Tokyo/Japan for 8 days in spring

First Asian visit is spring break in Japan with out 15yo homebody, picky eater, soccer fan son. I’m Just looking to soak up the vibe, experiencing something a bit different from Europe. No bucket list items, really. No luxury hotels, no Michelin restaurants. 8 days including jet lag from a 13hr coach flight.

We will buy the rail pass here in the states.

The real question is what do you like? Aside from historical places and natural features, the wonderment of Japan is that you can find nearly anything you are into amped to 11. eg, if the 15yr is into street culture/skateboarding, you can find cutting edge fashion shops for same. The best advice for Tokyo I can give (I spent a month there last year) is to figure out what first, then dial into an area where it is concentrated and then add on other things/just walking.

Within easy train riding, Kyoto was my least favorite not-Tokyo place, but there are unique things there and it is totally worth visiting. I loved Osaka/Kobe.

Picky eater should not be a problem. Kidding. My son had a ton of problems in Japan. Thankfully, for all of us, we had a Subway in the mall below our hotel in Kyoto, so we’d get him a sandwich, leave him in the rom and go out to dinner.

You’ll have a great time, Chris. Tokyo is hyper-stimulating and awesome once you get in the rhythm. Language can be a barrier, but I was able to bring down some barriers using Google’s verbal translation program when I got in a jam. It didn’t work very well, but everyone had fun trying to figure out what it said.

I think Kyoto is awesome, but you are likely to spend your time visiting temples and shrines, which our 13 year old wasn’t that into.

You can try to get your son interested in Japanese fast food. Try listening to Japanesepod101’s discussions on the topic:

I can’t say what he might like, but going to MosBurger is a Japanese experience even if he just ends up with a regular burger. The real winners are Coco Ichiban for curry and Yoshinoya for Gyudon (Yoshinoya is crap in the USA but really good in Japan).

If he likes noodles, Ramen places are cheap and can be very good. Tsukemen (dipping Ramen) might be a good choice since you can decide how to eat it. Yakitori and tempura might also work well depending on what he eats.

There are also lots of good Italian restaurants in Japan so if he likes that there should never be a problem finding something.

Some of the chain restaurants like Otoya can be good because they have a wide variety of foods. Here’s an article on various chains:

Lawson’s and 7-11 may have options he likes as well in a pinch if you’re walking around

Well, I’m going to disagree with the dislike for Kyoto. I hate Tokyo, because I hate big cities, concrete, and crowds, and that’s mostly what Tokyo is. Obviously, there are lots of interesting things there, and sights you just won’t see anywhere else, but if it were me I would be spending a couple days there and getting out. Osaka no better (for me). Kyoto town center itself is nothing great, though a much, much smaller city than either Tokyo or Osaka. But scattered all around Kyoto are amazing gardens and temples. To me, this is truly Japan.

Kyoto is a must-visit, I agree. Golden Temple, Arashiyama, Kiyomizu-dera and other places are like nothing else. If you leave Tokyo, Kyoto and Fuji would be the two things to do. But it also felt joltingly touristy at times and I preferred the energy and vibe elsewhere.

Picky eater kids can do great in Japan - ramen, tonkatsu, the tamer versions of yakitori, various versions of American fast food, karaage…You can easily get pizza, burgers and fries in the cities. And walking around Shinjuku at night is stimulation for the teenage mind for sure.

Don’t skip Kyoto - it will be crazy in cherry blossom season, though. If you want to get any sense of what Japan is about, you need to at least touch Kyoto. The Japanese go there to feel more Japanese, which is very important to them. You do not have to overdose on temples, either. We spend very little time at temples anymore and still think it’s a very special place. Do a side trip to Nara - even a youngster would find it hard not to be impressed by the big Buddha and to have fun with the deer.

Your son likes soccer? How about baseball? I don’t even like baseball and have had a lot of fun at games in Japan. The trains are fun in and of themselves. Getting around within Japan is very easy. We actually like Fukuoka a lot, and there are many, many fewer tourists. Osaka is fun, especially for the food obsessed, but offers less for the non-foodies, in my opinion.

Keep in mind that Tokyo is a very strange, though wonderful place. I have a theory about it being Japan for either the very beginner or very advanced. But that’s a story for another time.

Nara is very traditional as well and a great day trip.

I agree Nara is great and well worth 2 days.

Cherry viewing would seem to be a must if you are there that time and looking for Japanese vibe.

Other great 2-day / 1 night trips would be Niko and Hakone for a “domestic” tourist / onsen outing.

I agree Nara is great and well worth 2 days.

Cherry viewing would seem to be a must if you are there that time and looking for Japanese vibe.

Other great 2-day / 1 night trips would be Nikko and Hakone for a “domestic” tourist / onsen outing.

Nara is a perfect day trip from Kyoto. In addition to what’s been described above, Chris, deer wander around the town and approach you for food, bowing once or twice (biscuits are sold to feed them). Some can get a bit aggressive (one went after me short tail). Not dangerous (but watch their racks), but some kids can be a bit overwhelmed by the contact, but most delight in it

I was in Tokyo for a week in 06. The hotel was walking distance to the fish market, so walked over for breakfast most days. I should have done it everyday. Awesome town for walking, I lost weight on that trip.

Another spot to think about is a day/night in Hiroshima and a ferry to Miyajima. An unexpected highlight of our trip.

Last time I was there, over 7 nights I stayed in Kyoto, Tokyo, and Osaka. Took a day trip to Hiroshima. Rail pass was a must.

Contemplating another trip this spring.

Hiroshima is an easy day trip from Kyoto and quite moving. Hey Jordan - how about another tofu salad in Kyoto?

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We tend to hate concrete and crowds, but that is strangely a bit of the attraction of Tokyo…just kinda immersing ourselves in the craziness for a few days. We have a friend who goes to (near Tokyo) every spring to visit family. We’ll probably spend a day getting guided around by her, so that will be really great.

How does something like this sound?
Day 1 Jet lagged afternoon arrival. Walk around some neighborhood trying to stay awake.
Day 2 Probably wake up early…fish market?? Tokyo sites.
Day 3 More Tokyo
Day 4 Mid-morning train to Kyoto (or another day in Tokyo with a daytrip to Kawagoe for Edo history)
Day 5 Kyoto
Day 6 Rural/natural Japan? (but anything is on the table)
Day 7 Rural/natural Japan?
Day 8 Travel day back to Tokyo, souvenirs and a nice meal.
Day 9 Depart in afternoon.

Tokyo for late planners is a problem. Lodging for three is hard to find and expensive if we want to stay near the main station, Shinjuku or near the Yamanote metro line. Normally I’d find something out of the hustle and bustle for downtime if we were staying longer, but we are so compressed timewise. I kinda want to stay near the buzz and someplace convenient for connections.

Hiroshima would normally be a must see if we had more time. I’m also not sure if I want to do that kind of “heavy lifting” emotionally right now. I kinda want this to be an escape.

Osaka; again sounds like a really great town; the food, the friendly people. I realize it’s a different vibe once you get to know people, but for a quick 1-2 visit would we even pick up on how it is distinct from Tokyo?

Mount Fuji and the lakes sound beautiful, but I’m wondering if we would get a more sedate natural experience away from the Spring crowds. We really love small inns, so a Ryokan in some out of the way area might be a better thing. One caveat: The public hot springs have my wife in a panic, and there is no bleeping way Dario would be up for that.

That sounds good to me. Doesn’t get more buzzy than Shinjuku. First time I came up to ground level from that station it looked like godzilla had stepped on a human ant hill, just masses of people in every direction. I usually stay in Shinagawa, within walking distance of the station. Subway and trains are pretty easy to deal with, though there are a number of different types of trains and lines. You’ll get the hang of it soon enough.

Tokyo is one of the easiest cities in the world to navigate. I wouldn’t worry about staying close to a particular subway line or station, as everything is a quick trip unless you’re looking at way out of the way. Everywhere in Tokyo has buzz, so you needn’t worry about that, either. You couldn’t pay me to stay near Shinjuku, though I enjoy the occasional visit