Nara, Japan
From Osaka, we took the train down to Nara to see the free-roaming deer for a few hours. Since we had our suitcases with us, we stored our bags in several storage lockers at the Nara train station and then walked over to the deer park.
When you first enter the park, there will be several people selling crackers to feed the deer. We recommend going past these initial sellers to get past some of the crowds at the front of the park. We did the opposite and bought crackers from the first person we saw and got swept up with all the other people feeding the deer at the front of the park. We did find that these deer seemed a little less aggressive than the deer that were further in the park where they had room to run.
After the deer park, we stopped a Mamejica Kitchen for lunch. We really enjoyed the food and the strawberry soda, but this spot was extremely overpriced. After lunch, we stopped by the Tōdai-ji Temple, walked back to the train station, and stopped at Ichouya Cafe for some ice cream which was a great way to wrap up a very hot day.
Overall feelings about Nara
Although it is cool to say you’ve visited the free roaming deer in one of Japan’s oldest parks, we didn’t care for it. Because the deer expect food from tourists, they are completely fearless and pretty aggressive. Several deer bit and knocked down both of our girls. They thought the deer were cool when we first got there but were over the whole experience pretty quickly.
Kyoto, Japan
Day 1
After our quick, half day stop in Nara, we caught the Kintetsu Vista Car train to Kyoto. When we arrived, we walked to our hotel (MONday Apart Premium KYOTO Station), dropped our bags off, then headed over to the Kyoto Aquarium which is located in Umekoji Park.
We honestly loved this aquarium! It had one of the largest jellyfish exhibits we’ve ever seen. They had a wide array of fish, seals, a giant tortoise, axolotl, and penguins. They also allowed us to get on the platforms near the dolphin tanks so we could watch them do their tricks up close and personal.
After our visit to the aquarium, we started venturing through Umekoji Park and stumbled upon a playground. It was an instant hit! We spent the rest of the evening at the park and only left when the sun started going down. We also ended up meeting a really incredible family while we were there. Our kiddos hit it off great, and we had a great conversation with the parents.
All that playing left us hungry, so we headed to Nomidoraku for a traditional Japanese dinner. The restaurant is extremely small so if you’re planning to visit, just be mindful it can fit two, maybe three groups/families. The food was incredible and exactly what we had been in search for.
Day 2
The following day, we rented kimonos and got our hair styled. The entire experience was wonderful. The girls and I got to pick out the fabrics we wanted to wear, as well as the hairstyle we wanted from a variety of options. From there, we hopped on a train over to Fushimi Inari Taisha, or the famous red torii gates.
When we first arrived, we were a little taken aback by the crowds at the entrance. Although we had read that was the case, we also read that you just need to keep walking until the crowds start to dissipate the further you go.
We didn’t really feel like battling the crowds until they became thinner so we took some of the side trails that branched off from the main path. This plan ended up being the way to go! We got to see some of the less frequented areas, as well as missed a lot of the crowds. The path we took also eventually led us back to the main path which ended up connecting where the crowds were lighter.
*You can actually see the girls and I walked off to the right in this video because we weren’t having it.*
Be mindful Fushimi Inari Taisha does require a lot of walking up stairs. If you have kiddos that aren’t used to hiking independently, we highly recommend bringing your LÍLLÉbaby 3-in-1 Ergonomic CarryOn Airflow Toddler Carrier. Separately, it starts to get really hot at the beginning of June so if you’re planning to make the trip during the summer, make sure you bring a portable fan and plenty of water. We stopped about 30 minutes into the hike at a small restaurant to get some beverages and a light dessert. Know that you will be paying tourist prices if you stop here.
After our visit to the shrines and torii gates, we went back to the Kyoto train station and stopped at a neighboring restaurant called 7 Taps Tavern. It was a great place to stop; the girls were itching for some food they were familiar with and this restaurant had the perfect menu with cheeseburgers and pizza.
By the time we got back to our hotel, we were all completely burnt out. One of our kids had a meltdown of global proportions at Kyoto train station which set the stage for several hours of messing with sister, whining, yelling, getting into personal space, refusing to walk, getting way too close to the trains…leading to frustration and utter exhaustion by all parties involved. This is about the time we sat down at the hotel to decompress from all the running from the day…and all the days prior…as well as the exact timing I sat down to write the following. Picture evidence included.
*The majority of this post was written in January 2026, more than 6 months after our trip to Japan and South Korea. However, the feelings written down below were during the trip. I wanted to get my thoughts down so it didn’t seem like everything was sunshine and rainbows all the time.*
As I start this post about 2/3 of the way through this trip, I’m writing down my honest feelings and general attitude because I think it’s important to be transparent when traveling with young kids. 1) We love Asia. This has been a great trip full of culture, new foods, full immersion into a different language, and chock full of activities for the girls, but 2) this has been a rough one and I get it. We have been together for 24/7 for 13 days straight at this point. Kids need to be kids; run around and play with kids their own ages, and to get some freedom from their parents every once in a while (and vice versa!) with obvious adult supervision like going to school or spending time with their grandparents.
Our girls have walked miles upon miles, tried new foods without complaint, and have been (mostly) quiet and respectful in religious areas, but the general poor attitude that rears its head multiple times a day, improper and constant use of the new favorite word “boring”, and consistent need to be in each other’s personal space especially when it is not wanted has turned quite a bit of the trip into a battle.
Will we continue to travel with them? Of course! But it’s important to know not everything is going to go as planned, to pick your battles especially if there are safety or societal norms at play, and to just go with the flow. If you’re traveling with your spouse or another adult, remember that you’re a team. If one of you needs a break, offer to watch the kids for a little bit. When the kids go to sleep, watch a movie or plan the following day’s activities together. Don’t lose sight of the reason you’re traveling as a young family in the first place.
With the above written down, and the realization that we just needed to be done with the sightseeing for the day, we headed back to the playground in Umekoji Park and ran back into the family we had met the day before. When it was all said and done, we exchanged information with the goal of meeting back up again in the future whether in our own home countries, or in another destination.
After the sun went down, we walked to Tonkatsu Ichiban and stayed there until close.
Day 3
On our final day in Kyoto, we took the train up to the Arashiyama Bamboo Grove. The grove is reasonably small and crowded, but it was really cool to getting to see one of Kyoto’s most iconic sights in person.
At the recommendation of our new friends from the playground, we ventured down to the Katsura River and paid for a traditional river boat ride. The experience was unforgettable. Not only did we get to see the lush forests from the river, but we also had a snack boat dock next to ours. Snacks via boat? Say less. The girls were so excited!
After we got back to shore, we walked over the Togetsukyo Bridge over to the monkey park. To get to this park, you have to walk stairs and straight up hill for about 25 minutes. It was exhausting, it was hot, and our youngest decided she was done using her legs. We were also on a time crunch because we had a 1 PM train to Tokyo Disney out of Kyoto Station. After several stops to catch out breath, we made it to the top! It was worth it too. The girls got to feed the monkeys and the view from this vantage point was amazing. It was a really unique experience we’re glad we got to do before we left this beautiful city.
Overall feelings about Kyoto
Aside from the global meltdown that hit during our visit to Kyoto, we really enjoyed this city. From experiencing the infamous red torii gates in our kimonos to the traditional boat ride down the Katsura River, we felt like we got to experience more of the country’s culture while also finding time to let our kids release some energy at the well-placed playground a short distance away from the aquarium within Umekoji Park. If you are visiting Japan, a stop in Kyoto is a must. We recommend visiting before the summer months, especially if you plan on renting kimonos. It can get really hot when you are walking long, uphill distances all while wearing the heavy garments.
We hope you get the opportunity to visit this beautiful city. We can’t wait to hear all about it!
Oliver Family Adventures 
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