We Took Our Kids to teamLab Borderless in Tokyo, and Nobody Wanted to Leave
teamLab Borderless reopened in Azabudai Hills in 2024. Real photos from our own visit with all three kids, plus the discount code that applies to it.
The Clarksons2 min read
Can I Afford Japan?
Can we actually afford this trip?
A real, running answer, written from our own trips to Japan. Real photos, real prices, no guessing.
- 137
- posts published
- 18
- topics
- 5
- family members
Pick of the month
Latest posts
The most recent entries, newest first. Everything older waits in the archive.
Free Face-Cutout Board or 400-Yen Purikura: Two Ways to Get a Souvenir Photo
A free kao-hame face-cutout board in Osaka's Shinsekai versus the roughly 400-yen purikura booth we've already covered. Real photos, real history, side by side.
The Clarksons3 min read
The Sign Behind Cora's Fish Face in an Osaka Ramen Shop
A real, unplanned stop at a neighborhood Osaka ramen shop, no name, no receipt, just a kid's fish face and a sign about what's not in the broth. Real ramen ordering etiquette and current pricing.
The Clarksons5 min read
A Worldschool Popup Week in Tokyo: Free Every Day We Showed Up
Our first-ever Worldschool Pop-Up Hub experience was a full week in Tokyo, a different free park each day. What the week really looked like, and what it cost.
The Clarksons3 min read
Traveling to Japan in Rainy Season? Here's What a Real Evacuation Alert Looks Like
A week of rain in Fukuoka in July 2023 ended in a real hotel evacuation during a genuine regional emergency. What Japan's alert levels mean for travelers, and what to do.
The Clarksons2 min read
Plush Souvenirs From Japan: What They Cost and How They Get Home
Real plush souvenir photos from a Japan trip, Ginza to Osaka to Disney Sea, and the honest family habit that ends every trip: every stuffed animal gets its own airplane seat home.
The Clarksons3 min read
Why Does Round1 Hand Out Bowling Shoes From a Vending Machine?
A real Round1 visit for Harper's 4th birthday in Osaka turned up a real odd detail: bowling shoes dispensed from a size-labeled vending machine. How it works, and what the visit cost.
The Clarksons2 min read
What we keep coming back to
Tokyo, budget food, free attractions, transit, and day trips.
12 posts
Tokyo
What things cost across Tokyo's neighborhoods: Asakusa, Shibuya, Shinjuku, and the quieter corners in between.
Read this topic
9 posts
Osaka
Osaka on a budget: street food, day trips, and what a family actually spends there.
Read this topic
3 posts
Kyoto
Kyoto and the wider heritage circuit around it, like Uji: temples, gardens, and day trips priced honestly.
Read this topic
4 posts
Day Trips
Hakone, Nara, Yokohama, and the rest of the day trips out of the city: what it actually costs once transit and admission are added up.
Read this topic
2 posts
Fukuoka
Kyushu's biggest city: real prices from a slower, less-touristed stretch of Japan.
Read this topic
9 posts
Theme Parks
Tokyo Disney Resort and Universal Studios Japan: real ticket prices, the extras that add up, and whether the upgrades are worth it.
Read this topic
2 posts
teamLab
teamLab's immersive digital art museums across Japan: what the ticket costs and whether it's worth it with kids.
Read this topic
6 posts
Towers & Observation Decks
Tokyo Tower, Tsutenkaku, Shibuya Sky, and the other decks worth paying to go up, plus what's free at street level below them.
Read this topic
7 posts
Animals & Wildlife
Zoos, aquariums, and animal cafes: real ticket prices for the family's actual visits, otters included.
Read this topic
3 posts
Museums
Small museums worth the detour: what they actually charge, and what's inside for the price.
Read this topic
8 posts
Shopping
Character stores, retro tech, and what tax-free shopping actually saves: real receipts, not marketing copy.
Read this topic
17 posts
Free Attractions
Temples, shrines, viewpoints, and neighborhoods that cost nothing to visit, and are worth it anyway.
Read this topic
18 posts
Unexpected Costs
The costs nobody plans a trip around: an eye exam, a doctor's visit, the stuff that comes up anyway.
Read this topic
8 posts
Transit
Trains, passes, and IC cards: what actually gets you around Japan for the least money.
Read this topic
6 posts
Deals
Real discount codes and offers we actually use, with the exact terms, not a marketing summary.
Read this topic
18 posts
Budget Food
Where to eat well in Japan without spending like it's a special occasion: chains, counters, and convenience store finds.
Read this topic
4 posts
Hiroshima
Hiroshima and its real history, memorials, and the city's own seasonal events: what it actually costs to visit.
Read this topic
1 post
Kobe
A day trip out from Osaka or Kyoto: the real cost of the famous beef, and what else the city gets right.
Read this topic
Who writes here
One family, five people, more trips to Japan than we can count.
The Clarksons
Adam, Lindsay, and their three kids
Adam and Lindsay travel with their three kids, Lily, Cora, and Harper, and have been back to Japan more times than they can count. Every post here comes from a trip they actually took, with a real price attached.
137 posts