Thomas Cherian's Japan Family Trip with Thrillophilia: One Family, Ten Days, and a Thousand Ways to Experience Japan

Thrillophilia Verified Booking
PNR: BKDSR6IVGYX
Rating: ★★★★★
Travellers: Thomas Maliackal Cherian, Siji Thomas, Alan Thomas & Alex Thomas
Trip Duration: 10 Days | 9 Nights
Date of Travel: 16 Apr 2026 - 25 Apr 2026
Destination: Japan
Sales Owner: Rajat Kundani
Package Booked: Best of Japan | A Cultural Odyssey Across Osaka & Tokyo

"Great trip, thanks."– Thomas Cherian

Japan is one of those destinations where a family can travel together and still come home with completely different favourite memories.

For Thomas Cherian, his wife Siji, and their sons Alan and Alex, ten days in Japan became exactly that kind of journey. There were futuristic cities, peaceful temples, mountain landscapes, traditional experiences, high-speed trains, cruises, castles, theme parks, and plenty of opportunities to simply enjoy being together. Here’s everything that went, just as planned!

One Family, Four Different Ways to Experience Japan

For Thomas, Siji, Alan, and Alex, Japan started in Tokyo. They had four days to explore the city, and there was plenty to keep them busy.

Their first evening was spent at teamLab Planets. It was a fun way to kick off the trip, with rooms filled with lights, water, mirrors, and digital artwork. Some sections had the family walking through water, while others played with reflections and changing colours. Everyone got plenty of photos, and it gave them something completely different from the usual sightseeing experience.

Tokyo sightseeing took up the next couple of days, and the family got to see the city from all kinds of angles. Shibuya was right in the middle of the action, with its famous crossing and crowds moving in every direction. From Shibuya Sky, they could see just how huge Tokyo really is.

The Tokyo Bay cruise slowed things down for a while. Sitting on the boat, with the city skyline around them, gave the family some time to enjoy the view simply. By evening, they were up at Tokyo Skytree, looking over the city again. This time, the streets, buildings, and lights stretched out as far as they could see.

There was something fun about seeing the same city from so many different places. One minute they were right in the middle of Tokyo's crowds, and a few hours later, they were looking down at the whole city from above.

And that was just their first few days in Japan.

Mount Fuji Was the Day Everyone Had Been Waiting For

If there was one image the Cherian family had associated with Japan long before they arrived, it was probably this one: Mount Fuji rising above the landscape, perfectly shaped, snow-covered, and looking almost too familiar to be real.

Their Fuji and Hakone day finally brought that image to life.

Leaving Tokyo behind, the family headed towards the Fuji Five Lakes area. The city gradually disappeared, and the landscape opened up into quiet roads, green hills, small towns, and distant mountains. Then Fuji appeared.

At first, it sat far away on the horizon. A little later, it seemed much closer. Every bend in the road offered another chance to see the mountain, and the family soon realised why Fuji has inspired so many photographs, paintings, films, and anime scenes.

The first major stop was Arakurayama Sengen Park, home to the famous five-storey Chureito Pagoda. This is one of those views people recognise instantly. The red-and-white pagoda stands on the hillside, with Mount Fuji rising behind it. Standing there in person must have been a little surreal. The family had seen versions of this picture countless times. Now they were standing right in front of it.

The Fuji experience continued at Oshino Hakkai, a traditional village known for its clear spring ponds and old-style Japanese houses. The water in the ponds is remarkably clear, with the surrounding mountains reflected on the surface. Walking through the village, the family could see small wooden homes, food stalls, gardens, and locals going about their day, with Fuji appearing between the rooftops and trees.

Then came Lake Kawaguchi, one of the most famous places to see Mount Fuji. At Oishi Park, the lake stretched across the foreground while Fuji rose behind it. On a clear day, the reflection of the mountain on the water creates the kind of picture that almost looks edited.

From there, the scenery shifted again as they continued towards Hakone. The family boarded the Hakone Sightseeing Cruise, taking in the mountains from the water before heading up on the Komagatake Ropeway. From higher ground, the landscape opened up even further, with Lake Ashi and the surrounding mountains spreading out below.

For one day, they had seen Fuji from viewpoints, villages, a lakeside park, a quiet Japanese street, and from across the water.

Kyoto Felt Like Stepping Into Old Japan

The Cherian family's arrival in Kyoto came with one of the most memorable experiences of the trip. After travelling by Shinkansen from Tokyo, Thomas, Siji, Alan, and Alex got the chance to dress up in traditional Japanese kimonos.

Thomas and Siji chose their kimonos, while Alan and Alex got into traditional Japanese outfits of their own. Dressed for the occasion, the family explored the streets around Kiyomizu. Wooden houses, small shops, traditional architecture, temple entrances, and narrow lanes gave them plenty to look at as they walked around. Of course, it also became a great excuse for a family photo session.

The next day took them towards Kinkakuji, Kyoto's famous Golden Pavilion. The temple's golden exterior stood out against the greenery around it, with its reflection visible across the pond. The surrounding gardens added to the peaceful setting, and the family spent time taking in the details before continuing their sightseeing.

Their day also included a visit to Nara, where centuries-old temples, traditional streets, and the famous deer added another memorable side to their Japan experience. For Alan and Alex, the kimono experience gave them a chance to experience Japanese culture in a fun, hands-on way!

Osaka Brought Out the Family's Fun Side

Osaka gave Thomas, Siji, Alan, and Alex plenty to look forward to. With three nights in the city, the family had time to explore its food, attractions, history, and a few experiences that brought out the more playful side of the trip.

The Osaka Amazing Pass made exploring the city easy, giving the family access to a long list of attractions and public transport. It also meant they could move around freely and decide how they wanted to spend their day. Osaka Castle, the Umeda Sky Building, river cruises, and several other attractions were all part of the options available to them.

One of the biggest highlights came with their day trip to Himeji Castle. The enormous white castle stood out against the surrounding landscape, with its layered roofs and traditional Japanese architecture making it look straight out of a period film. Walking through the castle grounds gave the family a closer look at one of Japan's most famous historic landmarks.

Their private drive also took them towards Kobe and Awaji Island, giving the family another chance to see a different side of the region. The road itself became part of the experience, with changing landscapes and plenty of places to stop along the way.

And then came Universal Studios Japan! For Alan and Alex, this was the kind of day that needed very little planning beyond showing up and having fun. The family spent the day exploring the rides and attractions, soaking up the atmosphere, and enjoying one of the most entertaining stops of their Japan holiday.

By the end of their Osaka stay, the Cherian family had managed to pack history, sightseeing, road trips, and a full day of fun into the final stretch of their journey.

Why Thomas Chose Thrillophilia for His Japan Family Trip

Planning a ten-day family holiday across Japan involves a lot of moving pieces. Four travellers, multiple cities, different hotels, private transfers, a Shinkansen journey, sightseeing tours, attraction tickets, cruises, passes, and day trips all need to fit together smoothly.

For Thomas and his family, having those details organised allowed them to focus on the experience itself.

Rajat Kundani, the Thrillophilia sales owner, helped put together the trip and coordinate the different elements of the itinerary. The plan gave the family a strong mix of guided experiences and free time, allowing them to explore major attractions while still having space to discover each city at their own pace.

Their accommodation was arranged across Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka, while private SUV transfers handled their airport and hotel movements. The Shinkansen journey connected Tokyo and Kyoto, and carefully planned day experiences took care of destinations such as Mount Fuji, Hakone, Nara, Himeji, and Awaji Island.

For Thomas, Siji, Alan, and Alex, ten days had given them a collection of experiences that stretched far beyond a standard family holiday. They had ridden Japan's famous bullet train, looked across Tokyo from hundreds of metres above the ground, watched Mount Fuji rise over the landscape, dressed in traditional Japanese clothing, explored ancient temples and castles, cruised through Hakone, and ended their adventure surrounded by the excitement of Universal Studios Japan.

Most importantly, they experienced all of it together.

And that may have been the best souvenir Japan gave them.

Also Read: The Sajith Family's 8-Day Escape with Thrillophilia