Japan with kids

[Scuzi]

I have a big birthday coming up and I’ve always wanted to go to Japan, so I’m giving it strong consideration.

Key points to note:
- 2a, 2c (12, 10)
- It has to be end of July due to matching school holidays with leave from work.
- 14 days off work including recovery time so I’m thinking 10-11 nights.
- Looks like a direct flight LHR - HND with ANA is the best value.

I know it is preferable to visit in spring or Autumn due to the weather, but we generally don’t mind warm and humid climates. Were used to Louisiana summers so I imagine it won’t be that much worse if at all?

There are loads of posts on here with excellent itineraries for adults and solo travelers, but not so much that are suitable for hauling a couple of kids around.

There seems to be plenty to do no matter where we go, but my initial plan would be 6 nights in Tokyo and 4-5 nights in Kyoto. Is that about the right balance?

Whilst staying in Kyoto we would plan to get the train for a day to Osaka to visit Universal Studios. Would that be a sound plan or would it be better to just stay in Osaka for a couple of nights?

I also recall seeing a post here a while ago saying that the JR pass was no longer great value. A 14 day pass for all of us comes to almost £1500. That seems really expensive compared to individual fares, even if it does include Shinkansen back and forth.

Before getting too much into the detail, does the general framework of the plan look sound or would you suggest any changes?
Thanks.

 

[Scuzi]

Thank you Raymond. Regarding eating as a family, we are already very restricted in Japan due to our dietary requirements, so I think we'll just have to make do with whatever we can find and treat the food side as a necessity rather than as part of the experience.

 

[Scuzi]

Just booked the flights, direct with ANA, giving us 11 nights over the last week of July into the first week of August. What we do in-between those dates has yet to be determined.

My initial plan is to stay 6 nights in Tokyo. The first night will be a write off as the flight doesn't land until the evening. Looking at locations with family rooms, it seems the choice is fairly limited. Staying in an area like Shinjuku or Ginza it's a choice between very cramped conditions, or mega expensive. Staying a bit further out opens up the options. According to Google Maps, this Doubletree is around 30 mins from most interesting areas, and it's about half the price of the more central hotels. What's your thoughts on staying out here?

The rest is yet TBC.

Have you used the luggage forwarding services to avoid having to take suitcases on trains?

 

[Scuzi]

I hadn’t considered it like that, thank you. Up to 2 hrs per day every day would become tedious.