Day 1 (12/29): Tokyo
As you will only arrive later in the day, I refrained from planning anything on this day. Private car airport pickup, along with an assistant that will be holding a sign with your name on it to meet you as you exit Customs will be arranged for this day.
Activities:
- Airport pick-up
Planner's Notes: n/a
Day total cost: $200
Day 2 (12/30): Tokyo
I wanted to make sure that I incorporated some of the ideas from your initial plans into the itinerary, so this day is partly based on the original day 2 that you sent to us initially. It would be a trip to Kamakura and Enoshima. However, I would like to significantly cut back on the amount of temples and shrines visited and focus on the highlights in these two locations. Mainly, Hasedera Temple, and Enoshima Shrine. I think that cutting back will also give you guys time to make unplanned stops along the way, and also give you time to enjoy lunch in the area. After that, I wanted to make sure that I had at least one sake experience in the itinerary since the whiskey distillery will be closed while you are here, so the next stop on this day would be a visit to Tokyo’s JSS Center to learn about different types of Japanese spirits, and what they pair best with.
Activities (guided day):
- Hasedera Temple visit
- Enoshima Shrine visit
- Yokohama Ramen Museum
Japanese Sake Learning Center visit (possibly moving to 1/5)- Cat cafe visit (tentative addition)
Planner's Notes: This day would require a slightly early start. Actually, now that I’m thinking about it, I think that the sake taste testing would actually work out better as the last activity on the 5th of January. It may be best to switch this activity with the cat cafe activity, so that the 5th isn’t too packed. For the ramen museum, I would like to arrange a ramen noodle making lesson for 3:30PM, in addition to the normal visit.
Day total cost: $908
Day 3 (12/31): Nagoya
I wanted to split the time in Tokyo up between the beginning of the trip and the end of the trip. I’ve done this mainly because a lot of the activities that I have included in this itinerary for Tokyo won’t be available during the New Year’s period. Thus, I’ve elected to start your move down towards Kyoto, but with a stop in the Nagoya area before continuing to head west to Kyoto and Osaka. Here I would like to arrange something special. The first activity would be a home visit to one of the guide’s in the area who teaches Japanese homestyle cooking. She would take you guys into her house on New Year’s day to teach the lesson, and I think that this would also be a wonderful opportunity for your children to get a glimpse of what Japanese home life is like, almost like a very quick “homestay”.
There are several ways to bring the New Year in after this activity, however they all happen late at night. I wasn’t sure if your kids would be up staying up until late at night to hear the temple bells ring, so I would like to speak with you to get a better idea of what would be an appropriate New Year’s activity on this night.
Activities:
- Japanese homestyle cooking lesson (guided)
- New Year’s Eve Countdown celebration at a temple or Nagoya Castle (tentative)
Planner's Notes:
Traveling from Tokyo to Nagoya isn’t a long journey by bullet train, but I would like to start this day off as early as possible.
Day total cost: $759
Day 4 (1/1): Nagoya
*Please note that this day’s itinerary is tentative*
New Year’s Day is the biggest holiday in Japan. Most things are closed on this day, and most people are busy celebrating the day with their family. Thus, I wanted to plan something a bit more “quiet”. The first idea is to visit a place that is one of the most beautiful sights in Japan during winter. It isn’t too far from Nagoya, and is called Shirakawa-go Village. It is actually a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The village has preserved the old Japanese style of architecture called “gasshozukuri”, so visiting the village and seeing the old thatch-roof houses feels a bit like stepping back in time. There is an onsen here as well, and so I thought it would be a nice treat to enjoy a natural springs hot bath while visiting. I’ve included a picture of what the village looks like in the picture gallery.
In addition to this, Japan has a tradition called “Hatsumoude”. It means, “first shrine visit of the year”. It’s an extra important visit, because this is the time of the year where people visit shrines to pray for good fortune for the rest of the year. It can get very, very crowded during the first week or so of the year when people all crowd in to temple to make their visits (please keep this in mind for the other temple visits in Kyoto after this day). I’d like to arrange a visit to a shrine while visiting there. There is a Hachiman Shrine there, where you can receive “omamori” which are like small blessing amulets, or we can arrange a visit to a shrine closer to Nagoya on the way back from the village visit.
Activities (guided day):
- Shirakawago Village visit
- Takayama sake brewery visit
- Hatsumoude Temple or shrine visit
Planner's Notes: Today is the only day in the itinerary where I feel as though having a private car for the day is 100% necessary. Getting to Shirakawago by public transport is possible, but the timing is very difficult, and it would also limit the amount of time that you could spend there. Also, as this is New Year’s Day, public transport is going to be mostly shut down between major locations and the village. It also makes it easier to get around the village when you have a driver. The addition of a private car is included in the price that I’ve sent you.
Day total cost: $1,409
Day 5 (1/2): Himeji
This will be one of the more travel-intense days of the trip. Travel between Nagoya and Kyoto isn’t far at all (about 40 minutes in total), and travel between Kyoto and Himeji is about the same length, but logistically speaking there will be a lot of moving around on this day. This is one of those days where I wanted to give you guys some space to explore, and so I’ve only planned two activities. The first activity of the day will be visiting Himeji to see the UNESCO World Heritage castle that is there. In my opinion, there is not better or majestic castle in Japan than Himeji Castle. Also, Himeji Castle is one of the rare structures in Japan from that era that has survived earthquakes, war, and other calamities. It’s the original structure.
After that, I’d like to organize a quick calligraphy lesson. I think that this experience is an excellent way for your kids to be exposed to the Japanese writing system, but also the idea and foundation of Japanese kanji characters in general. Your teacher will tell you about how Japanese writing evolved, and some of the reasons why certain combinations of characters represent the meanings that they represent. It’s an eye-opening experience that goes beyond simple “writing” of characters.
Activities:
- Himeji Castle visit (guided)
- Calligraphy lesson (guided - different guide)
Planner's Notes: To reduce the amount of travel on this day, it would be possible to take the train from Nagoya to Kyoto on Day 4. This day was originally meant to be Day 7, however I had to move it to this day, because a lot of the places that I wanted you to visit in Arashiyama simply were not open. Himeji Castle however is open on this day. This day is best experienced with a guide to give you the history of the castle and explain to you why it is such a historically significant place. I would like to schedule an early departure from Nagoya (around 7:30 - 8:00 AM), to maximize the free time that you guys will have in Kyoto after visiting Himeji.
Day total cost: $1,359
Day 6 (1/3): Kyoto
For your first day in Kyoto, I wanted to arrange a traditional tea ceremony, and a visit to some of Kyoto’s more iconic locations, and also a visit to a place that I think will be interesting for your kids to visit. The tea ceremony was ranked high on your list, and so I wanted to make sure that we had a chance to add it to the itinerary. The tea ceremony master is one that is incredibly knowledgeable about the history of the art, and he also speaks English. This was something that you showed really deep interest in when we spoke on the phone, so I wanted to make sure that this particular tea master was able to adequately share his wisdom with your family.
After that, I wanted to send your family to a district in Kyoto known as Arashiyama. It’s a very traditionally beautiful district, that is filled with temples shrines, and nature. I’d like to specifically highlight two locations here. The first is Tenryuji Temple. I chose this place because of its amazing zen garden, and the bamboo grove that is behind the temple. The zen garden in particular is amazing. The view is not only beautiful, but completely different depending on the season that you are visiting. It was masterfully designed. The next location in Arashiyama that I wanted to send you to is Iwatyama Monkey Park. It is a very short hike up the mountain, and I know you mentioned not wanting any theme parks, so I wanted to plan something that I thought your kids might enjoy, but isn’t theme park-related. Also, I think that the view from the top of Mt. Iwatayama is the best view of Kyoto in the area. This activity can be replaced if you’d like to switch it.
Activities (guided day):
- Traditional Tea Ceremony (guided)
- Tenryuji Temple Visit (guided)
Planner's Notes: I hope that this day doesn’t come off as a bit ‘barebones’, but there were a few things that I wanted to add that simply aren’t operating at this time of year. A guide on this day is great to have as the history of Tenryuji is fascinating. The alternative to this day is to visit Nara. Nara is famous for Todaiji Temple, which is the temple where the deer freely roam the temple grounds. It is also famous for housing the largest statue of the Buddha in Japan.
Day total cost: $1,894
Day 7 (1/4): Osaka
This day is dedicated to Osaka, which is also known as Japan’s kitchen, and so I wanted to stick to a theme of food. The first activity of the day will be a visit to Kuromon Ichiba, where you will all have the chance to try out multiple different types of food that Osaka is famous for (there will be 10+ different dishes that you can try on this tour, so please come hungry). From sashimi to desserts, this tour will feature dishes that you know and some that you probably have never heard of before.
After that, a visit to the amazing Botanical Gardens is a great way to see one of the best tech-art installations in the country. The installation only begins at sundown, and is a great way to have a semi-illumination experience during the trip that I think the kids will love.
Activities:
- Osaka Kuromon Ichiba food tour (guided - private)
- Nara and Todaiji Temple visit
- Botanical Gardens Illumination
Planner's Notes: As I mentioned on the phone, Osaka and Kyoto are basically one large city. The subway lines connect, and since there is a subway station next to the hotel that I’ve suggested, it would be very easy to reach, and then return to the hotel. No private guide would be needed on this day. The food tour will be guided (it is a group experience), and there’s absolutely no need for a guide to visit the Botanical Gardens. Please note that the Botanical Gardens and the TeamLab Planets experience on Day 9 in Tokyo were created by the same group, and thus there may be some overlap in them, although I’ve personally been to both of them and I don’t find them to be so similar that visiting both would be unnecessary. However, if I had to choose one of these experiences, I would 100% choose the TeamLab Planets experience in Tokyo. Thus if you find them to be too similar and want to have just the food tour in Osaka, and have free time to explore the city after that, we can remove the Botanical Gardens experience. Please keep in mind that with the Botanical Garden experience, you may arrive in Tokyo a little later on this day. Osaka was a very tricky and difficult location to plan, because a lot of things will still, unfortunately, still be closed on this day. For instance, there is a really fun cup ramen museum that kids really love that I wanted to include on this day, however it will unfortunately be closed, as is the Suntory Whiskey distillery. I do think that you guys will still have a good time there, but please let me know if you want to add more activities to this day.
Day total cost: $989
Day 8 (1/5): Tokyo
For the last leg of the trip, I want to take full advantage of the time that you guys have left on your trip, so these last two days are packed with activities that we were unable to fit into the beginning of the trip. The first activity that I would like to plan is a trip to a sumo stable. The trip is really special and it is a great way to get a glimpse into the lives of sumo wrestlers, and also just how strong sumo wrestlers really are. Sumo, is actually the basis for most other forms of Japanese martial arts. Jujitsu is a militarized version of sumo wrestling. Also sumo wrestling started out as a Shinto ceremonial divination ritual. The dohyou ring is meant to represent one’s mind, and your opponent is meant to represent thoughts that you wish to clean your mind of. The morning keiko practice session is a bunch of private matches between the rikishi, and in my opinion is better than attending an actual tournament, because you will be seated up close to action.
After this, the only other activity that I wanted to plan for this day is the Studio Ghibli museum for your daughter, as you requested during our phone call. This means that you guys will have some extra time today for an activity or two that you may be interested.
Activities:
Sumo Stable visit (guided)- Tokyo SkyTree
- Sensouji Temple visit (guided)
- Cat Cafe (tentative - possibly occurring on Day 2)
- Studio Ghibli Museum visit
Planner's Notes:
You’ll have time on this day for some unplanned activities. No need for a guide on this day.
Day total cost: $789
Day 9 (1/6): Tokyo
For this day, I wanted to keep things simple. Since you have a late flight, I wanted to make sure that we included at least one activity before you guys head to the airport. The activity that I planned is a trip to TeamLab Planets. I think that this will quite possibly be the highlight of the trip for your kids as it is such a fun and unique experience. I’ve put pictures of TeamLab’s exhibition in the gallery to give you an idea, but I’m also going to put a video below this description, as it is a hard experience to describe in words. A driver will be arranged to pick you up from your hotel to take you directly to the airport.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-uJTk_mRmUY&t=2s&ab_channel=teamLab
Activities:
- TeamLab Planets
Toyosu Fish Market Tour + sushi-making lesson (tentative addition - pending approval)- Airport drop-off
Planner's Notes: I didn’t include the Toyosu Fish Market Tour, but it is possible to add it to this day. It would require an early wake up though. The meet-up time would be around 8:00AM. We could do the fish market tour without the sushi-making lesson too if you would prefer. Pickup time for the airport drop-off will most likely be around 5:30PM.
Day total cost: $320
