It was a trip we had been looking forward to for a long time — Fukuoka, Osaka, Hakone, Tokyo, Disneyland, DisneySea and finally Hakuba for some skiing and snowboarding.
Travelling with three kids meant that our itinerary was never really an itinerary. We had plans, but the kids usually had other plans. π
We learnt to slow down, change plans when necessary, eat whenever we could and just enjoy the moments.
And what a trip it was.
You can find the trip overview and links here: Japan 2023 Winter Trip Overview
Day 1 | Fukuoka
We took a red-eye flight and because the kids were super excited about the flight — especially getting to watch shows on the plane — it took quite a while to get them to wind down and go to sleep. π΄
By the time we finally got them to sleep, it was time for food and then time to get ready for landing.
I think I got 30 minutes of sleep the whole flight.
The moment we touched down in Fukuoka, we took a bus to the train station near our accommodation and deposited our luggage in lockers before heading out to explore the shopping malls nearby.
We had to roam around until it was time to check in and I was so exhausted that I almost fell asleep with my head in my beef bowl during lunch. π
Our first day was pretty uneventful, but my favourite part was shopping at Daiso.
The Daiso here was HUGE, and a lot of the items were only 100 yen. I had to seriously resist buying everything I saw because they were all so cute!
Eventually, we headed back to check in. We were way too exhausted to go out for dinner, so we ordered food through Uber.
The pasta was surprisingly really good. We had dinner while watching Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory before finally calling it a night.
We went to bed early with the plan to sleep until θͺηΆι — wake up naturally.
A slow and chill start to our super long-awaited holiday. π₯°
Day 2 | Fukuoka — 7-Eleven & Marinoa City
Since we were severely sleep deprived from the red-eye flight and all the walking around while waiting for check-in, we decided to sleep until θͺηΆι.
And… we woke up really late. π
Being our first official full day in Fukuoka, we took our time getting ready, moisturising, changing, having breakfast and generally figuring out what we were doing.
By the time we found our bus stop, the kids were complaining that they were too hungry to walk another step.
We spotted a 7-Eleven and thought:
"Let's pop in, get some food and then get on our way."
That little pop-in became an adventure in itself.
The girls had so much fun choosing their food. They discovered that they loved the huge selection of onigiri, picked out drinks, then found the little booth seats where they could sit and watch people outside.
They were popping their heads out at each other, playing peekaboo and just enjoying themselves.
We ended up spending one whole hour at 7-Eleven.
And the girls had such a good time that I couldn't even complain. π
When it was finally time to leave, we missed our bus and had to wait another 25 minutes in the cold before taking a 45-minute bus ride.
It was our first bus ride in Japan and everyone was fascinated by everything around us.
By the time we finally arrived at Marinoa City, we had just over two hours before everything closed. π₯Ί
But we made the best of it.
We zoomed through the shops we were interested in, the kids checked out the Sylvanian Families store, took some car rides and then it was time for dinner.
They were so excited to eat beef but unfortunately, the beef we had wasn't particularly good.
Then it was time to rush for the last bus again.
On the way back, the kids were hungry. Again.
I think the cold weather just made them hungry ALL THE TIME. π
So we stopped at Lawson, bought more food and breakfast for the next morning before heading back.
The day just flew by.
I really wished we'd had more time at Marinoa City because two hours was nowhere near enough time to properly shop.
Day 3 | Uminonakamichi Seaside Park & Ichiran Ramen
We visited this HUGE seaside park with a mini zoo, gigantic playgrounds, go-kart tracks and even horse riding.
It took quite some time to get there, so unfortunately we only had about 2½ hours to explore.
We decided to focus on the two things the kids were most interested in — the mini zoo and the playground.
Because the park was so huge, walking everywhere would have taken forever, so we rented bicycles and cycled around the park instead. π²
Our first stop was the mini zoo.
We went straight to the animal-petting area to pet some guinea pigs, and the kids had a ton of fun seeing the sheep, monkeys, capybaras and kangaroos.
Before we knew it, the park was about to close.
We quickly cycled over to the playground and spent the rest of our time there.
It was so cold, but the kids were completely focused on playing and didn't seem to care.
Their favourite was this gigantic bouncy cloud, which they spent most of their time on.
Eventually, it was time to leave and find dinner.
We spotted Ichiran Ramen with zero queue, so naturally we decided to go for it.
At this point, we hadn't quite figured out how we were supposed to eat ramen in individual little booths with three kids. π
We ordered our food through a ticket machine and handed the tickets to the staff through the little opening behind the wooden curtain.
The host somehow managed to get all five of us seats side by side and our Ichiran adventure began.
The kids were SO excited throughout the entire experience.
From passing the tickets, to having their ramen delivered through the little window, to giving the wooden sign requesting kids' bowls and utensils — they loved every part of it.
And of course, they loved the ramen too!
We ended the night with one of the most anticipated experiences of the trip:
Gashapon.
We found a place with more than 2,000 gashapon machines.
The girls took their time looking through all the machines until, once again, the shop was about to close. π
They each got their first capsule and everyone went home happy.
Day 4 | Fukuoka — One Last Day
Our final day in Fukuoka was spent back at the outlet mall.
We took the Ferris wheel, played some arcade games and squeezed in a little more shopping before heading back to pack.
Fukuoka turned out to be a great place to start our Japan adventure.
The pace was slow, the air was clean and it didn't feel as intense or overwhelming.
We only realised how relaxed Fukuoka felt after we moved on to Osaka and Tokyo. π
It was a good place for us to get used to the weather, figure out how Japan worked and slowly get ourselves into holiday mode.
Food-wise, we weren't exactly having the best start. We were mostly eating whatever was convenient because we were still figuring everything out.
So before leaving for Osaka, I told Ken:
"My priority now is to find some good, authentic Japanese food."
Challenge accepted. π
Day 5 | 2 Dec | Fukuoka ➡️ Osaka
Today was our first Shinkansen experience!
We had heard so much about how quiet Japanese trains were and how people expected children to behave, so we prepared activity packs for the girls.
They played Uno, coloured, did word searches and Kiara even became my personal manicurist.
We were running late getting to the train and ended up rushing onboard without buying food.
The train was clean, quiet and surprisingly comfortable. Even the toilet was much nicer than I expected a train toilet to be.
It was almost a three-hour journey from Fukuoka to Osaka, and thankfully the girls did really well.
We arrived at Shin-Osaka around 1pm and were STARVING.
Our first meal in Osaka was at what was basically a food court inside the station and everything we ordered was so fresh and tasty.
Finally — good food! π
After lunch, we took a cab to our hotel, which would be home for the next six days.
We were so thankful for the space and facilities in the apartment.
One of my favourite things about our accommodations in Fukuoka, Osaka and Hakone was the heater in the toilet.
It was a ceiling heater that could warm up the toilet or be used to dry clothes.
Such a smart thing!
The washing machines and fridges were also lifesavers.
I could do laundry every day and the clothes would be clean and dry by the next morning.
Kenneth Jayden wore the same T-shirt over several days and it was clean every day. π
We also realised that our hotel was very near Shinsekai Market.
And wow — what a lively area, even late at night.
We walked around and found a small, unassuming ramen shop with very limited seating.
The pork literally melted in our mouths.
It was such a good dinner.
Afterwards, we walked around just soaking in the atmosphere.
It felt completely different from Fukuoka.
Osaka was louder, busier and much more energetic.
Then it was back to the hotel to prepare for the next part of our trip — meeting up with our dear friends.
Day 6 | 3 Dec | Mipig Cafe & Dotonbori
Day two in Osaka and I was determined to find some of the food places I'd saved on Instagram.
Unfortunately, when we arrived at one of them, the queue was so long that they weren't allowing any more people to join.
So we changed plans and chanced upon a sushi place instead.
And wow — the sushi was fresh and really good.
We explored around Dotonbori, walked to the kimono rental shop we'd researched earlier to check out options for the girls, and then headed back for our Mipig Cafe appointment.
The kids were really excited to meet the little pigs and link up with our friends.
We had booked a 30-minute slot, thinking that would be plenty of time.
Unfortunately, we arrived five minutes late.
We were told we still had to leave 10 minutes before our original time slot ended.
So our 4:30–5pm booking technically gave us only 15 minutes inside.
Since the kids were already mentally psyched up to see the pigs, we decided to go ahead.
Honestly?
We regretted it. π
We paid about $60 for the whole family for roughly 15 minutes of experience.
Not worth it in hindsight and I wouldn't return, but at least we tried it once!
We did get to touch the pigs that came over to us and had them sitting on our laps for a few minutes.
Hey piggy piggy! π
After that, we walked over to Dotonbori.
Mandatory stop:
Glico Man.
We took photos, bought food and stood around eating while soaking in the famous Osaka night atmosphere.
The food was pretty nice, although I think we probably spent more eating this way than we would have at a restaurant.
It was a fun experience and definitely something worth doing once, but probably not something I'd rush back for.
Day 7 | 4 Dec | Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan
Today we headed to Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan to spend some time with fishies, dolphins, sea lions and whale sharks.
But first — lunch.
We met up at an awesome place Shalynne found called Chikko-men-kobo Honten.
The udon was so fresh and doink doink.
We tried both cold udon and soup udon, and the hot soup was perfect for winter.
Everything we ordered was good.
And I really mean EVERYTHING.
With our tummies happily filled, we walked about 10 minutes to the aquarium and took some photos outside while waiting for our entry time.
The highlight for us was watching the kids interact with the sea lions.
For about 30 minutes, they stood at the glass and the sea lions would follow them as they walked around, almost as if they were playing catch.
It was so endearing to watch. π€ͺ
Another highlight was the gigantic tank with two whale sharks.
We even managed to get some photos with the whale sharks in the background. π
After about three hours, we were ready to leave and find dinner.
Our friends suggested a soba place, but because we were such a big group, there weren't enough seats when we arrived.
So YZ became our official queue representative while the rest of us brought the kids around to find a toilet and some food.
And then something rather special happened.
I'd seen a cheesecake on Instagram that I really wanted to try.
I had already resigned myself to not getting it because I didn't want to drag eight other people around just to find one cheesecake.
Sha and I were buying some rather expensive bread for the kids when Ken came over and said:
"There seems to be some popular cheesecake outside. A lot of people are queuing."
I immediately said:
"Go and join the queue lah! I wanna eat some cheesecake."
When we went outside, I realised...
IT WAS THE EXACT UNCLE CHEESECAKE I WANTED.
Somehow, it really felt like God knew what I wanted and made it happen.
And here's the crazy part.
About 10 minutes after Ken joined the queue and got our cheesecakes, the shop announced that they were SOLD OUT. π±
I was so, so thankful we managed to get ours.
Everyone loved it.
Eventually YZ called to say that we had seats, so we headed back for dinner.
It was a tiny establishment serving both cold and hot soba.
The cold soba was the clear winner and the kids really enjoyed it.
And during dinner, someone came up with a brilliant idea:
"Shall we go to Kobe for some beef instead of heading to Nara for the deer?"
And just like that...
We changed our plans.
Kobe it is!
Day 8 | 5 Dec | Kobe Beef π₯©
When we were travelling to Osaka, our Shinkansen passed Kobe.
I casually commented:
"Oh wow, Kobe is so near. Just 10 minutes away by Shinkansen!"
At the time, we had no spare day to visit and honestly, we weren't prepared to spend a bomb on meat from cows that had lived a life of luxury.
But when Sha and YZ suggested:
"How about Kobe instead of Nara?"
My heart was so happy.
I really wanted to try Kobe beef.
Thankfully, we were travelling with spontaneous and flexible friends.
So off we went!
Finding a restaurant for nine people without a reservation wasn't easy, but eventually we found one.
And it felt like we had ε εΊ.
The entire bottom floor was basically just for our two families.
The staff were also incredibly patient and kind with the kids.
After discussing what to order, we decided to get three different grades of Kobe beef to share.
The five kids would share one portion while the four adults shared the other two.
Verdict?
Amazing.
The kids wiped out their beef and immediately asked if they could have more.
The adults wanted to try the beef the kids had eaten too, so we ordered another piece.
The meat was perfectly seasoned and literally melted in our mouths.
Because of the high fat content, we definitely needed rice to go with it.
And I'm glad we were sharing because too much of that beef would have been gerlat. π
We walked out with our tummies — and hearts — completely full.
And the experience was even more special because we got to share it with dear friends.
It was drizzling, so we walked around and randomly found a donut shop with a queue.
Naturally, we joined.
The donuts were freshly made and absolutely delicious.
My favourite was actually the plain one.
We also randomly bought a fish snack that turned out to be really good.
Then came more croissants and pastries.
Because apparently one meal was not enough. π
We eventually headed back to Osaka and had sushi for dinner.
All the adults were ready to call it a night.
Another delicious meal at very reasonable prices considering the quality of food we were having.
Yums! π£
Day 9 | 6 Dec | Kimono Experience π
It was our family's very first time in Japan and I thought it would be fun to dress up in traditional kimono and take some family photos.
The kids were SO excited.
We arrived at the kimono rental place, ζ‘θ±ηη©γ¬γ³γΏγ« / Oukakimono, and the girls immediately started picking their kimonos.
The staff helped dress the girls while they kept their own clothes underneath.
Aunty Sha also treated the girls to a hairdo session as a Christmas gift.
The girls absolutely loved it.
They got their hair tied up in fancy styles with lots of beautiful hair accessories.
Meanwhile, the mothers were still trying to figure out our own kimonos.
It was a lot more work and a lot more layers to dress the ladies.
As usual, we were the last ones ready because we had to settle the kids first.
The men, meanwhile, were done in no time.
Their selection and putting on of the Hakama was speedy. π
The rental place also provided little bags and shoes for everyone.
After 1½ hours, we were finally ready to leave.
We met our photographer and headed to Osaka Castle. π―
Our photographer was such a lovely and patient lady, especially with the kids.
There was still some autumn foliage around and I think that area gave us some of our favourite photos.
We took family photos, individual photos and group shots.
As the kids walked around the castle grounds in their kimonos, other tourists kept wanting to take photos of them too because they looked so adorable.
The girls were surprisingly patient and cooperative throughout the photoshoot.
While the photographer was taking photos of the other family, I was busy taking my own photos of the kids.
And I noticed something interesting.
The photographer's photos made them look more posed and polished.
Mine looked more natural, genuinely happy and cheeky.
I'm so glad we had both kinds of photos to remember the trip by.
Day 10 | 7 Dec | Nissin Cup Museum & Amazing Yakiniku
Just like that, our time with our friends in Osaka was coming to an end.
We were so thankful for friends who could put up with our slow pace and our willingness to change plans on the fly.
With three kids, that flexibility is often necessary.
We linked up for one final lunch together.
Tonkatsu was the choice, although we got lost trying to find the Yangs because there were just SO MANY buildings at Osaka Station.
After lunch, we took the train to the Nissin Cup Noodles Museum.
We arrived a little too late for the noodle-making session, but we could still decorate our own cup noodles and choose our ingredients.
Other than that, there wasn't actually that much else to see and do.
Our family made four cups and the four girls each decorated one.
When it was Kiara's turn to choose her seasoning and ingredients, she decided she wanted:
NO SEASONING.
And only corn.
For all three ingredient choices.
π
We compromised with three portions of corn and the original seasoning.
The girls then enthusiastically pumped up their cup noodle holders and wore their new fashion cup-noodle bags for the rest of the day.
Throughout our days together, we were constantly planning and searching for our next meal.
So while the kids were watching a video about the history of Nissin Cup Noodles, the parents were busy searching for dinner.
After some discussion, we decided on yakiniku.
THE BEST DECISION.
We ate at ηΌθ ι¬Όγ«ιζ£ ζ’ η° θΆε±ηΊεΊ and the meat was incredibly fresh and good.
One particular dish completely blew our minds.
It was thinly sliced beef, with four large slices in one portion.
Each slice came with a bowl containing a special mixture of sauce, spring onions and raw egg yolk.
We cooked the beef lightly, dipped it into the sauce and...
HEAVEN.
Words really cannot describe how good it was.
It was so amazing that I was still thinking about it three weeks later. π€€
And somehow, despite being a huge group without a reservation, they were able to seat us immediately.
What a perfect way to end our Osaka leg — an amazing meal with lovely company.
Then it was time to head back and pack for the next part of our journey.
Day 11 | 8 Dec | Osaka ➡️ Hakone
It was time to leave Osaka and head to Hakone.
And we discovered that we didn't have enough luggage space after all the shopping.
Jialat. π
After checking out, we headed to Don Quixote to buy another piece of luggage.
Then we rushed back to the hotel and packed everything in.
By then, it became pretty obvious that we wouldn't make the train we'd originally planned to take.
It was honestly no surprise.
The day before, I'd already asked Ken to give me three possible train timings because he knew this was probably going to happen. π
We grabbed a quick lunch at the awesome ramen place near our hotel before taking a cab to Shin-Osaka Station.
We bought some bento sets for the journey.
They all tasted terrible.
There was a cute train bento set which I liked for exactly one reason:
It was cute.
Taste? ππΌ
The journey from our Osaka hotel to our accommodation in Hakone took about five hours.
We had to change trains three times, with multiple long waits in between.
Rather than waste time sitting down for a proper meal, we just bought onigiri while waiting for the trains.
For perspective, this was our travelling party:
- 2 adults
- 3 kids
- 2 big suitcases
- 2 big backpacks
- 1 roller luggage
- 1 stroller
- 2 small backpacks carried by the girls
Getting everything onto the right train, unloading everything, moving everything from one platform to another and repeating the whole process three times took a LOT of time and energy.
I was exhausted by the third train.
Thankfully, our accommodation was just a two-minute walk from the station.
Unfortunately, it was an uphill two-minute walk. π
We arrived at 8:15pm.
The kids were hungry, but everything nearby was closed.
We had some bread and onigiri but nothing prepared for dinner.
Thankfully, we still had our Nissin Cup Noodles from the day before.
Instant noodles to the rescue! π
When we entered our new accommodation, everyone went:
"WOWWWW!"
It was a three-storey unit.
The first floor had a bedroom, bathroom and toilet.
The second floor had the kitchen, dining area and another toilet.
And the third floor had a low ceiling where all of us would sleep together on the floor.
It had a completely different feel from Osaka.
Quiet, slower and more peaceful.
We were excited for the next two days in Hakone.
Day 12 | 9 Dec | Hakone Open-Air Museum
People sometimes tell us how tough travelling with kids is and how it isn't really a holiday.
I've also read this saying and completely agree:
If we change our expectations of what travelling with kids should be — that it's not meant to be relaxing, but is more about making memories — we won't feel as frustrated when we don't get to do or see as much.
With three kids, we generally plan for one main thing a day.
We take things slowly and don't stress ourselves out.
Today's one thing?
Hakone Open-Air Museum.
And boy, were we glad we could take our time.
First, we needed lunch.
We walked into a tiny restaurant beside the train station and had some incredibly fresh sashimi and unagi. π
With happy and full bellies, we walked another five minutes to the museum.
Even the walk there was beautiful.
After being surrounded by buildings and crowds in Osaka, this felt like a breath of fresh air.
Literally.
And then we entered the Hakone Open-Air Museum.
WOW.
It was our first time visiting an open-air museum where the kids could actually play and explore, surrounded by mountains and trees.
I fell in love with the place.
And with the pace.
There was a huge net area where only kids could climb.
The girls absolutely loved it.
Since I couldn't see them inside, I asked RenΓ©e to take some photos and videos.
She did an AMAZING job.
She even took wefies, recorded videos and got the kids to play specifically for the videos.
We stayed until closing time.
By then it was dark and, of course, the kids were hungry.
The challenge with staying in a slower, more countryside-like area was that there were fewer food options nearby at night.
Public transport was less frequent and there weren't many convenience stores around either.
So we walked quite a distance to find dinner, brought everything home and ate in the comfort of our accommodation.
Lawson food to the rescue! π₯ͺπ
It was Saturday, so we had dinner, did activity books with the kids and watched service.
Thank God for technology.
Day 13 | 10 Dec | Onsen Day ♨️
Hakone is famous for its onsen — natural hot springs.
Traditional Japanese onsen require everyone to enter completely naked and are separated by gender.
While we were open to experiencing it, we also wanted the girls to be able to have fun together as a family.
Ken found Hakone Kowakien Yunessun, which turned out to be perfect.
There are two sections:
One is a water theme park using hot spring water where we could wear swimsuits and enjoy the pools together.
The other is a traditional onsen.
We spent the entire day there and did both.
The water theme park had all sorts of themed hot spring pools — red wine, coffee, green tea and Japanese wine, among others.
There was also an outdoor slide, a small playground for younger kids, an outdoor onsen pool with an amazing mountain view and some surprisingly fast slides.
The food at the food court was pretty bleah.
But nobody really cared.
The kids just needed enough food to fill their stomachs before getting back into the water. π
After about three hours, we headed to the traditional onsen section.
We split up.
Ken went to the men's onsen while the girls and I went to the women's side.
Initially, the girls were a little wary because this was a completely new experience.
But once they got in...
They had a BLAST.
There were multiple pools, so they went from one to another exploring.
There was also a cold bath.
And these girls were crazy enough to pour cold water over themselves.
Outside.
When it was about 12°C.
Brrrrrrrr. π₯Ά
At one point, they even soaked themselves in the cold tub.
Of course, with three kids doing it, mummy had to do it too.
And honestly?
It was really fun doing it together.
After another hour, we showered, changed and headed out.
They provided soap, shampoo and conditioner, so we didn't need to bring anything.
We met Ken afterwards.
He was happily enjoying his me-time and eating soba. π
Just like that, another day was over.
And it was time to think about dinner again.
We also had to head back early to pack because we were leaving Hakone the next day.
Nomad lifestyle. π
Day 14 | 11 Dec | Hakone Ropeway, Lake Ashi Cruise & Kiara's Birthday π
Checkout day in Hakone!
We purchased the Hakone Free Pass, which covered various transport options, including the Hakone Ropeway and Lake Ashi cruise.
After checking out, we left our luggage at Gora Station and started our adventure.
Our journey began with the cable car from Gora to Sounzan Station, where we transferred to the first gondola.
And today was also Kiara's birthday.
We told her we'd bring her to hopefully see Mount Fuji and wish her a happy birthday with Fuji in the background. π
The Hakone Ropeway gives you views of the surrounding mountains and the active sulphuric hot spring sources around Owakudani Valley.
And during the first part of the gondola ride...
WE SAW MOUNT FUJI!
Thankfully, the sky wasn't too cloudy.
We sang Happy Birthday to Kiara — quietly, because we were sharing the gondola with other passengers — and captured the moment with Mount Fuji behind her. π️
We got off at Owakudani and decided to have lunch while enjoying the view of the active hot springs.
The kids thought it was VERY smelly.
They weren't wrong. π
The tonkatsu we had was actually pretty good and the timing was perfect because we needed fuel before continuing our journey.
We took the gondola all the way to the final station and then queued for our Lake Ashi cruise.
The cruise ship looked so grand and beautiful.
Everyone was excited to board, take photos and enjoy the scenery.
It was also really windy and cold on the top deck.
After about 20 minutes of snapping photos, we retreated to the lower deck to keep warm and enjoy the views through the windows instead.
Then came the rush back.
Because, of course, we were taking the last gondola.
Why do we keep doing this?! π
We eventually got back to Gora, collected all our luggage and began the long journey to Tokyo.
We left Gora at around 5:30pm and didn't reach our Tokyo hotel until 11pm.
We changed trains multiple times and even had to run after the hotel shuttle bus.
We missed it.
So we took a cab from the station instead.
We were supposed to sleep early.
Instead, the girls only went to sleep at 1am.
ε₯½η΄―ε!
Day 15 | 12 Dec | Tokyo Disneyland π°
Today was the day I'd been waiting for.
The place the kids and I were so excited about.
Disneyland, here we come!
We got up as early as we could manage, considering the girls had only fallen asleep at 1am.
We took the free hotel shuttle bus directly to Disneyland and arrived around 9:30am.
There was already a fairly long queue, but thankfully it moved quickly and we were inside by 10am.
It was drizzling when we arrived.
Thankfully, it wasn't heavy enough to stop us. Our waterproof winter jackets were enough. π§₯
Once inside, we immediately booked two rides.
We got Pooh's Hunny Hunt using the 40th Anniversary Pass, which was free, and Enchanted Tale of Beauty and the Beast using the Disney Premier Access Pass.
That cost 2,000 yen per person, but it was absolutely worth it.
It saved us about two hours of queueing.
And the ride itself was AMAZING.
At various points, we split up.
Ken took RenΓ©e and Aurora while I stayed with Kiara because there were rides the bigger girls wanted to go on that Kiara wasn't tall enough for.
Ken took the two older girls on Big Thunder Mountain.
They queued for about 45 minutes.
He said it was completely worth it because the ride was fun and surprisingly long.
Meanwhile, Kiara wanted to ride the rollercoaster.
The queue was only 10 minutes.
The moment we finished, she asked:
"Can we go again?"
So we queued again. π
Everywhere we went, the atmosphere was magical.
The music.
The decorations.
The rides.
The Christmas decorations.
Everything felt extra special.
We stayed from 10am until 9pm.
That's 11 hours in Disneyland with three kids.
Somehow, we survived. π
We watched all three parades:
- Disney Harmony in Color
- Disney Christmas Stories
- Tokyo Disneyland Electrical Parade Dreamlights
Every parade had its own music, costumes, characters and floats.
The first parade, Disney Harmony in Color, was AMAZING.
The music, dancing, intricate floats and characters were all so beautifully done.
Kiara and I found a good spot to sit and eat some onigiri and bread while waiting.
Ken went to buy some cute Disney food.
I had been eyeing the Winnie the Pooh popcorn bucket, so Ken took RenΓ©e and Aurora to get it.
We eventually met back up with popcorn to snack on while waiting for the parade.
It was such a magical experience.
Our favourite rides were:
- Big Thunder Mountain
- Beauty and the Beast
- Pooh's Hunny Hunt
- Monsters Inc. Ride & Go Seek
We took 13 rides in total.
We didn't manage to take everything, but we managed to do all the rides we really wanted — and some more than once.
And honestly?
It really did feel like the happiest place on earth.
All of us fell in love with Disneyland.
Ken wasn't exactly hyped about going at the beginning.
He basically went because his girls wanted to.
He bought the tickets, came along and gave it a chance.
I don't think he expected to enjoy it as much as he did.
But he did.
Now he's the one telling people how wonderful and magical Disneyland is. π§π»♀️
Disneyland — The Christmas Magic
Christmas is our favourite season, so visiting Disneyland during Christmas was almost perfect.
All the decorations, lights and Christmas music made everything feel even more magical.
For Disney Christmas Stories, we managed to get front-row seats.
We saw all the characters dressed in their Christmas and winter outfits.
At one point, the floats stopped directly in front of us and we could see Beauty and the Beast as well as Elsa and Anna at the same time.
We absolutely loved this parade.
Afterwards, we went for the ride we'd booked with the 40th Anniversary Pass.
We basically walked straight in and joined the very short queue.
While waiting, there were huge books with pages from Pooh and friends' stories.
The kids were so entertained that they actually tried reading them. π
We also managed to take Enchanted Tale of Beauty and the Beast and Pooh's Hunny Hunt.
We've included videos of both rides in this post.
The effects, music, movement of the ride vehicle and the incredibly realistic characters made everything feel so perfectly done.
Another ride the kids absolutely loved was It's a Small World.
The queue was only about five minutes, so it was perfect.
We all sat in a boat and travelled through different countries and cultures, seeing little characters from around the world mixed with Disney characters.
The set design was beautiful.
The music played continuously.
And the whole ride gave us a little glimpse of the world in just a few minutes.
By nighttime, we had about two hours left.
So we split up again.
RenΓ©e wanted to take some rides that the two younger girls weren't interested in, so we tried to conquer as many rides as possible before our final goodbye.
We ended the day with:
- Castle Carrousel
- Dumbo the Flying Elephant
- Monsters Inc. Ride & Go Seek
- Tokyo Disneyland Electrical Parade Dreamlights
The illuminated floats, characters, performers and music created such an energetic atmosphere.
We were quite far back, but people at Tokyo Disneyland stayed seated during the parades, so we could still see everything pretty well.
We took so many videos to remember the parade by.
And we were so thankful that the weather held up.
It only started drizzling during the very last part of the parade.
Once it ended, we headed towards our final ride and the rain suddenly became much heavier.
We managed to find shelter.
It really felt like everything happened at just the right time.
We are so thankful to God for this day.
Everything seemed to fall into place.
We felt so blessed.
Disneyland, I truly hope this is a see you again, not a goodbye.
Signing out, for now —
The Lims, who have fallen in love with you. ❤️
Day 16 | 13 Dec | DisneySea π
If there are Disneylands around the world, there is only one DisneySea.
So we decided we had to visit it too.
Best decision ever.
We were a little adventurous — read: crazy π€ͺ — to do two full Disney park days back-to-back.
But we were only in Tokyo for three nights and the whole purpose of being in Tokyo was Disney.
So we decided to make the most of it.
We were a little hungover from Disneyland the day before, so we got up pretty late and only reached DisneySea around 10:45am.
That's considered VERY late by serious Disney enthusiasts, who queue from 6:30–7am even though the park opens at 9am.
We had a plan for the rides we wanted to book.
Thankfully, we managed to get some 40th Anniversary Passes.
But the one ride we'd really set our hearts on — Soaring — had already run out of passes by the time we arrived.
We ended up getting the pass for Tower of Terror instead.
DisneySea and Disneyland gave us completely different feelings the moment we entered.
Disneyland had a cute, happy and magical vibe.
DisneySea felt more cinematic and grand.
There was a huge volcano behind the lake where the parade usually took place.
There were canals that looked like Venice, complete with gondolas.
We saw a huge steamship and even a steam train.
And then we discovered that there was an entire world underneath the volcano.
That's where Mermaid Lagoon and 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea were.
Even if we had taken zero rides, just walking around DisneySea and looking at everything would have been an experience.
DisneySea was also much more intense in terms of crowds.
Queues for food, snacks and rides were everywhere.
At Disneyland, most of our rides had queues of around 20–30 minutes.
At DisneySea, 45–60 minutes was more normal.
If you've ever queued with kids before, you know that an hour feels VERY long.
Thankfully, after Disneyland, the girls understood that if they just waited patiently, they'd eventually get to enjoy the ride.
Our favourite area was Mermaid Lagoon.
It was inside a huge "cave" designed to feel like we were underwater.
Everything was colourful and luminous, with corals and sea creatures everywhere.
The rides themselves were quite mild.
Ken particularly regretted queuing for Jumpin' Jellyfish. π
But just being inside Mermaid Lagoon was so much fun.
We stayed from 10:45am until closing.
We managed to watch one show and take 12 rides.
And just like Disneyland, the magic happened later in the evening.
Around 7pm, the queues started dropping dramatically to around 5–15 minutes.
That's when we managed to take most of our rides.
Favourite rides
Raging Spirits
Only RenΓ©e was tall enough, and she loved it so much she went twice!
Tower of Terror
Only RenΓ©e and Aurora were tall enough.
Nemo & Friends SeaRider
We wished we'd had time to take this more than once.
Scuttle's Scooters
Ariel's Playground
The girls spent quite a bit of time exploring this huge under-the-sea playground.
Flounder's Flying Fish Coaster
Other rides we took:
- Blowfish Balloon Race
- Jasmine's Flying Carpets
- Caravan Carousel
- Aquatopia
Least favourite
- 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea
- Jumpin' Jellyfish
Rides we wish we'd taken
- Soaring
- Indiana Jones Adventure
- Toy Story Mania
We also didn't manage to ballot for any shows at either Disneyland or DisneySea. π
Still, we ended our Disney adventures with full hearts and so many memories.
Beyond blessed, thankful and grateful for every moment.
DisneySea — The Final Two Hours
One of the highlights for RenΓ©e was Raging Spirits.
It's a rollercoaster with an upside-down loop and she was the only one of the three girls who met the height requirement.
We used the 40th Anniversary Pass, so she got to ride it twice — once with Ken and once with me.
Her verdict?
8/10.
Her only complaint was that she wished the ride was longer. π
By around 7pm, we were trying to figure out how many more rides we could squeeze in.
And somehow, we did more rides in the final two hours than we had managed the entire afternoon.
DisneySea is often said to be better suited for bigger kids because there are more rides with higher height requirements.
It is definitely more crowded and intense than Disneyland.
But I wouldn't say one is better than the other.
They each have their own charm.
If I had to choose just one to return to with younger kids, I'd probably choose Disneyland.
RenΓ©e might strongly disagree. π
If we had the time and money?
I'd do both again.
At least one full day each.
In a heartbeat.
Days 17 & 18 | 14–15 Dec | Tokyo ➡️ Hakuba
Disneyland was the part I had been looking forward to.
This next part was what Ken had been planning and yearning for.
Our snowboarding leg. π
We had heard about Hakuba, which is around four to five hours' drive from Tokyo, and how it was a popular place for locals.
Our original plan was to take public transport.
But after checking the options, we realised it would take almost 10 hours, with multiple train and bus changes — all while dragging our luggage along.
At the last minute, we decided to rent a car.
Best decision for our family.
We stopped for lunch at McDonald's — our first and only McDonald's meal in Japan — before continuing the drive.
Google Maps said four to five hours.
With all our stops, it took closer to seven hours.
By the time we arrived at our accommodation in Hakuba, we were freezing.
We quickly unloaded, went inside and warmed ourselves up.
Of all our accommodations, this was probably the most basic and old-school.
But it was clean and spacious.
The toilet had no heater, although thankfully there was hot water.
And if we used too much water, the entire bathroom would flood.
π
After washing up and unpacking, we went to bed excited to see snow the next day.
Our plan was to collect the ski and snowboarding equipment we'd rented on 15 Dec and do some recce of the beginner slopes.
One difference we noticed immediately in Hakuba was that, unlike the French and Austrian Alps we were used to, you often needed to drive or take a bus between the different resorts.
We woke up to rain.
And the forecast was for rain for the entire day.
The girls were booked for two days of ski and snowboard lessons, so 15 Dec became a day of figuring out whether the lessons could even happen.
There was zero snowfall on the lower slopes.
It was just wet, muddy and dried-up grass.
It was a little discouraging.
But we prayed for snow.
Back when we could travel outside of school holidays, we had been able to snowboard in the Alps during peak winter, with beautiful snow conditions.
But now that the kids were in primary school, we were constrained by school holidays.
So we just had to hope for the best.
We also discovered that many resorts were closed and lift passes could only be purchased on the morning itself because the resorts needed to determine which gondolas and lifts could operate.
The ski school told us to watch our emails on the morning of the lessons to see whether they would be cancelled.
So we went to bed dreaming of snow.
Days 19–21 | 16–18 Dec | Snowboarding & Skiing π⛷️
Day 19 | 16 Dec
It was cold with a light drizzle.
But the good news was:
The girls' lessons were ON!
There was a tiny patch of snow that was good enough for them to learn on.
We dressed them up and sent them off for their long-awaited classes from 9am to 3pm.
RenΓ©e would be doing snowboarding because the minimum age was seven.
Aurora was doing skiing.
After registration at Hakuba Happo-One, the girls went off with their instructors while Ken, Kiara and I went looking for a resort where there might be more snow and open lifts.
We were told most open slopes would probably be icy and that only a handful of lifts were operating.
Our initial plan was for Ken to explore the slopes while I stayed at the beginner area with Kiara and let her try snowboarding on the gentle slopes.
We headed to Hakuba 47.
Only one gondola and two ski lifts were open.
Unfortunately...
There was basically no snow for Kiara to snowboard on.
So we spent most of our time at the food court.
Thankfully there was a small play area and Kiara entertained herself there for quite a while.
We had lunch, then took the gondola up to see if we could find somewhere for her to board.
Nope.
Just lots of icy snow.
We eventually headed back to collect the girls.
And then we got some fantastic news.
Aurora had graduated from her ski class!
She didn't need to attend lessons the following day.
The instructors told us she was doing really well — she could ski down the slope, turn and stop.
Bravo Aurora! ππ»
Day 20 | 17 Dec
RenΓ©e continued with her snowboarding lesson.
And because she was the only student signed up that day, she basically got a personalised lesson.
By the end of her two days, she could do falling leaves and brake.
Which meant...
She could actually get herself down the slope!
Meanwhile, Aurora and Kiara went with Ken to try snowboarding at another resort — Hakuba Goryu.
And finally...
SNOW!
There was heavy snowfall.
There was lots of fresh powder.
Unfortunately, there still wasn't enough suitable snow on the lower slopes for Aurora and Kiara to properly ski or snowboard.
So we had lunch and then the girls went out to play in the fresh, fluffy snow.
We made a few attempts and they managed to ski and snowboard short distances.
Mostly, though, they got stuck or sank into the snow because it was so soft and powdery.
Then it was time to pick RenΓ©e up.
And that concluded Day 2 of our attempt at snowboarding.
Day 21 | 18 Dec
We had one final day.
Just one.
And we prayed really, really hard for one last good snow day to end our trip on a positive note.
We went to Tsugaike Resort.
There was still almost no snow on the lower slopes.
But thankfully, one small beginner slope was open.
All five of us boarded the gondola for a 15-minute ride.
The view on the way up was beautiful.
And then we found our little patch of snow.
It wasn't much.
But it was enough.
Everyone — except me — got to ski or snowboard.
I stayed with Kiara while Ken rotated between RenΓ©e and Aurora, bringing them down the slope.
The kids gave the day a big thumbs up. ππΌ
Because only one slope was open and so many people had come to ski, there was a 15–20 minute queue just to get back up on the chairlift.
And because so many other resorts were closed, everyone was also trying to get food at the same time.
I joined the food queue.
There were around 40–50 people ahead of me.
It took two hours before I reached the front.
In those two hours, Ken and the kids managed maybe three or four runs.
When I finally got to the front, almost everything was sold out.
So we ordered whatever was left, gobbled it down and rushed because it was almost time for the last gondola down.
A nightmare food situation.
But at least we got our final runs.
And those runs made it all worthwhile.
Our Final Night in Hakuba
We ended our Hakuba adventure with happy runs, a yakiniku dinner and very full hearts.
Would it have been better to come later in winter, around January or February?
Absolutely.
Would we have had better snow?
Definitely.
But that wasn't possible for us because of the girls' school schedule.
So we were incredibly thankful that we got to experience it anyway.
It wasn't the perfect snowboarding trip we'd imagined.
But it became something much more memorable.
The girls got to learn.
Aurora graduated from her ski class.
RenΓ©e learnt to snowboard.
Kiara got to play in the snow.
And all five of us got to experience Japan's winter together.
Sometimes the trip doesn't go according to plan.
Sometimes there's no snow.
Sometimes you wait two hours for food.
Sometimes you miss trains, miss buses, arrive late and end up eating instant noodles for dinner.
And sometimes you stumble upon the exact cheesecake you've been hoping for.
But that's the beauty of travelling.
You make memories out of whatever happens.
Until Next Time, Japan π―π΅
And just like that, our Japan adventure came to an end.
From our first red-eye flight into Fukuoka...
To our giant Daiso haul.
Our first Shinkansen.
Osaka's crazy streets and Dotonbori.
Ichiran ramen.
Kobe beef.
Our kimono photos at Osaka Castle.
The peaceful beauty of Hakone.
Our first family onsen experience.
Seeing Mount Fuji on Kiara's birthday.
Two magical days at Disneyland and DisneySea.
And finally, chasing snow in Hakuba.
It was a trip filled with good food, tired children, missed trains, long walks, spontaneous changes, crazy queues, lots of laughter and countless little moments that we'll remember for years.
Travelling with three kids isn't always relaxing.
Sometimes it's exhausting.
Sometimes it's chaotic.
Sometimes you wonder why you thought it was a good idea. π
But when I look back at the photos and videos, I realise that these are the moments we will treasure.
The girls growing up.
Experiencing new things together.
Watching their faces light up when they see something for the first time.
Trying new food.
Playing in the snow.
Running around Disneyland.
Wearing kimonos.
Seeing Mount Fuji.
And simply being together.
We are beyond blessed, thankful and grateful for every moment of this trip.
Japan, it's not a goodbye, but a see you later.
Not a sayonara, but a γΎγγ. π―π΅❤️
Signing out —
The Lims. ❤️
