Osaka’s Underground City: The Best Rainy-Day Escape
It rained, and we went underground, and it turned out to be one of the strangest good afternoons of the whole trip. Osaka has an entire second city beneath its streets — not a subway…
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Kura Sushi Umeda: How the Queue and Ordering Work
We ended up at Kura Sushi Binario Umeda because it was pouring. We’d come back from a day trip to Nara, got soaked somewhere between the station and dinner, and walked in wet and starving…
Round1 Osaka: Spo-Cha vs Arcade, Prices and Tips
We went to Round1 in Osaka twice in one trip, which tells you most of what you need to know about whether children like it. What I did not understand until afterwards is that we…
Ippudo Osaka: The Queue, the Kids & What to Order
We ate at Ippudo Osaka on our first day in the city, at midday, on the recommendation of my brother-in-law — who lives there. That’s the only reason we found it rather than one of…
Nara with Kids: The Deer, Todai-ji and What to Know
The deer in Nara bow. They also bite, kick, butt and knock people over — that isn’t me being dramatic, it’s what the official warning signs in the park say, illustrated, in four panels. We…
Universal Studios Japan with Kids: Tickets & Timing
The thing nobody tells you about Universal Studios Japan is that your park ticket does not get you into Super Nintendo World. That needs a second, separate, timed ticket — and families find this out…
Osaka Castle with Kids: Tickets, Timing & What to Skip
We visited Osaka Castle with kids twice on the same trip, and only got inside on the second attempt. The first time we arrived late in the afternoon, spent an hour wandering the park, and…
Is the JR Pass Worth It in 2026? A Family’s Real Answer
We bought four Japan Rail Passes in Barcelona, paid over €1,000 for them, and used them across a 19-day trip through Tokyo, Nikko, Osaka, Nara, Kyoto, Uji and Kurashiki. So this is not a theoretical…
Nikko Day Trip from Tokyo with Kids: Shrines or Waterfall?
We took our two kids to Nikko as a day trip from Tokyo in July 2023, and the thing I wish someone had told us beforehand is this: you cannot comfortably do the shrines and…
4 Days in Tokyo with Kids: A Real Family Itinerary
4 Days in Tokyo with Kids: A Real Family Itinerary We landed at Narita, went straight to a digital art museum with our suitcases still with us, and only reached the hotel that evening. That…
Starbucks Reserve Roastery Tokyo: Prices, Booking, With Kids
The Starbucks Reserve Roastery Tokyo is the largest Starbucks in the world, it sits on the Meguro River in Nakameguro, and a drink there costs between ¥1,100 and ¥2,400. We went as a family of…
The B Ochanomizu Tokyo: Honest Family Review
We paid around €400 for four nights at The B Ochanomizu — two adults, two children, in central Tokyo. About €100 a night for the family, three minutes by metro from Tokyo Station. That location…
teamLab Planets Tokyo with Kids: Tickets, Water & Tips
You take your shoes and socks off at the door, and at some point you walk through water up to your knees. That’s the part nobody quite prepares you for, and it’s why teamLab Planets…
ITA Airways Economy Review: Barcelona to Tokyo With Kids
We flew Barcelona to Tokyo with ITA Airways as a family of four, via Rome, and the round trip cost us €2,600 for all four of us, July 2023, tickets were bought in January 2023.…
Changi Airport with Kids: Jewel, Gardens & a Full Day Plan
When we landed at Changi in April 2023, we walked through the airport and saw how beautiful it was, but we couldn’t stop. It was my birthday and Marc’s, and we were rushing to the…
Dolphin Island Sentosa: Closed — What’s There Now
In April 2023 our boys, then 7 and 9, touched a dolphin at Dolphin Island on Sentosa. They talked about it for the rest of the trip, and we have the photos. From memory it…
2 Days in Singapore with Kids: Itinerary & 2026 Costs
After most of a week on Sentosa, we moved into the city for the last part of our April 2023 trip. Our boys were 7 and 9. We had two days for Singapore itself: Marina…
Sentosa Island Singapore with Kids: Family Guide & Prices
Sentosa was never meant to be the holiday. We went to Singapore in April 2023 because of a work trip, and Sentosa Island was simply where we were staying. By the end of the week,…
Village Hotel Sentosa Review: Family Room, Breakfast & Pools
We landed in Singapore on 24 April 2023 after the overnight flight from Barcelona, checked into Village Hotel Sentosa, and went straight to the pool. It was my birthday and Marc’s, and he was turning…
Emirates Economy Class Review: Family Flight from Barcelona to Singapore (18h Journey with Kids)
Flying with young children can be an adventure in itself, but our recent experience with Emirates in economy class from Barcelona to Singapore, with a stopover in Dubai, surpassed all expectations. From the thoughtful presents…