You won’t have trouble finding things to see in Kyoto. We underestimated the amount of time to spend in this cool city & definitely want to go back to explore more. Regardless if you have 2 days or 10 I would recommend one day in the Arashiyama area. The big ticket site here is the famous Bamboo forest.   There’s definitely a magical feel walking through this stunning forest. Get there early to avoid the crowds. Once you walk through the forest, consider checking out Okochi Sanso Garden. For a fee, you can enter this beautiful Japanese garden and freely explore. It is stunning and tranquil, quite a change from…

Traveling with kids is a balance. When you’re ready to see the world with your littles you need to check your expectations. The pace two young adults sightsee looks a lot different than how a family of five sightsee. In some ways, though, it’s better. Kids will often make you take your time & soak in your surroundings instead of rushing off to the next. Also, having kids sometimes puts you in experiences you might have not chosen without them. We always prepare for a trip by learning about our destination and it can be surprising what the kids end up being intrigued by. For our Japan trip the kids…

I hate the part of the planning process when you realize there’s so much to see and you don’t have enough time. There’s never enough time! There’s always more to see. Japan is no exception. Tokyo! Kyoto! Hiroshima! Osaka! Then you dig deep into research and you’re all: Hakone! Kamakura! Nara! Nagano!   If you’ve got no timeline and endless funds then perhaps you won’t feel as limited, but that’s not our reality. So, how do we decide what to see? First, we accept that we won’t see everything. We aren’t 22 year olds who back pack and see ten destinations in as many days. Second, we pick a home…

Whenever we are planning to jet off to a foreign land I take the lead on the plans. I love to do it (mostly).  And what’s most rewarding for me is that I learn so much in the planning that it enriches our experience once we arrive. Each trip-planning unveils new experiences, quirks, foods, places, customs that I know we have to try on our trip. Here are a few from Japan- ONSEN: this is a Japanese hot spring or bath often located in a traditional inn that is situated around a hot spring. These are part of Japan’s present and past because it is a volcanically active country. Not…

Hakone was a lot to do in a day. You could easily stay the night at a ryokan (Japanese style inn) and take your time. But, we opted to pack it in. Although we did it all in one day, I couldn’t manage to fit it all in one post. If you missed it, check out Hakone Part 1. Here’s part two! After gliding across Lake Ashi for about 40 minutes we got off at Togendai-ko and made our way to the Hakone Ropeway. This was an amazing experience. Like so much of Japan, the process was very orderly and easy to understand. There was a long line but no…

When we first started traveling with littles we found that the less movement required once arriving at far-away destination the better. So, we developed a strategy that we would set up a home base in the city of our choice and focus on really getting to know only that city. Obviously there are down sides to this strategy. Surely people think ~we’ve come all the way to this country and we have to see it all~. I get that mentality. But, with small babes we found that having multiple destinations added to the stress. I mean…transporting pack-n-plays and strollers and luggage and babies after you’ve already journeyed around the world?…

Shibuya   It’s hard to imagine a Tokyo experience that does not include Shibuya. Even if you only have a few days in the city I would recommend at least a half day in this ward. And while this part of the city is known for fashion and business it’s a great place for kids. Like much of Tokyo, there’s a lot to look at in Shibuya. You can easily meander the streets to window shop, people watch, etc.                   Shibuya is easily accessible on the JR Yamanote line & several local lines. The station is quite large so pay attention to…

Kicking off a series of Japan posts. I’m so excited because there is so much to share. If you’re intimidated to travel to Japan with kids DON’T BE. We had an amazing time and are already itching to go back.   Let’s dive in with one of our favorite areas of Tokyo (we went back for a second day): Harajuku.   Harajuku is super famous and even if you are just starting your research on your trip to Tokyo, you might be familiar with the Harajuku vibe (Gwen Stefani circa 2004, anyone? Am I dating myself?). Harajuku is new, young Tokyo & a place where teens come to shop, hang…