10 Activities for you and your kids

We all know that Japan does wacky modern culture to a T, but will kids fall in love with its traditional side? Absolutely. From martial arts and taiko drumming to craft workshops and Japanese archery, these experiences make Japanese culture fun, fascinating, and uber-accessible to all ages.

Japan is full of things to do that are naturally perfect for families, without being designed as family friendly. We think that makes the whole experience more authentic and interesting. Here are some that we love, kids love, adults love and, in our experience, they’re at the absolute sweet spot for teenagers — who (let’s face it) aren’t known for being easy to please.

The activities below are just a taste of what Japan can offer. If you’d like to talk about your ideas, ask us some questions or have something you just can’t visit Japan without seeing then chat to us. We’re here to help you build the best trip for your family.

Limber up at a taiko drumming class

More than just banging on drums, taiko is a full-body, arm-swinging, leg-kicking extravaganza — complete with shouts and chants, choreography, and traditional costume. It’s fantastic fun for children, but we’ve found it also goes down a treat on our all-adult small group tours. Clearly, jumping around like a mad person while screaming and hitting things doesn’t have an age limit.

If your kids are full of energy and love getting involved, this is a great introduction to a slice of traditional Japanese culture.

Go wild at a theme park

When you feel an overdose of temples coming on, there’s no better antidote than a theme park — and boy, can Japan do theme parks.

You could go with tried-and-tested at Disney in Tokyo, or you can embrace the Japanese-ness of it all with some home-grown thrills. Race Mario Karts at Super Nintendo World, watch ninja shows at Toei Eiga Mura, ride the rollercoasters at FujiQ Highland, or meet Hello Kitty at Sanrio Puroland. You can even explore a life-sized Hogsmeade Village at Universal’s Studios’ Harry Potter World, or a miniature Holland at Huis Ten Bosch. The possibilities are endless.

Dress up as a geisha or samurai

Anything that’s both educational and silly is a win-win in our book. It might sound childish, but hear us out. There’s nothing quite like catching a glimpse of yourself in the iconic white make-up, black wig and elaborate kimono of a geisha. Or, for that matter, in the war-like garb of a samurai — complete with shoulderpads that make the 1980s look low-key.

These aren’t just clothes, they’re history: each item with its own symbolism, ritual, and function. Beyond the novelty of the transformation, it just makes you realise how difficult life must have been in these heavy, elaborate and restrictive garments. It's so much more memorable than just looking at pictures in a museum — and your kids get to see you look ridiculous, which is always a plus (for them, at least).

Take a manga-drawing class

In Western cultures, comic books and animation are only just beginning to work their way out of the doldrums of “kids’ stuff” and into mainstream popular culture, but in Japan they’ve always held a privileged place. Your children may well be able to reel off dozens of obscure titles, but you absolutely don’t need to know your Naruto from your Cowboy Bebop to enjoy this experience.

Held at a prestigious manga school, this isn’t a just-for-tourists gimmick. It’s a real-life art school, which means you’ll get to meet the students, look at what they’re working on, and join them for a drawing class. From the correct way to hold a pencil to the various techniques of hand-drawn animation, this is a fascinating look behind the curtain of a uniquely Japanese cultural phenomenon.

Dive into virtual realities on a video game tour of Tokyo

Combining cutting-edge video games with nostalgia for the good old days, this tour will please parents who grew up on Atari and Nintendo as much as kids addicted to Fortnite and Minecraft.

Led by one of our awesome insiders who knows the culture inside-out, you’ll be exploring towering, multi-storey arcades and hidden back-alleys, playing on all manner of consoles, perusing shops crammed with retro memorabilia, and stopping for lunch at one of the capital’s many game-themed cafés.

Now, we’re willing to bet that not everyone in your family is jumping for joy at the idea of a video game tour — and we get that. But hear us out, because it’s not just about playing the games. It’s about getting to know a slice of Japanese culture that, in its way, is as important and influential as tea ceremony and garden design. You wouldn’t want to be uncultured, would you?

Lose yourselves in interactive museums

If there’s anything that’s bound to elicit a snore from a teenager (and some adults), it’s a museum. But you haven’t experienced museums like this before.

At digital art exhibitions you can lose yourself in virtual dreamscapes, mirror-extended spaces, swirling liquid lights, psychedelic gardens and multisensory, interactive worlds — like being sucked into a parallel universe.

Then, envelop yourself in the imaginative world of Totoro, Spirited Away, and the fantastical creations of Hayao Miyazaki at a museum designed to feel as though you’ve entered a Ghibli film. Complete with a beautiful garden and a giant cat-bus soft-play area, it’s almost more of a playground than a museum — though there’s plenty for older Ghibli fans too.

In short, these are the the kinds of museums that make you think they need a new word for museum.

Kayak beneath Miyajima's floating gate

What do you do when parents want to do some sightseeing and kids would rather be blowing off steam? Combine the two, naturally.

Kayaking on Miyajima is a great example. Known for its iconic “floating” torii gate, World Heritage Shrine, traditional town and mountain trails, Miyajima is one of the most beautiful places in Japan — but it can be a little bit dull for kids. To spice things up, we love to take a half-day kayaking trip on the water, paddling right underneath the famous torii gate and getting some stunning views of the island to boot. Plus, you’ll work up a nice, big appetite for dinner.

Master the art of Japanese archery

Japan is full of experiences that sneak culture in under the guise of fun. Don the traditional garb of a Japanese archer — wide-legged hakama trousers, two-toed tabi socks, and a deerskin glove — and you’re not just dressing up, you’re entering a highly ritualised world with origins deep in Japanese prehistory.

Like most things in Japan, there’s more to this experience than meets the eye. With a master archer to guide you, your family will practice using the massive bows to shoot bamboo arrows at a target, but you’ll also learn about the deep spiritual and meditative aspects behind this art.

You can miss the philosophical undercurrents of kyudo and still have a lot of honest good fun, but achieve its ultimate aim of “truth, goodness and beauty” and (they say) you’re sure to hit your mark.

Try your hand at roketsu dyeing

Japan is a paradise for crafty types, overflowing with hands-on, roll-your-sleeves-up and get-stuck-in experiences. Roketsu dyeing is one of our favourites.

The art of roketsu has been kept alive for generations of craftspeople in Japan, and Kyoto is the place to try it. Under the tutelage of a family with 50 years’ experience, your family can learn to trace your own designs in wax, stir the vats of indigo, dye the fabric and then seal in your designs with an iron.

Creative kids love making their own handmade souvenir, and it’s a great chance to experience Japanese kodawari — relentless devotion to one’s craft — first-hand. Like so many of the best experiences in Japan, this is a fun day out with unexpected depths.

Get on your bike

Cycling tours are great for family travel because they give you the freedom to chart your own course, travel at your own speed, and see where the day takes you.

Whether you’re zipping along city backstreets or country lanes, everywhere is beautifully paved, clean, and well looked-after. It's fantastically safe (the Japanese are as considerate when driving as they are in every aspect of life), and you’ll practically have to fend off friendly locals who want to know where you’re from, practice their English or even share their home-grown strawberries.

You’ll cover so much more ground than on food, and with a guide on hand you’ll have the insight and know-how of a local to get you away from the tourist trail. Cycling in Japan is a dream.