Japan is fun, fascinating, and safe, making it one of the world’s best destinations for family travel.
Whether you’re traveling with young children or teenagers (or both!), Japan’s dynamic and eclectic culture has something for everybody. Bullet trains, medieval castles, neon and robots, temples and gardens, colorful art and fashion – and incredibly helpful people.
(See our full list of 25 family-friendly Japan activities below.)
While not as off the beaten path as it was in the past, most families still overlook Japan in favor of more “conventional” family travel destinations. So if you are thinking of a special family trip, full of unique experiences together, Japan is an amazing destination for kids and adults.
Originally written in 2014, this post was updated and republished on August 13, 2020.
Why Families Love Japan
Japan is an outstanding family destination for many of the same reasons we so love Japan.
It’s Safe and Convenient
Japan is perhaps the safest large country in the world, making the US and Europe look quite dangerous in comparison.
It’s also surprisingly easy to get around, even if you don’t speak the Japanese language (keep in mind that most visitors to Japan don’t speak a lick of Japanese).
One of the surprise highlights for so many travelers to Japan is how beautifully and efficiently things tend to work:

Japanese trains are spotless, and depart and arrive on time
Japanese customer service is...