Japan with Kids: 8 Tips to Plan The Perfect Trip

The ‘land of the rising sun’, Japan, is almost certainly unlike anywhere else you will have visited. It is a place so safe, and where honesty is so highly valued, that people reserve their restaurant seat when going to the bathroom by leaving their wallet or mobile phone on the table. It has unbelievably elaborate customs that feel as if they come from a different age, yet it is one of the most technologically advanced societies in the world. It has a population that have a reputation for being reserved and yet who are surprisingly warm when you meet them. As Japan is such a unique place, it pays to plan ahead for what should be a memorable stay. Here, therefore, are our top 8 tips for planning the perfect family trip to Japan.

Choose the season

Most parts of Japan have a temperate climate and the country has four distinct seasons. The temperatures and experiences available vary according to these seasons so it is worth considering them when planning your trip. Spring (March to May) offers mild weather and is the only time to see the famous Japanese ‘sakura’ or cherry blossoms. The first blossoms appear in early March in the southern cities such as Kagoshima and Kumamoto, and then the blossoming moves northwards to Osaka and Kyoto in late March, then finally to Tokyo and Yokohama in early April. Summer (June to August) tends to be hot and humid so the cities are a less desirable location but the islands, such as Okinawa, and the cities in the hills, such as Hokkaido, are cooler and more pleasant. Autumn (September to November) brings pleasant weather and beautiful foliage. The trees in Osaka, Kyoto, Nara, Tokyo and Hokkaido take on gorgeous autumn hues. Winter (December to February) can be very cold but this opens up the possibilities for skiing, hot springs (onsen), a snow-covered Mount Fuji, and seeing the snow monkeys near Nagano.

Choose your trip duration

If you’re planning a short trip (up to 1 week) you might want to focus on one destination with some side trips, to make sure that you get time to explore rather and experience the local culture rather than simply scratching the surface. For medium trips (1-2 weeks), you could possibly visit two locations, whereas for longer trips (over 2 weeks) you could increase the number of stops on your tour. If it’s your first trip and it will be a short one, the iconic cities of Tokyo or Kyoto are a good starting point. Remember that trying to fit in too much travelling can also make for unhappy kids and a less enjoyable experience!

Choose your transport

If you want to see more than one location in Japan it’s worth giving serious thought to how you’ll travel from one place to another. It’s easy to hire taxis and the bus network is extensive, but if you have the option there’s really only one way to travel in Japan: the Shinkansen. The Shinkansen, or bullet train, is a form of transport that most kids will enjoy. Travelling at speeds up to 320 km/h, the long-nosed trains are clean, comfortable and many even have WIFI. You can travel the length of Japan, reaching most of the major cities by Shinkansen, although it costs about 2-3 times the price of regular trains and so may not be suitable for every journey.

Stay in a ryokan

Ryokans are traditional Japanese inns that are found all across the country. Although they’re more expensive than an average hotel, ryokans offer a truly unique Japanese experience. As well as having beautiful settings, the buildings are often historic (the oldest is said to be 1,300 years old), and the rooms make you feel like you’ve walked onto a movie set. You enter through sliding doors to find floors covered with traditional tatami mats, and with screen walls surrounding your futon bed. Many ryokans have an onsen (hot spring) and will often provide exceptional meals within the cost of the room.

Learn some basic Japanese

The general level of English is lower than most other parts of Asia, although most young adults will understands some English and tend to be helpful if you ask for directions or advice. It always helps to have some basic local language skills and it’s also a nice way to introduce your kids to a new language. As a starting point it’s worth learning how to say hello (konnichiwa), goodbye (sayonara), help (herupu), and thank you (arigato).

Learn some customs

It’s good for kids to understand that different cultures have different customs, and it can be fun learning a few things that it’s considered normal to do in Japan. It’s polite to bow to people when you meet or say goodbye. The rules are complex but Japanese people will normally appreciate you trying to follow this custom. Things that are considered rude include wearing shoes indoors (especially on tatami mats), sticking chopsticks upright in rice (it represents a gravestone and so is bad luck), talking loudly on trains, and putting bags on seats (its unhygienic as bags may have been on the floor).

Try some new foods

It’s great to have kids who are adventurous eaters as it means they can get the most from the foods available on their future travels. Some Japanese foods will be very familiar to most kids, such as sushi, ramen noodles, and tempura. Others will probably seem a bit alien, such as takoyaki (fried octopus) and murasaki-imo (purple sweet potato ice cream). Generally speaking though, Japan is a great place to find food for kids, as there is always plenty of rice for kids who are uncertain about trying new things. Dishes you should definitely try include gyoza (dumplings), karaage (fried chicken), katsu curry, fluffy Japanese pancakes, yakitori (meat skewers), and yakisoba (stir-fried noodles).

Plan what to do

Here are just a small number of suggestions for activities that the whole family might enjoy:

Castles

Japan has a rich history so there are many castle you can visit across the country. Good examples include Osaka Castle, Himeji Castle, Okayama Castle, Matsumoto Castle, Nagoya Castle, and Tokyo Imperial Palace.

Animal encounters

The animal café concept, in which you can have a drink while interacting with real animals, has really taken off across the country. As well as the ubiquitous cat and dog cafes, many kids will love to visit the Hedgehog Café (Tokyo), Chouette Happy Owl Café (Osaka), and Loutre Otter Café (Kyoto). They can also see free-roaming deer at Nara Park (Osaka) and marine life at Churaumi Aquarium (Okinawa). But the animal encounter on most people’s lists is the one with the famous snow monkeys at Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park (Nagano), about 3 hours’ drive from Tokyo.

Museums

Japan has some excellent museums and the majority have modern interactive displays that kids (and parents) will enjoy. Some examples include the MORI Digital Museum in Tokyo, where you can explore stunning optical artworks, and Ghibli Museum, which is devoted to the animé movies of Studio Ghibli such as Totoro and Howl’s Moving Castle.

Theme parks

The Japanese love theme parks so you will not have to look too hard to find one. Some of the most popular ones include Tokyo Disneyland (Chiba/Tokyo), Universal Studios Japan (Osaka), Tokyo DisneySea (Chiba/Tokyo), Hello Kitty Land (Tokyo), Warner Brothers Harry Potter Tour (Tokyo), and Huis Ten Bosch (Nagasaki). Huis Ten Bosch is a bizarre Dutch-themed park that is nearly the size of Monaco!

Hot springs

It would be wrong to visit Japan without experiencing one of the onsens. Most are family friendly and can be found in almost every major destination. Just 2 hours from Tokyo there is even a hot spring waterpark, Yunessun hot spring park, which the whole family is sure to enjoy.

Markets

Japan is a nation of food lovers so you need to understand the food to better understand the culture. Many kids will enjoy seeing some unfamiliar foods in the markets and some of the markets are a tourist spectacle in their own right. At the world-famous Toyosu Market (the largest fish market in the world) you can see people bidding for huge tuna at the daily auctions. The only downside is that you normally need to be there by about 5:30am to see it happen. Other notable markets include Kuromon Market (Osaka), Nishiki Market (Kyoto), and Nijo Market (Sapporo).

With so many things to see, and a surprisingly friendly local population, you are sure the fall in love with the ‘land of the rising sun’.