Japan family tour
- Duration : 14 days
- Locations : Tokyo, Hakone Mt Fuji, Kyoto, Kanazawa, Tokyo
Craft unforgettable memories with your family on a captivating 14-day Japan adventure !
Immerse yourselves in the dazzling lights of Tokyo, witness the awe-inspiring Mount Fuji, explore the cultural treasures of Kyoto, and feed the friendly deer at Nara Park. Wrap up your trip with a journey through historic Kanazawa before returning to Tokyo.
This tour includes accommodation in Japan Experience houses and ryôkan, transportation, and two special family tours, one in Tokyo and one in Kyoto.
14-day itinerary
- Departure city/Airport : Tokyo (Narita : NRT or Haneda : HND)
- Tokyo (5 nights)
- Hakone - Mount Fuji (1 night)
- Kyoto (4 nights, including 1 day trip to Nara)
- Kanazawa (2 nights)
- Tokyo (1 night)
- Return city/Airport : Tokyo (Narita : NRT or Haneda : HND)
Please find below the itinerary details.
Tour length : 13 nights / 14 days (+ 1 day at the beginning if you leave from Europe)
PLEASE NOTE: The departure and end dates shown on this page only apply to your stay in Japan. You must therefore leave Europe the day before the first day of your tour. The date of your return flight and that of your return to Europe are identical due to the time difference.
Example :
- Departure from Europe : January 1st
- Arrival in Tokyo (= the date to be selected in the calendar when booking) : January 2nd
- Return flight from NRT or HND airport / Return to Europe : January 15th
Please note that flights are not included in the price of your tour.
Why this trip to Japan ?
- A tour in Japan specially designed for families, with appropriate accommodation and activities!
- Welcomed at the airport by our team, you will be taken to your hotel in Tokyo by shuttle bus
- Afterwards, a guide will accompany you for a day with a special family-oriented programme!
- Head to the edge of Mount Fuji for an unforgettable dinner and overnight stay in a ryokan
- Travel by Shinkansen to Kyoto : a guided tour of the traditional geisha quarter awaits you
- In Kyoto and Kanazawa, stay in Japan Experience houses, more spacious than a hotel room!
- From Kyoto, you can explore the surrounding area with your prepaid transportation card: Nara, Osaka...
- Offer : enjoy unlimited internet access thanks to the pocket Wi-Fi
- If needed, contact our bilingual Japanese/English-speaking assistance team available 7/7
- A number of guided days or other optional activities are available
- Benefit from the expertise of Japan Experience, European leading travel agency in Japan.
Your trip in detail
Itinerary
Day 1 : Wake up in Tokyo 東京
Arrival at Tokyo airport (Narita NRT or Haneda HND).
Welcome to Japan! Yokoso 日本へようこそ!Welcome through customs by our airport assistant, who will give you all your travel documents and your Pocket WiFi.
Unaccompanied transfer from the airport to Tokyo (see details).The transfer is done in a shared shuttle or bus, with other guests departing for the same hotel or a hotel close to yours. These transfers depart between 1.5 and 3 hours after your scheduled flight arrival, and stops may be made before your hotel.
If you would like a private, non-stop transfer directly after the arrival of your flight, feel free to take the "Private Taxi from the Airport" option.
Check in at Hotel OMO3 Tokyo Akasaka by Hoshino Resorts or similar category 3* hotel (rooms available from 3pm).
Day 2 : First steps in the capital
What to do in Tokyo on your first day
We recommend that you start your visit to Tokyo slowly by visiting the following districts:
- Harajuku, the avant-garde district ;
- Meiji Jingû, the imperial sanctuary ;
- Takeshita-Dôri, a must-see street in the capital ;
- Omotesandô, Tokyo's Champs-Élysées ;
- Shibuya and its impressive crossroads.One of our many experienced English-speaking guides can also accompany you to visit the classic sights of Tokyo (optional, from 9am to 5pm).
Day 3 : Now for some activity...
This day will be spent on a guided tour of Tokyo, specially designed for families.
Your English-speaking guide will pick you up at your hotel at 9am to begin the full-day tour. From Ueno, Odaiba, Shibuya, or even Ginza, Tokyo is full of attractions that will please the young and the very young.
Day 4 : The big loop
For this third day of sightseeing in Tokyo, we recommend the following "loop".
Start at Tokyo Central Station, with its original architecture, then head off to visit :
- Ginza, Tokyo's chic district ;
- Tsukiji, the small outdoor food market ;
- Hama-rikyû, the Japanese garden between Tokyo's buildings ;
- Asakusa, a traditional district and place of pilgrimage, accessible by cruise on the Sumida river ;
- Sensô-ji, the oldest Buddhist temple in the Japanese capital ;
- Tokyo Sky Tree, 643 metres high, with its panoramic view of Tokyo at sunset.Between Hama-rikyû Garden and Asakusa, why not enjoy a cruise on the Sumida River ?
Day 5 : Back to the future
There are still plenty of places to discover, depending on what you want to do : Ueno Park, Yanaka, Odaiba, etc.
Don't hesitate to book an English-speaking guide for the day (optional) to visit Tokyo's less well-known areas!We also offer a range of optional activities:
- Are you looking for fun? Ghibli Museum, Disneyland or Hello Kitty Park await you!
- If you're more into themed activities, book a tour of architecture, gardens, home cooking or Noh theatre.
- Chasing thrills? Try a helicopter ride or watch a sumo tournament (in season)!Day 6 : On the way to visit the emblem of Japan: Mount Fuji!
In the morning, go to Shinjuku station to activate your Hakone Free Pass and board a train for Hakone Yumoto (1h30 journey, details in your travel guide, included in your package). The train leaves the Japanese megalopolis and gradually winds its way through the valleys of the Mount Fuji region. You will arrive in Hakone in the late morning. Reach Ichinoyu Shinkan ryôkan or equivalent to drop off your small bag and explore the region.
You'll be charmed by the beautiful scenery of this spa resort, Lake Ashi and its view of Mount Fuji (on a clear day!). Not forgetting the Owakudani volcanic site, accessible by cable car. All transport (train, bus, cable car and funicular) is included in your package.
If you wish to be accompanied during this day, one of our English-speaking guides can help reveal the secrets of the Mount Fuji region (optional).
Come back to your ryôkan at the end of the afternoon, as your traditional Japanese dinner will be waiting for you at around 6.30pm, before enjoying a Japanese-style night!
More details below on the features of the night in a ryôkan.
Day 7 : The former capital
Traditional Japanese breakfast at the ryôkan.
Head to Hakone Yumoto station and then Odawara station to board one of the fastest trains in the world : the Shinkansen ! Shinkansen journey to Kyoto (direct, approx. 2h, including reserved tickets). We'll do our best to reserve seats for you so you can get a last look at Mount Fuji at the very beginning of the journey!
From noon onwards, you can settle into your traditional Japan Experience house. Just like in Tokyo, a Travel Angel will welcome you.
You have 4 days to visit Kyoto.
Start in the afternoon in the historic Gion district, close to your accommodation :
- Kiyomizu-Dera, the impressive water temple ;
- The historic lanes of Sannen-zaka & Ninnen-zaka ;
- Kôdai-ji, Kyoto's temple of maple trees and bamboo.
Finish your day with a stroll through the Gion district and enjoy the sunset.
Meet your guide at 7 p.m. to start your evening walk around Gion, Kyoto's historic district.
More details on the exact day and meeting point can be found in your travel guide.At the end of this 1h30 walk, your guide will be able to recommend the best places to eat dinner!
Please note that it is strictly forbidden to take pictures in the historic district of Gion.Day 8 : Gold and Silver Treasures
For your second day in Kyoto, we recommend the following itinerary:
- The Zen garden of Ryôan-ji ;
- Kinkaku-ji (Golden Pavilion) ;
- Ginkaku-ji (Silver Pavilion)
- The enchanting Philosopher's Path ;
- Nanzen-ji temple.One of our many experienced English-speaking guides can accompany you on a tour of these iconic sites (available as an option, from 9am to 5pm).
Day 9 : Now for some activity...
Continue your visit to Kyoto by heading west:
- Nishiki, Kyoto's culinary market;
- Nijô Castle, former residence of the shogun;
- Arashiyama, with its bamboo grove and monkey mountain.This is your last full day to visit Kyoto, so why not make the most of our many optional activities :
- Want to enjoy nature? Discover our cycling activities along the Kamo-gawa river or hiking in the Takao gorges!
- If you're more into the Japanese arts, you'll love our tea ceremony, meditation activities or private visits to secret gardens!
- If you're in the mood for the Japanese countryside, let yourself be tempted by a trip to Ohara or try our popular activity: on the Tea Road!Day 10 : Between temples and deer
For your last day in Kyoto and its surroundings, we highly recommend a trip to Nara, a historic city just a 50-minute journey away using your prepaid transport card.
Visit Nara, Japan's first fixed capital in the 8th century.
Discover :
- The Kasuga-taisha Shinto shrine and its thousands of lanterns ;
- Tôdai-ji, with its great bronze Buddha and the imposing Nan-Daimon gate ;
- Kôfuku-ji temple and its delightful pagoda.Return to Kyoto and stop to see the sunset at the Fushimi Inari-taisha, Kyoto's immense shrine of 10,000 torii.
If you wish to be accompanied on this day, one of our English-speaking guides will reveal all the secrets of Japan's first capital (optional).
Day 11 : Head for the Sea of Japan!
Departure by train to Kanazawa in the morning (2 hours 10, direct train, included in your package).
From noon onwards, you can settle into your traditional Japan Experience house. Once again, you will meet a Travel Angel with whom you will discuss your stay.
Discover Kanazawa, between the northern sea and the Japanese Alps.
- Kenroku-en, Kanazawa's magnificent Japanese garden;
- The Museum of Contemporary Art and its outdoor gallery;
- Omicho, the Sea of Japan fish market;
- Nomura House, home of the samurai, and its picturesque old quarter.Day 12 : Rural & Mountain
For this day several options are available to you:
Unleash your inner explorer in Kanazawa with an optional day guided by a friendly English speaker. Alternatively, venture out with our guides to discover the captivating Japanese countryside of the Noto Peninsula. Or, delve into UNESCO World Heritage history with a visit to the charming village of Shirakawago, just a 1 hour and 15-minute bus ride away (tickets optional).
Day 13 : Return to Tokyo
In the morning, relax and enjoy a scenic journey back to Tokyo on the shinkansen high-speed train. The 2.5-hour ride is included in your package.
Once arrived, check into your OMO3 Tokyo Akasaka by Hoshino Resorts hotel or same category hotel.
Make the most of this last day to do your last bits of shopping and start packing your bags!
Day 14 : Sayonara, and see you next time!
Take a direct transfer to Haneda or Narita airport (included but not accompanied).
This transfer is by shuttle or shared bus, with other customers departing from the same hotel or a hotel close to yours. These transfers arrive between 3 hours and 1.5 hours before the actual departure of your flight, and stops can be made before you arrive at the airport.
If you prefer a private transfer at a time of your choice, direct to the airport and with no intermediate stops, select the "Private Taxi to Airport" option.
Return flight to Europe, North America, Australia.
Don't hesitate to extend your trip by a few days, in Kansai or elsewhere... Get in touch and we would be happy to advise you!
Accommodation
- 5 night in a 3* hotel in the heart of Tokyo, close to public transport
- 1 night in a 3* ryôkan in Hakone Mount Fuji, traditional half-board
- 4 nights in a traditional Kyoto house
- 2 nights in a traditional Kanazawa house
- 1 night in a 3* hotel in the heart of Tokyo, close to public transport
The basic rate includes a twin room for two people.
Transport
- Return airport transfers <> Tokyo HND or NRT
- Prepaid public transport card
- Hakone Free Pass 2 days
- Tokyo Metro Pass 3 days
- Shinkansen tickets between :
Odawara → Kyoto ; Kyoto -→ Kanazawa ; Kanazawa → Tokyo
Experiences and meals
- Airport welcome
- Welcome to Tokyo, Kyoto and Kanazawa by a Travel Angel
- Traditional dinner and breakfast included at the ryôkan in Hakone
- Discounts at many of Hakone tourist sites
- Unforgettable family adventure in Tokyo
- Night guided tour of Gion, Kyoto
Included in your self-guided tour
Additional services
- Unlimited internet access with Pocket WiFi
- Complete digital travel guide sent before your departure
- Telephone assistance 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, in English and Japanese bilingual. The number will be given to you in your travel pack. This phone number is valid for telephone calls and also for Whatsapp.
Not included in the price of your trip
- Flights Europe <> Japan
- Optional insurance
- Personal expenses, including meals (breakfasts can sometimes be added as an option at your hotel reception, see details). For other meals, you will find addresses selected by us in your travel pack.
- Public transport once your transport cards have run out (see details)
- Everything not mentioned in the section "Included in your tour".
When you buy, Japan Experience offers you 2 types of protection:
Japan Experience Flex :
Cancellation insurance before departure under conditions.
Japan Experience Protect :
Pre-departure cancellation insurance under conditions and on-site assistance under conditions.
Frequently asked questions
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