Hi All – our first trip to Japan – family of 4. Two boys aged 9 and 12. There are a lot into anime and will be a dream trip for them.
13‑day family (Tokyo → Kyoto/Osaka → Tokyo) from Mar 12–24, 2026, with big anchors DisneySea, Universal Studio, Temples, and light buffer days at the end. Hopefully it lines up with the Cherry Blossom Sakura in Tokyo at the end.
Trip overview
• Route: Arrive Tokyo ->Kyoto base with Osaka/Nara day trips ->Return Tokyo
• Hotels: Shangri‑La Tokyo (Mar 12–15) → Onyado Nono Kyoto (Mar 15–21) → Airbnb Sumida/Oshiage (Mar 21-24)
Quick Priorities: Kid-friendly pacing (busy days like USJ/DisneySea spaced out with light buffers), good culture mix, no burnout.
Transport plan: Narita Express arrival, Shinkansen Tokyo-Kyoto x2 (~2.5hrs each), ICOCA cards for local/JR, Keisei back to NRT.
Day-by-Day Plan:
Day 1 – Mar 12 (Wed) – Tokyo Arrival
• Land NRT around 3PM
• Narita Express to Tokyo Station (~1hr)
• Walk to Shangri-La check-in
• Grab ekiben station dinner and crash (jetlag).
Day 2 – Mar 13 (Thu) – Tokyo Highlights
• Shangri-La breakfast + Harajuku stroll
• Pokémon Cafe (90min reservation, kids’ highlight)
• Tsukiji market + Shibuya Crossing
• Dinner near hotel.
Day 3 – Mar 14 (Fri) – Tokyo Classics
• Breakfast
• Asakusa Senso-ji + Nakamise shopping street
• Tokyo Skytree + Solamachi arcade
• Ueno area (zoo if energy holds)
Day 4 – Mar 15 (Sat) – Shinkansen to Kyoto
• Breakfast + Shinkansen Tokyo→Kyoto (~2.5hrs)
• Onyado Nono check-in
• First onsen soak
• Free ramen night at hotel
Day 5 – Mar 16 (Sun) – Kyoto Temples
• Breakfast + Fushimi Inari (hit early)
• Kiyomizu-dera temple
• Gion geisha district walk
Day 6 – Mar 17 (Mon) – Nara Day Trip
• Breakfast + JR to Nara (~1hr)
• Deer park feeding + Todaiji Temple
• Afternoon Arashiyama bamboo grove + monkey park
Day 7 – Mar 18 (Tue) – Kyoto Culture
• Breakfast + Kinkaku-ji Golden Pavilion
• Philosopher’s Path
• Nishiki Market food stalls
Day 8 – Mar 19 (Wed) – USJ Day Trip
• Breakfast + JR to Universal Studios Japan (~1hr from Kyoto Station)
• Nintendo World morning
• Minions/Harry Potter rides
Day 9 – Mar 20 (Thu) – Kyoto Recovery
• Breakfast + TeamLab Biovortex (immersive art)
• Kyoto Station mall lunch
• Hotel onsen/pool
Day 10 – Mar 21 (Fri) – Shinkansen to Tokyo + DisneySea
• Breakfast + Shinkansen Kyoto→Tokyo
• Airbnb Sumida check-in
• Tokyo DisneySea (focus Mermaid Lagoon area)
Day 11 – Mar 22 (Sat) – Tokyo Fun
• Breakfast
• Tokyo Tower views + Akihabara (anime arcades)
• Souvenir shopping
• Solamachi mall dinner.
Day 12 – Mar 23 (Sun) – Tokyo Wind-Down
• Breakfast
• Ueno Park (sakura/zoo)
• Packing + laundry at Airbnb
• Early dinner, prep for flight
Day 13 – Mar 24 (Mon) – Departure
• Checkout
• Keisei train from Oshiage to NRT
• Airport lunch
• 5PM flight home to Austin
Does this look doable? Am I missing anything which can be added to this itinerary?
Please suggests any modifications needed to this itinerary
by MURAQLa4