3 cities, 12days, 4 adults, 2 toddlers, 1 infant

Hi there!

That's a lot of questions! I think that in general it all works out very well, including your visits to Universal city and Disneyland. I see that the focus is very much on your kids, so consider taking one day to see what the adults in your group would like to see too.

-Kyoto or Osaka first? I think most people coming from Tokyo visit Kyoto first because it is a tiny bit closer but both places are very close and you can commute between Kyoto and Osaka station within 30 minutes. It really does not matter much where you go first.

-Is Universal Studio worth going for our group? Yes I certainly think so, there's a lot for the kids but also the references to older movies are great for the more adult crowd.

-should we stay one extra day in Osaka, considering we do visit Universal Studio? Osaka has more than enough to offer to keep your entertained for months. I would make a list with what you would like to see in Osaka and what you would miss elsewhere, than decide it it is worth the exchange.

I'm considering joining the 1-day-tour for sightseeing at kyoto and osaka. so it is easier to commute with for our group with the kids. what do you think? we found some deals on Japanican.com Good question! It is not hard to travel around in Kyoto by bus/metro, all signs are in English too, so you never get lost. Personally I would travel around without a tour, because I really enjoy the freedom it offers and I can take my time looking at what I want. Instead I would recommend taking a taxi (or two) for your group to travel around in. It won't be much more exchange than other transportation methods as the fare is only calculated on KM traveled and you can share it among all persons in the group.

-Is it nice to visit Mt.Fuji in November? we'll probably just visit up to the lake. should we stay one night? Visiting Fuji is nice year rounds and makes for a great day trip from Tokyo, especially if you plan on visiting the 5 lakes.

-Stay in Shinjuku or Shibuya in Tokyo? Shinjuku! Both places are nice but Shinjuku simply has a much larger variety of shops, boutiques and places to visit. Also there's are a lot more hotels in the area, so it will be easier finding something you like.

-Should we do Disney first upon arrival in Narita before Osaka, last before departing home, or as is before exploring Tokyo? I would say visit it before exploring Tokyo, this way you can shop as much as you like without having to carry it around all the time.

-Should we get the JR Pass? 7 or 14 days? Which class? What kind of saving are we looking at, assuming we visit all the major attractions in each city? I would suggest buying normal rail tickets as you only travel Osaka - Tokyo one way and stay local for most of the time. The JR Pass is great if you travel around the country but does not offer real savings if you stay in the big cities.

I hope this helps,
Daniel

Hi Daniel-san,

Those are wonderful insights. I will definitely take ur replies to consideration.

One last thing abt the JR Pass:
We need to take the train:
Narita-Kyoto-Osaka-Tokyo for 6 nights-Narita
as I listed above. Not only Osaka-Tokyo.

So which one would I need? 7 days or 14 days?

Hi Again,

Sorry a little oversight on my part. If you do make the return Narita Airport - Kyoto (always via Tokyo) and back via Osaka - Tokyo than a JR Pass would make good sense. You will be back in Tokyo within 7 days so I would certainly recommend getting a 7-day JR Pass. This way you can cover all your long distance travel and use it a little in Tokyo too!

Enjoy Japan!

Hi,

I was reading your inquiry for Daniel and I know this was over a year ago.. My family and I are planning to visit Japan this coming April and I was wondering if you have any hotel suggestion for 4 adults and 1 below 17 and a 10 month old in Tokyo? I find it hard to find a hotel for us (one room).

Daniel,
Any suggestion? I was thinking of a room that can accommodate all of us, otherwise, I will have to resort to 2 rooms.

Please help.

Thanks,
Mary

Hi Mary,

I had a look at hotels but could not find one immediately that I would recommend. I would advise looking at general booking websites (bookings.com hotels.com etc) and specify the number of adults and rooms you want. This should make it easier to find what you are looking for.

It's a small tip but I hope it helps,
Daniel