N.3
Japan Family Holiday: Neon Cities, Mountain Ryokans & Ancient Kyoto
December to April
Tokyo · Hakone · Kyoto
13 nights
Japan is brilliant for families because almost every day feels completely different.
One morning you’re looking down over the neon of Tokyo; the next, soaking in a private onsen overlooking Mount Fuji, riding the Shinkansen through the countryside or learning about matcha in Uji.
This journey deliberately keeps things simple. Begin with four nights in Tokyo, slow everything down with two nights in Hakone, then settle into Kyoto for a full week — using it as a base for easy day trips to places such as Osaka, Uji and Kobe rather than constantly changing hotels.
The result is a Japan family holiday with huge variety, but without turning the whole trip into a race around the country.
From approximately £16,992 per family including return economy flights from London, 13 nights' luxury accommodation, private transfers. Prices based on 2 adults and 2 children.
Your Japan family itinerary
Start in Tokyo
Dive into Japan with neon streets, temples, brilliant food, arcades and plenty of wonderfully strange family surprises.
Slow down in Hakone
Swap skyscrapers for mountains, hot springs and a traditional ryokan - with Mount Fuji views if you're lucky.
Ride the bullet train
Travel west on the Shinkansen — one of those journeys that becomes an experience in its own right.
Discover Kyoto
Explore temples, bamboo forests, markets and old neighbourhoods, with private experiences bringing Japan’s traditions to life.
Drink matcha in Uji
Take an easy day trip from Kyoto to historic Uji, famous for its tea, and learn about matcha from the people who grow and prepare it.
Eat your way through Osaka
Head to Osaka for bright lights, street food and Dotonbori — returning to your Kyoto hotel at the end of the day.
13 nights | Japan rail pass and airport transfers | Five-star family accommodation | Best in Spring or Autumn
Why Japan is great for families
Japan manages something few destinations do: parents and children can be equally excited about completely different things at exactly the same time.
Children see bullet trains, robots, Pokémon, deer, vending machines and enormous bowls of ramen. Grown-ups see exceptional food, extraordinary design, beautiful hotels, temples, gardens and one of the world's most fascinating cultures.
It also works brilliantly logistically. Trains are fast and efficient, cities are easy to explore and our itinerary deliberately keeps hotel changes to a minimum.
This is still an adventure — just one where everything tends to work.
And no, your children don't have to eat sushi every day
One of the nicest surprises for families is just how easy Japan can be at mealtimes.
Of course, there is exceptional Japanese food everywhere — sushi, ramen, yakitori, tempura and some of the best bakeries you'll come across anywhere. But you certainly don't have to eat Japanese food three times a day.
Japan has a surprisingly strong Italian food scene, so pizza and pasta are genuinely good fallback options rather than a compromise for younger travellers.
In Tokyo, we particularly like Cadota, a small neighbourhood Italian restaurant in Toshima known for handmade pasta, duck dishes and ingredients sourced from local farms. The chef trained in Puglia, and it is the sort of place that shows how seriously Japan takes even food borrowed from somewhere else.
In other words, adventurous eaters can go as far as they like — and everybody else will still eat extremely well.
Babies & toddlers
0-2
Easier than you might expect
Excellent public transport, immaculate facilities and carefully paced days can make Japan surprisingly manageable with very young children..
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Little explorers
3-6
Everything feels exciting
Bullet trains, enormous temples, vending machines, arcades and wandering deer turn ordinary sightseeing into an adventure.
Young Adventurers
7-10
A brilliant age for Japan
Ride the Shinkansen, try sushi-making, explore temples and discover a country that feels completely unlike home.
Tweens & Teens
11-18
Almost impossible to be bored
Anime, gaming, fashion, food, technology and pop culture sit alongside samurai, temples and centuries of tradition.
Grown ups
Plenty for you too
World-class food, beautiful hotels, traditional ryokans and extraordinary culture make this every bit as rewarding for adults as children.
Your tailor-made Japan
family holiday
Your journey, not ours
This itinerary is a starting point.
Want longer in Tokyo? We'll adjust it. Have children obsessed with Nintendo, Pokémon or Studio Ghibli? We'll build around that. Want Hiroshima and Miyajima? Easy. Travelling during ski season and fancy finishing in Hokkaido? We can completely reshape the journey.
Or perhaps you'd rather trade some of the cities for rural Japan, stay in traditional inns and explore somewhere most visitors never reach.
The best family holidays to Japan aren't created from a fixed formula. They're built around what your family actually wants to experience.
