Family Travels in Japan: Tokyo, Fujiyoshida & Kyoto - 7 Days

Day 1: Arrive in Tokyo, Visit TeamLab & Miraikan Museum, Family Foodie Tour

Welcome to Japan! Your flight lands in Tokyo, Japan's buzzing capital city. Here, you'll find the perfect blend of modern and traditional, with neon-lit skyscrapers and dense traffic alongside historic temples and lush gardens. Once you've checked in at your hotel and had a chance to regroup, head out with the family to see more of this fascinating urban metropolis.

Start with a visit to TeamLab Planets, an interactive and immersive art exhibition that gives new meaning to the term "modern art." Walk barefoot through the exhibits and be prepared to follow art as it moves along the walls! Then head to the high-tech district of Odaiba and the Miraikan Museum (officially the National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation), where you'll find zones dedicated to science, nature, and technology. The kids can say hello to the museum's resident robots, see weather patterns on the blue planet globe, and experience what it's like being inside the International Space Station.

Tonight, take a deep dive into Japanese cuisine with a kid-friendly foodie tour. Meet your local guide and head to the Shinjuku district, home to a dazzling collection of restaurants, hotels, and sightseeing spots. Walk around with your guide and let the kids soak in the atmosphere, then visit a sushi restaurant for authentic omakase sushi prepared right in front of your eyes! Afterward, head to another spot for Wagyu beef yakiniku (thinly sliced and grilled meat), where you'll cook your own food tableside. Finish at a Japanese snack restaurant and let the kids try local desserts and other treats.

Day 2: Guided City Tour & Pokémon Center Fun

Your day begins with a family tour of Tsukiji Fish Market, a lively shopping spot where you'll find locals making their daily purchases and vendors hawking their wares. Around 400 shops and restaurants are crammed into the narrow lanes here, trading all kinds of fresh and dried seafood, traditional snacks, and cooking ingredients. Roam around the market as your guide explains Japan's culinary culture and points out different kinds of fish and seafood to curious kids, then stop at a restaurant to try some fresh seafood for breakfast. 

From here, continue to Senso-ji, which dates back to the seventh century and is considered one of Tokyo's most significant Buddhist temples. Visit the temple's main hall, and if you like, you can pray to the Kannon statue enshrined there just like the locals do or pick up an omikuji (fortunes written on strips of paper). Take a walk along Nakamise-dori, a street adjacent to the temple that's lined with shops and food stands. Let the kids pick out souvenirs for family and friends back home or grab a snack from one of the vendors. 

Finish the tour with a visit to the Pokémon Center, where your little ones can realize their Pokémon Master dreams, and you can purchase everything from plush Pikachu dolls to rare trading cards. There's also a Pokémon-themed café right next door, where you can try cute and delicious sweet treats and beverages. 

Day 3: Transfer to Fujiyoshida, Discover Mount Fuji & Lake Kawaguchi 

Your next destination is Fujiyoshida, a resort town that sits in the northern foothills of Mount Fuji. Mount Fuji, or Fuji-san as the locals call it, is the country's highest peak, stretching into the sky at more than 12,000 feet (3,776 m). A common pilgrimage site, it's considered one of Japan's three sacred mountains. Your guide will collect your family from your Tokyo hotel after checking out for the scenic 1.5-hour drive.

Day 4: Adventures in Fuji Q Highland Amusement Park

Get ready for a day of thrilling rides, enthralling entertainment, and delicious food as your family takes a full-day excursion to Fuji-Q Highland Amusement Park! Located right at the foot of Mount Fuji and considered one of the country's most popular parks, the kids will go wild for the animé-themed attractions, rollercoaster rides, and live entertainment. 

Fans of Thomas the Tank Engine will want to spend some time in Thomas Land, dedicated to the TV series "Thomas & Friends," and you can also venture into the animé-based Ge Ge Ge no Kitaro for 3D shows and pictures with the manga show's characters. Daredevils in the group won't want to miss rollercoasters like Dodonpa, the park's speediest and the world record holder for the fastest acceleration, or Fujiyama, one of the world's tallest. You'll also find plenty of restaurants and cafés here, so be sure to stop for sustenance in between rides! 

Day 5: Train to Kyoto, Samurai Ninja Museum & Kimono Tea Ceremony

This morning, make your way to the train station and depart for Kyoto, a cultural powerhouse known for its historic traditions, temples, gardens, and palaces. Once you've checked in at your hotel, you'll meet your guide and head to Kyoto's captivating Gion district for a traditional kimono tea ceremony.

Day 6: Pavilions of Kinkaku-ji, Railway Museum, Fushimi-Inari's Torii Gates

See some of Kyoto's most important historic sites today, starting at Kinkaku-ji, a Zen Buddhist temple with a large golden pavilion. Walk the peaceful grounds, and be sure to visit the temple's top floors, which are completely covered in gold leaf. Then visit Kyoto Railway Museum, one of Japan's top three railway museums. Budding railroad historians will enjoy seeing the more than 50 retired trains, which range from steam locomotives to modern electric and Shinkansen trains. The kids can also drive a train simulator and learn the ins and outs of being a conductor! 

Your final stop is the famed Fushimi Inari-taisha. Featured in the movie "Memoirs of a Geisha," this shrine has more than 10,000 picturesque red torii gates, all donated by individuals and businesses as a sign of appreciation to the god Inari for the blessings received. Little ones will be entranced by the brightly colored gates, and you can all stroll through them at leisure. If you and your kids are physically active, you can also take a light hike, following the torii-lined route all the way up the mountain for sweeping views of the surrounding countryside.