Taking a family vacation to Japan has never been easier or more enjoyable. On this 14-day Japan tour, immerse yourself in Japan’s natural beauty, customs, and culture as you travel between Japan’s big cities and sleepy villages. The country’s mix of new and old is bound to give every member of your family an experience (or two) of a lifetime. At each stop, there are endless customizable opportunities for adventure, relaxation, and delectable food.
Spend a day exploring Fuji-Q Highland, Japan’s signature theme park
Immerse yourself in the timeless culture of Kyoto, indulging in tea ceremonies, geisha practices, and craftsmanship
Discover the soul of Japanese cuisine through an exploratory Japanese cooking class with a renowned chef
Learn the arts of crafting a Japanese sword from a master artisan
Spend the night in a traditional Japanese inn on Miyajima Island
Tickets to the famous Japanese animation studio Ghibli Museum in Tokyo
(Day 1): Kyoto – Welcome to Japan!
(Days 2 - 3): Kyoto – The City of Samurai and Geisha
(Day 4): Hiroshima – Lessons from the Past
(Day 5): Osaka – Japan’s Capital of Commerce and Anime
(Day 6): Kanazawa – Japan’s Jewel on the Sea
(Day 7): Shirakawago to Takayama – Explore Ancient Traditions
(Day 8): Takayama – Walk in the Footsteps of the Past
(Day 9): Hakone – Soak in the Views and Hot Spring Baths
(Day 10): Hakone – Find Your Thrill at Fuji-Q Highland
(Days 11 - 13): Tokyo – Lose Yourself in Japan’s Beating Heart
(Day 14): Heading Home – A Lifetime of Memories
Since opening itself to the world in the 1860s, Japan has drawn the attention of the world’s artists, adventurers, truth seekers, and of course, travelers. Every shrine, temple and skyscraper tell a new story that grabs of your imagination. On this 14-day tour, your family creates many cherished memories as you explore Japan’s past, present, and future.
Your journey begins in Kyoto, Japan’s capital for over 1,000 years. Tour the city with the ‘last samurai,’ and learn the intricacies of the tea ceremony. Mothers and daughters can spend the day as geishas while fathers and sons can learn how to make their own Japanese swords.
After Kyoto, head to Hiroshima, a city that has rebounded since the atomic bombing over seventy years ago. This tragic moment is well documented in the Peace Memorial Park and adjoining museum. No matter your children’s ages, your Hiroshima guide gives your family an age-appropriate tour while also imparting the important role Hiroshima plays in promoting world peace.
Your day in Hiroshima finishes at Miyajima Island. Known for its ‘floating’ torii gate and tranquil nature, the island produces one of Japan’s most famous treats, Momiji. A sweet smell fills the streets as you pass by the dozens of confectioners. In the evening, your family spends the night in a traditional Japanese inn complete with onsen baths and futons.
Besides the conveniences of modern life, Osaka’s culture has changed little since the Edo Period (1603-1868). Like New York or Los Angeles, it is a city where people go to make their fortunes (or at least try to). In Osaka, you are swept away by the hustle and bustle that has defined this city for generations. While there, take the time to treat your children to a drawing lesson led by one of Japan’s premier manga illustrators. For adults and older children, bond while learning the secrets of ikebana, traditional Japanese flower arranging. In the evening, everyone has to work together to make okonomiyaki, Japanese-style pancake, one of Osaka’s signature dishes.
From Osaka, you leave the city by train and head to Kanazawa, a port city on the Sea of Japan. There, your family learns how to decorate lacquerware boxes before heading off to a ‘Ninja Temple’ where the building’s wild twists and turns make you and your children joyfully lost. While there you sample some of Kanazawa’s famous seafood, caught fresh every day from the deep, cold waters just offshore.
Leaving Kanazawa by bus, you find yourself heading deep within Japan’s central mountain range. Your destination is Shirakawa-go, a preserved city where modern homes are still built by hand using traditional methods. Tour one of these homes and learn all about the city’s role in silk production. After lunch, the bus continues to Takayama, a city still steeped in the past. During your two days in Takayama, sample the finest Japanese beef (and sake for the adults), or have your family sit down to a traditional Japanese meal where artistic presentation is trumped only by the exquisite taste.
From Takayama, a train whisks your family to Hakone; a resort city nuzzled up at the foot of Mount Fuji. Take an afternoon cruise on Lake Ashi or a cable car ride followed by a walk through Hakone steaming rock fields. In the evening, relax in one or more of your hotel’s many onsen baths.
Japan isn’t all nature and shrines. On your second day in Hakone, let loose at Fuji-Q Highland, Japan’s premier theme park destination. Home to some of the world’s highest and fastest roller coasters, your family’s thrill seekers have nothing less than the experience of a lifetime. For younger children there is plenty to do, as well, including Thomas Land, a collection of rides and attractions adapted from the adventures of Thomas the Tank Engine.
Your family’s final destination is Tokyo, Japan’s capital and beating heart. Get lost in the Ghibli Museum, an experience for all ages designed by famed animator Hayao Miyazaki. Take a shopping tour of the Ginza, or consider a private tour of Akihabara, Japan anime mecca.
This tour is ideal in early to mid-June, before the beginning of Japan’s rainy season and muggy summer heatwaves. Tour guides fluent in English accompany you in each city and provide assistance with anything you might need during the trip.
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