JAPAN WITH A TODDLER

• Tips for arriving in Japan
• Osaka
• Nara
• Kyoto
• Hakone
• Tokyo
  

We flew to Japan from Hong Kong which took around 3 hours 30 minutes. You can fly direct from the UK to Tokyo from London Heathrow. The flight takes 13 hours and 50 minutes.

Tips for arriving in Japan:

• Complete your arrival paperwork in advance to avoid further delays and queues upon your arrival. You can find the information and forms you need here:
• Download the Suica or Icoco card (via transit cards on iphone) before your arrival. You can top this up using Apple Pay (make sure you have the correct cards for travel on there to avoid charges)
• Pricing for transport is shown on google maps – likely avoid Limited Express train as it’s much more expensive and only a few mins quicker
• You can buy a ‘top up’ for premium trains like Shinkansen (bullet trains)
• You may want to consider sending your luggage if you travelling around Japan. We used a company called Airporter which was extremely reasonably priced (approximately £20 for two cases from Osaka to Kyoto) and our bags arrived before us to Kyoto.

FIRST STOP: OSAKA DAY 1-3

Day One

Where we stayed

We flew into Osaka and then got the train to our hotel. We stayed at the beautiful Centara Grand. Centara Grand is perfectly centred in Osaka in the heart of Namba. The hotel has 515 guest rooms and eight restaurants and bars. We stayed in the Deluxe Miyabi Club Floor room which had a king sized bed, shower and bathtub, tv and the most incredible views of the city below. We were on the 31st floor so you can see for miles. A cot was left out for our toddler and she was even provided with some pyjamas to wear during the stay.

We were provided with access to the Club Lounge which was open from 7am-10:30am for breakfast, 14:30-16:30 for afternoon tea and 17:30-19:30 for evening cocktails and appetisers. The food was incredible and there was so much choice which is exactly what you need when travelling with a toddler. One morning we enjoyed a traditional Japanese breakfast and this was such a special experience trying all of the local food and tea. You can enjoy sparkling wine and cocktails in the evening and delicious Japanese small plates. We had tempura prawns, noodles, lobster, crab and sushi.

If you have the Club Lounge as part of your package you also have an exclusive check in service in the lounge. Usual guests check in on floor 1 and it can get busy if trains and transfers have arrived at the same time. The exclusive check-in allows you to enjoy a relaxed service whilst enjoying a complimentary alcoholic or non-alcoholic beverage.

We had dinner at the Whiskey Nova steakhouse and had an incredible set menu dinner with a Wagyu steak. Our toddler had the best kids plate we’ve seen with a hamburger, prawns, wedges and sides. It was delicious and we would highly recommend.

2 full day Itinerary –Day Two

On our first full day in Osaka we walked 30,000 steps! We walked from our hotel in Namba all the way to Osaka castle. We first stopped at Namba Yasaka Jinja, known as the lion’s head shrine. This shrine is free to visit and was only an 11 minute walk from Centara Grand. Namba Yasaka Jinja is one of Osaka’s most unique and underrated cultural attractions. The 12-metre-high lion-head stage is called the “Shishi-den,” whose wide-open mouth is said to swallow evil spirits and bring good luck, especially in business and academics. It’s a small and intimate shrines we visited and you will only need 20-30 minutes here maximum. You can take some great photographs and use the basin to follow the traditional Japanese ritual of washing your hands called Temizu. It’s an an act of spiritual purification meant to cleanse your mind and body before approaching the god.

We passed through Dotonbori and immediately fell in love with Japan and its vibrancy. If you’ve started your research of Osaka and even Japan then its likely you will have came across Dotonbori. It is a popular street in Japan and where you will find the famous Gilco running man, Don Don Donki store and observation wheel. It’s filled with Osaka’s most famous entertainment and restaurants. The street stretches along the Dotonbori Canal and at night it’s a spectacle with all of the dazzling neon lights and giant animated signboards. Dotonbori is a great place to try Osaka’s legendary local dishes like takoyaki (octopus balls), okonomiyaki (fritter like pancakes), kushikatsu (deep fried skewered meat and vegetables), and fresh seafood.

It took us 1 hour and 10 minutes to walk to Osaka Castle from the Centara Grand but it was a great way to get our bearings around Osaka and pass through Dotonbori. Osaka Castle rises above the city like a jade‑roofed time capsule. Walking through its vast park, you feel the shift from the busyness of the city centre to calm greenery. Up close, the stone ramparts are enormous, built to intimidate, while the inner keep tells the story of warlords, power struggles, and the dramatic rise of Toyotomi Hideyoshi. Whether you climb to the top for sweeping views of Osaka or wander the moats at sunset, the castle has a way of making the city feel both ancient and alive at the same time.

Osaka Castle is open daily from 9am-5pm. The tickets cost ¥1,200 for adults and children aged 15 years and under enter free. The surrounding park is always free to walk around. The observation deck on the 8th floor has some of the best skyline views in Osaka.

In the evening we joined a Dotonbori river cruise which takes you past the Glico running man to get the best photo spots from the water. It only lasts 20 minutes which is perfect for those with young families. We booked the tour with Get Your Guide and it cost £9 pp. You can book the boat tour here.

Day Three

On our final day in Osaka we visited our favourite temple of the trip, Katsuoji. This is the one with all of the red dolls (Daruma dolls) which you may have seen online or by researching. We loved visiting the temples and shrines around Japan but it’s nice when there are some with unique features which make them stand out like this one.

To get to Katsuoki from Osaka you can get the train from Shin-Osaka station to Minoh-kayano then the bus from Minoh-kayano to Katsuoji.

You can collect 6 stamps at different stations around the temple and also purchase a doll and decorate this yourself around halfway up. The doll can then be blessed in the incense before you take it home with you.

It’s good to note that you can’t buy these dolls in the gift shop at the end of your visit, you can only get them in the middle of your temple visit. We fell foul of this and had to buy a knock off souvenir elsewhere later on in our Japan trip.

We also struggled with snacks here and did not come prepared. There are fresh cakes you can buy in the shape of the dolls which looked and smelt delicious but it’s cash only, so make sure to bring some with you (again, we did not!). You can purchase your tickets using card though on the day and they are very reasonable at 500 yen pp.

After our visit to Katsuoji, we visited Minoh falls. We originally planned to hike here which would have taken approximately 45 minutes. However, we started the day later than planned and came without snacks so our toddler wasn’t going to let the hike happen! Instead we got a taxi (which was the most expensive we had all trip but worth it) around 5 minutes to the drop off for Minoh falls. From getting out of the taxi we walked for around 15 minutes to reach the waterfall.

The waterfall is pretty and there’s a small ice cream shop there (again, you’ll need cash) but it’s nothing spectacular. What we did love though was the walk down from Minoh Falls back in the direction of Osaka. This was a super peaceful walk and we passed by some gorgeous cafes and restaurants where you could get a traditional Japanese meal. It took us out of the busyness of the city and it is where the locals go to relax and recharge. We would definitely recommend this walk. It was all downhill so our toddler walked most of it and it took around 30-40 minutes.

We got the bus and train back to our hotel and had a gorgeous afternoon tea at Centara Grand. The hotel have themed afternoon teas and this was a tropical honey themed so everything on the tower had a honey twist. We were also presented with honeycomb to have a spoonful fresh. It was delicious. You’ll eat on the rooftop and have beautiful views of Osaka below. We had the afternoon tea at the Crudo Deck on the top floor of the hotel. The hotel also have a Veuve Cliquot inspired rooftop experience and you can enjoy a crisp glass of champagne with a panoramic view over the city.

We booked a photoshoot tour in Osaka for this evening and were led around Dotonbori and the surrounding areas and got some beautiful photos. Unfortunately our toddler was still trying to regulate her sleep pattern and slept through the full thing so she’s barely in any of them 

Other activities which we didn’t do were:

• Nifrel and expo city to see animals

• Kids plaza – interactive museum (adult £7)

• Super Nintendo World – £83 each + timed entry ticket + fastpasses

• Umeda sky building / Abeno Harukas 300

• Americamura

• Sake tasting

• Shinsekai & Tsutenkaku retro neighbourhood

RESTAURANTS

We chose to eat in our hotel for ease with our toddler but did lots of research into restaurants before we went and here are the recommended restaurants:

• Rikuro Ojisan’s cheesecake

• Beer belly Tenma craft beer bar – likely too far away

• Cafe Annon – fluffy pancake place near Namba

• Hozen-ji Yokocho Alley – near Dotonburi

• Wanaka Takoyaki octopus balls

• Dekasan Osaka – steak and egg sandwiches (this looks incredible!)

• Our log – coffee and cinnamon buns

• Osaka tonkatsu – katsudon chiyomatsu

• Chips and tips – souvenir cookies

• Gambe namba – chopped steak and wedges – looks great

• Family friendly restaurants Shinsekai

NARA – DAY FOUR

We left our hotel in Osaka for Kyoto and on the way visited Nara. We sent our bags from Osaka to Kyoto using Airporter. It cost £20 and the bags were waiting for us when we arrived at our hotel in Kyoto.

Nara is famous for the free roaming deer that you can buy cookies for and feed them. They have even learned to bow as a sign of respect before they take a cookie.

We got the train to Nara from Osaka. We took the Midosuji line to Namba station. The train has deer all along the outside, there’s deer print on the seats inside and even deer handles to hold onto on the train. We then got the Kinetsu Limited Express bus to Yamato-Saidaiji. There are a few ways to get to Nara and Google Maps is your friend to find your way!

A tip for Nara is to get off at the last stop Kasuga Taisha Shrine then walk down the hill via Wakakusayama to todai-ji (great Buddha) then to Yoshikien Garden and finish at Higamushi shopping street. Most people get off at the first main stop meaning it’s very busy and over crowded for you and the deer. Getting off at the last stop means you still get to see everything just in reverse and it’s much quieter and more relaxed.

The deer were extremely friendly and we had no issues. We told our toddler she couldn’t snack around the deer and they watch as you’re buying the cookies so hiding them straight away and swipe your hands to indicate “no more.” The deer do understand and immediately left us alone when doing this. They will watch you buying the cookies from the kiosk though and may nudge you so just be aware. It’s also advised to keep a safe distance from the male deer especially in mating season (like when we visited in May) as they can be more aggressive.

The cookies were 200 yen. It’s a gorgeous area that you can walk around freely and there are shrines and temples to see along the way.

KYOTO – DAY 4-6

Where we stayed

We got the train from Nara to Kyoto and upgraded to a deluxe cart for only £8.50. This meant we had a private booth with 4 luxurious chairs and plenty of space for our toddler to walk around. We would definitely recommend upgrading your ticket.

We arrived in Kyoto and our bags were waiting for us. We checked into the Westin Miyako Kyoto. We splashed out on this stay and the hotel was beautiful but you of course pay for the privilege. The hotel blends modern comfort with traditional Japanese elegance. There are spacious rooms, beautiful garden surroundings, and exceptional hospitality. Its location makes it an ideal base for exploring some of Kyoto’s most famous attractions, including Nanzen-ji Temple, Heian Shrine, and the charming streets of Gion. You can relax in the hotel’s natural hot spring spa after a long day of sightseeing or enjoy panoramic views of Kyoto from the property’s hillside setting. The spa even has its own traditional Japanese onsen. It’s important to note you cannot use the onsen or the gym facilities if you have tattoos. The breakfast selection was vast and delicious. There are chefs waiting to wait you fresh dishes from eggs to Udon noodles. If you eat in the restaurant through the day or in the evening you can try the BEST ice cream I have ever tasted. It’s the creamia ice cream but the cone is made from the most incredible and delicious wafer. I’d recommend this hotel for this ice cream alone!

We went out to explore Kyoto and walked from our hotel into the centre and ate at Coco curry house which is a very relaxed and delicious Katsu spot. It’s perfect to visit with kids as you order on an iPad, the food comes extremely quickly, we were given child-friendly cutlery for our daughter to use and the culture in Japan is to eat and leave which is usually what you need to do anywhere when eating with a toddler! It’s extremely reasonably priced and we got 2 curries and some sides for our toddler which came to £15 total.

Beware the spice levels are high in Japan! We only ever ventured into spice level 2 and our eyes and noses were watering (and we are used to spicy food) but the spice level goes up to 10!

2 full day itinerary – Day Five

On our second day in Kyoto we got the train to Arashiyama and joined a rickshaw tour through the bamboo forest. We booked this through Get Your Guide and would 100% recommend this once in a lifetime experience. The rickshaw is “driven” (ran!) by someone who is also your tour guide. We opted for the 70 minute tour which went in a flash and it was the perfect length for visiting with a toddler. Our toddler sat on our knee during the rickshaw tour so you may need to hire more than one rickshaw if you have older children as there are only 2 seats. Our tour guide took pictures of us as a family which is difficult for us to get usually so that was great and at one point we hopped out of the rickshaw and explored by foot which was great to mix up the experience.

You can book the rickshaw tour here.

After the tour we got a Kyoto latte from %Arabica coffee (highly recommend if you like a sweet coffee) and then crossed the bridge to visit the Arashiyama monkey park.

The monkey park is 800 JPY for adults (16+) and 400 JPY for children (4-15). The ticket booth at the base of the mountain is open from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM. It’s cash only so make sure to bring some with you. There are quite a lot of steps to reach the top but it’s definitely worth it.

At the top of the steps you’ll find a playground with swings, a slide, climbing wall and zip line. It’s a great way to cheer up grumpy kids after making them hike up a load of steps!

You then carry on up and you’ll start seeing the monkeys roaming around freely. You can go inside a caged area where you can purchase food to give the monkeys but you can only feed them when you’re indoors.

The monkeys are very used to visitors and we never felt worried about our toddler being around them.

We went back to the Westin Miyako for a Teppanyaki lunch at the Dominique Bouchet Kyoto restaurant. A teppanyaki experience is a must during a trip to Japan and we couldn’t fault this meal. The food was extremely high quality and we loved watching the chef prepare the food. Our toddler ate like a princess with a shrimp gratin, burger and ice cream.

We spent the rest of the day exploring the Gion district of Kyoto particularly, Hanamikoji street, Kennin-ji, Kiyomizu-dera for Nighttime illuminations and Sannen zaka and ninen zaka for streets crafts and food.

Day Six

On our final day in Kyoto we visited our second favourite shrine of the trip, the Fushimi Inari shrine (10,000 Torii gates).. You can get the Nara line train from Kyoto to Inari station. The shrine is free to enter. When you get off the train you’ll immediately notice how busy it is. We went mid-week in May when it wasn’t a holiday and it was still extremely busy. You’ll first pass a lot of souvenir shops, cafes and restaurants. If you want to beat the crowds arrive early before the shops open at 9am.

Fushimi Inari Taishanic is famous for its thousands of vibrant red torii gates that wind through the forested slopes of Mount Inari. Walking through the seemingly endless tunnels of torii gates is a magical experience. Each gate has been donated by businesses and individuals seeking good fortune. Beyond the main shrine area if you continue hiking up trails further up the mountain where you can find quieter paths, small hidden shrines, and beautiful panoramic views of Kyoto along the way.

Top tip: don’t take your pictures when you reach the first gate. It will be crowded and you’ll be fighting for the best shot. Walk up through the gates and you will find a clearance when you can take some beautiful pictures.

In the evening we joined a Gion food tour with Traveling Tokyo. You will try 13 local dishes including Takoyaki, Tsukemono and local sweet dishes. The tour also includes alcoholic drinks too. Tickets are £45-£75 per person and the tour was from 5pm-8:15pm. We were so glad we joined this tour. We visited 3 different restaurants and a dessert stall to finish , met some wonderful people and tried lots of Japanese delicacies. We also learnt a lot about Japan from our tour guide who lived in Kyoto.

Other activities we didn’t get the chance to do:

• Nijo-Jo

• Kinkaku ji – 500 yen

• Umekoji Park and Playground and Kyoto castle playground

• Philosopher’s path

• Ginkaku ji – 500 yen

HAKONE – Day 7-9

Day Seven

We caught the Shinkansen (bullet train) from Kyoto to Odawara for our next stop of the trip, Hakone. The train took around two hours. We took snacks on board and we timed it with our daughter’s nap which worked extremely well! We did not book a seat for our daughter on the train but booked two seats with one spare in the middle in the hope no one would book the middle seat and they didn’t, so use this tip.

We arrived in Odawara and got the JO4 bus which took around 35 minutes. It was extremely busy and it took us quite a while to get a seat which was not ideal with a toddler. You are climbing into the mountains on the bus so bear this in mind if you get travel sick.

Where we stayed

We stayed at Hakone Kowakien Yunessun Hakone Kowakien Yunessun offers one of Japan’s most unique hot spring experiences.  Think a traditional onsen but make it family-friendly. Yunessun combines relaxation with fun through its themed baths including coffee, wine, and green tea spas. Not only this but it’s perfect for kids with water slides, a bouncy castle and slide in the water and a lazy river.
 

We spent the afternoon enjoying the rejuvenating mineral waters, the family-friendly water attractions and trying to catch a moment of relaxation while our toddler played on the water slides.
 

You are provided with a traditional Japanese outfit for each member of your family with your room known as a Samue. We all loved getting dressed up and practising our bows in our outfits.
 

The hotel also offer a breakfast and dinner all-inclusive package with alcoholic drinks included. There is sparking wine on tap and a beer pouring machine. There is so much choice at the buffet and the food was of high quality. There’s also chefs making fresh food through the sitting and constantly topping up the sushi selection. There are two sittings for dinner 5:30pm and 7:30pm. On both nights we opted for the later sitting to not interrupt our plans and have to rush back for dinner.

Day Eight

The one full day we had in Hakone we took advantage of everything the Hakone free pass had to offer. The Hakone free pass is not free! It costs 6000 yen for a 2 day pass and 6400 yen for a 3 day pass. But it does allow you to have free roaming access around the Hakone attractions once purchased.

The Hakone Freepass includes your trains travel, buses, cable cars, ropeways, and even sightseeing cruises around Lake Ashi. It makes visiting Hakone’s famous attractions incredibly convenient, from relaxing hot springs and museums. If you are lucky (we were not sadly due to cloudy conditions) you may be able to catch a glimpse of the breathtaking Mount Fuji. The pass also provides discounted admission to many local attractions and the flexibility to travel at your own pace which is exactly what you when travelling with young kids.

You can also get a pass which includes the train from Shinjuku in Tokyo making this a great day trip from Tokyo if you don’t intend to spend time staying in Hakone. The pass from Tokyo is 7100 yen for a 2 day pass and 7500 yen for a 3 day pass.
 

We started the day taking the bus to Gora train station and got the cable car up to the top. We then stopped for a little foot bath with a beautiful panoramic view. There’s foot baths at a number of attractions in Hakone so remember to wear sandals so you can access them easily.

We then took the ropeway up to the top of the mountain where we walked around the sulphur mines and tried the famous black eggs which are cooked using the natural elements.

From there we took a pirate ship sightseeing cruise along Lake Ashi. We then walked from to the famous Torii gate picture spot overlooking Lake Ashi. We waited in the queue (which is very unlike us) for our photo opportunity. We waited 45 minutes in the queue! And you have 3 minutes to take your photo.

We then walked back to get the bus back to our hotel but unfortunately it was so busy that two buses came which were already full so we had to wait for a third bus to arrive. Again this was another 45 minute wait.

We thought we’d found a hidden gem in Hakone but this was the busiest place we had visited on our trip so far.

We stopped at Gora Brewery on the way back for beers. They have delicious tacos available too if you need a snack.

Day Nine

We spent our morning in Hakone visiting the Hakone open air museum. We bought tickets online on the day and got 10% off. They come through immediately so do this rather than buying them at the desk. The museum is open from 9am-5pm and the tickets are 1800 yen per person.
 

The museum is a unique blend of art and nature that captivates visitors from around the world. Spanning beautifully landscaped grounds, the museum showcases an impressive collection of modern and contemporary sculptures, including works by renowned artists such as Henry Moore and Pablo Picasso.

Our toddler’s favourite attractions were the garden maze and the woods of net which has a giant hammock which kids can climb into and hanging net balls they can swing from.

You’ll also find a foot bath here which was surprising hot and a cafe for refreshments if needed. You’ll probably need 2-3 hours here to see everything.

TOKYO

The final stop on our trip was Tokyo. We took the Romancecar from Hakone-Yumoto to Shinjuku. From there we got the train from Shinjuku to Komagome station. We could then walk to our apartment which was around a 10 minute walk.

Where we stayed

We stayed with Tokyo Family Stays at Kira Kira House. If you’ve researched or are researching places to stay in Tokyo you’re probably seeing lots of articles warning you how small the accommodation is, that you’ll barely have space to put your luggage never mind your family and may have to co-sleep with your kids. Well we found the solution with Tokyo Family Stays.

Tokyo Family Stays offer a home from home experience with all of the amenities you could need for a relaxing stay with your family. They can provide cots, high chairs and stair gates as well as cutlery suitable for young children and even toys.

They have a number of properties available for holiday and monthly rentals. Kira Kira House had a lounge area with tv, dining table and highchair if needed. It also had a kitchen equipped with everything you could need for your stay and a washing machine which as much as you don’t want to be washing during your holiday, sometimes it’s necessary when you’ve been on a long trip like it was for us.

Upstairs you find interconnecting bedrooms with two double beds and bunk beds for kids. Our toddler slept on the bottom bunk. There is also a traditional Japanese Tatami room with futons.

We managed to find a playground less than a 5 minute walk away from Kira Kira House where we spent every morning and evening during our stay. We also loved the area of Yamanote and found so many great bars and restaurants. It felt a lot more authentic Japanese than some of the tourist traps but still extremely family friendly. We stumbled across a small ramen restaurant with only around 8 chairs but they still had a kids option on the menu and cutlery to offer our daughter.

On our first day in Tokyo we got the train to Harajuku. It was a huge culture shock from where we had been previously on our trip. It was so busy and we were worried we’d lose our tiny human!

We walked down Takeshita street which is vibrant and busy and full of shops, capsule shops, restaurants, karaoke bars and even micropig and capybara cafes. We walked around the shops and visited Kiddy Land for our toddler which is a 4/5 storey shop full of every toy imaginable.

Restaurants

We researched some nearby toddler-friendly restaurants which were: 

– Kushiyaki Bistro Fukumimi Shinjuku – great yakitori and kid-friendly Izakaya

– Chao Chao Gyoza Ginza – budget-friendly gyoza chain with multiple locations

– Katsukichi – delicious katsu curry in a kid-friendly environment

– Frijoles Otemachi – fresh and vibrant mexican, perfect for a quick bite

– Katsukura Shinjuku Takashimaya – katsu restaurant that has high chairs and kids meals

Day Ten

On day two in Tokyo we joined a Shibuya walking tour with JLB Tours. This cost £15pp and lasted an hour and a half. We were taken to a great view point to see the Shibuya crossing, learnt all about Hachi the dog, got some great restaurant recommendations from a local and even caught a parade on the way. It was a great way to get your bearings around a busy city which can be overwhelming and learn about the history. It was also the perfect length with a toddler as they cannot keep their concentration for long!

Other areas you can see the famous Shibuya crossing are the Starbucks and the Shibuya scramble tower. We learnt the history of the crossing and that it was creating a lot accidents so they changed the traffic lights meaning every pedestrian in any direction crosses at the same time and all of the traffic stops.

After a refreshment at Starbucks we then headed to Don Don Donki which you must visit for the theme tune alone! They have their own song playing throughout the store and it’s so catchy. This is the holy grail of souvenir shops. It’s separated across 8/9 floors and there is everything you could ever want in here from Matcha Kit Kats to skincare to designer handbags and watches. Everything is reasonably priced and be prepared to come and spend! You can even buy a suitcase to take all of your souvenirs home with you.

Next we visited Yoyogi park and the Meiji Jingu shrine. The shrine is within a lush forested area in the heart of Tokyo and is a light relief from the busyness of the city centre. The shrine is renowned for its tranquil walking paths, towering torii gates, and deep cultural significance.

We headed back to Yamanote and visited the playground close to her hotel. We had dinner this evening locally at Gancon Noodle. This was the tiny little ramen restaurant mentioned earlier and could not recommend it enough.

Day Eleven

Day three is Tokyo started with TeamLab: Borderless. If you are researching Japan then it is likely you will have stumbled across Team Labs. There are a few dotted around Japan, two in Tokyo and one in Kyoto and more further afield.

Visiting teamLab Borderless felt like stepping into a completely different world. Instead of traditional paintings hanging on walls, the museum is filled with interactive digital art that moves, changes, and responds to the people around it. There’s something new to discover in every room. Our toddler particularly loved the slide in the light show room, the sparkling balls in the bubble room and fish where you can draw your own and it appears on the wall.

There’s no set route to follow, which makes exploring feel like an adventure. Every room offers something unique, and it’s easy to lose track of time while taking in the incredible sights and atmosphere.

TeamLabs Borderless is open from 8:30am-9pm and tickets start from 3600 yen. I would definitely recommend booking in advance and it is very popular. We were arrived on the day the only spots available were 6pm and 6:30pm, luckily we had tickets reserved. You will spend 1hr30 to 2 hours here.

Next we stopped at %Arabica for another Kyoto latte and sat outside in the garden area of the mall where TeamLabs is located. We then walked to the neighbouring wall for a Shogun burger. This is a very popular Wagyu burger chain and there are queues outside everyone so we had to try it. The burgers were delicious but I did have to wait around 30-40 minutes for our order. We ate outside on a patch of grass outside the wall.

We walked to the Imperial Palace but did not plan this very well! It is closed Mondays and Fridays so we just walked around the vast gardens which were still beautiful to see. The palace is completely free to enter. 20 minutes walk from the Palace you will find Tokyo Tower. Tickets for the tower are Adults: ¥1,500, Children (ages 4 and up): ¥600. 20 minutes away from the palace you can also find Tsukiji market which sells fresh seafood, sushi and other Japanese delicacies.

We walked to the Marunouchi Tokyo station which is a gorgeous heritage building. We went inside to grab an ice cream from Eataly.

We ate near our apartment again this evening at Hidakaya. We had some delicious gyozas and traditional Japanese dishes and it was only £13 for the three of us to it. It is so reasonably priced.

Day Twelve

Our final day in Tokyo began at Asakusa where we visited the Senso-ji temple. This is extremely popular and was very busy by the time we arrived. You could avoid the crowds by arriving early but we never do this with a toddler and find slow mornings work much better for us to avoid the stress.

Senso-ji Temple is one of Japan’s most treasured cultural landmarks and it’s the city’s oldest Buddhist temple. You enter through the iconic Kaminarimon Gate, with its enormous red lantern, before strolling along Nakamise Street, where traditional shops offer local snacks and souvenirs. The temple is surrounded by beautiful gardens and seasonal scenery.

Nearby is Nakamise shopping street. We walked from the temple to Tokyo skytree and did a huge Uniqlo haul! It was so much cheaper than it is in the UK. You could spend hours in the sky tree visiting all of the shops, food vendors selling fresh Japanese delicacies and souvenir shops. There is also a great indoor play area near the top and an area where you can see all sorts of animals roaming around including Toucans and Capybaras. Both of these are ticketed attractions.

We then found two playgrounds for our toddler, Yoyogi park and Koume Children’s Park which had a great view of the Tokyo Skytree. There were some adorable teenage school children there who were playing with our toddler and helping her on and off the swing and pushing her.

We ended the day with a final chicken katsu at Coco Curry House where we’d visited in Osaka and it was delicious.

Japan was absolutely everything we could have dreamed of and more. The food, the attractions, the friendly people and it was so family-friendly.

There are not many places we visit where we are desperate to go back as there are so many places in the world we still haven’t seen but Japan is definitely one of them and we will be back.

Follow our Japan series to see more visuals on Instagram @takeatripfamily.