Afterword

Retrospective

Looking back at this entire trip, there are several key lessons and observations that I’ve learned worth highlighting:

Planning and Logistics

The months spent planning this trip were absolutely worth it. Some key strategies we did that paid off:

• Getting to the most popular attractions (particularly the nature-oriented ones, such as Fushimi Inari and Kiyomizu-dera) at the brink of dawn made an incomprehensible difference in the experience. Having essentially the entire place to ourselves brings a level of serenity and immersion that can’t be understood without experiencing it.
• Strategic accommodation was important, and having such easy access to large hubs of public transportation was crucial for preventing long walks with heavy baggage.
• The “no backtracking” route design proved efficient since we only had to deal with our luggage whenever we transferred accommodations, which was only twice.

However, there were some key oversights that I made:

• Not researching about the public transportation system at all resulted in the “Kansai Faregate Incident” on Day 0, which would have bled into Day 1 if not for the wonderful train station staff member who helped us out.
• I greatly overestimated our enthusiasm for going to temples and shrines, and the “shrine sickness” was really bad by the end of Kyoto. This is not to disrespect the importance of these sacred sites or to call them “all the same,” but I’m just saying that you can get burned out on them after a while.
• In Hakone, I made my family take the Old Tokaido Highway without realizing how intensive of a hike it was. This was a mistake, and I should have done more research on the hiking trails in the area.
• We didn’t account for the regional price differences. Tokyo’s inflation and higher costs meant that we should have done more shopping in Kyoto and Osaka, where the same items were cheaper.

Dining and Cuisine

Just for fun, here’s a table of all of the dining experiences we had throughout the trip alongside my ratings for them (of course I’m using “American” rating and not “Tabelog” rating). I excluded meals that were self-prepared, from convenience stores, or those simply not worth mentioning:

Some observations and overall thoughts, since none of these restaurants/establishments were planned or researched beforehand:

• In terms of price-value dynamics, chain restaurants offered significantly better value than their US. counterparts.
• Our most memorable meals always came from moderately-priced to affordable restaurants, and sometimes came from spontaneous discoveries and walking into establishments we found interesting on the exterior.
• Tourist-heavy areas always had noticable price markups, but it doesn’t necessarily mean that they’re bad. Similarly, just because something is considered “authentic” doesn’t mean it’s good.
• Online ratings were generally indicative of how much we’d personally enjoy the meal, but not always.
• We did get slightly tired of Japanese food after a while and started craving other cultural cuisines.
• Don’t sleep on food in department stores and shopping malls, they’re nothing like those in the US. Also don’t sleep on chain restaurants, as they maintain a high standard of quality.
• We didn’t try any extremely fancy restaurants that required booking reservations ahead of time. Maybe we should have done that.
• We made the massive mistake of using Google Maps rather than Tabelog to find restaurants. Use Tabelog while keeping its very harsh rating system in mind.

Future Considerations

For future trips or similar experiences:

• Allocate more time for periods of rest and relaxation, and don’t make excursions too long or walk-intensive, even though it may be tempting to do so out of excitement or fear of missing out. These periods don’t necessarily have to be entire days.
• Research the sasonal factors more thoroughly. It was blistering hot and humid the entire time we were there.
• Balance the “tourist must-sees” with more local experiences, even if they may not be as accommodating to foreigners.
• Plan shopping based on regional pricing and inflation rather than the availablility of goods.

Overall, while the intensive planning created a solid framework for our trip, no amount of planning could prepare us for the unplanned moments and discoveries that often proved most memorable. The trip succeeded in its primary goal——providing a comprehensive first-time experience for the family——while also teaching me valuable lessons about responsibility, adaptability, and the delicate balance between preparation and spontaneity that makes travel truly meaningful.