1
Sat 17Tokyo
Arrive in Tokyo
JL754 lands at 14:35. Transfer to the hotel, eat nearby and leave the evening empty.
17–24 October 2026 · Amu, Murali + Tara
Tokyo + Kyoto,
with a plan that works.
Seven nights, two hotels and one room for all three of you. DisneySea stays. Vegetarian meals are mapped. The only hard choice is how to split the week.
2 hotel stays Family room Vegetarian-first
DisneySea · Monday 19 OctOur recommendation
4 nights Tokyo → 3 nights Kyoto
It gives the overnight flight a soft landing, puts DisneySea on Monday and still leaves three full Kyoto nights.
Hotels from $2,512 totalOpen plan 1
Flights are setJapan Airlines · $4,240.70 total
Sat 17 OctBLR 02:55NRT 14:35JL754 · same day
Sat 24 OctNRT 18:55BLR 00:55JL753 · Sun 25 Oct
JAL schedule Choose the splitFive complete plans
2Choose two hotelsFamily rooms checked
3Trim the wish listMust-dos and easy skips
4Book in orderA short action list
Five ways to use the week
Start with the hotel split.
Plan 1 is the best all-round choice. Pick plan 3 only if being in Tokyo before the flight home matters more than the long transfer after landing.
5 complete plansSee every option
01 / 05 Best overall Tokyo 4 → Kyoto 3
Tokyo first, Kyoto last
Four nights in Tokyo and three in Kyoto. The first night stays easy, DisneySea falls on Monday, and all seven core sights fit.
- Choose this if
- You want the best mix of Tokyo, Kyoto and Tara-friendly days
- Main drawback
- Flight day starts with a four-hour rail trip from Kyoto
- Hotel total
- $2,512–$3,589 total
Day by day
What the week looks like
Each day has one main job. “Big” days are followed by lighter evenings or easier mornings.
Light
2
Sun 18Tokyo
Sensō-ji + science museum
Reach Sensō-ji before 08:00, then spend two or three hours at the National Museum of Nature & Science.
Open details
3
Mon 19Tokyo
DisneySea
Arrive 60–75 minutes before opening. Choose the first app priority, then take a proper break in mid-afternoon.
Open details
4
Tue 20Tokyo
teamLab + Meiji Jingu
Book an early teamLab slot, have lunch at BROWN RICE, walk Meiji Jingu and add Shibuya Sky only if visibility is good.
Open details
5
Wed 21Kyoto
Train + Kiyomizu-dera
Send large bags ahead, take a mid-morning Shinkansen and visit Kiyomizu-dera in late afternoon.
Open details
6
Thu 22Nara
Fushimi Inari + Nara
Start Fushimi Inari before 07:00, then continue to Nara Park and Tōdai-ji on the same rail corridor.
Open details
7
Fri 23Kyoto
Arashiyama + Shigetsu
Walk the bamboo grove before 08:00, climb to Monkey Park and keep a lunch reservation at Shigetsu.
Open details
8
Sat 24Fly
Kyoto to Narita
Leave Kyoto around 09:30 and aim to reach NRT by 14:30 for the 18:55 flight.
One room for 2 adults + Tara, age 6
Hotels available for these dates
Availability was checked on Booking.com on 31 August 2026. These are snapshots, not holds; open the live rate before paying.
東京
Tokyo17–21 Oct
Tokyo · 17–21 Oct Checked 31 Aug
MIMARU Tokyo Ueno East
RecommendedFamily Apartment · 40 m²
Two single beds plus a bunk bed, with a kitchen and dining table. Tara gets a separate bed.
$557.88per night
$2,231.524-night total
Tokyo · 17–21 Oct Checked 31 Aug
Section L Tsukiji
Family apartment inventory
Apartment layouts include a kitchen and laundry. Confirm the family or multi-bed room at checkout.
$324.18per night
$1,296.724-night total
京都
Kyoto21–24 Oct
Kyoto · 21–24 Oct Checked 31 Aug
MIMARU Kyoto Station
RecommendedFamily Apartment · 40 m²
Two single beds plus a bunk bed. The two-minute walk to Kyoto Station simplifies Nara and the airport transfer.
$405.15per night
$1,215.463-night total
Kyoto · 21–24 Oct Checked 31 Aug
Cross Hotel Kyoto
Family-room inventory · up to 47 m²
Deluxe Family layouts use full-size stacking beds. The central location is convenient for Gion dinners.
$452.47per night
$1,357.413-night total
Room check: Booking.com returned one room for two adults and one six-year-old. MIMARU explicitly lists separate single and bunk beds. For Cross and Section L, select the named family or multi-bed room before payment.
Shortlist first
Six places to build around.
These are the strongest fit for a seven-night family trip. Ratings are snapshots checked 31 August 2026; every score links to its source.
Best for Tara
Tokyo DisneySea
This is the only Disney park built around seven themed ports. Tara gets a full fantasy day; the design, shows and food make it worthwhile for adults too.
Go Monday 19 Oct. Arrive 60–75 minutes before opening and set up the park app in advance.
Interactive art
teamLab Borderless
The rooms respond to movement and there is no fixed route. Borderless is easier with Tara than Planets because nobody has to wade through water.
Book the first or second entry slot; allow 2–3 hours.
Temple + street life
Sensō-ji
The lanterns, incense and shopping street give Tara plenty to look at. It is also one of the easiest major temples to reach in Tokyo.
Arrive by 07:30 or return after sunset. Nakamise shops wake up later.
Kyoto essential
Fushimi Inari Taisha
The torii path continues into the forest, so this feels like a walk rather than a quick photo stop. The summit is optional.
Start before 07:00 or near dusk. The summit is optional.
Temple + old streets
Kiyomizu-dera
The hillside temple, timber stage and walk through Sannenzaka make this the most complete Kyoto half-day on the list.
It opens at 06:00. Go early, then walk down Sannenzaka before groups arrive.
Deer + open space
Nara Park
The deer give Tara an immediate reason to enjoy the day, and the park leads directly to Tōdai-ji.
Feed away from cracker stalls; show empty hands when finished. Allow most of a day.
Seven more good optionsAdd these only if the pace still feels comfortable.Show options
City view
Shibuya Sky
Choose this as the trip’s one observation deck. The open-air roof is more interesting than Skytree, but only when visibility is good.
Sunset sells out first. A clear morning is calmer and easier with Tara.
Quiet break
Meiji Jingu
The long cedar approach gives everyone a break from traffic and screens. Pair it with lunch in Omotesando rather than making a separate trip.
Go in the morning. If you visit Takeshita Street, keep it short.
Rainy-day backup
National Museum of Nature & Science
Dinosaurs, space and animals make this an easy Tara day. It also works well after Sensō-ji or from a hotel in Ueno.
Allow 2–3 hours; pair with Sensō-ji or a Ueno-based hotel.
Great Buddha
Tōdai-ji
The Great Buddha and the huge wooden hall are impressive without needing a long history lesson.
Go before lunch as part of the Nara Park day.
Climb + monkeys
Arashiyama Monkey Park
The uphill walk ends with macaques and a wide city view. It gives the Arashiyama day more substance than the bamboo grove alone.
The path is steep in places. Go early, carry water and wear grippy shoes.
Short photo stop
Arashiyama Bamboo Grove
The famous corridor is short. Walk through it early, then continue to Monkey Park and a booked lunch at Shigetsu.
Walk through before 08:00, then keep moving into the wider district.
Outdoor option
Hakone Open-Air Museum
The mix of sculpture, mountain views and space to move works well for a family, but it uses one full Tokyo day.
Use the limited express; check mountain weather before committing.
Popular, but lower priority
What to leave out this time.
These are not bad attractions. They either repeat something stronger, create too much travel, or make vegetarian meals harder.
Second observation deck
Tokyo Skytree
It repeats the skyline view and adds more transit. Shibuya Sky is the better single observation deck.
Use it only if Shibuya Sky is sold out or its roof is closed.
Crowded shopping street
Takeshita Street
The colorful shops may amuse Tara, but the narrow street gets tiring quickly and adds little beside Meiji Jingu.
If you go, arrive before 10:30 and leave before lunch crowds.
Second teamLab
teamLab Planets
Doing both teamLab venues uses too much of a short trip. Borderless is the easier fit with Tara.
Swap it in only if the barefoot water rooms are a priority.
Seafood-focused
Tsukiji Outer Market
The market is busiest early and vegetarian choices are inconsistent. Staying nearby is fine; building a morning around it is not.
A quick walk works if you stay at Section L.
Beautiful but out of the way
Kinkaku-ji
The pavilion is striking, but the visit is short and takes you away from the rest of the plan. Use that time in Arashiyama or Nara.
Add it only if the Golden Pavilion is personally unmissable.
Busy food arcade
Nishiki Market
The arcade gets cramped and vegetarian choices are unreliable. Do not depend on it for lunch.
Walk one section before 10:30 if you are already nearby.
Second theme-park day
Universal Studios Japan
It uses a Kyoto day, adds Osaka travel and gives the week two exhausting park days. Keep DisneySea instead.
Reconsider only if Super Nintendo World is a top family priority.
Dairy and eggs are okay
Vegetarian meals you can plan on.
Watch for fish stock. In Japan, a dish described as “no meat” may still contain bonito dashi. Seven picks here are fully vegan. At Daigo, request a vegetarian shojin menu with no fish stock in writing.
東京
Tokyo
Four reliable stops across Harajuku, Omotesando, Tokyo Station and Atago.
Easy family lunch
Vegan Bistro Jangara
Ramen, curry, burgers and sides give everyone options. It does not take reservations, so arrive early.
Good order: Ramen and gyoza; the burger is a useful noodle break.
Best for train day
T’s Tantan Gransta Tokyo
This fully vegan counter is inside Tokyo Station. Use it before or after the Shinkansen when speed matters.
Good order: Golden sesame tantan and soy karaage.
Quiet sit-down lunch
BROWN RICE
Japanese set meals in a quiet courtyard. It fits naturally after Meiji Jingu or before teamLab.
Good order: The seasonal vegetable set with brown rice.
Special-occasion dinner
Daigo
Formal shojin-style dining with private rooms. Some standard dishes may use fish dashi, so confirm the vegetarian menu in writing.
Good order: Seasonal shojin course with no fish stock.
京都
Kyoto
Four options that fit Arashiyama, Gion and central Kyoto days.
Best Arashiyama lunch
Shigetsu
Vegan Buddhist temple food inside Tenryū-ji. Reserve ahead and request chairs if floor seating will be hard for Tara.
Good order: The seasonal shojin set after the bamboo walk.
Book-ahead dinner
Vegan Ramen UZU Kyoto
Vegan ramen in a dark room designed with teamLab. It is pricier than a casual ramen shop and needs a reservation.
Good order: Soy-sauce or green-miso ramen course.
Easy after Higashiyama
Gion Soy Milk Ramen Uno Yukiko
A small vegan and gluten-free shop serving soy-milk ramen with kombu broth. It is convenient after Kiyomizu-dera.
Good order: Signature soy-milk ramen; add a rice bowl to share.
Flexible family fallback
mumokuteki cafe&foods
A relaxed central café with curry, vegetable plates and familiar comfort food. Keep it as the low-stress backup.
Good order: Seasonal plate or tofu cutlet set.
The next decisions
Book these in this order.
Rates and timed-entry inventory will move. This order protects the trip without forcing every day into a reservation.
Hotels with free cancellation
Choose one Tokyo and one Kyoto room. Recheck the exact bed layout for all three guests before payment.
Compare hotelsDisneySea tickets
Keep Monday 19 October. Set up the Tokyo Disney Resort app before the park day.
Ticket informationTimed entries and meals
Book teamLab, Shibuya Sky, Shigetsu and UZU. Let the weather decide the observation deck.
Review restaurantsIntercity trains
Reserve Kyoto→Tokyo and Tokyo→Narita seats when sales open. Skip the national JR Pass for this route.
See the airport planPlan 1’s main risk
Kyoto to Narita on flight day.
The connection is workable, but it needs reserved seats and a generous transfer in Tokyo. Forward the large bags to Narita one or two days earlier and travel with one overnight bag.
Forward large bags Keep a weather buffer Target NRT by 14:30
09:30KyotoShinkansen
12:00Tokyo40+ min transfer
14:30NRTFlight 18:55
Current best choice