14 Days in Japan | Family-Friendly Golden Route Itinerary

14 Days in Japan | Family-Friendly Golden Route Itinerary

Hello travel friends. We know that Japan is a destination that’s high on the list for many families. And we also know that it can be overwhelming to plan, especially with kids. That’s why in today’s video, we’re sharing our family-friendly 14-day itinerary throughout Japan’s Golden Route. We visited Japan in March 2025, right at the start of spring. We started in Tokyo, made our way to Kyoto, and wrapped up in Osaka. Our trip included everything from local culture, food, and landmarks to 5 days at Disneyland and Universal. We hope today’s video will help give you and your family some tips on how you can fully maximize and enjoy your own twoe trip to Japan without being completely overwhelmed. Let’s get started. [Music] Let’s start with our travel day. We kick things off at LAX where we spend some time at the One World Lounge. Then we embarked on a long haul flight from Los Angeles to Tokyo Hanida in Japan Airlines premium economy. We were extremely impressed with Japan Airlines as a whole. The service was phenomenal. The seats were super comfortable and the food and drinks were delicious by airplane standards. [Music] After landing, we met our private transportation driver who took us to our hotel. We decided to book private transportation through Cluke because we weren’t familiar with the train system and didn’t want to be completely overwhelmed with figuring it out while jet-lagged on our first night in a new country. We highly recommend booking private transportation if you can. This was definitely a simple and smooth way to get from the airport to the hotel without having to really worry about any details. Then we checked into the Hyattentric Ginsa, a business hotel that we found to be surprisingly familyfriendly. Our first night was low-key. We just explored the hotel amenities, enjoyed some happy hour drinks, and grabbed some free snacks before settling in for the night. [Music] The next morning started with breakfast at the hotel restaurant Namiki 667. The service and food here were amazing, which really made us look forward to having breakfast here every day during our stay. After breakfast, we hit up our very first 7-Eleven in Japan. We grabbed coffee and snacks for the day and then headed to Tokyo Station to pick up our Sua train cards. We took our first train ride to Shabuya. We thought the train system might be overwhelming, but having used public transportation in the US and abroad, we found Japan’s system pretty intuitive and easy to figure out, especially if you’re using Google Maps to help direct you. Our first big stop was the famous Shabuya Crossing where we grabbed a seat at the Starbucks overlooking the scramble. I know this might be a cliche place to visit, but the views were honestly worth it and they even had some unique drinks. We also caught a glimpse of people Mario Karting in real life, so that was fun. We fueled up with some quick street food, including the famous cheesy ten yen bread, which we just grabbed from a street stand, and then devoured our first bowl of ramen at Machi Dashotin Shibuyatin. Sorry if I’m mispronouncing that. [Music] Later on, we headed to Shinjuku to visit the Gracery Hotel and Lounge for some Godzilla themed drinks right under the giant Godzilla head statue. We weren’t really sure what to expect from the gimmicky drinks, but the quality was actually pretty good, and we think this hotel is worth a visit if you get a chance. [Music] We wrapped up the evening playing some claw machines at Gigo, where we won a giant Snorlax, before heading back to find our hotel room had already been meticulously cleaned and reset for the night. Day two started with another amazing hotel breakfast before grabbing the train to Asakusa. [Music] Here we explored Senoji Temple, the oldest Buddhist temple in Tokyo, and snacked on matcha treats and some unique street food, including melon bread, candied strawberries, tayyaki, and even dinosaur s’mores. For lunch, we had one of our favorite meals of the trip, okonamiyaki at Somataro. This restaurant is traditional style where you sit on the floor and cook your food right at the table. The food was amazing and it was just a fun experience overall. Then we walked from Somataro to Tokyo Skytree. [Music] We came here originally for the observation decks that give you amazing pan panoramic views of Tokyo, but soon realized that the Sky Tree has a lot more to offer. There’s a giant food court and shopping area. We could have easily spent hours here if we had planned better, but it got late, so we had to head back to our hotel. On day three, we headed to Akihabara, a vibrant neighborhood known for its arcades and claw machines. We played a bunch of games here and had a lot of fun. Then we stopped by Yodaashi Camera, a gigantic department store that’s focused around electronics. This store had just about every electronic and accessory you could ever need. But there were also floors and floors of other merchandise, including everything from shoes and clothes to toys and games. It was definitely overwhelming, but also fun to explore. We checked out the food court options at Yodashi and ended up visiting Craft Beer Top Akihabara Station front shop where we had some amazing Japanese curry for lunch which was absolutely delicious. This place even had German beer on draft which was a nice surprise. At this point it started raining quite a bit so we headed back for happy hour at the Hyatt Centric where we tried a seasonal cocktail and some Japanese whiskey. After that, we did some shopping around the Ginsa district, stopping by the flagship Uniqlo store and some other random spots. [Music] We ended the day with dinner at the Ginsa Lion Beer Hall, which is the oldest beer hall in Japan. The beer hall has different dining options, including a more traditional Japanese style and a beer hall style. We opted for the traditional Japanese option where we tried our first Wagu. This meal was comforting and delicious. It just wasn’t the most filling. Then it started snowing, so we headed back for the night. [Music] The next day was a repositioning day. Our Hyatt status came in handy as we were able to take advantage of late checkout from the Hyatt Centric Ginsa. But first, we made a quick 7-Eleven stop for lunch before catching the train to Tokyo Bay. This was our first experience on the JR train as opposed to the local metro, and it was also super easy to navigate. Here we checked into the Hyatt Regency Tokyo Bay. We explored the property, which offers beautiful views of Tokyo Bay while also being close to local attractions like Tokyo Disney Resort. The hotel even has a free shuttle over to Disney. We had access to the club lounge, which is totally worth it in our opinion. Those with club access can eat at the Garden Brasserie restaurant for breakfast, and then a full meal is served at dinnertime in the lounge along with free alcohol. We had the lounge dinner on our first night here and the food was fantastic. The next three days were all about Tokyo Disney Resort. We spent 2 days at Disney Sea and one day at Disneyland. We’ll keep this section high level, but if you want more details on how we booked our trip, we have a Japan tips video with all of that info. And we also have full vlogs covering each of our days at the parks in more detail. We rode a ton of rides, ate some of the most creative snacks we’ve seen, and picked up some unique merch that you can only find in Japan. We definitely get the hype around Tokyo Disney. Now, day eight was another repositioning day for us as we headed back to Tokyo Station to catch the Shinkansen bullet train to Kyoto. At the station, we discovered a cool Disney store and we grabbed some food and drinks for the journey. The train ride only took about 2 hours in total. Once we got to Kyoto, we checked into the Hyatt Place, which is conveniently located right next to Maritumachi Station. [Music] For dinner, we ended up trying out Japanese McDonald’s for the first time. We were actually impressed with the food options, quality, and price. We can’t wait to go back sometime for another double Big Mac. The next day, we took the regional train to the Fushimi Anari Shrine. We grabbed breakfast at a nearby family mart and a coffee from Starbucks. Then we started our trek through the thousands of red Tory gates. The Fushimi Anari shrine is known as one of the most important shrines dedicated to Anari, who’s the Shinto god of rice. Foxes are said to be Anari’s messengers, so you’ll see a ton of fox statues throughout the grounds in addition to the iconic red gates. Keep in mind that this shrine can get really busy and there are lots of steps to climb, so it’s best to get there early if you can. We made it about halfway up the trek where there’s a beautiful lookout point and that was good enough for us. After that, we tried some nearby local street snacks, most notably the famous creme brulee sweet potato and sweet potato ice cream. Then we had a more relaxed lunch at Coma Cafe, which was also delicious. That evening, we stopped by the Pokémon Center, which had a ton of cute merch and some interactive games, but it was also super busy, so we didn’t end up buying anything. [Music] On day 10, we took the Honky Railway over to Arashyama to visit the famous monkey park. [Music] We had a ton of fun observing the wild monkeys and taking in the sweeping views of Kyoto from the top. There is a pretty good hill you have to climb to get to the park, but it wasn’t crowded. And to me, it felt easier compared to the Fushimi Anonari steps. And at the top, there’s even a decent playground with an epic slide. There are some other cool attractions in this area, like the bamboo forest, but it was getting cold and rainy again, so we didn’t make it to those. For lunch, we went over to Kora Sushi, which was another one of our favorite meals of the whole trip. [Music] Then we spent some time walking around the Shijou district where we did some shopping and tried some more snacks like melon bread and co donuts. [Music] That night, we just went back to the hotel to do some laundry and ended up ordering Dominoes for dinner. Once again, we were impressed with the food compared to what we get here in the US. They even had a special meal foy pizza. I’m sure I’m not pronouncing that right, but it was a pizza that had a layer of cheese between two thin crusts. The next morning, we enjoyed a unique breakfast at the cafe right above the Family Mart near the Hyatt Place, where a robot actually brings your food. [Music] We also explored the beautiful grounds of the Kyoto Imperial Palace in the rain. [Music] In the afternoon, we caught the train to Osaka and checked into the Universal Port Hotel. This unique Minions themed hotel is super cute and very conveniently located near Universal Studios Japan. I think it was about a 5-minute walk to the park. Once again, the weather wasn’t the best. So, for dinner, we walked over to CityWalk where we explored all of the cool food options. We ended up having some more ramen at Ramen by Kotan. It was delicious. After that, we just had a night cap at the hotel restaurant and grabbed some snacks from the hotel shop before turning in for the night. Then, we spent two full days at Universal Studios Japan. [Music] One day we used express passes to ride just about everything we wanted to, including the new Donkey Kong Minecart Madness ride, Jaws, and Flying Dinosaur. On the second day, we didn’t have Express Passes, so we just explored the park at a more leisurely pace. We did make videos covering our full 2 days at Universal Studios Japan, so if you’re interested in more details about what we did, be sure to check those out. Our Japan tips video also talks about how we booked our tickets and express passes. [Music] For our final full day, we moved from the Universal Port Hotel over to the beautiful W Osaka, which is located in the heart of the Shinsaiashi area and was one of our favorite properties of the whole trip. [Music] We grabbed lunch at the hotel lounge while waiting for our room to be ready and explored everything the hotel had to offer. That afternoon, we ventured out to explore Shinsaiashi and do bori, famous for neon lights, shopping, and street food. We ended up trying gaozas, meat on a stick, and hot saki right by the beautiful canal, as well as some soule pancakes. [Music] The next morning, we checked out of the W Osaka and took the train to Kzai International Airport. [Music] This time we flew Japan Airlines economy back to Los Angeles to wrap up the trip. If you’re curious how Japan Airlines economy class stacks up against premium economy, we also have a full video on that which we’ll link below. [Music] And that’s a wrap on our 14-day golden route adventure through Japan, hitting Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka. We had an amazing time on this trip and we were really impressed with Japan as a whole. Hopefully, we’ve shared some good ideas of things you might be able to do with your own family on a future trip. We’ve already shared detailed videos on each part of our trip, which we’ll link below. And be on the lookout for individual hotel reviews, as well as a full budget breakdown of how we made this journey happen, mostly using points and miles. If you’ve made it this far, thanks for watching. Let us know any additional itinerary suggestions you might have in the comments. See you soon.

Thinking about planning a trip to Japan? 🇯🇵 In this video, we’re sharing our detailed 14-day Japan itinerary—a family-friendly journey along the Golden Route, visiting Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka.

This two-week trip was packed with culture, temples, food, and theme parks—including Tokyo Disneyland, DisneySea, and Universal Studios Japan—making it the perfect balance of adventure and relaxation. Whether you’re planning your first trip to Japan or bringing kids along, we hope this itinerary helps you maximize your own adventure without feeling overwhelmed.

✨ Trip Overview✨
✈️Flights:
-Japan Airlines Premium Economy & Economy

🏨Hotels:
-Hyatt Centric Ginza
-Hyatt Regency Tokyo Bay
-Hyatt Place Kyoto
-Universal Port Hotel
-W Osaka

🌍Cities Visited:
-Tokyo
-Kyoto
-Osaka

⭐Highlights:
-Shibuya Crossing
-Shinjuku
-Asakusa & Senso-ji Temple
-Tokyo Skytree
-Akihabara
-Ginza shopping
-Fushimi Inari Shrine
-Arashiyama Monkey Park
-Kyoto Imperial Palace
-Shinsaibashi & Dotonbori

🎢Theme Parks:
-Tokyo Disneyland
-DisneySea
-Universal Studios Japan

🎥 Related Videos:
-What We Wish We Knew Before Visiting Japan: https://youtu.be/ATtphusHtT0
-JAL Premium Economy Flight & Travel Day: https://youtu.be/NWiC9u4KPfc
-4-Day Tokyo Itinerary: https://youtu.be/nYGGEMkl59w
-3 Days at Tokyo Disney Resort: https://youtu.be/IzbDu–KHXg
-48 Hours in Kyoto: https://youtu.be/vgVDHgqQN_E
-Universal Studios Japan Day 1: https://youtu.be/v4G9cZmeklw
-Universal Studios Japan Day 2: https://youtu.be/QxNSZ3wdlgs
-One Day in Osaka: https://youtu.be/g_62LU7Uj-0
-JAL Economy Flight & Travel Day: https://youtu.be/UVwhww27l3k
-JAL Premium Economy vs. Economy: https://youtu.be/Bo8TFR8igpQ

✈️ Most of this trip was booked using points and miles, and we’ll be posting a full budget breakdown soon!

👉 If you’re planning your own trip to Japan or have already been, let us know in the comments what’s on your must-do list!

🔥 Chapters:
00:00 Intro
00:58 Travel Day LA to Tokyo
02:18 Day 1: Shibuya & Shinjuku
04:26 Day 2: Asakusa & Tokyo Skytree
05:51 Day 3: Akihabara & Ginza
07:37 Day 4: Tokyo Bay
08:40 Days 5-7: Tokyo Disney Resort
09:13 Day 8: Shinkansen to Kyoto
09:59 Day 9: Fushimi Inari Shrine
11:17 Day 10: Arashiyama and Downtown Kyoto
13:10 Day 11: Kyoto to Osaka
14:31 Days 12-13: Universal Studios Japan
15:20 Day 14: Osaka
16:19 Travel Day Osaka to LA
17:19 Final Thoughts

📸 Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/livingthevacationlife/
🛒 Check out our Amazon store: https://www.amazon.com/shop/livingthevacationlife