Kids’ clothes at Uniqlo, Muji, or Nishimatsuya. Sizes are in centimeters (90 ≈ 1.5–2 years)
Luggage strategy
Nest your suitcases before you leave home. We traveled with 6 bags total, packed as two sets of nesting suitcases — each set was two progressively smaller cases packed inside the largest one. Coming home, we unnested them and had all that extra capacity ready-made for souvenirs and gifts, instead of trying to cram everything into bags that were already full
Keep every bag under 160 cm in total dimensions if you can, so the Shinkansen oversized rule never applies to you
Umbrella strollers over full-size — lighter, one-hand fold, and station elevators aren’t always close
Leave real room for what you’re bringing home. We came back with knives from Kappabashi, gashapon, and arcade prizes
Budget ~$20 per bag per leg for luggage forwarding and use it — it’s the difference between a pleasant travel day and a miserable one
Beating the Heat
July in Japan is roughly 30–35°C with humidity above 75%, which means the “real feel” sits much higher. This was the single biggest constraint on how much we could do in a day, and it’s the thing most first-timers underestimate.
Structure the day around it
Big outdoor thing in the morning, indoor thing in the afternoon. Museums, aquariums, arcades, and malls are all air conditioned
Plan a konbini or café stop roughly every 20–30 minutes of walking. This sounds excessive and it isn’t
Popsicle and shaved-ice breaks were our most reliable reset with the kids — and they’re genuinely everywhere
Go back to the hotel mid-day and change clothes if you can. It resets the whole afternoon
Hydration is not optional
Plain water alone won’t cut it — you lose salt through sweat all day
Pocari Sweat is the standard: a mild, non-carbonated electrolyte drink sold in every vending machine for about ¥150. Aquarius is the Coca-Cola equivalent
Alternate with plain water or barley tea (mugicha) so you’re not drinking sugar all day
Salt tablets and salt candies from any konbini
Aim for 2 litres a day minimum, more if you’re walking a lot. There are roughly five million vending machines in Japan — you’re never far from a cold drink
The gear that works
Cooling wipes (Biore, Gatsby) — menthol sheets that wipe off sweat and genuinely cool your skin. ¥300–500 at any konbini
Cooling body spray — same idea, aerosol version
Neck fan or handheld fan — get a decent rechargeable one; cheap ones are useless
Cooling neck ring — a gel tube you refreeze overnight. The one thing we didn’t try and wish we had
Sun umbrella — not just for women; UV-blocking parasols are standard here and lower the temperature around you noticeably
A small towel. Everyone carries one, and you’ll understand why by day two
Know the warning signs
*heatstroke — 熱中症 *netchūshō**
Early: dizziness on standing, muscle cramps, heavy sweating. Get into air conditioning and drink an electrolyte drink immediately
Worse: headache, nausea, vomiting, extreme fatigue. Don’t try to “walk it off” back to the hotel
Cool the neck, armpits, and wrists with ice or a cold drink held against the skin
Emergency number in Japan is 119 and the ambulance is free
Kids overheat faster than adults and are worse at reporting it — check in on them actively rather than waiting for complaints
With Kids
Japan is one of the easiest countries in the world to travel with young children, but a few things are worth knowing before you’re standing in a station holding a folded stroller and a tired six-year-old.
Strollers and stations
Most major stations have elevators, but they’re often at the far edge of the station rather than near your platform — a “4-minute transfer” can become 12 with a stroller
Set Google Maps to the wheelchair-accessible route option; it routes you via elevators
Some carriages are marked as stroller/wheelchair spaces — look for the pictogram on the platform floor
Bring the lightest one-hand-fold stroller you own. We travelled with two umbrella strollers and never regretted it
Avoid 7:30–9:30 AM and 5–7 PM entirely if you can
Fares for children
Under 6: free on trains and buses (carry them through the gate)
6–11: half fare — this is what the Welcome Suica card is for
12 and up: full adult fare
Letting a kid carry and tap their own IC card turns transit into part of the fun rather than a chore
Baby and family facilities
Nursing and changing rooms are in nearly every station, department store, and mall — follow the baby-and-bottle icon
They’re private, spotless, and often have hot-water dispensers for formula
The free Mamamap / Mama Papa app finds the nearest one
Public restrooms frequently have toddler seats built into the stall
Supplies on the ground
Don’t overpack diapers or formula — Akachan Honpo, Nishimatsuya, and any drugstore stock everything
Kids’ clothing sizes are in centimeters (size 90 ≈ 1.5–2 years); Uniqlo and Muji are everywhere
Amazon Japan Prime covers the gaps, as long as you’re staying put for a few days
Have backups
The real key to eating in Japan with kids: always have a fallback for when they don’t want the adventurous option
Our reliable trio was Hanamaru Udon, FamilyMart fried chicken, and 7-Eleven — all consistently kept the kids happy and well fed on the days nothing else landed
Knowing these were always nearby took the pressure off every other meal decision
Pacing
One “big” attraction per day, with food and cooling breaks between, was our ceiling in July heat
Build in slow days deliberately — Shukkeien Garden and a mall visit like Sunshine City both served that purpose well
Arcades (Round1 especially) are the reliable afternoon reset when everyone’s done with sightseeing
Eating and drinking on local trains is discouraged; save snacks for the Shinkansen, where it’s expected