Hi folks. We will be travelling with kids aged 4 and 6 to Japan in a few weeks and wanted to get some advice on our rough itinerary. We are mindful that we probably need to plan for the kids everyday. Our rough itinerary is as follows:
**8 March (Tokyo)**\- Arrive at 7am. We don’t expect much jetlag as there is an hour difference with our home country. Hotel check in is at 1500 so we have hours to kill.- Legoland, Joypolis and hang around the Gundam robot
**9 March (Tokyo)**\- Disneyland (We have never been to one and i understand land is better for the 4 year old)
**10 March (Tokyo)**\- Teamlab Planets- Check into accomodation in Shinjuku- Explore Golden Gai
**11 March (Tokyo)**\- Akihabara- Asakusa- Ueno Park- Tokyo Skytree
**12 March (Tokyo)**\- Explore Shibuya (Pokemon Centre, Nintendo Shop)- Harajuku Mipig
**13 March (Tokyo)**\- Easy day – shopping for trinkets at Tokyu hands roam around Shinjuku
**14 March (Osaka)**\- Shinkasen to Osaka. Check into accomodation in Nishi- Explore Dontonbori Area
**15 March (Osaka)**\- Universal Studios
**16 March (Osaka)**\- Osaka Castle
**17 March (Osaka)**\- Nara Day trip
**18 March (Osaka)**\- Aquarium- Chill out at Tempozan- Kids plaza
**19 March (Kyoto)**\- Travel to Kyoto. Check into accomodation- Explore Kyoto station and area around
**20 March (Kyoto)**\- Tofuku-ji- Fushimi Inari
**21 March (Kyoto)**\- Kyoto Railway Museum
**22 March (Kyoto)**\- Gion district- Shopping
**23 March (Kyoto)**\- Shopping Nishiki Market- Travel to Tokyo
**24 March (Tokyo)**\- Fly out of narita at 11am.**Questions:**
1. I am worried that some days are too thin. This is really because of the kids. Is there anything recommended as a must do for kids in Osaka? I intend to explore late at night when the kids and wife are back resting.
2. Is it better to have a day trip to Nara from Osaka or Kyoto?
3. I would like to get some japanese gin. Are there any recommended spots to get good gin?
4. I havent booked accomodation in kyoto yet. Is a ryokan doable with kids?
Thank you all!
2 comments
>I am worried that some days are too thin. This is really because of the kids. Is there anything recommended as a must do for kids in Osaka? I intend to explore late at night when the kids and wife are back resting.
To be frank, unless your young children are *really* into Japanese history and spirituality (or just have a lot of natural curiosity), I think places like Osaka Castle and Fushimi Inari will quickly wear out their welcome (so I have heard from people with kids that age, I don’t have them myself), so you’ll have your work cut out for you keeping them excited on the multiple hours it can take to get through Fushimi Inari. There’s also a *ton* of walking involved with a lot of your plans but I’m sure you know how your kids can handle that. As far as kid friendly things, you’ve got USJ and the aquarium and those are the big ones.
>Is it better to have a day trip to Nara from Osaka or Kyoto?
My vote would be for Kyoto. Shorter train ride.
>I would like to get some japanese gin. Are there any recommended spots to get good gin?
There is a bar in Omoide Yokocho in Shinjuku called Albatross that I had a killer gin buck at in 2018. But otherwise this one is a fairly easy google.
>I havent booked accomodation in kyoto yet. Is a ryokan doable with kids?
Absolutely, I’d just keep an eye out for those that come with dinner because the traditional dinners can be hell on picky eaters. Onsen rules for children are fairly straightforward as well. There are male and female baths and typically children up to a certain age can go in with either parent
My daughter’s first trip to Japan she was 5.
I think for ryokans it really depends on the ryokans. Some actually do have children’s meals and some are very much geared just for older children and adults. There are also sorts of accommodations that call themselves ryokan that can be a lot less traditional. Some ryokan are just about the meals and some are known for their baths.
I think it depends on where you are staying in Kyoto vs. where you are staying in Osaka, which is better to go to Nara. I’ve done a triangle of Kyoto to Nara to Osaka to Kyoto. Just be warned, my daughter loved the deer but they can be aggressive.
My daughter loved the monkey park in Arashiyama. There are monkeys there. It is all uphill.
If you don’t mind going to the Pokemon Center, there are lots and lots of Pokemon Centers. I’ve been to a lot of them. My daughter likes the 3 we went to in Kansai over the Tokyo ones.
For shrines and temples, I did get my daughter her own goshuin stamp book, but she hasn’t found it quite as cool as I do. Instead, I found giving her a camera and letting her take pictures on her own, has gotten her to enjoy shrines and temples a lot more. We then let her enter her pictures in local fairs. She’s wins money every year, so she has an even larger reason to enjoy taking pictures now. There are lots of older cheap digital cameras now. My daughter is using one I used before she was born.
For USJ, make sure all the kiddie rides are back up and running otherwise your 4 year old unless they are tall is going to be awful bored.
I have not been, I am going by a recommendation I was given by someone on Japan Guide when I said I was taking my young child. They recommended [https://en.kobe-oukoku.com/](https://en.kobe-oukoku.com/)
I’m honestly, not sure my kid would enjoy it. She hates zoos. I don’t know if it will work for you, but getting from Kyoto or Osaka to Kobe is pretty easy.
Assuming you have no tattoos
If you’re looking for cheezy:
[https://www.spaworld.co.jp/](https://www.spaworld.co.jp/)
the bathing suit section is mixed gender. I’ve only been to the naked parts. I’ve been a few times so have experienced both Europe and Asia.
[https://minoh-spa.ooedoonsen.jp/](https://minoh-spa.ooedoonsen.jp/)
This place looks like it is going for a more authentic vibe.
[https://www.ndg.jp/tenzan/](https://www.ndg.jp/tenzan/)
Same with this one. I’ve wanted to go to Tenzan in Kyoto but my tween is not having it.
I’ve not been to Toei Eigamura in a really long time, and when I was last there, there was not a lot of English. However, that was a long time ago and it seems to have changed.
[https://global.toei-eigamura.com/](https://global.toei-eigamura.com/)
They offer various kid’s ninja experiences that looks very much like they are geared towards young and small children based on pictures.
And back in Tokyo if you want to day trip to an”onsen” my tween loved yunessun [https://www.yunessun.com/global/en/spa/](https://www.yunessun.com/global/en/spa/)
It’s cheezy and a little kitschy. They do allow small tattoos if they can be covered by a special bandage. It’s one of the few “onsen” people specifically go to for the bathing suit side.
I’ve not been, but this is another place that offers some bathing suit onsen
[https://urayasu.ooedoonsen.jp/](https://urayasu.ooedoonsen.jp/)