Dates are flexible. This day-by-day plan is provisional until you choose exact travel dates.
Keep the first day flexible around your flight, immigration, and check-in. If you arrive with enough daylight and the children are doing well, head to Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden for a low-key stroll through its lawns and landscaped gardens. Late March can be a lovely time to see blossoms, but flowering varies from year to year, so treat them as a bonus rather than a guarantee. Allow about 1–1½ hours, and take breaks rather than trying to cover the whole garden. Admission is around ¥500 for adults; check the garden’s current hours and entry arrangements for your travel day. A stroller is useful, though some paths are more comfortable with a carrier.
If the children still have energy, go on to the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building for its free observation decks; allow around 45 minutes, including time to get up and down. It’s a straightforward taxi ride or a longer walk from the garden. Otherwise, skip it without regret—an early hotel rest will make tomorrow more enjoyable.
For dinner, choose an Indian vegetarian restaurant near your hotel in Shinjuku, which should make it easier to get a proper meat-free meal than a typical alleyway stop. Ask staff to confirm that dishes are vegetarian and, if needed, contain no egg; Japanese broths and sauces can also include fish, so mention that clearly. Budget roughly ¥1,200–2,500 per adult, depending on what you order. Keep the evening simple and return to the hotel when the children are ready.
Head to Sensō-ji around 8:30–9:00 a.m. for a calmer visit; the grounds are open at all hours, while the main hall generally opens during the day. Keep the temple visit relaxed and let your five-year-old explore the spacious grounds at their own pace. Then wander along Nakamise-dori for souvenirs and a small snack. Many stalls open later in the morning, so don’t worry if everything isn’t open on arrival.
Walk about 15–20 minutes to Kappabashi Kitchenware Street. Give yourselves around 45 minutes rather than trying to cover the whole street; shop hours vary, and some stores may be closed on particular days. It’s an easy place to browse, though keep little hands away from shelves of breakable ceramics and knives.
From Kappabashi, walk or take a short taxi or transit ride to Ueno Park. Allow time for a stroller-friendly stroll and a snack or rest stop. Late March is a promising time to see sakura in Tokyo, but bloom dates shift each year, and a late or early season is possible. Check a current blossom forecast closer to the trip and enjoy the park whether or not the trees are at peak bloom. Keep the visit flexible around the baby’s nap and feeding needs.
Finish around Ameyoko Shopping Street, near Ueno and Okachimachi stations. The market is lively and crowded, so keep the children close and consider using a carrier for the baby if the stroller feels cumbersome. For a filling meal, look for an Indian restaurant in the Ueno area and confirm directly that the dishes you order are vegetarian, with no meat, fish, or meat-based stock; availability and opening hours can change. Budget roughly ¥1,500–3,500 per adult for a casual meal. If the children are tired, skip the market browsing and head straight to dinner or back to your accommodation.
Take the morning slowly at Meiji Jingu. Its broad paths are a welcome break from busy Tokyo streets, though they’re long enough that a carrier may be easier than a stroller in some areas. The shrine grounds are free to enter; allow around 1–1½ hours, and bring snacks and a drink for the five-year-old.
Continue to Takeshita Street for a little browsing and a treat. It can get crowded, so keep the children close and don’t feel you need to cover the whole street. Many shops open around 11 a.m.; allow about ¥800–1,500 per person for a snack. For lunch, choose an Indian vegetarian restaurant in the Harajuku–Aoyama area, checking current hours and confirming that every dish is vegetarian when you order. A full meal will often be roughly ¥1,500–3,000 per adult.
Head to Nezu Museum by taxi or a roughly 20-minute walk, depending on everyone’s energy. The collection offers a quieter cultural stop, and the garden is a lovely place to unwind if it’s accessible on the day. Allow around 1½ hours rather than trying to see everything. The museum is generally closed Mondays, so check its calendar before you go; admission costs vary by exhibition.
Late March can bring cherry blossoms to Tokyo, but timing varies by year and even by neighborhood. Treat any blossoms you spot along the way as a bonus rather than planning the day around a guaranteed full bloom.
From the museum, take a short taxi ride or walk toward Omotesando and continue to Shibuya; with two young children, a taxi can be worth it if nap time or tired legs are setting in. Spend some time at Shibuya Scramble Crossing, then browse nearby shops at a pace that suits the children. Choose a sit-down Indian vegetarian dinner nearby—confirm vegetarian ingredients, including stock and sauces, and ask for a high chair or space for a stroller when booking or arriving. Budget roughly ¥1,500–3,000 per adult for a full meal. Skip Shibuya Sky today: a timed sunset visit can make for a long, tiring finish with a baby and a young child.
After arriving from Tokyo, leave your luggage at your ryokan if it can hold bags before check-in; otherwise use station lockers. Keep the first stop gentle: stroll around Hakone-Yumoto, follow the river, and browse the local shops for crafts and snacks. With a baby and a five-year-old, there’s no need to cover much ground.
Vegetarian food can be tricky in Hakone because soba broth and other seemingly meat-free dishes may contain fish stock. Ask your ryokan ahead of time to arrange a fully vegetarian meal, and confirm that this includes no fish or fish-based dashi. For lunch, check directly with a nearby restaurant before ordering; if they can’t confirm, a packed meal or a suitable supermarket/convenience-store option is the safer fallback. Allow roughly ¥800–1,500 per person for a simple lunch, depending on what’s available.
If the children are coping well, take the Hakone Tozan train from Hakone-Yumoto to Chōkoku-no-Mori Station, then walk a few minutes to the Hakone Open-Air Museum. Plan around 1.5–2 hours rather than trying to see everything; the mix of outdoor sculpture and indoor galleries makes it easy to take breaks. Admission is roughly ¥2,000 per adult, with child rates and current details worth checking before you go. A baby carrier can be easier than a stroller on some paths.
Head back to your ryokan in time for its check-in and dinner schedule. Ask about a private or family-friendly bathing option if that would make the onsen more comfortable with the children, and follow the ryokan’s bathing guidance. I’d leave Ōwakudani for another day: adding the cable car and ropeway after the museum makes this a long outing for little ones, and ropeway service can be affected by weather or operating conditions.
Once you’ve checked in and had a little time to regroup after the transfer, head to Nishiki Market for a gentle browse rather than a full meal. The covered lanes are lively and can be crowded, so keep the visit to about an hour; a carrier may be easier than a stroller in the busiest sections. Market specialties often include fish, meat, or dashi, so check ingredients carefully and don’t assume a dish is vegetarian. Save your proper meal for a restaurant where you can confirm what’s in the food.
At the eastern end of the market, take a short break at Nishiki Tenmangu Shrine. Then wander through Shijo-Kawaramachi, where department stores offer shopping, toilets, and somewhere warm to sit if the baby needs a feed or your five-year-old needs a rest. Kyoto’s late-March blossoms are a lovely possibility, but timing varies year to year; treat any flowers you spot as a bonus rather than a certainty.
Choose an Indian vegetarian dinner in the Shijo-Kawaramachi area, checking opening times and vegetarian preparation when you arrive or call ahead. For a full meal, budget roughly ¥1,500–3,000 per adult; children’s portions and prices vary. This keeps the evening simple after travel and gives you a dependable vegetarian option without adding another cross-city trip. Head back to your accommodation when the children are ready rather than stretching the night.
Head to Kiyomizu-dera early, before the lanes get crowded. Allow about 1–1.5 hours; admission is usually around ¥500. Late March can bring cherry blossoms to Kyoto, but the timing shifts from year to year, so treat them as a lovely possibility rather than a guarantee. The approach has slopes and steps, so a baby carrier is more practical than a stroller here; take breaks and keep the visit flexible for your five-year-old.
From the temple, wander downhill along Sannenzaka, where traditional buildings house craft, sweet, and souvenir shops. Some stretches are steep and can be busy, so there’s no need to cover every lane. Leave room for snack stops and browsing; many shops open later in the morning.
For a full meal, choose an Indian vegetarian restaurant in the Gion or central Kyoto area. Budget roughly ¥1,000–2,000 per adult for a casual lunch, with children’s portions and prices varying. Check the day’s opening hours before setting out, and confirm that dishes are fully vegetarian—including stocks, sauces, and any shared cooking surfaces if that matters to your family. You can still sample local flavors along the way with a clearly labeled vegetarian sweet or snack.
Continue to Kōdai-ji for its gardens and temple atmosphere; allow about an hour, with admission typically around ¥600. Then walk toward Maruyama Park and Yasaka Shrine. The park is a pleasant place to pause if blossoms are out, while the shrine grounds are free to visit. Expect seasonal crowds if the trees are flowering; keep the route loose, and head back whenever the baby needs a feed, nap, or quiet break.
Keep this as a gentle Arashiyama day rather than adding a cross-city trip to Kinkaku-ji. Take the JR Sagano Line from Kyoto Station to Saga-Arashiyama, then walk about 10 minutes to Arashiyama Bamboo Grove. Go early for a shorter, calmer walk; the paths can be crowded and are not especially smooth for a stroller, so a baby carrier may be easier. Continue to Tenryu-ji, where the garden gives you a pleasant place to pause without needing to cover the whole temple complex. Admission is generally around ¥500 for the garden; check current details before you go.
Walk toward Togetsukyo Bridge and take a relaxed look along the river. Cherry blossoms are a seasonal bonus, not a guarantee: bloom timing varies each year, and late March can be early or right on time depending on conditions. If the trees are not in bloom, the river-and-mountain scenery is still lovely. The nearby streets have plenty of opportunities to browse, but can be busy, so take turns shopping if one adult needs to stay with the children.
For a fully vegetarian traditional meal, Shigetsu serves shojin-ryori within Tenryu-ji. Expect roughly ¥3,000–6,000 per adult depending on the meal; confirm current menus, prices, and reservation arrangements in advance. Tell the restaurant clearly that vegetarian food is essential, and ask about suitable portions or simpler options for the children. If you prefer Indian food for a full meal, plan that for another meal in central Kyoto and confirm directly that the dishes are vegetarian and contain no meat or fish stock.
Spend an unhurried hour on Arashiyama’s main shopping streets: look for Kyoto sweets, fans, small craft items, and easy snacks, while keeping some time for a sit-down break. The area is walkable, but crowds and uneven paving can make a stroller cumbersome; use a carrier for the busiest sections and avoid trying to fit in too many shops. Return to your accommodation when the children are tiring rather than adding another major sight.
Once you reach Namba, check whether your lodging can hold your bags; if not, use station lockers before heading to Kuromon Ichiba Market. It’s fun for the bustle, displays, and local food culture, but market stalls may use shared grills or hidden fish-based ingredients, so treat this as a browse rather than a dependable vegetarian meal. Give yourselves about an hour, and keep the visit flexible if the children need a break.
Walk to Hozenji Yokocho and Hozenji Temple for a compact glimpse of old Osaka among the busier streets. The stone lane can be uneven for a stroller, so a carrier may be easier for this short stretch. Then head toward Shinsaibashi-suji Shopping Street, a covered arcade where you can browse at your own pace; it’s handy if the weather turns or the baby needs a sheltered place to feed.
For a proper meal, choose an Indian restaurant around Namba or Shinsaibashi and ask clearly for vegetarian food with no meat, fish, or animal stock. This is the safer option for a filling meal with the children; allow roughly ¥1,500–3,000 per adult, depending on what you order. If you prefer a fully plant-based menu, Paprika Shokudo Vegan in Shinsaibashi is another option, though it isn’t Indian cuisine. Check current opening times and menu details before setting out.
Finish with a short look at the Dotonbori canal rather than trying to cover the whole district—the lights and signboards are plenty for a first evening, and crowds can be tiring with young children. Keep dinner early if you can, and head back when the kids have had enough.
Take the morning gently at Osaka Castle Park. Late March can bring cherry blossoms, but the timing varies year to year, so treat them as a hopeful bonus rather than a guarantee. The expansive grounds are free to explore; you can admire the castle exterior and blossom areas without committing to the museum. Paths are manageable with a stroller, though some can be busy or uneven, so a carrier may help in crowded spots.
From the park, allow roughly 25–35 minutes by subway or taxi to Shinsaibashi-suji Shopping Street. Browse a section rather than trying to cover the whole arcade, and leave time for a snack or rest stop. It’s covered, which is handy if the weather turns, and there are plenty of places to sit along the way.
For lunch, choose an Indian vegetarian restaurant around Shinsaibashi or Namba; allow about ¥1,000–2,000 per adult for a casual meal, with children’s portions and prices varying. Confirm that dishes are fully vegetarian, including stocks and sauces, and mention any egg or dairy preferences. This gives the family a substantial meal without having to rely on festival or street-food stalls for vegetarian options.
Continue to Dotonbori, a short walk or one subway stop from Shinsaibashi, and enjoy the canal-side bustle without needing a packed schedule. Osaka specialties such as takoyaki and okonomiyaki often contain fish-based broth or other non-vegetarian ingredients, so check carefully rather than assuming they’re vegetarian; a drink or sweet treat can be an easy local-style stop instead. Keep the afternoon flexible for the baby’s nap and the five-year-old’s energy, then head back to your accommodation when the family is ready.
Keep the morning flexible around your flight and the children’s pace. If you have a comfortable amount of time, visit Namba Yasaka Shrine for about 30 minutes; the lion-head stage is the main attraction, and the compact grounds make this an easier stop with a five-year-old and a baby than a long sightseeing walk. Cherry blossoms depend on the season’s progress, so treat any flowers you see as a bonus rather than a sure thing. Keep your luggage at your accommodation or use station lockers if practical.
From the shrine, take a short taxi ride or allow roughly 20 minutes to walk to Namba Parks. Its rooftop gardens offer a calmer pause from the busy streets, with room for the older child to wander while you take a break with the baby. Shop opening times vary, so make the gardens the main reason to stop and don’t build the morning around browsing. For a substantial meal, look for an Indian restaurant or another clearly vegetarian-friendly option near your lodging or at the airport; allow roughly ¥1,000–2,000 per adult for a casual meal, and confirm that dishes are vegetarian, not just meat-free by appearance. A quick coffee or snack is an optional extra, not a necessary stop.
From Namba Parks, follow signs to Nankai Namba Station and take the Nankai Airport Express or reserved-seat Rapi:t to Kansai International Airport. The ride takes about 35–50 minutes; the Rapi:t costs more but gives you reserved seats, which can be helpful with children and bags. Allow extra time to reach the platform, manage a stroller and luggage, and complete airport check-in and security. If the flight is early or you need a generous airport buffer, skip the shrine and gardens and head straight to the airport.
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