Land of the Rising Sun... and Rising Teenagers

By Founder of WeExplored, Marie Sulda

Japan’s magnetism, no matter your age, lies in its ability to be both deeply rooted in tradition and boldly futuristic.

By Marie Sulda, WeExplored

Japan had long been on our family’s wish list — one of those destinations that feels almost mythological before you get there, and somehow exceeds the myth once you arrive. 

We travelled as two families, teenagers in tow, through Tokyo, Kamakura, Kyoto,

Hiroshima and Osaka.

Hot tip: Travelling with another family is one of the great unsung hacks of holidaying!

Tokyo: Base Camp in Shiba Park

We made our Tokyo home in the Shiba Park neighbourhood, a quieter, more

residential pocket of the city. The area sits in the shadow of Tokyo Tower, and its low-key streets gave our teenagers the much sought after experience of an easy walk to a Family Mart and 7-Eleven convenience store! The kids tried the fried chicken, berry smoothies, egg sandwiches, fruit cream sandwiches. If they saw it on a Tik Tok — they tried it!

We stayed at the Shiba Park Hotel, a property we are lucky enough to offer our

clients special rates at. What sets this hotel apart, aside from its superb location,

is its identity as a library hotel. Shelves of books line the communal spaces, and an

entire floor is dedicated to children’s and young adult titles. There was something deeply calming about waiting for the group to come down in the lifts, while sipping on a complimentary lobby coffee and flipping through a book of Japanese architecture.

Breakfast at the Shiba Park Hotel set the tone for each day — fresh, healthy, and generous.

We loaded our Suica cards onto everyone’s smartphones and hit the metro, which,

once you understand its elegant logic, becomes one of the great pleasures of Tokyo itself. The city is designed for exploration.

Exploring Tokyo: Asakusa, Harajuku and Yanaka (Cat Town)

We devoted several days to Tokyo’s neighbourhoods, each one its own distinct

world. On the second day, we engaged a private guide — something we recommend

for all our travellers. Our guide, Asuko, patiently answered every question the teens threw at her as we wandered around Asakusa, drew our fortunes at the temple, and eventually made our way to the Onitsuka Tiger shop and Harajuku — arguably the ultimate destination for teenagers visiting Tokyo.

A Day Trip to Kamakura: The Great Buddha

Of all our Tokyo-based excursions, the day trip to Kamakura was a highlight for me.

The journey south from Tokyo takes roughly an hour, and deposits you in a coastal town where ancient temples nestle against forested hills and the Pacific Ocean hums in the background.

We walked the main street sampling sushi, candied strawberries, matcha

strawberries, matcha ice-cream, eclairs, apple pies, banana and chocolate crepes along the way. Everyone shared a bite so we could all try as much as possible — a strategy I highly recommend!

The centrepiece is the Kotoku-in, home to the Kotoku-in Daibutsu — the Great

Buddha of Kamakura — a bronze Amida Buddha standing at over thirteen metres high. Cast in the thirteenth century and sitting in serene open-air contemplation, it  gave us a the perfect chance to walk off the food and enjoy some Japanese history.

On a clear day, if you walk down to the beach, you’re rewarded with a unique view of Mount Fuji rising in the distance from the shoreline.

Kyoto: Ancient Magic and Modern Reality 

From Tokyo, we travelled west to Kyoto, the spiritual and cultural heartland of Japan. 

A note for travellers: As of March this year, Kyoto has significantly increased its accommodation tourism tax, so expect a noticeable addition to your hotel bill upon check-in. It is a small price to help preserve the city’s extraordinary history, but certainly worth factoring into your planning and budget.

We planned a visit to teamLab Biovortex Kyoto, which absolutely lived up to expectations — the teens loved it.

Arashiyama Bamboo Grove was stunning, although incredibly crowded as it was peak tourist season — very different from when I visited in November 2018.

Somewhere between perception-shifting art installations and bamboo forests, we all agreed we had eaten the best burgers of our life at Kuroge Wagyu!

Hiroshima: The City That Chose Hope

Hiroshima was one of the great surprises of the trip and, if I am helping curate your trip, I would definitely encourage you to include it! The Peace Memorial is something everyone who has the chance to visit, should. It’s confronting, emotional and a deeply important part of humanity’s history.

For accommodation, The Knot Hiroshima was outstanding — affordable, stylish and

well located, with breathtaking skyline views across the city.

While you’re there, don’t forget to wander  Hiroshima’s backstreets too! Some of our best meals, coffee, clothing and art finds happened while losing ourselves in the city’s side streets and alleyways.

Osaka: The Perfect Finale

We ended our journey in Osaka — Japan’s 

glorious city of food — and stumbled upon Osaka Engine Ramen. The staff were warm and brilliant with our teenagers, the food was delicious and approachable for teens, and both Dad’s left with an Osaka Engine t-

shirt!

Osaka is chaotic (in the best possible way) and extremely unique — something you definitely want to see and experience, with its neon lights juxtaposed against the Dotonbori River.

The benefits of travelling with another family

One of the unexpected gifts of travelling with another family of teenagers is the confidence it builds in them. They are more willing to try new things and step into unfamiliar or uncomfortable situations when doing it together — like getting in that scary elevator or navigating flight turbulence.

For parents, there is the immense luxury of  shared mental load. You don’t have to hold the map the whole time, someone else can navigate or make a decision about dinner. And, as an added bonus, when the kids are engaged with each other, you may find pockets of time to reconnect with your partner too!

PRACTICAL NOTES

• Suica cards can be loaded directly onto iPhone and Android for seamless metro travel across Tokyo and beyond.

• Kyoto’s accommodation tourism tax increased significantly in March 2025 — budget accordingly.

• WeExplored clients receive exclusive discounted rates at many Japan hotels. Contact us for more details.