Sushi, samurai, and the high-speed Shinkansen
This 18-day family trip begins in the vibrant, cosmopolitan city of Tokyo, which you’ll quickly get to know on a street food tour with a local guide—and sushi will definitely be on the menu. You’ll also visit the trendy, interactive TeamLab Borderless museum, the famous Shibuya Crossing (one of the busiest and most iconic intersections in the world), and the statue of Hachiko, Japan’s most famous dog. After taking in all that Tokyo has to offer, you’ll travel by the super-fast Shinkansen to Matsumoto, a charming castle town surrounded by rice paddies, vineyards, and wasabi farms. In the Japanese Alps, you’ll take a beautiful hike along the historic Nakasendo Trail, passing through rustic mountain villages.
Exciting day trips in and from Kyoto
Via Kanazawa, a city steeped in history with samurai and geisha districts, you’ll take the train to Kyoto, the cultural heart of Japan. By bike, you can easily explore Kyoto’s various attractions, such as Iwatayama Monkey Park, the Samurai Museum, the Fushimi Inari Shrine with its 10,000 torii gates, and the iconic Arashiyama bamboo forest. Take a day trip to Nara Park—also known as Deer Park because of its tame deer—and visit the impressive Todaiji Temple. After sampling the famous, freshly made mochi at Nakatanidou, the journey continues to Osaka, better known as “the kitchen of Japan.” In Hiroshima, take a day trip to Miyajima Island, where you can admire the famous Itsukushima Shrine and the floating red torii gate.
Tips and Tops Family Travel Japan:
- Attend an exciting sumo match in Tokyo
- In Kappabashi-dori in Tokyo is known as the "cooking street" or "fake food street," where the very realistic fake food replicas are made
- From Tokyo, a day trip is possible to Kamakura, a former capital on the coast with many temples
- In Tokyo, visit the Shibuya Sky, where an elevator takes you to the 45th floor for a fantastic view of the city
- Meiji Jingu, the iconic Shinto shrine dedicated to Emperor Meiji; walk through impressive tori gates to the forest with more than 100,000 trees
- Hike part of the Nakasendo Trail, one of five ancient trade routes from Edo that were under the control of the Tokugawa shogunate in the 8th century
- Rent electric bikes in Kanazawa and explore the Kenroku-en Garden, Kanazawa Castle and the 21st Century Museum of Modern Art
- The extraordinary Otagi Nenbutsu Temple in Kyoto has thousands of small Buddha statues
- Visit the A-Bomb Dome and Orizuru Tower in Hiroshima, where you can fold a crane, a symbol of a long and happy life
- After kayaking from Miyajima, you will take the Aquanet ferry to downtown Hiroshima, near the Peace Memorial Park and Museum
- In Osaka, a day at Universal Studios is a must for the whole family
