Hi everyone,
We are a French family heading to Japan this summer (flights already paid, so we are going!) and I would love some advice from the community to check our itinerary and get input on a few specific points. Apologies in advance for the many questions, any partial answer is hugely appreciated, thank you.
- Who: 4 people — 2 adults + 2 teenagers (ages 15 and 17)
- When: 29/07 → 19/08/2026 (22 days)
- On-the-ground budget (accommodation + transport + activities + food): ~€6,000
- Flights: Bordeaux ↔ Tokyo via Istanbul, already booked (excluded from this budget)
- Accommodation: already booked but all cancellable, so we can still flex
- Interests: temples / culture, anime & manga, video games, food, tech. We would love to get a nice overview of Japan.
Current itinerary:
Tokyo (4 nights) — 30/07 → 03/08 Lafitte Tokyo hotel. Tokyo sightseeing, possible Nikko day-trip.
Hakone (2 nights) — 03/08 → 05/08 Guesthouse Azito. Hakone Free Pass from Shinjuku. Hakone bay fireworks on 03/08, Kojiri fireworks on 04/08.
Yamanakako (2 nights) — 05/08 → 07/08 Lakepia Angel. Hiking, cycling, lake swimming, Fuji views.
Kyoto (4 nights) — 07/08 → 11/08 Meldia Kyotoshijoomiya. Nara day-trip planned.
Osaka (3 nights) — 11/08 → 14/08 Fiji House Asashio-bashi. Universal Studios on 12/08.
Kamakura (3 nights) — 14/08 → 17/08 Kamakura del Costa. Shinkansen from Osaka.
Tokyo (2 nights) — 17/08 → 19/08 Asakusa-Skytree apartment. Return flight on 19/08 at 6:50 PM.
My questions:
1. Itinerary feedback: Open to any feedback.
2. Obon period (13-16/08): We will be right in the middle of it. Anything specific to know or plan around?
3. Shukubo (temple stay): Looking for a temple stay with dinner + breakfast + lantern prayer, ideally on 11-12/08 or 13-14/08 (it would replace one night already booked in Osaka). Hard cap: €320 total for 4 people. Koyasan is over budget. Any recommendations?
4. Trains and passes: Is the JR Pass still worth it for our itinerary after the 2023 price hike? If not, what combination of regional passes + point-to-point tickets would you recommend? Any family deals worth knowing?
5. Summer festivals: We would really love to experience a summer festival, it sounds amazing — any recommendations in our zones and dates?
6. Activities: Personally I love manga and video games, but we also need activities for everyone like nature parks, temples, or food spots. Any must-dos or underrated places to suggest?
7. Accommodation: Anyone familiar with the hotels in our plan? Maybe we can do better for the same price?
8. General first-timer advice: Anything that seems obvious to you but isn't for first-time visitors: SIM / eSIM, payment, August heat, luggage, essential apps, etc.
Thank you so much for any input! I will reply to all follow-up questions in the comments.