We have a unique journey to share with you of one adventurous family’s experiences in Japan!
From the exciting, bustling, and surprisingly clean streets of Tokyo to a ninth-generation tea farm overlooking a lush green valley and town below, they paint a picture of the magic that awaits travelers to Japan. There is something for everyone, including culinary and cultural wonders that are sure to stay with travelers long after their plane has touched back down.
Though life may return to normal, those who truly experience being submerged in another culture will carry those feelings and memories with them wherever they go. Imagine hiking to an ancient temple and learning the art of meditation, perusing street after street of world-famous thrift shopping with your fashion-forward teenagers, or experiencing the excitement of an actual sumo wrestling match.
Japan offers all this and more! Contact us to begin customizing a trip that will inspire and delight the senses.
Japan is a very unique place. Their discipline, their innovation, their culture. There’s so much beauty in all of it.
What inspired your destination choice?
Our family trip included my mother, girlfriend, and teenagers, so we each had ideas about what the trip should look like, and our itinerary incorporated all of that and more. We’re already talking about what we’d like to do on a return trip, and hopefully stay longer.
What surprised you about your adventure?
We did a lot of food tasting experiences, and our itinerary focused a lot on culinary adventures. My son loves ramen, and that was incredible. Although I’ve never been into sushi, we took a sushi-making class and I gained an appreciation for it that I brought back with me to the States.
I’ll admit that after a while, we did grow tired of all the fish. Fish is a main staple of the Japanese diet, but it did become a little overwhelming. The quality and attention to detail were impressive, and we tried many native dishes through the food tours we had scheduled in advance.
Probably my biggest takeaway was seeing how the Japanese take care of their spaces. Tokyo is like New York City on steroids, with a huge population, and every alley is like a city within a city. The shops are endless and the streets are bustling. But it was such a green city with immaculately clean streets.
They have a system where everyone takes their trash with them and you don’t see many trash cans around. Many businesses don’t open as early there, and every morning you’ll see people out picking up trash. It’s awesome to see their pride in working together to keep spaces clean. That’s definitely something that has stayed with me since returning home.
What are your favorite stories and experiences from the adventure?
Finding activities for each family member to enjoy was important to me. My son is really into thrifting, and Tokyo is known for its fashion.
Tokyo’s thrifting is on another level; they have street after street of thrift stores. My kids loved the fashion, and my son said it was his favorite trip of all time.
We booked a last-minute sumo wrestling experience, and the kids loved it. They invited the audience to go up on stage, and my son took on a sumo wrestler. We got some amazing videos, and it was a show we’ll never forget.
The bullet trains were an amazing experience, racing through the landscape at 175 miles per hour on the way to our next destination. I got a little queasy looking out the window, but what an incredible way to travel.
On our trips, we like to stay at a budget-friendly place, and then a really high-end place. We found a beautiful hotel overlooking the ocean, with a view of Mount Fuji. There was a spa in the hotel, so we decided to go, but didn’t realize that they were separated, women from men, and completely nude. That was a surprise! It was a cultural thing, and we still get a good laugh out of the misunderstanding. The hotel blew our minds and provided a fun story we still tell.
What are your favorite stories and experiences from the adventure?
Finding activities for each family member to enjoy was important to me. My son is really into thrifting, and Tokyo is known for its fashion.
We booked a last-minute sumo wrestling experience, and the kids loved it. They invited the audience to go up on stage, and my son took on a sumo wrestler. We got some amazing videos, and it was a show we’ll never forget.
The bullet trains were an amazing experience, racing through the landscape at 175 miles per hour on the way to our next destination. I got a little queasy looking out the window, but what an incredible way to travel.
On our trips, we like to stay at a budget-friendly place, and then a really high-end place. We found a beautiful hotel overlooking the ocean, with a view of Mount Fuji. There was a spa in the hotel, so we decided to go, but didn’t realize that they were separated, women from men, and completely nude. That was a surprise! It was a cultural thing, and we still get a good laugh out of the misunderstanding. The hotel blew our minds and provided a fun story we still tell.
What were some of the elements of your favorite properties?
My girlfriend is a cross-country runner, and they train, so at that hotel, we went for a run along the ocean and down into the city. The views were unforgettable, and although we try to include leisure in our trips, they can be so busy, it’s nice when it works out to do something like that. It can be challenging with groups or families when some want to go-go-go and others want to get some rest, but moments like this provide for both types of travelers.
That’s why I like the way we did it [with Adventure Seekers], because if I were by myself, I’d just keep going, but this gave my family a balance.
We got to see some gorgeous temples and tea farms, and did a zen experience at the end of the trip. It relaxed us with lessons in meditation, yoga, and some karate. Our favorite was a tea farm, where a ninth-generation farmer guided us to the top of a mountain.
There, we were served tea while overlooking the entire town from a little balcony. Tea making is very significant, and we could feel the history. The way the trip was put together was very helpful, and it was a beautiful experience.
The digital itinerary always gave us something and was very user-friendly. We all had a copy and knew what time we needed to be where.
Would you do anything different?
Though we visited two green tea farms and saw some temples, I would’ve liked to see more cultural and historical sites. We found a unique, artistic aquarium that the kids loved, and we would like to find more activities for them next time.
We’d like to create time to drift at the end, take a little longer than the 12 days we did this trip. If we return, we’d like to see the beaches and visit some of the smaller Japanese islands. To somehow combine this with a ski holiday would be ideal, to experience the best powder in the world.
Since we missed the cherry blossoms by a few weeks, that would be amazing to witness. The traveler’s dilemma is always to return and explore more or choose a different destination.
Do you have any advice for other travelers dreaming of this destination?
Really, the only thing we’d do differently is fewer food-themed activities and more culture and history-based activities. Culture is everywhere; the challenge can be making everyone happy.
I loved it. I didn’t want it to stop. I wanted to continue traveling and just keep moving from place to place. It was beautiful.
What did you learn?
Time differences can be tough, especially on the other side of the world. One hotel changed a reservation, and we figured it out, but got a little lost for a short time. We couldn’t figure out the dryer to wash clothes, which can be a challenge for those who pack light. It can make such a difference, but my kids had looks they wanted to pull off in Tokyo, a city known for its fashion. I really just need a backpack and good walking shoes.
The taxi app recommended to us was another great tip and helped us move around the city with ease.
Where are you dreaming of next?
I was actually thinking South America, this year. I love South America; it excites me. We’re thinking three weeks next time, all the way from Colombia down to Peru.
Vacations are the perfect time to connect, explore, and make lasting memories. The perfect trip can take hours to plan. Even then, things will come up while you are traveling.
Hotels that don’t look like the pictures
Tour guides who are dull
Stressed figuring out logistics and not present with loved ones
But.. you don’t have to do it alone.
We design and coordinate every detail of your trip so you can relax and experience a vacation you'll never forget!
