Full family first trip to Japan after covid-19 pandemic

Back in July my two sons and I went to Japan.  That trip was anticipated since long time ago, but my wife m couldn't make it as she couldn't get time off of her work so she stayed, and kept 1-yr old daughter LM with her so that she wouldn't be alone. Now, m finally gets 2 weeks off. She was way passed the point of patience to visit Japan, and my side of parents who don't travel overseas have never met LM. So we decided to go again with such a short gap, this time with the entire family of 5. Yes it's not usual year at all. Blame pandemic.

Courtesy of some photos to aunt Y, uncle T & D.

Briefing the trip in FAQ-style.

Q. How was the experience for prepping and entering Japan?
A. Japanese government significantly relaxed the policy a month before our trip, most effectively resuming visa waiver program for the US citizen. Combined with their online, pre-registration system ("Fast Track") that takes great amount of effort while in the US, immigration process was fairly straight-forward. In fact we passed the custom within less than an hour after landing, even with 3 little kids!

Q. How was the trip from US to Japan, with infant?
A. Fortunately departure was past 4pm so night time for boys came early, and they slept well. What was awful was seating. We took 2 of 3-seat rows but the flight was almost fully booked, and in each row someone sat, so my wife and I ended up taking the middle seat, and while boys were asleep we couldn't really move as boys arms or legs were always on us. Direct flight is awesome in general, but I'm not so sure when I'm flying with little kids.

Q. Ground transport from Tokyo Haneda airport?
A. Caught a shuttle bus that was scheduled a little less than 3 hours after our landing, which we worried missing but we got in. It took 2 hours to m's side of parents. Actually all of us took a good nap. Worked fantastically.

On the way back to the airport, we took cars to the nearest shinkansen bullet train station (with a help of family staying in Japan), took shinkansen train to Tokyo station, then Uber to HND airport. With the same Uber app we use in the US, we grabbed a minivan in 10 minutes. Riding a train full-armored like you see in the pictures was the most challenge.

Q. Jet lag?
A. Horrible. First 3 or 4 days, boys woke up around 5am, and in the evening they collapsed before 7pm. Took almost a week for boys to fully adjust?

Q. Thanksgiving?
A. Yeah. November 23rd was a Japanese thanksgiving (for labor) holiday, which is one day earlier than the US version. m's parents celebrated TG with their special turkey recipe, inviting my side of of family, none of whom has ever experienced TG style turkey roast. My brother couldn't make it as his family got covid unfortunately.

Q. Other Japanese tradition?

A. When we talked about visiting Japan in November, I almost immediately suggested to celebrate "753" (shichi-go-san/七五三), which is typically held in November, for our first boy HG. Typically boys celebrate when they are 5, but pandemic pushed it back 2 years. It was originally my mother (our kids' grandma) who asked when HG was before even 3 years old if I was planning to hold one. Back then I think I wasn't ready to elaborate any event plan in Japan. This time I was motivated partly because HG would grow out of 753 age if we miss this year, but I guess I also got more experience as a parent so became ready to take on event planning.

As Christian, we participated in the celebration my parents hosted at a shinto shrine in Utsunomiya-shi (Futaara-san Jinja).

At the bottom of this long stairs there used to be a department store (Ueno / 上野百貨店) where my mother often took me and my sister over the weekend. The store is gone, but the shrine is still here, so is memory.

 

Online rental kimono worked well for LM

Little more about the background of the planning. I wanted to take this opportunity to make special memory for us, my side of family, particularly my parents who retired on schedule in early 2020. That unfortunately happened to be right after pandemic began. I'm sure they were planning to start something new had they were not restricted, but they were, along with the entire world. So they have been sort of trapped in their home, afraid of taking risks. Now, we traveled to them. Covid is under better better control. I wanted to use 753 to have us experience something extraordinary, so  I suggested all adults to wear kimono, traditional Japanese outfit, not just kids. It took a lot of encouragement to convince my old parents but thanks to my sister they agreed in the end. It took lots of lots of planning to realize that. My sister's Australian husband fit well too. My wife m insisted this time on not going traditional as LM is way too needy and is still breast fed.

Hope it was memorable and non-ordinary day for all of us. And the food afterward at ryōtei (traditional Japanese restaurant on tatami mat) was superb. Essence of Japanese cuisine that I dream of in my everyday dinner cooking (just essence in mind...Not even close to its level in any sense).

Q. Saw lot of friends?
A. NO. We thought these 3 little kids are too young to leave alone with grand parents. Only time I could get away from kids was when having haircut where we asked my parents and sister couple to watch kids.  We were able to see cousins family at onsen hotel close from their home.

LM finally saw grandma T.

Q. Feedback/Reflection of trip planning?
A. 2 weeks of vacation is long from work, but too short to spend time with 2 grand parents.

Q. Are you relaxed? Energized after trip?
A. Neither of those. One thing photographs can almost never capture is how active (and ill-behaving) children are... My wife and I got exhausted, but in a good, different way from daily life in Atlanta. Probably that's the case for any trip with the kids under 8 or so, I think.

All 3 kids LOVED hot spa style Japanese bathtub...One thing we miss in the US.

HG has learned shogi (Japanese chess) quickly from both of his grandpas.

 

 

LM with uncle D.

LM and HG with uncle T.

LM with aunt Y

Great grandma and LM had already met at aunty's wedding in the US. But this time they had a (just) little more relaxing time together hopefully. Need more time fore sure.