Japan Highlights Family Holiday
Japan Highlights Family Holiday
Japan Highlights Family Holiday
8 Days Starting in Tokyo and ending in Osaka
Visiting: Tokyo, Kawane, Kyoto, Osaka
Tour operator:
Tour code:
CJFS
Specialist Group:
Family/Kids
Guide Type:
Fully Guided
Group size:
1 - 16
Age range:
5-99 years
Tour operated in:
EnglishInterests:
Tour Overview
Grab the kids and head to the place where spiritual tradition meets modern tech – Japan of course! Start in Tokyo, where you’ll explore the Harajuku district, kawaii culture and ancient shrines. Learn how to play the Taiko drums and soak up the neon lights before heading to the countryside. Enjoy a farmstay experience in Kawane to get a breath of fresh air and tuck into a farm-to-table feast with your gracious hosts. Wander through temples and markets as you immerse yourself in the culture and tradition of Kyoto. End it all in Osaka, where you’ll take a sushi-making class and toast to a trip well-travelled!
Highlights
Itinerary
Day 1: Tokyo
Location: Tokyo
Accommodation: Hotel Villa Fontaine Grand Tokyo Shiodome
Meals Included: dinner
Konnichiwa! Welcome to Japan. Your adventure begins in Tokyo – the modern capital of an ancient land. If you arrive early, maybe wander through the streets at your own pace, full of hi-tech gadgets and neon lights. You could also head out on an Urban Adventures day tour, like the Tour Through Tokyo’s Kitchen. You’ll meet your fellow travellers and local leader at 5 pm for a welcome meeting. After, head out for a welcome dinner with the other families and toast to the start of your adventure.
Included Activities:
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Day 2: Tokyo
Location: Tokyo
Accommodation: Hotel Villa Fontaine Grand Tokyo Shiodome
Meals Included: breaksfast
Get ready for a day of fun as you head out to explore the Harajuku area – a district known for its colourful street art, youth fashion, vintage clothing shops and tasty treats. Visit the tax-free shop Kiddyland, where you can pick up some plushies of your favourite characters, then hit Takeshita Street – the birthplace of kawaii culture. If anyone in the family loves cartoons, anime or games, today will be full of excitement. For an introduction to Japanese culture, you'll also visit Meiji Shrine and take part in a hands-on, heart pumping Taiko drumming class. Learn from the experts how to play these traditional instruments before having a go yourself. Later you'll have an opportunity to visit Shibuya, the famous crossing between two of the busiest railway stations in the world before enjoying a free evening to find the perfect dinner spot.
Included Activities:
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Day 3: Tokyo
Location: Tokyo
Accommodation: Hotel Villa Fontaine Grand Tokyo Shiodome
Meals Included: breaksfast
This morning you'll head out on a leader-led walk through the weird and wonderful Akihabara Electric Town – this is the centre of Japanese otaku culture and a favourite for anyone into gaming, manga and anime. Stop for a drink at a social enterprise robot cafe, where people living with disabilities work as staff by remotely controlling robots from their homes or hospital beds. Learn how staff are able to interact with customers through the robots’ operating system and you may even be able to have a go at operating one yourself! The rest of the day is free to explore at your own pace. You might like to head across town to Shinjuku – central Tokyo's most vibrant district. From the Metropolitan Government Building’s 202-m-high observation deck, you can see Mt Fuji and the giant Godzilla statue!
Included Activities:
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Day 4: Kawane
Location: Kawane
Accommodation: Kawane Farm stay
Meals Included: breaksfast, dinner
Today, hop on the Shinkansen (Japanese bullet train) to Kanaya Station, where you’ll transfer to the scenic train that travels through mountains and gorges in Kawane. The ride is especially beautiful during cherry blossom season in the spring. Your farmstay host for the night will welcome you at the station and take you to their home – a local tea farm. You and the family will then try your hand at tea picking and learn about how the tea is properly brewed, trying some tea tempura. Your hosts will also show you the local seasonal vegetables in their garden. The kids may also want to get their hands dirty and help out with some farm work! Dinner will be a home-cooked feast using seasonal vegetables from the farm, and your host will be able to teach you a thing or two about Japanese home cooking.
Included Activities:
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Day 5: Kyoto
Location: Kyoto
Accommodation: Keio Preria Hotel Kyoto Karasuma Gojo (or similar)
Meals Included: breaksfast
This morning, make breakfast with your host at the farm and take the last opportunity to chat and learn their stories before saying goodbye. Watch the Japanese countryside pass you by as you travel by train to the vibrant city of Kyoto. When you arrive, you'll have time to check into your hotel before heading out for a leader-led walk through Gion – Kyoto's most famous geisha district. Listen to stories from the area as you pass temples and historic sites, then you have a free afternoon. You might like to find a local restaurant for a spot of people watching – if you're lucky, you might just see a geisha or two pass by.
Included Activities:
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Day 6: Kyoto
Location: Kyoto
Accommodation: Keio Preria Hotel Kyoto Karasuma Gojo (or similar)
Meals Included: breaksfast, lunch
After breakfast you'll visit the iconic Fushimi Inari – the head shrine of the kami Inari with the classic red design. This afternoon is free for you to choose your own adventure. The kids might like to explore the International Manga Museum or become a samurai for a day and learn about the history of ninjas and samurai in Japan (while wearing some traditional garb and trying out some cool moves of course).
Included Activities:
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Optional Activities:
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Day 7: Osaka
Location: Osaka
Accommodation: Agora Place Osaka Namba
Meals Included: breaksfast, lunch
Osaka is Japan’s second-largest metropolitan area after Tokyo and is popular for its modern architecture, family-friendly activities and delicious street food. It's a short journey by train and after you arrive you’ll head out for a fun sushi-making experience for lunch. Pick your favourite ingredients and then learn how to make the perfect snack! You'll have some free time in the afternoon, to perhaps visit the Osaka Castle or pick up some souvenirs from the famous Shinsaibashi-Suji Shopping Street. Come together tonight with the other families for an optional group dinner to celebrate new friendships and your Japanese whirlwind adventure.
Included Activities:
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Day 8: Osaka
Location: Osaka
Meals Included: breaksfast
After breakfast your trip comes to an end and you are free to depart Osaka any time today. If you’d like to spend more time in this vibrant hub (and why wouldn’t you?) just speak to your booking agent.
What's Included
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Accommodation
Hotel (6 nights), Farm stay (1 night) -
Tokyo - Welcome dinner
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Tokyo - Shibuya Crossing
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Tokyo - Harajuku Walk & Meiji Shrine Visit
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Tokyo - Taiko Drumming Experience
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Kawane - Dinner Making Experience
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Kawane - Tea Farm Experience
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Kyoto - Gion Walk (Koshindo visit)
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Kyoto - Breakfast Making Experience
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Kyoto - Nishiki Market Visit with Snack (Lunch)
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Kyoto - Fushimi Inari - Taisha
What's Not Included
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Insurance
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International Travel
Transport
- Metro , Local Train , Bullet Train
Accommodation
- GENERAL ROOMING CONFIGURATIONS:
- Family of two - All family groupings of two will be put into a twin room.
- Family of three - Wherever possible we will put you in a triple room. Please be aware that in a handful of places triple rooms are in short supply. This means that, in practice, a triple room will often simply be a twin room with a mattress on the floor or a further bed squashed in. Where it is impossible to provide a triple room, you will have to decide which of your party takes the single room.
- Family of four or more - You will most likely stay in two twin rooms. If and wherever possible we will aim put you in a quadruple room. Whilst we will do our very best to ensure that families are roomed close together (in some cases, we can arrange adjoining rooms), we can’t guarantee this. Most family holidays occur during peak season and we sometimes have little to no control over where you will be put. You need to come prepared for this.
Important Information
- 1. Please note that these trips are for adults and children travelling together and there must be at least one child under 18 with you.
- 2. Minimum age for children on this trip is 5 years old.
- 3. A discount of 10% applies on this trip to children 17 years and under at time of travel.
- 4. A Single Supplement is currently not available for this trip due to limited rooms at our chosen accommodation.
- 5. It is essential you pack light and compact for rail travel in Japan. Size restrictions for luggage on Shinkansen (bullet) trains apply. Luggage over 160–250 cm may require an additional USD 10 fee per train journey. Luggage over 251 cm will not be permitted on the Shinkansen trains at all. Please notify your tour leader at your welcome meeting if your luggage is over 160–250 cm so they can make the necessary arrangements! Failure to notify your tour leader of luggage over 160–250 cm will require the passenger to pay the oversize luggage fee.
- 6. Accommodation in Japan can be difficult to secure at short notice. If you are travelling in Japan before or after your trip, we recommend booking accommodation at least one month in advance of travel. For families wanting to book a triple room we can request these, however they may not be available in all cities. Where a triple room is not available we can request a twin share room plus a single room.
- 7. March to May and September to November are both high seasons for tourism in Japan. While the weather is good during this period (and March to April is great for viewing cherry blossoms), you will find major sites are very crowded with both Japanese and international tourists during these months.
- 8. We know the idea of travelling overseas with picky eaters, particularly kids, can be daunting. However, most of our families find the diversity of Japanese food surprising. Trying different foods is great fun and an opportunity to understand a little about Japanese culture. Some of the different meals you can enjoy include sushi, soba noodles, ramen noodles, monjaki and okonomiyaki (savoury pancakes), takoyaki (ball-shaped fried snack – a bit like the Japanese equivalent of fish fingers) and yakitori (skewered chicken). There are also great treats to try including green tea Kit Kats and ice-creams, pounded-rice desserts such as mochi and dango and sweet red bean in a variety of forms. Yum! For anyone in search of food for a picnic the majority of department stores have food halls (depachika) with an eyepopping selection of different types of food. Also, convenience stores (combini) are around nearly every corner and have snacks to tempt the fussiest eater. If in doubt and needing a little taste from home, the Japanese chain Moss Burgers have great hamburgers and you can find western options like pasta, pizza and great bakeries in the major cities. If you have any concerns, chat to your leader at the start of the tour.
- 9. Some of our families are surprised by the traditional Japanese breakfast foods and the western variations that our accommodation provides. Rice or noodles with fish or meat are common breakfast foods in Japan. Typical western foods available generally include toast, eggs, tea and coffee and sometimes cereals.
- 10. We are not able to book airport shuttle service for Japan now. Japan has an extensive and efficient public transport system and the joining and finishing point instructions are listed in the Essential Trip Information.
- 11. Please note that there are generally less double rooms in Japanese hotels, even those in Western style. While every effort will be made to accommodate double room requests, this may not always be possible.
Mode of Transport
- Metro , Local Train , Bullet Train
Check out our Q&As
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Is this trip right for you
While this is not an active trip, there is still quite a bit of walking involved, so you'll need a good fitness level to enjoy all activities. Comfortable walking shoes are essential.
The room sizes in Japan may be smaller than what you’re used to, and larger families may be provided two rooms due to limited triple or quad share options available. -
What policies are in place for Covid-19?
Please contact us for latest COVID-19 policies
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How long has the tour company been trading?
Intrepid Travel has been taking travellers around the world for over 30 years
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Will the accommodation included meet local health and safety regulations?
Yes
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What Ethical Travel credentials does the tour company have?
Since 2002, The Intrepid Foundation has supported over 130 organisations across the world. We’re creating positive impact through the joy of travel, community and connection.
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Do you operate a “single share” option and how does it work?
Over 50% of traveller travel solo with Intrepid. You can choose to share a room with another solo travelle of the same sex for no additional charge, or choose to pay a single supplement if you’d like your own room. Please request this when booking, and we will secure you a single supplement wherever possible. Please note, if you are booking a last-minute trip, it may be harder for us to secure a single room
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Free Date Changes
Intrepid Travel allows you to make 10 free date changes, as long as the change is made at least 56 days before the start of the tour.
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Transfer as credit to Future Tours
Intrepid Travel allows you to transfer existing payments to a future tour to avoid cancellation fees if you can't travel and inform intrepid travel, 56 days before departure.
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Low Deposit
Intrepid Travel requires a minimum deposit of 400 USD per person or the full booking value, whichever is less, with the final balance not due until 56 days before departure.
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Cancellation Policy
We don't charge a cancellation fee, here is a summary of intrepid travel charges.
Up to 56 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of deposit.
At 55 days before tour starts: Forfeit 30% of booking price.
At 30 days before tour starts: Forfeit 60% of booking price.
At 14 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of booking price.
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Terms and Conditions