A Family Friendly Japan Tour : A Lifetime of Memories (14 Days Tour)

Kyoto – Walking in the Footsteps of Japan’s Past

Kyoto is a city steeped in history, culture, and cuisine. During these two days, a nearly unlimited number of activities are at your family’s fingertips. For nature lovers, walking trails in and around Kyoto’s shrines and temples transport you back centuries.

For a personalized day tour of Kyoto, ‘samurai’ Joe Okada is the best in the business. For decades, he has been taking small groups through Kyoto’s Imperial Palace along with the city’s landmark shrines and temples. At the end of the tour, watch Joe demonstrate his skill in samurai swordsmanship.

For a more laid-back introduction to Kyoto, have your family participate in an authentic tea ceremony led by a tea master. At the end of the ceremony, enjoy your tea along with a variety of traditional Japanese sweets.

Kyoto is well-known for its Gion District, where Japanese women continue to learn the ancient practices surrounding the geisha. Treat the women in your family to a geisha makeover that includes studio quality photographs. For fathers and teenage sons, a quick ride out of Kyoto provides the ultimate bonding experience: a lesson in Japanese sword making taught by a nationally certified swordsmith.

What’s Included: breakfast, dinner, tour, transfer, accommodation

Osaka – Japan’s Capital of Commerce and Anime

This morning, you are back on the Shinkansen towards Osaka, where the hustle and bustle of modern life never ends. Once known for its prosperous merchant families, the city’s culture is distinct from the rest of Japan.

For families with children interested in Japanese anime and manga, they can participate in a manga drawing class led by a professional illustrator.

The experience ends with the illustrator drawing a manga version of your family that you can take home with you. Families with teenagers can learn the intricate art of ikebana, traditional Japanese flower arranging. If sushi is one of your family’s favorite foods, learn how to make your own (along with Osaka’s signature food: takoyaki, a batter fried octopus dish) at a Japanese home.

For dinner, don’t miss out on okonomiyaki, a savory pancake that includes vegetables, pork, and various kinds of seafood. The okonomiyaki cooks right at your table so that the whole family can take part in its preparation.

What’s Included: breakfast, transfer, tour, accommodation

Shirakawa-go to Takayama – Explore Ancient Traditions

Today your family travels into the mountains that make up the backbone of central Japan. Deep within these peaks lies the scenic village of Shirakawa-go, a UNESCO World Heritage site and one of the best-preserved farming villages in Japan. While there, take a tour of a building that was once the center of the village’s silk industry.

In the afternoon, your bus continues to Takayama, a pristine city surrounded by snow capped mountains. If you are tired from exploring Shirakawa-go, indulge in a rickshaw ride through the city’s old district, where artisans and merchants continue the production of fine crafts using centuries-old techniques. For the adults, the tour of the old city includes a stop at a sake brewery, where you can learn about all the steps involved in making this iconic beverage.

For dinner, indulge in Hida beef, known worldwide for its fine texture and taste. If traveling with older children, or those open to new dining experiences, your guide can also make reservations at a 200-year-old kaisekirestaurant in Takayama. Kaiseki is the most authentic Japanese cuisine that is defined by a variety of small dishes featuring some of the region’s freshest meat and vegetables.

What’s Included: breakfast, dinner, transfer, tour, accommodation

Hakone – Soak in the Views and Hot Spring Baths

Situated at the foot of Mt. Fuji, Hakone provides your family both breathtaking views of nature and exciting adventures. After disembarking your train from Takayama, board a pirate ship for a cruise of Lake Ashi. From the starboard bow, take a stunning family photograph with Mt. Fuji in the background.

In Hakone, there is the option to visit Hakone National Park, where you can see steam rising from volcanic rocks. While there, treat your children to a black egg; the prevailing legend states that whoever eats one adds seven years to his or her life.

In the evening, your hotel has an onsen bath warmed by the very steam you saw earlier in the day. Soaking in hot mineral water, rest your sore feet and let your troubles melt away.

What’s Included: breakfast, transfer, tour, accommodation.

Tokyo – Lose Yourself in Japan’s Beating Heart

After breakfast, your family boards an express bus to Tokyo, the capital and heart of Japan. For first time visitors, Tokyo seems like a city that never ends. Even from its highest observatory in the Tokyo Skytree, the metropolis around you stretches on into infinity in every direction. It is still early in the day when your family arrives, and there is no limit to what you can do next. If your family are fans of the films of Hayao Miyazaki, a visit to the Ghibli Museum is a treat like no other. Designed by Miyazaki, the museum resembles a beautiful home that has attractions and exhibits for all ages. Younger children play on a life size cat bus from My Neighbor Totoro, while teenagers and adults explore the interactive displays about how a Studio Ghibli film is made. While there, be sure to stop by the museum’s theater, which shows short Ghibli films found nowhere else in the world.

If a passion for art runs in your family’s veins, there are personalized classes in Japanese calligraphy or cloth dying. These classes are led by experts in their fields, and you have the bonus of taking your art with you at the end of your lesson.  

Tokyo offers a variety of memorable dining experiences, as well. At Zauo, you are invited to catch your own fish from the restaurant’s large tank. After a successful catch, the restaurant’s waiters assist in preparing your fish tableside, or prepare it for you for a small fee. Also, some of the most famous food in Japan isn’t edible at all, but plastic replicas used by restaurants around the country to advertise their meals. Tour the Tokyo street where these replicas are sold.

As your time in Tokyo winds down, take the time to reflect on your experiences. Tokyo’s thousands of shrines, temples and gardens provide an oasis of calm within the city’s hectic pace. If you need a little help finding inner peace, let Buddhist monks help you during a class in Zen meditation.

What’s Included: breakfast, transfer, tour, accommodation