We read every gluten-free convenience store guide before our trip, then barely used them. Here's what we actually bought at 7-Eleven, Lawson, and FamilyMart, why we stuck to so little, and how to read a label even if you don't read Japanese.

We sent our bags ahead three times on our 14-day Japan trip with a 5-year-old. Here's how luggage forwarding (takkyubin) worked, where we used it, how to arrange it at your hotel or a convenience store, and why we'd call it our biggest travel hack of the trip.

We stayed at Hotel Villa Fontaine Grand Haneda with our 5-year-old before flying home. Here’s how it connects to Terminal 3, what the room was like, and who we’d recommend it to.

Short answer: yes. After 14 days in Japan with our 5-year-old, here's what worked, what was genuinely hard, and everywhere we stayed and booked.

We spent 3 nights each in Kyoto and Osaka on our 14-day Japan trip. Here's our honest, category-by-category breakdown — vibe, cost, food, crowds, and more — to help you decide which city (or both) is right for your family.

Osaka was one of the easiest stops on our whole Japan trip to feel at home in. Here's where we stayed, an honest breakdown of the city's four main areas, and vetted family-friendly hotel picks in each.

Miyajima was our intentional splurge, and staying overnight let us see the floating torii gate at both low and high tide. Here's where we stayed, how a typhoon rearranged our plans, and honest picks for families in every price range.

Kyoto gave us some of the best moments of our whole Japan trip, and most of them were free. Here's an honest breakdown of the four best areas to stay in Kyoto, family-friendly hotel picks in each, and why the paid attractions aren't where the magic happens.

We booked our Hakone stay chasing the classic Mount Fuji view — and got fogged out instead. Here's an honest breakdown of the four main areas to stay in Hakone, family-friendly hotel picks in each, and what we'd actually do differently next time.

Where we actually stayed in Tokyo with kids, plus 5 more family-friendly hotels we cross-referenced against real guest reviews — from budget-friendly to Disney-adjacent.

Deer hugs, a tick, and one of the best pizzas of our whole trip — here's our honest take on Nara with kids, deer bites and all.

Real numbers from our final stop in Osaka — hotel, food, and experiences, broken down honestly, from a family who actually did it.

From Dotonbori's neon chaos to an accidental discovery at Tsutenkaku Tower, here's our honest take on things to do in Osaka with kids — the good, the crowded, and the surprisingly cheap zoo.

Real numbers from our overnight stop in Hiroshima and Miyajima — the ryokan, food, and experiences, broken down honestly.

An incoming typhoon cut our Hiroshima time short, but Miyajima delivered fully — the ferry, the ropeway, free-roaming deer, and a torii gate at both low and high tide. Here's our honest take.

Kyoto has a real mix of moments that click with a 5-year-old and a few that don't — the Monkey Park was a highlight, the Bamboo Grove less so. Here's our honest take.

Kyoto was one of the most affordable stops on our whole trip — here's exactly what we spent on the hotel, food, and experiences, real numbers included.

Real numbers from our one night in Hakone — the ryokan, the onsen, the massages, and trout fishing, broken down honestly.

We did the Hakone Loop on a rainy, foggy day with almost zero views — and our 5-year-old still loved it. Here's our honest take on whether it's worth it with kids. Plus, additional stops to make the most of your time in Hakone!

Shibuya Sky at sunset, teamLab Borderless, a sushi-making class, and a sumo show — here's what we actually did in Tokyo, and what's worth booking ahead.