Sarah’s Blog : Our family trip to Japan and South Korea - Part 1: Japan

After travelling extensively across Asia, it felt like time to add a couple of new destinations. Japan has become a bit of a social media darling over the last few years, so finding inspiration wasn’t difficult - planning it was!

With only two weeks in Japan, we wanted to see the iconic sights but also get off the beaten track a little. In hindsight, going beyond the brochure would’ve made for a better trip for us. I guess even I got caught up in the viral hype! That said, we still had an amazing time and discovered plenty of reasons to go back.

What Insta got right, though, is that everything in Japan just makes sense - from amazing konbini (convenience store) snacks to public transport, it’s hands down the easiest country I’ve travelled to.

People are friendly and helpful, it’s incredibly clean and safe, and Google Maps is super-efficient, although getting out of Shinjuku Station in Tokyo did test our patience. No surprise, I suppose, with an average of 3.5 million passengers a day!

Tokyo

We stayed in Asakusa - an area of old Tokyo that we loved. It’s home to the famous Senso-ji Temple and is a busy spot during the day, but at night, calm prevails. I really enjoyed wandering the temple grounds once the crowds had gone.

Street food isn’t as big in Japan as in other parts of Asia, probably because walking and eating is generally frowned upon, but in this area, we found some real gems, including mouth-watering strawberry mochi on Nakamise Street.

Mt Fuji

I’d love to say we had picture-perfect views. We didn’t, but we did have the most memorable day. It only snows there around 90 days a year, so it felt pretty special.

Kyoto

Our first Shinkansen (bullet train) whizzed us to Kyoto in just over two hours. We stayed in an older part of the city at Four Sisters Residence - a small apartment hotel not far from Kyoto Gyoen National Garden. We had a lovely morning there, escaping the crowds and enjoying the cherry blossom.

Lunch had to be at Nishiki Market, a narrow street filled with over 100 shops and vendors. Wagyu beef, grilled chicken, tempura, seafood - all the treats were there.

Fushimi Inari was high on our list too. It’s one of the most popular sights in Kyoto - we went up the back way to avoid the crowds!

Himeji & Osaka

Next stop: Osaka via Himeji Castle, which had been high on the ‘to visit’ list and didn’t disappoint. I never expected to see it the moment we stepped out of the station. Incredibly impressive and a beautiful blossom spot too.

Our time in Osaka was all too short. The boys had a great time at Round 1 Stadium playing pool, footie, golf and arcade games. Osaka gave us Bangkok vibes - a bit gaudy and grubby in places, but full of fun and flavour. It’s definitely one to return to.

Nara

One of Japan’s most famous places, the ancient capital of Nara, is an easy day trip by train from Kyoto or Osaka. Over 1,000 sacred deer roam freely in Nara Park. In Shinto tradition, they’re believed to be messengers of the gods.

They’re gentle, curious - and yes, many do bow in exchange for the special deer crackers sold at local stalls. I was a little worried it might feel overwhelming for them, but they had plenty of space and visitors were respectful.

They like to hang out around Todaiji Temple – a must-see while you’re here. Nara also gets our vote for the best ramen of the trip, and some delicious sakura-flavoured ice cream.

Hiroshima

Our next stop was Hiroshima - a sobering but important visit to the Peace Memorial Museum and park.

I knew the boys would be flagging by this point, so I booked us into the Hilton Hiroshima for some downtime at the pool and spa. Japan takes its toll on your legs - we averaged 20k steps a day, so the rest was very welcome!

Oasa

Time to get going again for what turned out to be our favourite day in Japan - cycling in the Oasa region. I’d booked a day exploring the countryside and local community with Jonah from Oasa Mobility Station (about an hour from Hiroshima). He showed us another side to Japan and one I’d love to explore more of should I return.

Fukuoka

Our final stop was the vibrant port city of Fukuoka. We’d originally included it because we were planning to take the ferry to Busan in South Korea, but ferry times changed, and a flight made better use of our time. I’d come across the nearby Nanzoin Temple - another gem I’m so glad we visited.

Top tips for Japan

• Comfy shoes - you’ll walk a lot. Magnesium spray on your legs at the end of the day really helps.

• Stay near a train or metro station.

• Pack light and include layers - weather can change. You can forward luggage from one place to another (much easier than taking it on the train).

• Download the Suica card to your iPhone or buy one on arrival - it works for trains and convenience stores.

• Take a coin purse - many places only accept cash.

• Get familiar with Google Maps and Google Translate before you go - essential for Japan.

• Look for free walking tours - you tip what you think it’s worth (one of the few times tipping is expected in Japan).

• Learn some basic Japanese etiquette.

Japan really does have something for everyone, a country of beautiful contradictions, steeped in history and traditions. From chaotic neon streets to peaceful hot springs, sumo to skiing, bamboo forests to Disney… what does your Japan look like?

We flew from Fukuoka to Busan – and the next chapter of the adventure began.

Coming soon: Part 2 - South Korea.