Day-by-Day Itinerary
Kaleb & Lacey's own separate Japan plans, Dec 16–28, 2026 — a standalone reference, kept apart from the family itinerary. Updated Sep 2026 from their revised itinerary.
- 🔗 Dec 18 — Both at Tokyo DisneySea
- 🔗 Dec 20 — Both at Akihabara
- 🔗 Dec 21 — Both in Hakone for the ropeway, Hakone Shrine, and Lake Ashi cruise (the family also adds the Open Air Museum, which Kaleb & Lacey have dropped)
- 🔗 Dec 25 — Both at Senso-ji Temple & Nakamise in Asakusa
Tue
Wed
- Puroland
Thu
Fri
- PokéPark Kanto
Sat
- Tattoo (Popink), Shinjuku
- Akihabara
Sun
- Hakone Ropeway
- Hakone Shrine
- Lake Ashi cruise
Mon
- Yoyogi Park
Tue
- Ghibli Park (Nagakute, Aichi — near Nagoya)
Wed
- Universal Studios Japan
- Nara Park
Thu
- Senso-ji Temple
- Nakamise Shopping Street
- Akihabara
Fri
- Otagi Nenbutsu-ji
- Hokan-ji Temple (Yasaka Pagoda)
- Nishiki Market
Sat
- Gotokuji Temple (cat train)
- Sylvanian Families Solamachi
Sun
🎡 Tokyo — Arrival & Early Days
🎀 Sanrio Puroland
Indoor Sanrio theme park in Tama, west Tokyo — Hello Kitty and friends, parades, and shows, mostly indoors so it works regardless of weather.
🎢 Tokyo DisneySea 🔗 Overlap
The family is at DisneySea the same day — full transit directions, ticket timing, and Fantasy Springs notes are on the main trip page rather than duplicated here.
🔴 PokéPark Kanto
Pokémon-themed area inside Yomiuriland amusement park, on the Tokyo/Kanagawa border. Booking is famously competitive — set an alarm for 8pm exactly two months ahead.
💉 Tokyo — Tattoo & Akihabara
Dec 20. 🔗 The family is also at Akihabara today — see the family's Dec 20 →
💉 Tattoo — PopInk Tokyo
Modern tattoo studio with international artists, popular with travelers getting a piece done while in Japan.
🎮 Akihabara 🔗 Overlap
Tokyo's electronics and anime district. The family is also here today, Dec 20 — a genuine same-day overlap. Kaleb & Lacey swing back through again on Dec 25.
🏔️ Hakone
Dec 21–22. 🔗 The family is also in Hakone on Dec 21 for the ropeway, shrine, and cruise (they additionally do the Open Air Museum, which Kaleb & Lacey have dropped from this trip) — see the family's Hakone page for recommended routes from Tokyo and the ropeway closure warning.
🚡 Hakone Ropeway 🔗 Overlap
Cable car over the volcanic Owakudani valley between Sounzan and Togendai.
⛩️ Hakone Shrine 🔗 Overlap
Beautiful lakeside shrine on Lake Ashi, famous for its red torii gate standing in the water.
⛴️ Lake Ashi Cruise 🔗 Overlap
Pirate-ship-style sightseeing cruise across Lake Ashi.
🌳 Yoyogi Park
One of Tokyo's largest parks, right next to Meiji Shrine. The family is also still in Hakone this morning (private onsen) before heading back to Tokyo around the same time.
🌲 Ghibli Park
Dec 23.
🌲 Ghibli Park
A large, spread-out theme-park-style attraction inside a public park near Nagoya — a full day trip from central Tokyo (~300km / 2 hours by Shinkansen).
🏯 Osaka Day Trip
Dec 24.
🎢 Universal Studios Japan
Major theme park in Osaka — Super Nintendo World, Wizarding World of Harry Potter, and more.
🦌 Nara Park
Famous for hundreds of freely roaming, bowing deer; adjacent to Todai-ji temple.
⛩️ Senso-ji & Akihabara
Dec 25 — Christmas Day for the family too. Second Akihabara visit of the trip (see Dec 20 for the first).
⛩️ Senso-ji Temple 🔗 Overlap
Tokyo's oldest and most famous temple, in Asakusa — the family is here the same day.
🎏 Nakamise Shopping Street 🔗 Overlap
The traditional shopping street leading up to Senso-ji, lined with snack and souvenir stalls.
⛩️ Kyoto (Day Trip)
Dec 26.
🗿 Otagi Nenbutsu-ji
Quiet temple in northwest Kyoto with around 1,200 individually carved stone rakan statues, each with a different expression.
🏯 Hokan-ji Temple (Yasaka Pagoda)
Iconic five-story pagoda in the Higashiyama district — one of Kyoto's most photographed landmarks.
🍱 Nishiki Market
Kyoto's famous covered market street, nicknamed "Kyoto's Kitchen" — food stalls, produce, and local specialties.
🐱 Gotokuji & Sylvanian Families
Dec 27 — the family's loose/shopping day too, though different specific plans.
🐱 Gotokuji Temple
The birthplace of the maneki-neko "lucky cat," with thousands of white beckoning-cat figurines on display. The Setagaya Line's decorated "cat train" runs to the nearest station.
🐰 Sylvanian Families Solamachi
A dedicated Sylvanian Families (Calico Critters) shop inside Tokyo Solamachi, the shopping complex at the base of Tokyo Skytree.
Sourced from Kaleb & Lacey's trip plans · Prepared Jul 2026 with Claude · Official links and Google Maps links added for every stop · Updated Sep 2026 with their revised itinerary