Apologies for the long post.
I’m planning to travel to Japan with my wife and two kids (6 and 2 yo) for almost a month next summer.
\- Period: July 30 to August 25
\- High-level itinerary: Hakone, Osaka, Kyoto, Tokyo with day-trips here and there
\- I want to be in the Kanto area for Obon (15th August) to visit relatives.
\- I’m well aware of the drawbacks of summertime (heat, humidity, mosquitos, etc.) as I used to spend my summer holidays in Japan during my childhood. Of course, we’ll be extra-careful with our kids (hydration, hats/sunshades, etc.) even if they’re already used to significant heat in the summer. But, in practice, there’s no other time of the year for us to take such long vacations.
\- We’ve decided to stay in Asakusa as I have very fond childhood memories of this place and it’s very convenient to reach where my relatives live in Saitama and Chiba.
\- The focus will be to show my wife some interesting/beautiful places, return to some personally meaningful places and, of course, include stuff that our kids may enjoy as well.
\- Budget wise we have some leaway.
We’re well aware that our kids may not have the energy required to do everything every day. Things will be probably have to be scrapped here and there along the way but we’d rather have a template of some sort as guideline/reference. **But if some of the days are absolutely unrealistic we’d like to know beforehand and try to move things around accordingly.**
Also, **more specifically**, I’m having some doubts re the below:
1. Hakone (Day 3). Is Mishima Skywalk really worth it or would it be preferrable to do something else ? Idk perhaps book a taxi to explore more remote places (Yamanakako, Oshino Hakkai, etc.) ?
2. My stay in Kyoto and how child friendly Kyoto really is (my understanding is that public transport relies heavily on bus and sightseing spots are scattered around the city). I’m wondering if it’d be better to book a 2-days tour with a private car to visit more easily Kyoto’s main sightseeing spots and schedule a daytrip or spend a night in Amanohashidate and/or extend my stay in Nagoya with the spare days…
3. For Nikko, only a day trip is envisaged for now. But because my wife would like to visit Edo Wonderland, I’m wondering if it’d be preferrable to spend a night in Kinugawaonsen… A private tour by car could also be an option.
Do not hesitate to comment and share with us your thoughts. Whether you believe some things are not child friendly/should be rearranged or some alternate destinations/sightseeing spots (in or nearby the cities in our itinerary) would be worth visiting instead, etc. Any insight would be greatly appreciated.
Many thanks in advance for your help and I’ll do my best to share a detailed trip report for anyone who may be interested.
**Part 1 – Hakone**
***Day 1 (July 30): Arrival – Go to Hakone***
\- Arrival in Tokyo Haneda Airport at around 6AM
\- Go straight to Hakone (luggage shipped to Osaka)
\- Enjoy Hakone Tozen train ride
\- Open Air Museum
\- Spend a few hours at Yunessun with the kids
\- Check in at hotel/ryokan (Kowakidani area)
\- Enjoy onsen and have early dinner
***Day 2 (July 31): Owakudani and Lake Ashinoko***
\- Owakudani Valley
\- Head to Togendai and cross Lake Ashinoko with the Pirate ship
\- Visit Hakone Checkpoint and/or Old Tokaido Road
\- Check in at hotel/ryokan (Hakone-En or Hakone shrine area)
\- Enjoy onsen and have early dinner
***Day 3 (August 1): Mishima Skywalk – Go to Osaka***
\- Early visit of Heiwa no Torii and Hakone shrine before the influx of tourists
\- Mishima Skywalk (bus N65) then head to Mishima station (bus N65)
\- Head to Osaka by shinkansen (2h10)
\- Check in at hotel (Shinsaibashi/Namba area)
**Part 2 – Osaka**
***Day 4 (August 2): Visit Osaka***
\- Morning: Kaiyukan Aquarium
\- Afternoon: Osaka Castle
***Day 5 (August 3): Hirakata Park or USJ***
\- Hirakata Park or USJ with the kids (I’m personally leaning towards Hirakata)
***Day 6 (August 4): Visit Osaka – Namba/Tennoji area***
\- Ship luggage to Kyoto
\- Namba Yasaka Shrine
\- Tennoji Zoo/Abeno Harukas (optional)
\- Spend a couple of hours at Spa World with the kids
\- Stroll around Shin Sekai (Tsutenkaku optional)
***Day 7 (August 5): Visit Himeji (daytrip) and head to Kyoto***
\- Go to Himeji (Midosuji line + Tokaido-Sanyo shinkansen :1h10)
\- Visit Himeji Castle and Kokoen
\- Go to Kyoto (Tokaido-Sanyo shinkansen: 0h45)
\- Stroll in and around Kyoto Station area + diner
\- Check in at hotel (Kyoto Station area)
**Part 3 – Kyoto**
***Day 8 (August 6): Visit Kyoto – Arashiyama ward***
\- Early rise and head to Arashiyama Bamboo Forest
\- Stroll in and around Arashiyama Park (Tenryu-ji, Nonomiya shrine, Hogo-in ?)
\- Sagano Romantic Train to Kameoka station
\- Back to Arashiyama with the Hozugawa Boat Cruise (optional)
\- Arashiyama Monkey Park
***Day 9 (August 7): Visit Nara (day trip)***
\- Early rise and head to Fushimi Inari Taisha to avoid the crowds
\- Go to Nara (JR Nara Line from Inari station)
\- Visit Nara Park
***Day 10 (August 8): Visit Kyoto – Saikyo Ward***
\- Eikan-do temple
\- Philosopher’s path
\- Ginkakuji
***Day 11 (August 9): Visit Kyoto***
\- Kinkaku-ji (taxi)
\- Nijo Castle (taxi)
\- Kyoto Gyoen and nearby Kodomo Miraikan for the kids (alternative: Umekoji Park and Kyoto Railway museum)
***Day 12 (August 10): Visit Kyoto – Higashiyama Ward***
\- Early rise and head to Kiyomizu-dera
\- Head north to Maruyama Park (Sannenzaka, Ninenzaka, Kodaiji)
\- Maruyama Park and some nearby temples (Yasaka Jinja, Chion-in temple, Shoren-in?)
\- Send luggage to Tokyo
***Day 13 (August 11): Legoland Japan (Nagoya)***
\- Head to Legoland Japan (1h20)
\- Enjoy Legoland with the kids
\- Check-in at hotel (Nagoya Meitetsu station area)
**Part 4 – Tokyo**
***Day 14 (August 12): Go to Tokyo – Asakusa area***
\- Head to Asakusa (2h15)
\- Explore Asakusa (Kaminarimon, Nakamise street, Asakusa shrine, Hanayashiki for the kids etc.)
\- Check-in at hotel (Tobu Asakusa station area)
***Day 15 (August 13): Visit relatives + Shimizu Park***
\- Head to Noda (Chiba) (Tsukuba Express + Tobu Urban Park Line: 1h)
\- Morning: enjoy Shimizu Park with the kids (playground/obstacle course, fishing and BBQ)
\- Afternoon: quick visit to relatives
\- Head back to Asakusa (1h)
***Day 16 (August 14): Visit Tokyo – Odaiba area***
\- Spend the day in Odaiba (Tokyo Big Sight, Joypolis, AquaCity, Gundman Statue, Statue of Liberty)
\- Water Bus from Odaiba Marine Park to Asakusa
***Day 17 (August 15): Visit relatives + Tokyo Skytree***
\- Morning: visit relatives and family grave in Saitama (Tobu Skytree line: 0h45)
\- Head back to Asakusa (0h45)
\- Afternoon: strolling and shopping around Tokyo Skytree (Oyokogawa water park, Solamachi’s Chikyu no Niwa for the kids), Tokyo Skytree (optional)
***Day 18 (August 16): Visit Tokyo – Shibuya ward***
\- Meiji Jingu (Yoyogi Pony Park for the kids)
\- Takeshita-dori
\- Shopping in Omotesando
\- Nezu museum (optional)
\- Shibuya crossing, Shibuya Sky
***Day 19 (August 17): Visit Enoshima/Kamakura (daytrip)***
\- Early rise and go to Enoshima (Ofuna then Shonan Monorail)
\- Explore Enoshima (Enoshima Jinja, Iwaya Cave, etc.)
\- Enoden to Hase
\- Visit Hasedera and/or Kotokuin
\- Visit some other temple if time left but not very likely (Hokoku-ji or Zeniarai Benzaiten)
\- Head back to Asakusa
***Day 20 (August 18): Visit Tokyo – Kichijoji area***
\- Ghibli museum and Inokashira Park
***Day 21 (August 19): Visit Nikko (daytrip)***
\- Go to Nikko (Tobu Limited Express Train: 1h50)
\- Morning: Nikko Toshogu and surroundings
\- Afternoon: Edo Wonderland
\- Go back to Asakusa
***Day 22 (August 20): Visit Tokyo – Chiyoda/Chuoo wards***
\- Morning: Imperial Palace gardens
\- Afternoon: shopping in Ginza/Akihabara
***Day 23 (August 21): Visit Tokyo – Tokyo Dome area***
\- Koishikawa Botanical Gardens and/or Koishikawa Korakuen Gardens
\- Tokyo Dome City (shopping, fun rides, indoor climbing/skating, ASOBono! Indoor playground, Spa LaQua, etc)
***Day 24 (August 22): Visit Tokyo – Roppongi area***
\- Azabudai Hills and TeamLab Borderless (scheduled to reopen in March)
\- Mori Art Museum
\- Sakurazaka (Robot) Park for the kids
\- Shopping in Tokyo Midtown
***Day 25 (August 23): Amusement or water park***
\- Send luggage to Haneda Airport Hotel
\- One of: DisneySea, Tobu Zoo/Super Pool, Kawagoe Aquatic Park, Yomiuriland, Summerland…
***Day 26 (August 24): Visit Tokyo – Shiodome/Shiba-Koen***
\- Hamarikyu Gardens
\- Tokyo Tower
\- Go to Haneda Airport (potential stop at Heiwa-no-mori Park for the kids if time allows it)
\- Check in at hotel (Haneda Airport)
\- Dinner and last shopping at Haneda Airport Garden
\- Enjoy onsen (Izumi Tenku no Yu)
***Day 27 (August 25): Departure (Haneda)***