We’ve officially made it to Week 3 of our Asian adventure, and this chapter brought us to the land of high-speed trains, vending machines that sell everything, magical theme parks, ancient temples, and more vending machines. (Seriously, they’re everywhere.)
After emotional goodbyes to Cambodia and Vietnam, we landed in Japan—a country we’ve dreamed of visiting for years. With each stop, we were met with moments of awe, laughter, culture shock, and the kind of joy that only comes from grilled wagyu and giant rainbow cotton candy.
Here’s a look back at our third week on the road. For the full, juicy recaps (complete with food commentary, parenting wins and fails, and those hilarious “only-on-this-trip” moments), check the links under each day to read the original Facebook journals.
🇯🇵 Day 15: Jet Lag, Wagyu, and a Dog Café Disaster
We arrived in Tokyo via red-eye and crash-landed into the smallest hotel room ever designed. Think cruise ship cabin, but smaller. After some showers, naps, and a “hard pass” on an unfortunate dog café situation, we grilled up wagyu at a Korean BBQ spot and I treated myself to a quiet onsen soak. 📍 Read the full Day 15 recap here.
🌟 Day 16: Tokyo DisneySea Birthday Magic
For my birthday wish, Brett and I went to Tokyo DisneySea—just us! The park is stunning, immersive, and totally unlike any other Disney experience. We rode Japan-exclusive attractions, devoured curry popcorn and potato churros, and soaked in every magical moment. 📍 Read the full Day 16 recap here.
🍣 Day 17: Sushi School, Street Food, and Sumo Shenanigans
Lilly stayed back with a cold, but the rest of us dove into a sushi-making class near Tsukiji Market and feasted our way through the street food scene. Later, we visited Senso-ji Temple, redeemed our dog café experience, and ended the day laughing at a sumo wrestling show. A perfect mix of food, culture, and chaos. 📍 Read the full Day 17 recap here.
⚔️ Day 18: Samurai Training, Harajuku Snacks, and Izakaya Adventures
We kicked off the day with a full-on samurai training class (yes, there were fake battles), then ate our way down Takeshita Street. The day ended with a grown-up night of sake tasting and bar-hopping in Golden Gai—complete with Fireball-like habushu and unforgettable conversations with locals. 📍 Read the full Day 18 recap here.
🎨 Day 19: Digital Dreams, Skytree Views, and a Mom-and-Kids Day
Brett stayed back while I took the kids on an adventure to TeamLabs Borderless, Tokyo Skytree, and a wildly overpriced parfait café. We got lost, found art, skipped dinner quality for buffet joy, and ended the day in a Tokyo taxi that cost more than our lunch. No regrets. 📍 Read the full Day 19 recap here.
⚖️ Day 20: Hiroshima, Peace, and Persistent Deer
We started in Hiroshima at the Peace Memorial Park and Museum—a sobering, emotional experience we’ll never forget. Then we ferried to Miyajima Island for okonomiyaki, shrine visits, and encounters with adorable but shameless deer. Ended the night on a bullet train to Kyoto. 📍 Read the full Day 20 recap here.
🌳 Day 21: Bamboo Groves, Monkey Parks, and the Sleep of the Century
With the kids resting at the hotel, Brett and I explored Kyoto with a local guide. We wandered through Arashiyama’s bamboo grove, hiked to a monkey park, and devoured wagyu gyukatsu. That night, I hit the spa and promptly fell into the deepest sleep of my life. 📍 Read the full Day 21 recap here.
Coming Up Next…
Week 4 takes us through Osaka, Nara, and Seoul—our final stretch of this whirlwind journey. From ancient temples to bustling street markets, there’s still so much more to share.
As always, feel free to reach out with questions, travel dreams, or itinerary envy. I’m always happy to help plan your own epic adventure.
