Traveling through Japan is amazing, but planning a trip can be a little daunting. For all of you who are thinking of going to Japan (and it often feels like everyone I know has either recently been or is hoping to go soon), I hope these tips make your trip even more memorable.

Before Your Trip

• Play Let’s Go to Japan. It’s an excellent board game and is sure to inspire your itinerary.
• Immerse yourself in Japanese culture. Anime characters are everywhere and you’ll appreciate it more if you recognize some of them.
  • Kid should know the Sanrio characters (like Hello Kitty, Cinnamoroll, and Kuromi) and Pokemon.
  • Watch anime shows like Spy x Family and Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End.
• Some kids books that will help them prepare for the trip:
  • Ame Goes to Japan
  • Jasmine Toguchi, Peace-Maker
• Learn the basic phrases before you leave. We spent 5 minutes every evening slowly learning how to say things like “thank you / arigatou gozaimasu” and “sorry / sumimasen“.

Packing

• Pack lighter than seems reasonable – less stuff means easier transportation and more room for all the stuff you buy. We had one carry-on each, under 7kg.
• Buy extra clothes in Japan – they are good quality and make excellent souvenirs.
• Hotels provide most of the basics, including razors, pajamas (they look more like bathrobes but do the job), toothbrushes, lotion, and sewing kits.
• It’s easy to do laundry every few days.

Transportation

• It’s easy to travel unreserved on the Shinkansen. Just buy your ticket and jump on the next departing train. We always found two seats together, if not three.
• Buy a Welcome SUICA IC card at the airport when you arrive for buses and subway trips. This is the only time you can use your credit card so load up.
  • We started with ¥5000 for adults and ¥3000 for kids (who pay half price).
  • We loaded an extra ¥10,000 (adult) and ¥5,000 (kid) over the next 3 weeks.
• At the end of your trip, the easiest way to drain your IC card is to go into a negative balance with your last train ride to the airport. There are machines before you tap out of the station that will let you add exactly what you owe.

Things to Do

There’s something for everyone and you’ll have to find what interests your family, but I recommend:

• TeamLab (in Tokyo or Kyoto) is amazing.
• Nintendo Museum has a lottery system 3 months in advance, but is fun for the whole family.
• Getting off the beaten path to somewhere with less tourists.
• We really enjoyed our day trips to Nara, Miyajima, Kibiji bike trail, and Hakone (although we recommend an overnight here).
• Find activities that open early like shrines and temples. We were usually out of the hotel and ready to go by 8 am. Unfortunately most stores and attractions don’t open until 10 or 11.

Traveling with Kids in Japan

• It wasn’t always easy, but we’re glad we made our daughter write a journal entry everyday. The notebook is now a cherished trip memento and was handy for collecting the stamps they have everywhere.
• Buy a goshuin book to collect temple seals. This motivates the kids to visit one more temple.
• Always carry your goshuin book and journal with you, because you never know when you’ll stumble upon a temple or stamp rally.
• Take advantage of the safe environment to give your kids some independence, like sending them on an errand to buy breakfast at a local konbini.
• Keep an eye out for tanuki and interesting manhole covers (like Poke lids). The long walks go by faster if you play “who can spot the first tanuki?”

Eating Vegan in Japan

• Use Happy Cow to find restaurants.
• Be flexible and don’t ask questions about broth and seasoning flakes. You’ll be less vegan but happier.
• Look for miso ramen, udon and soba noodle dishes, veg curry, and tempura vegetables. Sushi is less vegetarian friendly than in Vancouver, but you can usually get cucumber, pickle, inari, and natto rolls.
• They take food allergies and dietary restrictions very seriously. We found restaurants would rather say there was nothing you can eat than risk giving you wrong information.

Hotels

We were lucky to stay in some really nice places in Japan. Our best hotels were:

• Bridge Hotel Shinsaibashi in Osaka
  • Nightly activities, like kimono try-ons and crafts
  • Free drinks and ramen
  • Lego and kids pajamas to borrow
• Caesar Gion in Kyoto
  • Rooms mix western and Japanese styles
  • Western beds plus tatami mat with futons
• Koko Hotel Residence Asakusa Kappabashi in Tokyo
  • Apartment-style suites
  • In-room laundry and full kitchens
  • Amazing customer service

Cellphone Apps

With the help of an eSIM and a few key apps, you’ll have no problem navigating the country.

• Google Translate – add Japanese language package.
• Google Maps – download offline maps of the major cities and star locations ahead of time. Our Japan map had 175 starred restaurants, attractions, and hotels on it (not all of which we visited).
• IC Card Reader – Keep track of your IC card balance and trip history. No login necessary.
• Happy Cow – find vegetarian and vegan restaurants.