Thanks to this group I was able to plan and book a Feb 2024 14 day trip in to Japan in 6 weeks for my 50th birthday! It was always a dream of mine to go there and I made it happen. Traveling in Feb was great; the weather was temperate and no crowds. Hotels and airfare were also 1/2 the price and high season. The cherry blossoms were just starting to come out in some areas, but we were able to also see plum blossoms in many spots which was just as special. We did have to prebook some activities (teamLAB, Shibuya Sky, hotels, etc) but for the most part we could travel on the fly without missing on on key activities we wanted to do. We were traveling with my husband and 2 kids, 10 and 13, so we kept activites flexible so that we had enough energy to enjoy the experience vs. trying to pack it all in.
Here are some tips I learned during the trip:
* Hotels: Booking a hotel for 4 people was challenging; we had to book two rooms in a business hotel. Ryokans (Japanese inns) and the Mimaru chain accommodate families very well. [Booking.com](http://Booking.com) was widely used in Japan for easy reservations and cancellations. We stayed in the Westin Tokyo because we had free nights; it was a beautiful hotel with amazing views of Tokyo and a roof top club. The breakfast buffet was magical.
* Airport transfer: I used [Klook.com](http://Klook.com) to book at pick up for our hotel. We flex into Narita and it’s about 1 hour to the Tokyo; we also had luggage and 4 people so this was a much easier option for us.
* Luggage Forwarding: Send your bags to your next hotel using luggage forwarding service. I planned our 1-night overnight trips so that our bags would arrive the next day at the longer hotels.
* Tax Free/Customs: Use the Visit Japan website to register for immigration; this will speed up the process at the airport for both immigration and customes. You will then have a QR code that will be added to your passport. which can be used for tax free purchases. You don’t have to submit reciepts or declare much when leaving Japan.
* Portable Wifi: I rented portable wifi service through Sakura Mobile but we didn’t really need it; most places had wifi where we stayed and our service provider had a $10/day international rate for unlimited cellular. Might be useful if you are going off the beaten path.
* IC Cards: Needed to use the local trains around Tokyo and Kyoto. These can also be used at convenience stores and some other places where accepted. There are a few vendors; we decided on Suica because we could download the Suica app and add to it as needed. We had to use Google translate on the app however because it’s only in Japanese. Each person needs a Suica card so we had to buy them in person for the kids. Recommend doing this at the aiport because they are difficult to find given a shortage of chips. We ended up purchasing them at a JRL office at Shibuya station where we needed to provide their passports.
* Train Tickets: The JRL (aka Shinkansen bullet train) previously had a budget friendly tourist pass but it’s no longer budget friendly. Recommend downloading the SmartEx app and where you can purchase tickets any time. I was able to purchase all 4 tickets for us on the app. You can also add all passengers IC cards to the app if you are transferring trains from JRL to local.
* Tables for 4: We had a hard time finding places to eat in Tokyo that could fit the 4 of us together. Most high end restaurants take reservations in advance. We split up a few times to sit in smaller restaurants. Recommend an izakaya style restaurant for a more laid back atmosphere with kids.
* 7/11s are everywhere and are great for cash exchange + amazing snacks and food. We also did well eating at train stations. Overall the food in Japan was fantastic no matter where we ate.
* Prebooking: Things you need to reserve in advance include Ghibli museum, teamLABS, Shibuya Sky, Michelin rated restaurants
* Holidays: Check in advance if there are any national holidays that will affect hours, crowds
All in all it was a fantastic trip!
14 day itinerary
Feb 15 Tokyo
Arrive Narita
Feb 16 Tokyo
Shibuya Crossing, Shibuya Sky
Lunch in the Shibuya Sky building
Harajuku
Takeshita Street
Kiddyland
Harry Harajuku
Hotel Westin Tokyo
Feb 17 Tokyo
Meiji Shrine
Shinjuku – shopping and lunch
Shimokitazawa – funky boho neighborhood with vintage clothing shops
Hotel Westin Tokyo
Feb 18 Tokyo
Tokyo Antiques Market (9-3 1x a month)
Sensoji Temple
Asakusa
Kappabashi Street (Tsubaya knives)
Akihabara
Dinner: Omoide Yokocho
Hotel Westin Tokyo
Feb 19 Tokyo
teamLAB Borderless
Azabudai Shopping / Lunch
Tokyo Tower / RED
Ginza shopping
Dinner: Ippudo Ramen Ginza
Hotel Westin Tokyo
Feb 20 Hakone
Train to Hakone (booked the Romance Car at the station)
Lunch: Dumpling House Hakone
Tour around Hakone
Dinner: Kaiseke style dinner at ryokan
Hotel: Gora Kaden Onsen
Feb 21 Hakone/Kyoto
Breakfast at hotel
Train to Kyoto
Dinner: Goichi Pizza
Hotel: Miramu Shijo Kyoto
Feb 22 Kyoto
Geisha/Maiko Makeover
Samurai Museum
Gion
Dinner: Sushi recommended by hotel staff
Hotel: Miramu Shijo Kyoto
Feb 23 Kyoto (Emperor’s Birthday)
Arashiyama
Monkey Park
Togetsukyo Bridge
Togestu Temple
Dinner: Sushi
Hotel: Miramu Shijo Kyoto
Feb 24 Kyoto
Fushimi-inari
Kiyomizu dera temple
Kinkaku-Jo
Kitano Tenmangu – Plum Blossom festival
Dinner: Izakaya
Hotel: Miramu Shijo Kyoto
Feb 25 Kyoto
Nishiki market
Shingyogoku shopping mall, Nintendo store
Kawataki kyoto kitchen shop
Dinner: Izakaya
Hotel: Miramu Shijo Kyoto
Feb 26 Hiroshima/Miyajima
Train to Hiroshima
Lunch – Hiroshima river cafe
Ferry to Miyajima – tickets purchased in person
Explore island: Itsukushima Shrine, Omotesando Street
Dinner: Kaiseki Iwaso hotel
Hotel: Iwaso (Miyajima)
Feb 27 Hiroshima/Miyajima
Breakfast: hotel
Ferry to Hiroshima
Peace Memorial Park and Museum – personal tour
A-bomb Dome
Children’s Peace Monument
Train to Tokyo
Hotel: Westin Tokyo
Feb 28 Tokyo
Shopping: Akihabara, Takeshita Street
Cafe Reissue for latte art
Dinner at Narita
Flight depart Narita pm
by dhellweg