Japan Travel Activities for Kids (Free Printable Scavenger Hunt + Journal)
We never once used the tablet in Japan. Not on the trains, not at the hotel, not while waiting for dinner.
We're not a big tablet family at home. We save it for travel days, so of course it came to Japan with us. On this trip, though, it was more hassle than help. The movies on the plane kept Jackson busy on the flights, and once we landed there was so much to see and do that he never asked for it. I also packed a bag of little toys and knick-knacks that never came out once. Since we traveled carry-on only, that was precious space in our bags for things we didn't use.
If your kid is anything like ours, Japan itself will be the entertainment. But there's still downtime: long bullet train rides, waiting for a table, winding down at the hotel. So we made something that weighs nothing, lies flat in a bag, and never needs charging: a free printable Japan activity pack for kids.
It has a Japan scavenger hunt, a train log, a station stamp page, snack ratings, easy Japanese words, a manners checklist, and a daily travel journal, plus a set of simple picture pages for toddlers.
If you're still deciding whether Japan works for your family, start with Is Japan Good for Families? What We Actually Thought of Our Trip and Japan With Kids: Everything I Wish I Knew Before Our Trip.
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Get the Free Japan Activity Pack for Kids
It's 16 printable pages on regular 8.5 x 11 paper, with pages for big kids and a simpler set for toddlers. Pop your email in below and we'll send it straight to your inbox.
Here's what's inside:
My Route Across Japan: kids write in each city on your itinerary and color in the stop when you arrive.
Japan Scavenger Hunt: 16 things to spot, from torii gates and vending machines to deer and Mount Fuji.
Train Log: a spot to record every ride, plus the big question: did you see Mount Fuji?
Station Stamp Collection: space for 12 of the free ink stamps you'll find at many train stations.
Rate Your Snack: star ratings for every new treat they try.
Words to Learn: eight easy Japanese words with simple pronunciation.
Japan Manners Checklist: the things that work a little differently in Japan, in kid-friendly language.
My Japan Journal: a daily page to print once for each day of the trip.
My Japan Awards: a last page for handing out prizes like best meal and favorite city.
Just for Little Ones: six picture pages for toddlers and preschoolers, with almost no reading.
Free Printable
Get the Free Japan Activity Pack
16 printable pages for kids and toddlers: a scavenger hunt, train log, travel journal, and more. Enter your email and we'll send it straight to your inbox.
Our free Japan activity pack for kids, printed and ready for the trip.
How to Print and Pack It
Print everything before you leave home, since finding a printer in Japan isn't easy. Print the journal page once for every day of your trip, then slip the pages into a folder with a pencil and a few colored pencils. That's the whole kit. It fits in a backpack pocket and takes up far less room than the toys I packed and never used.
Screen-Free Activities for Japan's Bullet Trains
Bullet train rides are where this pack earns its spot in the bag. The rides between cities are long enough for kids to fill in the train log, rate a station snack, and keep watch for Mount Fuji. Heading west from Tokyo toward Kyoto, Fuji is on the right side of the train on a clear day, so ask for an E seat (the window seat on that side) in the regular cars.
We spotted Fuji on our ride from Osaka back to Tokyo at the end of the trip. If you're heading east like we were, Fuji is on the left side of the train, so grab an A seat (the window seat on that side)
Book it:
Train days were a lot easier because we traveled carry-on only and forwarded our bags between cities. With no big suitcases to wrangle, all we had to manage was a backpack.
Read more: Luggage Forwarding in Japan With Kids: How We Sent Our Bags Between Cities
Back at the hotel, the daily journal makes a good wind-down before dinner. Kids can jot down the best part of the day, something new they ate, and draw whatever stuck with them. By the end of the trip, it's a keepsake they wrote themselves.
Japan Scavenger Hunt for Kids: 16 Things to Spot
The scavenger hunt is the page kids come back to all trip long. Here's where to find each one.
Around shrines and temples
Torii gates mark the entrance to Shinto shrines, and you'll walk under a lot of them. Paper lanterns, pagodas, and koi ponds show up at many shrines and temples too. Look for fortune papers (omikuji) tied to racks or strings. People tie them there after reading them.
Jackson in front of the Itsukushima Shrine torii gate on Miyajima.
On the street
Vending machines are everywhere, even on quiet side streets, and convenience stores (konbini) are on nearly every block. Capsule toy machines (gachapon) line up in shopping areas and train stations, and Jackson loved them. If your kids are the same, keep a small pouch of coins handy, because you'll pass a lot of them.
Don't forget to look down, too. Many cities have decorated manhole covers with local designs.
He looks alarmed but don’t worry, this boy was in heaven with all of these gachapon surrounding him.
On the move
The bullet train is an easy check, and Mount Fuji is a bonus on a clear day. Kids can also watch for someone bowing. It happens all the time, from train staff to shop clerks.
Animal friends
Lucky cats (maneki-neko) sit in shop windows all over Japan, waving one raised paw. They were Jackson's favorite find, and once he started looking for them, he spotted them everywhere.
Nara and Miyajima both have deer roaming freely, which is a big highlight for most kids. They can get pushy around food, so keep snacks out of sight.
Read more: Is Hiroshima & Miyajima Good for Kids? Our Honest Take
Read more: Is Nara Good for Kids? Our Honest Take
Jackson next to one of his friends spotted in Nara!
Food and Fun
Sushi is an easy find. So are cute mascot characters. Cities, train lines, and even police departments in Japan have their own, so kids will spot them on signs, posters, and snack packages.
Japan Activities for Toddlers
Traveling with a toddler or preschooler? The Just for Little Ones pages are made for ages 2 to 4, with almost nothing to read. There's a picture hunt where little ones color in the circle when they spot a gate, a fast train, or a lucky cat. There's also a bullet train to color, a counting page, dotted paths to trace, and a sticker chart for each day of the trip.
Chunky crayons and a sheet of stickers are all you need. Try one page at a time, and stop while it's still fun.
Collecting Station Stamps in Japan
Many train stations in Japan, and some attractions, keep a free ink stamp near the ticket gates or information desk. Each design is different, which makes them surprisingly fun to collect.
We didn't know about station stamps on our trip, or we absolutely would have done it. That's why there's a page for them in the pack, with room for 12. Learn from us and start collecting on day one.
Japan Manners for Kids
None of these are hard. Knowing them ahead of time just helps kids feel confident instead of confused.
Shoes off inside: a step up at the door or slippers waiting means shoes come off.
Quiet voices on trains: trains are calm, and people rarely talk loudly or take phone calls.
Carry your trash: public trash cans are hard to find, so bring a small bag for wrappers.
Wash hands at shrines: many shrines have a water basin with ladles for rinsing your hands before you go in.
Money goes on the tray: at many shops, you place money on a small tray rather than handing it over.
Escalator sides: people usually stand on the left in Tokyo and on the right in Osaka. The easy rule for kids is to copy everyone else.
Line up for trains: people wait at marked spots on the platform and let riders off first.
A small bow: a quick nod or bow with a thank-you goes a long way.
Read more: Is Kyoto Good for Kids? Our Honest Take
Read more: Is Osaka Good for Kids? Our Honest Take
Washing hands at Senso-ji temple in Tokyo.
Easy Japanese Words for Kids
A few words go a long way, and people light up when kids try. These are the eight in the pack:
Konnichiwa (kohn-nee-chee-wah): hello
Arigatou gozaimasu (ah-ree-gah-toh go-zai-mahs): thank you
Sumimasen (soo-mee-mah-sen): excuse me, or sorry
Hai (hi): yes
Itadakimasu (ee-tah-dah-kee-mahs): said before you eat
Gochisousama deshita (go-chee-soh-sah-mah desh-tah): said after you eat
Oishii (oy-shee): delicious
Kawaii (kah-wah-ee): cute
Questions About the Printable
What ages is it for? The main pages work best for kids who can read and write a little, roughly 5 and up. The Just for Little Ones pages are for ages 2 to 4.
Do I need a printer in Japan? No. Print everything at home before you go, including one journal page for each day of your trip.
Is it really free? Yes. Enter your email below and it lands in your inbox.
Grab Your Free Printable
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