Hello,
I have booked our flights and ski accommodation, and now I'm working on how to divide our time so that I can start arranging other accommodations. We find it challenging to get time off work and have been wanting to visit Japan for many years, especially since our trip in 2022 was cancelled.
We are a family of four—three adults and an 11-year-old. We travel light with just carry-on backpacks, and we are very active. We love to explore, meet new people, and enjoy a good party. My youngest son is a fan of anime, LEGO, ninjas, samurai, sumo, Pokémon, dinosaurs, and VR. Meanwhile, my eldest enjoys history, sports, nightlife (like playing pool and other sports-related games), and delicious food.
I’m open to adding extra nights in some places and reducing time in others—for example, spending six nights in Tokyo and two in Hiroshima. Thank you to the Reddit community for all the helpful suggestions so far. Let me know if you have any suggestions on the trip or your favourite place to visit that YOU consider a must-do. We do not like to plan out our days to the minute and like to go with the flow, but we do have a few places that we would like to see. Here’s what I have planned:
Tokyo – arrive 5.30 pm – 7 nights – Stay in the Shinjuku area
- Sumo dinner one night
- A day trip if Fuji is visible to Lake Kawaguchi to bike ride
- Tokyu Kabukicho Tower: arcades, nightlife,
- Omoide Yokocho (West side of Shinjuku Station): traditional alley (food/drink)
- Golden Gai: narrow alley of bars/food
- Senso Ji Temple
- Nakemesi Dori street
- Asakusa Area
- Hoppy Street (bar district)
- Asahai beer tower (cool view bar)
- Roppongi Area
- Mohri Garden
- Tokyo Tower Red: VR
- Pokémon Café
- Pokémon Center Tokyo DX
- Teamlabs Planet’s
- Kidzania
- Shibuya Crossing
- Cat Street
- Capsule Lab
- Ochanomizu Guitar Street
- Gogo arcade
- Kidzania
- Dinosaur museum
- Akihabara’s retro gaming and anime shops.
Early train to Nagoya – Legoland for me and the 11-year-old, while my husband and eldest son explore
Nagoya – 1 night (stay at Legoland as I have been promising this since 2021!)
Train to Kyoto
Kyoto – 3 nights
- Samurai Kembu
- Waraku Kyoto
- Kōdai-ji Temple
- Maruyama Park
- Nanzenji Temple
- Philosophers Path
- Higashiyama Jisho-ji
- Nishiki market
- Gion Area
- Higashiyama area
- Fushimi Inari Shrine
- Arashiyama Bamboo Forest
- Nintendo Museum
- Pokemon Centre Kyoto
Early train to Hiroshima to visit the peace memorial
Hiroshima – 1 night
Early ferry to Matsuyama, then train to Imabari, pick up the bikes and ride the Shimanami Kaido
Oshima Island – 1 night
Continue on the Shimanami Kaido to Onomichi, drop off the bikes and catch a train to Osaka
Osaka – 3 nights
- Minami District
- Tokyo Hands Store
- Shinsaibashi-suji shopping square
- Dotombori Area
- Hozenji Yokocho street
- Doguyasuji Arcade
- Den-Den Town
- Kuormon Market
- America-Mura area
Early train to Iiyama, then bus to Nozawaonsen
Nozawaonsen – 5 nights
Skiing
Tokyo – 1 night – Stay in the Ueno Area
- Tokyo National Museum
- Shopping
8pm flight home
We are all very excited! Thank you.
by Latter_Design_3791