It took us way longer than we’d like to admit to actually understand the Hakone Loop before our trip. Here’s the step-by-step version we wish we’d had, plus what we’d do differently.

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 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.

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!

Buying tickets, choosing a seat, traveling with kids, and what it's actually like onboard — everything we learned riding Japan's bullet train for the first time.

Trains, Suica cards, Google Maps, taxis, and luggage forwarding — everything we learned navigating Japan's transportation system as a first-time family, so you can skip the parts that intimidated us.