Before having kids, my wife and I traveled to Japan on what remains one of our most memorable vacation trips and one of our top five favorite countries that we have visited. What made Japan such a unique and incredible place to visit was the many things to see and do and the exposure to such a fascinating and graceful culture.
The first city we visited in Japan is its capital and largest, Tokyo. Tokyo is a fantastic city to visit because it is a perfect blend to admire Japan’s rich, historic past as well as its very modern and technologically advanced present state. From beautiful temples, gorgeous gardens, traditional and ultramodern architecture, and unique cuisine, Tokyo has so much to see and do. We hope to make a return trip to Japan with our kids and below we highlight the five best family-friendly activities from our personal experience.
#1 Mount Fuji Tour
Mount Fuji, is the largest mountain in Japan and is the perfect natural symbol of the country with its exceptionally symmetrical cone. For nearly half the year, the cone is snow-capped, which only adds to its already dazzling appearance. Mount Fuji is roughly 60 miles away from southern Tokyo and the best way to see Mount Fuji is through a guided tour. We did an all-day tour to Mount Fuji, which included a trip to Mt. Fuji 5th Station, which offers a magnificent view of the Fuji 5 Lakes and sits at roughly 7500 feet. This station is a popular starting point for hikes to the summit.
As part of the tour we did, we also got to do a boat ride on Lake Ashi (also referred to as Hakone Lake & Ashinoko Lake) which is very scenic and also provides views of Mt. Fuiji on weather complaint days. The scenery was gorgeous but unfortunately, it was cloudy at the time we did the boat ride so didn’t really get good views of Mt. Fuji that are normally available.
The last major part of the all-day tour was riding the Komagatake Ropeway up to one of Hakone’s highest peaks. This is a must-do attraction because the views of Mt. Fuji from here are breathtaking and exceptional around sunset time. The views of lake Ashi from the summit are incredible as well. Out of all the Mt. Fuji-centric activities we did on the tour, this one was definitely our favorite and we highly recommend doing it as part of a packaged tour or separately.
Mount Fuji Tour: As mentioned, we highly recommend booking a guided tour for the activities mentioned above and this (link at the end) tour covers just about everything we did when we went (Mt Fuji, Hakone, Lake Ashi Cruise)
#2 Sensō-ji
Sensō-ji is Tokyo’s oldest temple and one of the most visited spiritual sites in the world. This temple is dedicated to Kannon, the bodhisattva (a person who is on the path toward Buddhahood) of compassion. There are multiple gates to walk through on the route to reach the temple and there is a centuries-old shopping street to buy some cool, traditional souvenirs and try some traditional snacks. The centuries-old Asakusa Shrine is also right next to the temple and is also a major attraction when visiting the Senso-ji temple. The ambiance around the temple area is phenomenal, this is a must-see attraction to visit while in Tokyo.
#3 Ginza
Ginza is Tokyo’s most upscale and popular shopping, dining, and entertainment district. This area is very vibrant and lively and has a very Times Square (New York) feel with the bright lights and foot traffic. Most high-end brands have stores in this area and there is no shortage of food options with fine dining restaurants, cafes, and coffee shops. We really enjoyed walking around, enjoying the lively ambiance, and checking out some cool stores like a massive Sony Store, which had some future-release products that you could preview. We also had some dessert at one of the outdoor cafes which was an enjoyable way to absorb all the liveliness around Ginza.
#4 Tokyo Tower
Built in 1958, Tokyo Tower is an Effiel Tower-inspired, prominent, and culturally symbolic landmark in Tokyo. When visiting Tokyo, this tower is hard to miss even from a distance (standing at over a thousand feet high). The bright red color of the tower stands out during the day and the bright LED lights turn on at night to light up the tower and create a magnificent display. We did the Tokyo Tower tour to take the elevator ride up to the top of the tower. The panoramic views of Tokyo from the observation decks are fantastic and the glass floor sections that allow visitors to look straight below are a neat experience as well.
#5 Imperial Palace
The Tokyo Imperial Palace is the main residence of the Emperor of Japan. The inner grounds of the palace are mostly not open to the public but some of the outer areas are, including the Kōkyo-gaien, a decent-sized national garden that includes green spaces and museums that are open to the public. The East Gardens are arguably the prettiest in the area and are also open and free to visit for the public. The landscaping and serene setting around the outer palace grounds are some of the best we have seen anywhere and are a real treat to walk around and observe. We highly recommend visiting the public areas around Tokyo Imperial Palace.
Bonus tips: In a city as big and vibrant as Tokyo, there are many more things to see and do. A couple of other things we would recommend (if time allows) are visiting Roppongi Hills (an exceptionally modern place for shopping and dining) and Akihabara (a really cool shopping hub for electronics and gadgets that you don’t commonly find in other places).
