Japan – Parents with Passports

A nation of over 14,000 islands in the Pacific Ocean, Japan features 4 main islands: Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu. Regarded as the Japanese mainland, Honshu is the largest and most frequently visited island. Its visitors often follow The Golden Route, roughly defined as a Tokyo -> Mount Fuji -> Kyoto -> Osaka itinerary. This route allows travelers to experience cities, nature, culture, history, food and entertainment.

Japan is a land of juxtapositions. Bustling cities and tranquil countrysides. Ancient shrines and modern metropolises. Strong cultural heritage and cutting edge trends and technology. No other country seamlessly blends such diverse forces so successfully. It truly is a country that has something for all travelers.

It is amazing that a country whose culture and language is so different from that of its Western visitors can be so easy for anyone to navigate. Its infrastructure is incredible. Everything is well organized and well run. Trains are plentiful, on-time, well-marked (in Japanese and English), and immaculate. Its cities are extremely safe and spotlessly clean. Its people are polite, welcoming and helpful. While it can be an intimidating trip to plan, the reality is anything but. Our travel plans were somewhat complex but their execution was simple. It definitely left us wanting to come back for more.