Episode #25: Our 6-Day Japan Itinerary: Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto (+Kid Friendly Japan Travel Tips
How We Flew to Japan in Delta One Suites for 89K Points
Our trip actually started months earlier when we received a Thrifty Traveler alert in June 2025 for an incredible deal:
✈️ Delta One Suites to Tokyo for 89,000 Delta SkyMiles
Delta One is Delta’s lie-flat business class product, and it was honestly dreamy.
We booked a route from:
San Diego → LAX → Tokyo
The 11-hour flight felt incredibly comfortable thanks to the fully lie-flat seats.
Greg watched a couple movies, but I only watched one and was able to sleep most of the flight, which made adjusting to the time change much easier.
Travel Tip:
If you can book lie-flat seats for long international flights using points, it dramatically improves the travel experience and helps reduce jet lag.
Arriving in Tokyo
Tokyo Tower
We landed in Tokyo around 3 PM, and our plan was to stay awake until bedtime to help our bodies adjust to the new time zone.
After arriving, we grabbed a cab to our hotel, the Tokyo Prince Hotel.
I actually paid cash for this hotel but booked through the Southwest Airlines shopping portal so I could earn extra points toward the Southwest Companion Pass.
(If you want to learn how to earn buy-one-get-one flights with the Companion Pass, listen to Episode 14 of the podcast.)
The Tokyo Prince Hotel was a great choice because it sits right next to Tokyo Tower, which looks like a smaller red version of the Eiffel Tower.
That first evening we:
Walked around the neighborhood
Took photos of Tokyo Tower
Tried our first authentic ramen in Japan
It was the perfect first night soaking in the excitement of being in a brand new country.
Exploring Tokyo on a Rainy Day
Our first full day in Tokyo was very rainy, but we didn’t let that stop us.
We started the morning with breakfast at a French café across the street from our hotel. It felt a little random to be eating at a French café in Japan, but the pastries were delicious and the view of Tokyo Tower made it memorable.
Getting Around Tokyo
One thing that surprised us was how easy the subway system is to use.
Google Maps works incredibly well in Japan and will tell you:
Which subway line to take
Which platform to go to
Exactly when trains arrive
Travel Tip:
If you’re visiting Tokyo, don’t be intimidated by public transportation. It’s clean, efficient, and very easy to navigate with Google Maps.
Small Worlds Miniature Museum
We originally planned to visit the TeamLab interactive museum, but since we hadn’t purchased tickets ahead of time, it was completely sold out.
So we pivoted and bought tickets for two days later.
Instead, we visited the Small Worlds Miniature Museum, which turned out to be a really fun experience.
The museum features incredible miniature worlds and interactive displays, and there were plenty of activities that kids would love too.
One of the coolest things we did there was create miniature versions of ourselves.
They scanned us from every angle, we picked our pose, and now our tiny figurines are being made and shipped to us as a souvenir.
Takeshita Street (Harajuku)
Next we headed to Takeshita Street, one of the most colorful and lively streets in Tokyo.
It’s filled with:
Restaurants
Shopping
Trendy boutiques
Animal cafés
And yes… we did something that’s very much a Japan thing.
We visited an animal café where we got to snuggle:
🐷 Baby pigs
🐕 Mini Shiba Inu dogs
It was honestly one of the highlights of the trip and such a unique experience.
We also did some shopping, including a stop at the Sanrio store to pick up gifts for the kids.
Cuddling the Pigs at the Pig Cafe
Shibuya Crossing
After that we took a cab to Shibuya Crossing, known as the busiest pedestrian crossing in the world.
To get the best view, we went to the Starbucks overlooking the intersection.
Watching hundreds of people cross in every direction at once was fascinating—especially with everyone carrying umbrellas in the rain.
Don Quijote Shopping
Next we stopped at Don Quijote, a massive Japanese store that sells literally everything.
I went specifically to look for some viral Japanese skincare products I had read about.
The store is definitely overwhelming, but luckily a sales associate who spoke great English helped me find exactly what I was looking for. @Cosme is another great shopping store option too for all the things!
Tokyo DisneySea
One of the main reasons we wanted to visit Japan was to experience Tokyo DisneySea, which is widely considered one of the most unique Disney parks in the world.
We spent a full day there and it absolutely lived up to the hype.
I’ll be sharing a full episode all about Tokyo DisneySea next week, so stay tuned for that.
TeamLab Digital Art Museum
Before leaving Tokyo, we returned to visit the TeamLab interactive museum, and it was incredible.
Visitors walk through immersive rooms filled with:
Water
Lights
Mirrors
Interactive digital art
Hanging orchids that move as you walk through
You even remove your shoes and walk through water in some rooms.
Travel Tip:
Buy TeamLab tickets ahead of time—they sell out quickly.
Our Bullet Train Mishap
After Tokyo, we planned to take the famous Shinkansen bullet train to Osaka.
I had pre-purchased tickets on Klook, but when we tried to scan them at the station, an error popped up.
That’s when we realized…
I had accidentally bought tickets for the correct day but the wrong month.
Thankfully we were able to go to the ticket counter and purchase new tickets on the spot.
Seeing Mount Fuji from the Train
The bullet train ride itself was smooth, fast, and very comfortable.
And one of the most magical moments of the trip was seeing Mount Fuji out the window, covered with snow at the top.
It felt surreal.
Staying in Osaka with Points
In Osaka we stayed at the Hyatt Caption Osaka, which I booked using Chase points transferred to Hyatt.
This is one of my favorite travel hacks because Hyatt points can stretch incredibly far.
(Listen to Episode 2 of the podcast to learn how to do this.)
Osaka Food Tour
Shortly after arriving in Osaka, we decided to book a last-minute food tour on Viator.
It ended up being one of the best decisions of the trip.
Our small group visited four different restaurants and tried 13 dishes, including:
Udon noodles
Fried avocado
Meat skewers
Chicken wings
Takoyaki (octopus batter balls)
We also learned a lot about Osaka culture—including the friendly rivalry between Osaka and Tokyo.
Day Trip from Osaka: Nara, Kyoto & the Bamboo Forest
The next day we took a full-day private tour that ended up being an incredible value.
Our guide picked us up from the hotel and took us to several iconic locations.
Nara Park
Nara Park is famous for its 1,000+ freely roaming sika deer.
They are incredibly friendly and will happily eat deer crackers you can buy nearby.
They do get a little impatient if you stop feeding them though!
Todai-ji Temple
Next we visited Todai-ji Temple, which houses one of the largest Buddha statues in Japan.
The building itself is the largest wooden structure in the world.
There’s also a famous pillar with a hole at the base that people crawl through for good luck.
Let’s just say… Greg had to pull me out.
Fushimi Inari Shrine
This shrine is famous for its thousands of orange torii gates that create a stunning walkway through the mountain.
It’s one of the most iconic sights in Japan, and walking through it felt surreal.
We even wrote wishes on wooden plaques and hung them at the shrine.
Kiyomizu Temple
To reach this temple you walk up a long street filled with shops and restaurants.
Many visitors rent traditional Japanese clothing for the day, which made the whole experience feel even more magical.
Kinkaku-ji (The Golden Temple)
This temple is covered in brilliant gold and is one of the most beautiful places we visited.
Arashiyama Bamboo Forest
The bamboo forest felt almost otherworldly.
Photography tip:
Set your phone on a timer and lay on the ground for the classic bamboo photo looking straight up.
Our Last Day in Osaka
On our final day we visited Osaka Castle, which offers incredible 360-degree views of the city.
Tip: buy tickets online once you arrive to skip the long ticket line.
After exploring and doing a little last-minute shopping, we headed to the airport.
Flying Home with Points
For our return flight I found a great redemption using Seats.aero:
✈️ United Premium Economy for 65K points
It wasn’t lie-flat business class, but the extra legroom, recline, and footrest made the overnight flight comfortable enough for me to sleep about five hours.
We had a short layover in San Francisco where we visited the Centurion Lounge with our Amex Platinum card, then flew home to Vegas to reunite with our kids.
Final Thoughts on Visiting Japan
Japan completely exceeded our expectations.
It’s a place that blends ancient culture and modern technology in such a fascinating way.
Even better, it’s incredibly safe, clean, and family-friendly.
We already can’t wait to return someday—this time with our kids.
Top Tips for Visiting Japan
✔ Book popular attractions like TeamLab in advance
✔ Use Google Maps for subway directions
✔ Consider food tours to learn about local cuisine
✔ Try unique experiences like animal cafés
✔ Double-check travel dates when booking tickets (learn from my mistake!)
If you’re dreaming about visiting Japan, I hope this trip recap helps you start planning your own adventure!
Grab my FREE guide on how to earn points and miles for nearly FREE travel!
