Do you only have 10 days in Japan and wonder where to go? You’ve read a ton of blogs that just suggested the famous sights; but you really want to go on an off the beaten path Japan trip? Well, you’ve come to the right place! We have a fantastic 10 day japan itinerary with both popular and hidden gems in Japan.
Most of the 10 day Japan itinerary you see online are filled with the best and most beautiful temples and shrines in Japan. But kids don’t care about temples too much (and sometimes adults don’t either), so you’re probably wondering if Japan with kids was the right decision.
I’m here to tell you that it is! Japan is amazing and it has everything: beautiful nature, breathtaking countryside, plenty of things for kids to do, and of course, temples and shrines.
Our 10 day Japan itinerary takes you through hidden gems in Japan, where we didn’t see a single international tourist. And it has plenty of things to keep your kids entertained, we know ours were! So without further ado, here it is!
Related Posts:
Off The Beaten Path Japan – Aomori Itinerary
Table Of Contents
- 10 Day Japan Itinerary
- Day 1: Arrive In Japan (Either Tokyo Or Osaka)
- Day 2: Take The Shinkansen To Niigata
- Day 3: Train To Sakata
- Day 4: Mount Chokai
- Day 5: Train to Aomori
- Day 6: Walk Around Aomori, And Then Catch A Train To Gunma
- Day 7: Explore Gunma
- Day 8: Numata And Kusatsu Onsen
- Day 9: Kusatsu Onsen
- Day 10: Train Back To Tokyo Or Osaka/ Flight home.
- Getting Around Japan
- Other Places In Japan To Visit
- Conclusion
10 Day Japan Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive In Japan (Either Tokyo Or Osaka)
The most important international airports in Japan are Narita or Haneda airports in Tokyo and Kansai airport in Osaka. We flew into Kansai International Airport, Osaka (because the fares were cheaper).
Our itinerary works with whichever airport you decide to land in because we pass Tokyo on our way to our first destination.
The first thing to do when you arrive would be to find the Japan Rail office at the airport and pick up your Japan Rail pass. It is also highly recommended to have a list of all the trains that you want to reserve seats for and get this done here.
Finding food would definitely be next on our list. Fortunately, Japan is filled with plenty of convenience stores that are stocked with cooked meals (think bento sets) and other snacks. 7-11, Lawson, and Family Mart are the most commonly found stores.
Restaurants are aplenty too but we were just too tired to find one with good reviews, and google translate their menu to try this on our first night here. We got some bento sets from the convenience store at the train station and hit the sheets. We had an early start the next day.
Day 2: Take The Shinkansen To Niigata
First bullet train of the trip! Take the Hikari shinkansen (bullet train) from Shin-Osaka station to Tokyo. If you arrived in Tokyo, you can skip this 3-hour journey.
From Tokyo, take the Toki shinkansen to Niigata. This journey takes around 2 hours.
Tip: Download the Japan official travel app before you arrive. It is a wonderful app for finding your way around Japan. You can filter routes according to what travel pass you have. It also gives detailed information about your train, such as what platform to board at. At massive stations like Tokyo, this is a huge help!
Niigata is the capital city of Niigata prefecture (prefectures are a little like states) and is located right next to the Sea of Japan. It has a wonderful balance of city and nearby countryside to make you fall in love.
Visit Yahiko Shrine, a beautiful and ancient shrine built at the foot of Mt. Yahiko. A massive red torii gate marks the entrance of the shrine. Walk through it to reach the main hall of the shrine which lies in the foreground of Mt. Yahiko.
Don’t miss the Yahiko ropeway which starts from behind the shrine to the top of Mt. Yahiko. This ropeway (cable car) takes you to the top of Mt. Yahiko in 5 minutes. You will be blessed with a wonderful view of the Sea of Japan and even Sado Island from the ropeway. During autumn, the fall foliage down below is truly breathtaking.
There is a shuttle bus that can take you from the main hall of Yahiko shrine to the ropeway base station. If you don’t mind the slight uphill walk, it takes only 10 minutes through the beautiful forest. And if you’re really keen on hiking, the top of Mt Yahiko is a 90-minute, fairly easy hike and you can just skip the ropeway altogether.
Another beautiful but much smaller shrine can be found at the summit, perfect for picture taking.
Getting there: Take the JR Echigo line from Niigata station to Yoshida, and change to the JR Yahiko line. Get off at the end of the line at Yahiko station which is a 15-minute walk to Yahiko shrine. The train journey takes about 1 hour and 25 minutes not inclusive of waiting times. The JR pass entirely covers this journey.
The train journey takes you through the beautiful countryside of Japan. We just loved taking local trains with views such as this. This is truly off the beaten track in Japan!
Kids’ tip: Yahiko park right outside Yahiko station has a playground if your kids need a little break. The walk to Yahiko shrine takes you past a couple of shops that sell chocolate manju (soft buns filled with chocolate paste), a sure hit with kids!
If you have more time to spare in Niigata, I would recommend a visit to the coast. Nishikaigan park is a long park located along the coast and is just a 25-minute bus trip from Niigata station. There’s an observation tower here also, which gives you a great view of the Sea of Japan.
Where to stay: Toyoko Inn Niigata is less than 5 minutes from Niigata station and they offer a great Japanese breakfast.
Day 3: Train To Sakata
Take the Kairi scenic train to Sakata. This train travels along the coast and through charming countryside villages. There are quite a number of scenic trains known as Joyful trains in Japan. They offer breathtaking views and are more of an experience, rather than just a mode of transport. Traveling on one of them during your stay is highly recommended!
The Kairi scenic train is covered by the JR pass, but if you want to experience their dining experience, you will have to buy a separate ticket.
Unfortunately, the Kairi train only runs on limited dates, and there were no seats available on the day we wanted. You can find their schedules here. So we had to settle for the Inaho, a limited express train, which didn’t travel the same route as the Kairi, but had equally magnificent views.
Sakata is a much smaller city but is also located next to the Sea of Japan. It has a number of attractions in the city itself such as the Hiyoriyama Park, Kaikoji Temple, Homma Residence, and Sankyo-Soko Rice Storehouses Site.
We visited Japan in late November when the sun set at 4.30 pm. That didn’t leave us much time to explore in the evenings. Smaller cities and towns are dead quiet once the sun sets so I would highly recommend you start your day early so as to get in as much as you can before sunset.
Hiyoriyama Park is just breathtaking in autumn with all the yellow leaves. One of the oldest wooden lighthouses in Japan can be found within the park. There’s also a model ship in the middle of a lake (which is closed during winter).
Right next to the park is Kaikoji temple. It might not be as beautiful as some of the other temples and shrines in Japan. The reason it is famous is because of the Sokushinbutsu or Buddha Mummies. Two Buddhist monks mummified themselves to pray for the people of Japan and you can find them on display at this temple.
If you’re traveling to Japan with kids, definitely go here. Our 7-year-old was beyond fascinated.
Note: The temple is closed on Tuesdays and costs 400 yen to enter.
We rented a car at Sakata because we were going to need it for our next day. We made our reservation using this website, and it was such a fuss-free process. The Toyota rent-a-car outlet was only a 3-minute walk from Sakata station.
Where to stay: We stayed at an Airbnb in Sakata and we absolutely loved it. It was a short distance from the train station with the most incredibly comfortable floor mattresses.
Day 4: Mount Chokai
This was by far my favorite day in Japan. We rented our car the previous night so that we could start our day early. The car rental shop only opens at 8.30 am so I would recommend you do the same so as not to waste precious daylight hours.
First stop of the day: Mototaki Falls
Mototaki Falls is a beautiful waterfall located on the northern side of Mount Chokai. Technically, it is in Akita prefecture (Sakata is in Yamagata prefecture). But it’s only a 50-minute drive from Sakata city, so really easy to reach.
The drive there takes you through beautiful tree-lined roads and along the coast.
The parking lot of Mototaki Falls is quite easy to find using the car’s GPS or Google Maps on your phone. From the parking lot, it’s an easy 10-minute trek through the jungle to find the waterfall. There are benches at the end of the path where you can sit and just admire the beauty of the falls.
Are you wondering how to go hiking with your kids? Read my 10 tips for hiking with kids to help you out!
Note: The water on the northern side of Mount Chokai is said to be quite acidic so don’t try to drink it.
Next stop: Nakajimadai (Shishigahana Wetlands)
Nakajimadai is a world heritage beech forest and is incredibly stunning in autumn. You can see beautiful marshland, rivers and streams; and underground springs.
There is a wooden pathway to walk on, and the entire walk takes around 1 – 2 hours. Asianic bears can sometimes be seen here, so it’s best to have a bear bell. There’s an information center located at the entrance, which also has a bathroom.
It was almost winter when we made our way here, so instead of that beautiful fall color we were expecting, this is the sight we saw.
Still stunning, I would say. Unfortunately, this place is closed for maintenance in winter and the boardwalk was missing boards in places. The information center was also closed and boarded up (that should have warned us!).
If we ever make our way back to Sakata, I definitely want to pay this place another visit.
Next up: Chokaisan Wooden Toy Museum
This was a wonderful stop that you should definitely not miss if you’re traveling to Japan with kids! This beautiful museum inside an old school building features a huge collection of wooden toys. Kids (and adults!) will have a blast playing here.
Note: Closed on Thursdays. It’s an approximate 40-minute drive from Nakajimadai.
Next: The Yuri Kogen Railway
The Yuri Kogen Railway is a scenic 23km train ride that takes you through rice fields and along Koyoshi river. Hidden gem in Japan alert! This was by far our favorite train ride in Japan, and we went on plenty of trains!
The Yuri Kogen Railway line stretches from Ugo-Honjo station to Yashima station. You can buy tickets at either of these stations. Most of these local trains have windows at the front of the train that you can look out of. Our kids were glued to these windows pretty much all the time.
Note: Ugo-Honjo station is a 10-minute drive from the wooden toy museum while Yashima station is 18 minutes. Depending on the train schedule, you can make your way to either station to catch this train.
Another place that we wanted to check out for the kids was Chokai Kogen Hanadate Farm.
It’s a farm ranch overlooking a lake and Mount Chokai. Pictures that we found online were truly stunning. Kids would enjoy feeding cows and rabbits; milking the cows and eating fresh ice cream. It is closed in winter, so we didn’t manage to visit it, although we tried.
The website wasn’t very clear on the closing date so we decided to drive over and check it out. But, it was closed. We did find an adorable pony cafe nearby, where you can feed ponies and have a bite to eat.
Drove back to Sakata after a very full day and returned our car.
Day 5: Train to Aomori
Aomori is a beautiful city by the sea, right across from Hokkaido. We saw quite a number of Japanese tourists here, so this city is a big hit with them too.
Aomori prefecture is known for its apples. Aomori produces more than 50% of all Japanese apples. And their apples are delicious (and huge!).
You can find vending machines just for apple juice in Aomori! They taste delicious and our kids kept buying apple juice anytime they saw these.
Getting there: We took the JR Uetsu Main Line from Sakata to Akita (approximately 2 hours). Take the Resort Shirakami train from Akita to Aomori. This is another scenic train with amazing views which was unfortunately not available during our visit (check the schedule here).
So we ended up taking the Tsugaru (a limited express train) to Aomori.
Note: A lot of attractions in Aomori are closed on Mondays.
How do we know that? Because we reached Aomori on a Monday.
This part of the itinerary doesn’t follow our exact routes since most of the places we wanted to visit were closed. But these are the places we wanted to visit.
First up: Sannai Jomon Berry Land
Sannai Jomon Berry Land is a berry farm, where they grow a number of different berries (seasonal) with no pesticides whatsoever. Sounds amazing right?
Sadly, it’s closed on Mondays and since we were leaving Aomori on Tuesday morning, we didn’t get a chance to visit.
Tip: The Tsugaru train passes Shin-Aomori station on the way to Aomori. Get off at Shin-Aomori station for an easy 5-minute taxi ride to the farm. It takes about 20 minutes by taxi from Aomori station.
Next: Sannai Maruyama Historical Site
The Sannai Maruyama Historical Site is one of Japan’s largest historical sites where you can see ancient human settlements from around 4000 years ago! You can see real houses, stone burial sites, and various artifacts uncovered at excavation sites.
Note: Guided tours are only available in Japanese. However, brochures and audio guides are available in English, Chinese, and Korean. There may sometimes be English-speaking volunteer guides (not always available).
Note: Closed on Mondays…
This is a 15-minute walk or a 2-minute drive from Berry Land.
Next: A-Factory
A-Factory is a large souvenir market within walking distance from Aomori station. They sell a ton of apple products: jellies, jams, juices, and ciders. All apple-flavored! The juices and ciders are made on-site.
There’s a gelato shop that sells the most divine apple gelato as well. And a cafe that sells a delicious apple tart.
Next: Hakkodomaru Memorial Ship
This is a real ferry-turned-museum. Remember I mentioned that Aomori is right across the water from Hokkaido? This is one of the ferries that used to transport people, cars, and even trains from Aomori to Hokkaido. Nowadays, the fastest way to travel to Hokkaido from Aomori is via train.
In this ferry museum, you can explore the top deck, the engine room, the cabins, and even the vehicle deck. The vehicle deck has a few historical trains on display. Most of the signage is in Japanese but it still makes for a very interesting museum.
Kids would enjoy exploring the large ship, I know mine did. That’s why we rushed to see this on Tuesday morning before we caught our train.
Note: Closed on Mondays, and it costs 510 yen per person.
The beach, well it’s a small strip of sand, is right next to A-Factory and the memorial ship. A good place to have your kids run around.
Where to stay: There are plenty of hotels around Aomori station. Personally, I would recommend the Toyoko Inn or Hotel Mystays, since we stayed at other branches of theirs in Niigata and Osaka.
At Aomori however, we stayed at an Airbnb. It was really far from Aomori station, so I wouldn’t recommend it. But it was a really old Japanese house, which made for a cool experience. Drop me a message if you would like me to share that particular listing.
If you’re interested in spending more time in Aomori, do check out my more detailed Aomori itinerary.
Day 6: Walk Around Aomori, And Then Catch A Train To Gunma
Gappo Park is a large coastal park in Aomori. It was within walking distance from our Airbnb so we took a morning stroll there before we had to leave. It has a small animal enclosure and two playgrounds for kids to enjoy. The playground equipment was quite old though.
It’s supposed to look pretty spectacular during cherry blossom season, so do check it out if you visit in spring.
After Gappo Park, we caught our train to Gunma, which went like this:
Take the Hayabusa shinkansen (bound for Tokyo) from Shin-Aomori station to Omiya.
From Omiya, take the Hakutaka shinkansen to Takasaki.
From Takasaki, take the JR Ryomo line to Shin-Maebashi station.
All are covered by the Japan Rail Pass.
Note: Do note that there might be better alternative routes on your travel date. So definitely download the Japan official travel app to search your route!
Now one of our main reasons for visiting Aomori was to take the Hayabusa shinkansen. It is the fastest shinkansen in Japan, and there was no way my train-aficionado son was going to miss it. It did not disappoint. The Hayabusa’s fastest speed was 320km/hour!
Day 7: Explore Gunma
Gunma prefecture is known for its many hot springs and beautiful nature.
Where we stayed: The Racine Shinmaebashi was just a short walk from Shin-Maebashi station and had an amazing breakfast. We decided to stay in Maebashi (one of the main cities in Gunma) as it was easier to find hotels with cheaper prices.
But there are plenty of other hotels near any of the nature spots in Gunma. So do check those out too.
First up: Tanigawadake Ropeway
The Tanigawadake Ropeway takes you up Mt. Tanigawa, to a height of 1319m. It offers amazing views of the mountain below. Views change with the seasons, but they’re always beautiful.
Getting there: Either take the Joetsu shinkansen to Jomokogen station or the JR Joetsu line to Minakami station.
There’s a bus that starts at Jomokogen station, goes past Minakami station, and ends up at the ropeway base station. The bus takes 45 minutes from Jomokogen and 20 minutes from Minakami.
Alternatively, the JR Joetsu train occasionally continues on from Minakami station to Doai station. From Doai, its a 20-minute walk to the ropeway base station.
Tip: The train rides are covered under the Japan rail pass, but the bus rides are not. Get the Minakami 3 day bus pass from either Jomokogen station or Minakami station. It costs 2000 yen and you can take unlimited bus rides in the Minakami and Numata area using that.
Even if you’re only going to be in the area for a day, do consider buying the 3 day bus pass. If you calculate your bus fares using the Japan official travel app, it’ll probably add up to more than 2000 yen. This pass is only for foreign tourists.
Alternatively, if you really don’t want to get the Minakami 3 day bus pass, you can get this bus card instead. You only pay 3000 yen for the card, but you get a value of 4350 yen.
You can use the card for multiple family members as the bus driver calculates the total cost for all of you and deducts it from the card when you alight. You may purchase the card from the bus driver itself, simply show him a picture of this and he will be able to assist you.
This card can be used in Minakami and Numata.
Day 8: Numata And Kusatsu Onsen
First: Fukiware Falls
Fukiware Falls, also known as the Niagra of the East, is a stunningly wide waterfall surrounded by lush forests. There are walking paths around the waterfall that provide you with different viewpoints to admire the waterfall. Walking the whole trail takes about an hour.
Getting there: Take the JR Joetsu line from Shin-Maebashi to Numata station. From there, take a bus from Bus stop 1 to Fukiware Falls. The bus takes about 40 minutes.
After the falls, take the same bus on the opposite side of the road, and head to Kajitsu No Sato Harada farm.
Harada farm is a huge fruit farm that is open all year round. They grow apples, grapes, cherries, peaches, and strawberries. What you are able to pick depends on the season in which you visit.
The admission fees vary depending on what fruit you want to pick and are inclusive of all the fruit that you can eat during the 30-minute session. You are not allowed to take any fruit that you pick out of the farm. Reservations for fruit picking can be made here.
There is a shop at the farm entrance where you can purchase fruits or other fruity products as well.
Tip: The Minakami 3 day bus pass is valid here in Numata as well, but you cannot purchase it at Numata station. I highly recommend visiting Tanigawadake Ropeway first, so you can purchase the pass there before making your way to Numata.
The bus card can be purchased here in Numata as well, from the bus driver.
Next: Make your way to Kusatsu Onsen
Kusatsu Onsen is a popular onsen town frequented by the locals. It is supposed to be one of the top 3 hot springs in Japan due to its water quality. We saw plenty of local tourists here, a good sign that this is a place in Japan truly visiting!
The town itself is very charming. At the center of the town is Yubatake, the source of the hot spring water. The water is transported via wooden chutes and then falls down an artificial waterfall to cool it. Steam continuously rises from the hot spring, together with a faint sulfur odor.
At night, Yubatake is illuminated. The lights along with the steam make for a very dreamy place indeed. I would definitely recommend a night walk here to not miss this view.
Around Yubatake are several foot baths which are open 24 hours and free to use.
Getting there: From Shin-Maebashi station, take a train to Naganohara Kusatsuguchi station. From there, take a 25-minute JR bus to Kusatsu Onsen bus terminal (covered by the JR pass).
Where to stay: We stayed at Oyado Yukizumi, a quaint little hotel, which was less than a 5 minute walk from the bus terminal and a 3 minute walk to Yubatake. The rooms were large with a living area included, where they serve a delicious breakfast.
There is also a hot spring bath at the bottom of the hotel for you to use. Although it’s a shared bath, there are only a few rooms at this hotel, so you can be assured that it will not be crowded. However, there is no bath in your room, only a toilet. Showers need to be taken at the shower areas next to the hot spring pool downstairs.
Day 9: Kusatsu Onsen
You’ve seen Yubatake at night, all illuminated and dreamy. Now go see it in the daytime for a different type of dreamy.
Walk over to Sainokawara park, where you can see volcanic rocks, streams and ponds with steaming water. This is a 20-minute walk from Yubatake. There are many snack and souvenir shops along the way, so you can just munch your way there.
Tip: Along the way to the park, there’s a shop that sells the most amazing grilled rice thingies (I forget the name). The grilled rice ‘cakes’ are on wooden skewers and look so meat-like, but they’re just rice. Definitely try them!
There is a large open-air bath at the park, that you can use for a price of 600 yen.
Tip: There are a few other hot spring bathing facilities around Kusatsu town. If you wish to go hot-spring hopping, get the Santo Meguri Tagata coupon which allows you to enter 3 different baths for 1600 yen. You may purchase the coupon at any of the 3 baths.
Kids’ tip: Kids will enjoy the Kusatsu Tropical Wonderland, a small zoo where you can feed capybaras and monkeys.
A visit to Kusatsu Onsen wouldn’t be complete without a visit to Mount Shirane. Mount Shirane is the volcano from where all the hot spring water comes. It has a beautiful green crater lake that you just have to see.
Getting there: A bus from Kusatsu bus terminal takes you up to Shirane rest house. From there, it’s an easy 10-minute hike to the Yugama crater lake.
Alternatively, there is a cable car that can also be reached via bus. The cable car costs 1500 yen for a round trip. Unfortunately, the crater was closed when we were there due to volcanic activity.
Day 10: Train Back To Tokyo Or Osaka/ Flight home.
From Kusatsu Onsen, take the JR bus back to Naganohara Kusatsuguchi station and take a train to Takasaki Station. From there, take a shinkansen to Tokyo, and another to Osaka. Get to the airport and fly home.
Getting Around Japan
A trip like this would definitely require the Japan Rail Pass. The Japan Rail Pass is an amazing pass that is only available to foreign tourists visiting Japan.
It allows you to take a number of local trains, shinkansens (bullet trains) and some buses for free. Well, not exactly free because you paid for the Japan Rail Pass, but you save a ton of money with this, instead of buying separate tickets for every train or bus.
It is best to purchase the Japan Rail Pass BEFORE you arrive in Japan. You can buy it here at certain locations, but it is much cheaper to buy it online before you arrive. We bought it from Klook, and the process was so easy.
When you purchase the JR pass, an exchange order is mailed to your house. When you arrive in Japan, just proceed to the Japan Rail office at the airport, and exchange your exchange order for the real Japan Rail Pass.
You can buy the Japan Rail Pass as a 7 day, 14 day or 21 day pass. You can also choose the ordinary car or the green car option. The green car is like first class, with nicer seats and better leg rests. But in my opinion, the ordinary car is already incredibly comfortable, so don’t bother with the green car.
Tickets are 50% off for kids aged 6-11, and free for kids 5 and under. You might be thinking ‘Yay we don’t have to buy a ticket for our 5 year old!’. But the caveat here is that if you don’t buy a ticket, you can’t reserve a seat for them.
That means your 5 year old is going to be on your lap the entire train ride. So we just went ahead and booked a ticket for our 5 year old, and I’d recommend you do the same. Obviously, if you have a toddler, then you can save on that ticket.
There are a couple of trains that you are not covered under the Japan rail pass, including the Nozomi and Mizuho shinkansens. You can find the full list here.
Also, the JR pass is just a ticket. You still need to reserve your seat for most trains, to ensure you have a seat. You can travel without a reservation, just look out for the non-reserved cars on that particular train while boarding. Non-reserved car numbers will be displayed on the station’s signboards like this:
Reservations can be made at Japan Rail kiosks at JR train stations. Or if you planned ahead like us, you can just make all your reservations at the JR office at the airport when you pick up your japan rail pass.
Other Places In Japan To Visit
We got the 14 day Japan Rail Pass and did visit a number of other places as well.
We visited a couple of the usual Japanese tourist spots like Kyoto, Nara, Hiroshima, and Osaka as well. They had some great sights but were incredibly crowded.
1 Day Kyoto Itinerary
There are a ton of temples and shrines in Kyoto, and if you’re going with your kids, there is no way they want to see all those temples. So here are the places that we visited, some were a hit, some were not.
If you’re traveling to Japan with kids, don’t miss this. This was a definite hit with our kids. It is the biggest railway museum in Japan, with 54 trains on display. Incredibly educational as well, there were numerous Japanese students here to learn all about trains.
Some things that are not to be missed here:
1. Railway Diorama
Model train enthusiasts rejoice! This one was a work of art. The diorama replicates a real rail yard and is operated by an attendant. It was great to watch, for kids and adults alike.
Tip: The diorama operates only at certain time schedules which you can find here. If the seating area gets filled up before the time, they can close entry early. So be sure to go get yourself a seat 10 minutes before the show starts, if the museum is particularly crowded the day you visit.
2. Operating Stimulator
Kids can experience the job of a real train conductor here, very enjoyable. Tickets need to be bought, 100 yen each ticket for a 10 minute session. More than one kid can enjoy it with just a single ticket, but they’ll have to share the 10-minute session.
Note: Tickets are not available at the museum. You will have to purchase it online. It’s really difficult to fill out this form, we got one of the museum staff to help us fill it out. This is because some of the required fields are where you need to type in your name in Japanese characters. It was very confusing.
Alternatively, you can buy it at 7-11 stores. But tickets may get sold out. The online tickets don’t sell out.
3. Railway experience area
Visitors can experience driving the model trains here, and this was where our kids wouldn’t leave. Don’t forget to check it out.
Right next door to the Kyoto Railway Museum is a big park, Umekoji Park. The fall foliage here was simply stunning, and there was a huge playground for kids to enjoy. By far, the best-maintained playground we saw here in Japan. And delicious ice cream right next to it.
Getting there: Take the JR San’In Main Line from Kyoto and get off at the next stop, Umekoji-Kyotonishi. The Railway Museum is right outside the station.
Tip: Feeling hungry? A 15-minute walk away from the museum is an amazing conveyor-belt sushi restaurant. We saw only locals there, the food was amazing and very affordable.
Arashiyama Bamboo Forest
You’ve seen pictures of this before. It’s on everybody’s list of places to see in Japan. It was beautiful but very crowded. I would still recommend it because it feels like you can’t visit Japan without seeing this.
Getting there: Take the JR San’In Main line in the opposite direction, and get off at Saga-Arashiyama station. It’s a short walk from there, hard to get lost as everyone else is also walking there.
Tip: If you’ve made it all the way here, I would definitely recommend continuing on through the end of the bamboo forest and entering Arashiyama Park.
You will see signs for an observation deck, and so many people don’t come here, but they oh so totally should! What rewards you is a breathtaking view of the Rankyo gorge below. Try not to miss this.
Sagano Scenic Romantic Railway
After the incredible Yuri-Kogen scenic railway that we tried on Day 4, we desperately wanted another scenic train experience. But as I mentioned earlier, both the Kairi and Resort Shirakami trains that we planned for were unavailable when we visited.
So when we saw the signs for the Sagano Romantic train, we jumped at the chance. We saw beautiful pictures online such as this. And doesn’t it look romantic?
Photo credit: digjapan.travel
So we bought our tickets (so much more expensive than the Yuri-Kogen). It’s at a more touristy location, so it makes sense that it was more expensive. But this train ride was so disappointing.
If you notice, all the pictures online are pictures of the train, not pictures from the train window. Much of the train ride was inside tunnels, and when we were not in the tunnel, only one side of the train would have a nice view of the gorge, while the other side would just stare out wondering why they ever took this train.
Maybe it was great for other people, but after having experienced the Yuri-Kogen railway, this was nothing. This one was definitely not a hit. And if you want to see the gorge, Arashiyama Park Observation Deck, which I mentioned above, offers a much nicer view.
Fushimi Inari Taisha
This is another really popular spot in Kyoto, so we felt like we had to see it. We only managed to reach it after the sun had set, but it was still really nice. There are many, many, many steps to climb, nice to tire kids out. If they’re really young, they might not be able to climb all the way up. There’s a nice viewpoint to see the entire city.
And that’s all we had in Kyoto.
1 Day Hiroshima Itinerary
A really popular tourist destination as well, but definitely not to be missed. There is nothing like Hiroshima anywhere else, literally.
The main thing to see in Hiroshima is the Peace Memorial Park, and you can’t miss it. This is literally why tourists come to Hiroshima at all. The Peace Memorial Park is a large park in the middle of the city. This is close to the epicenter of the atomic bomb strike in August 1945.
Everything you need to see with regard to the atomic bomb is situated within this park.
The Atomic Bomb Dome is a large industrial hall that was close to the epicenter of the bombing. This is the only building left standing, but it’s pretty much just a skeleton.
If you walk around the park, there are other sights to see such as the Children’s Peace Monument, the Flame of Peace, Hiroshima Victims Memorial Cenotaph.
Another sight not to be missed is the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum. You CANNOT visit Hiroshima and not visit this museum.
The exhibits at this museum communicate the realities of the damage caused by the atomic bomb. It showcases life before and after the bombing. It also has plenty of photos and belongings left by the victims. It is so haunting and sad, yet so important to learn. Never again should anyone suffer like that.
Note: The exhibits can be too much for little kids to handle. If they’re feeling overwhelmed, do step outside with them.
Getting here: Take the Hikari shinkansen from Tokyo to Shin-Osaka, and then change over to the Sakura shinkansen. If you’re staying in Osaka, simply take the Sakura from Shin-Osaka and get off at Hiroshima.
Take the Sightseeing Loop Bus from platform 2 and get off at the Atomic Bomb Dome. You can then walk through the entire park before heading into the museum. The bus leaves Hiroshima station every 20 minutes, the first bus is at 9 am.
Another sight to see in Hiroshima would be the island of Miyajima. You can take the tram from Atomic Bomb Dome station to Miyajimaguchi. From there, take the JR ferry to Miyajima.
Note: The tram is not covered in the JR pass, but the ferry is. Alternatively, you can take the sightseeing bus back to Hiroshima station from the park, and take the JR Sanyo Main Line train to Miyajimaguchi.
Miyajima is home to the famous floating Tori gate. There are plenty of deer on this island, but we didn’t see any deer food being sold. There’s a ropeway which you can take to get a bird’s eye view of the island.
Miyajima has plenty of snack stalls with some delicious bites to grab. One thing I would strongly recommend is Oyster Curry Bread. It’s a delicious bun with oyster curry inside, drool.
Nara
When you think of Nara, you think of the deer. And the deer are everywhere. If you’re going to Japan with kids, can you even think of skipping Nara?
Nara is home to the free-roaming deer. Nara deer park consists of many sights including Todai-ji temple, Kasuga-taisha shrine. If your kids are anything like ours, and they moan, ‘Another temple?’ then you know you have to find something else to entertain them.
Enter the deer. More than 1000 deer roam this huge ‘park’. Everywhere you turn you see deer. And you can feed them. Specially made rice crackers (shinka senbei) can be bought from vendors located around the park.
Did you know these deer can bow? When you bow to them, they will bow back, I found it the most adorable thing ever. But they’re not all adorable. They are wild animals and can get aggressive. But amazingly, if you show both your hands out in front of you, they understand that you have no more crackers for them and will leave you alone.
Getting here: If you are based in Osaka or Kyoto, Nara is simply a 50-minute train ride away. Take the Yamatoji Rapid from Osaka or the Miyakoji Rapid from Kyoto.
Conclusion
Japan is an amazing and beautiful country to visit. I hope you enjoy this incredible 10 day Japan itinerary that I’ve put up, especially if you’re visiting Japan with kids.
Drop me a note below if this has been helpful for you!
Related Posts:
If you’re looking for more off the beaten path itineraries in Japan, check out:
Off The Beaten Path Japan – Aomori Itinerary
Off The Beaten Path Japan – Kushimoto