17–24 October 2026 · Amu, Murali & Tara
Four nights at Niwa Tokyo. Three at THE THOUSAND KYOTO. Science, sumo, DisneySea, Planets, DRUM TAO, Nara and Arashiyama—with time to shop and eat well.
Booking check · 23 September
The hotel dates match Plan 5 exactly, with no gap or overlap. Niwa’s three-adult rate and Kyoto’s room-only rate are intentional choices.
17 → 21 October
Deluxe Triple · non-smoking
Two single beds plus an extra bed. The three-adult rate secured this room for the family.
A practical Suidobashi base for the Science Museum and a direct JR Sobu-line journey toward Ryogoku. Allow extra time for Toyosu and DisneySea.
Hotel & access21 → 24 October
Superior Super King with Extra Bed
King bed plus sofa/extra bed; two adults and a six-year-old are recorded.
Beside Kyoto Station: convenient for Nara, Arashiyama and the 09:30 return train. Noon early check-in was declined; the hotel will store your bags.
Hotel & accessAt THE THOUSAND, choose SCALAE’s semi-buffet. Its explicitly marked vegetarian mains include rice-flour pancakes, avocado toast and a vegetable burger. Omelette and French toast are also listed; confirm their accompaniments. Check the official menu for current breakfast prices and the child policy. Breakfast starts at 07:00, which works for the 24 October train. Ask for no meat/fish toppings, and check soup stocks and buffet labels. Current breakfast menu ↗
Confirmed stays: Hotel Niwa Tokyo and THE THOUSAND KYOTO cover seven consecutive nights. Retain the booked room types and third sleeping places.
Old visa bookings: cancelled, as confirmed by you on 23 September. Karaksa Tokyo Yaesu and THE BLOSSOM KYOTO are no longer part of the trip; no action remains.
Booking references, payment details and cancellation terms remain in the private records.
Three 1-Day Passports: two adults and one child. The 24 September confirmation email matches our planned date and park. App installed, signed in and all three tickets visible, as confirmed by Murali. Display the tickets in the app before entry; ride access and mobile-order meals are arranged separately. My Disney booking ↗
Three standard seats: two adults and one child aged 0–12. Meals are included. The published morning session runs 11:00–13:00. Both pages of the 24 September Drive PDF were reviewed and the entry QR is present. Keep that private PDF offline for entry. The dietary request is recorded; confirm the menu and allergy arrangements with the venue. Personal references and the QR remain in your private records. Venue, menu policy & contact ↗
Entrance Passes for two adults and one child at Toyosu. The time is the admission window, not the duration of the visit; queues may delay entry. The six-page Drive PDF confirms all three passes but shows a QR placeholder. Open the private My Ticket page after 00:00 JST on 20 October to display or print the entry QR. One group QR admits all three together. Official QR and admission help ↗
Three Premium ticket-only seats, confirmed on 18 October. Premium entry opens at 17:45; target arrival around 18:00 after an early dinner. The approximately 40-minute performance is at Avanti Building, 9F, across from Kyoto Station’s Hachijo Exit. No dinner package is included, and the 21:00 YUME show requires a separate ticket. Open each person’s lessQ QR from the private confirmation email; one adult can display all three in sequence. Bring ID if requested. The order reference, exact seats and admission links stay in the private email. Theater & ticket guidance ↗
Same day, local times. Arrival transfer to Niwa still to arrange.
Green Car · oversized-baggage-area reservation. Arrive at Tokyo Station around 09:15.
Green Car · oversized-baggage-area seats confirmed for two adults and one child on 24 September. Store oversized bags behind your seats. Confirmation saved in Travel → Japan → Train Tickets.
Bangalore arrival Sun 25. Target Narita T2 by 14:30; airport train still unbooked.
The remaining reservations
SUMOLAND, Planets, DisneySea and both Shinkansen journeys are confirmed. DRUM TAO was booked on 18 October for the 21 October evening; prepare its three individual entry codes. DisneySea app setup is complete. Narita Express seats still need booking; SUMOLAND’s requested meal needs venue confirmation, and the Planets QR becomes available on the visit day.
Before the show
Wednesday 21 October at 19:00 JST: three Premium seats for HIBIKI, paid in full. Use the private 18 October confirmation email to open all three individual lessQ QR codes; one representative can display them in sequence. The ticket-receipt status can remain incomplete until admission, which does not mean payment failed. Bring ID if requested. Premium doors open at 17:45; target arrival around 18:00 after an early dinner. No dinner package was purchased. Seats, the order number and admission links remain in the private confirmation.
Theater ticket & entry guidanceConfirm meal arrangements
Sunday 18 October at 11:00 is paid for two adults and one child. The booking records vegetarian food (eggs and dairy okay) and an allergy, but it is not a separate venue assurance about the meal. Ask SUMOLAND to confirm animal-free broth, sauces and toppings for all three and the recorded allergy precautions. The official vegan policy uses separate utensils; it does not by itself establish that the allergy can be accommodated. Save the private Drive PDF offline: its entry QR is present. The confirmation states no refund on the booking date; consult the original terms for any earlier cancellation.
Venue menu policy & contactVisit-day preparation
Two adults and one child have Entrance Passes for Tuesday 20 October, 11:00–11:30 JST. Bookmark the private My Ticket URL in the Drive PDF or purchase email. The QR appears after 00:00 JST on 20 October; the PDF saved in September has only a placeholder and cannot be used as the entry QR. One group QR can admit all three together. Display or print it on the day. The ticket page shows three date/time changes remaining; no booking change is needed for this plan. Bring spare clothes and a charged phone.
Official QR and admission helpBook now
NOZOMI 116 is confirmed: Kyoto 09:30 → Tokyo 11:45 on 24 October, with Green Car oversized-baggage-area seats for all three. Narita Express is the chosen onward airport train; its seats are still unbooked. Narita Express reservations for 24 October open on 24 September at 10:00 JST (06:30 IST). Choose a departure at or after 12:25, allowing at least 40 minutes at Tokyo, and aim to reach Narita Terminal 2 by 14:30. Verify the actual timetable before buying.
Narita Express ticketsArrange before travel
Niwa’s three-adult triple rate is intentional and includes breakfast. At THE THOUSAND, add breakfast at the hotel as planned and have the sofa/extra bed prepared for Tara. Confirm the payable add-ons and local taxes. Choose the Narita → Niwa transfer after allowing immigration and baggage time; avoid a tightly timed non-changeable arrival service.
THE THOUSAND official siteReserve a meal
Target 12:30 on 23 October for two adults and Tara, age six. Select the Vegan Set Meal at ¥3,300 per full set and confirm Tara’s meal, seating and dietary needs. TableCheck requires a card guarantee; payment is at the restaurant. Cancellation fees are 30% two days before, 50% the previous day and 100% on the day. If unavailable, contact Ermine’s Kitchen before relying on it: daily meals are limited. Nara lunch also benefits from a reservation.
Reserve Yoshiya’s vegan lunchBefore departure
Request VLML (eggs/dairy allowed) or VGML for all three on both JAL flights, at least 25 hours before departure online; keep a suitable packed backup. A standard child meal is not a vegetarian request. Confirm passports/visas, travel insurance, connectivity and a child transport card. Save offline tickets. For the return Shinkansen, designate each traveller’s IC card in SmartEX or download/print their QR-Ticket; the confirmation email is not a boarding ticket. Ask both hotels about luggage-forwarding deadlines and airport delivery before relying on it. Kitanomaru, Tōdai-ji and Monkey Park can stay flexible; check their day notices.
JAL special mealsOur chosen itinerary
All times in Japan are JST unless marked otherwise. Each day shows the hotel departure, transfers and expected return. Local journeys compare public transport and taxi allowances, including normal walks and waits. Walking-only stretches are identified. These are planning estimates; traffic and queues can add time. The two intercity legs use the booked Shinkansen, and the airport connection uses Narita Express. Meal alternatives are choices, not extra stops; Sunday lunch is included with SUMOLAND.
Sat 17 Oct · Arrival · Tokyo
Both times are local. Lunch falls during the flight; request the vegetarian meal in advance.
Allow immigration, baggage and roughly 90–120 minutes for the airport-to-hotel journey, depending on the service. Arrival transfer still needs choosing.
No sightseeing commitment after the overnight flight. Pick dinner according to energy and arrival time.
Niwa check-in starts at 15:00. The overnight flight is the reason to keep this day light.
JL754 is in flight until Narita 14:35. Choose one special meal per passenger ahead of time; these are genuine onboard choices, not three Tokyo lunch restaurants. Carry an ingredient-checked snack. If still hungry after immigration, T’s Tantan T2 or N’s Court is landside.
JAL special meals / deadlines ↗Aim for an easy 18:00–19:30 meal after Niwa check-in, depending on immigration and traffic. Komaki is the closest practical all-vegan Japanese choice on the JR Chuo-Sobu route; VEGE HERB SAGA offers familiar Indian dishes. T’s Tokyo is a station alternative if the airport transfer passes Tokyo Station. None is walk-next-door to Niwa; use a short taxi if Tara is tired. Avoid a non-refundable first-night booking.
Arrival day · JL754 lands at Narita at 14:35 JST
Immigration, baggage and customs come before the hotel transfer. Allow longer if queues are slow.
Planning route: Narita Express to Tokyo, then a taxi to Niwa. The train ride is about an hour; allow train waits, the station exit and 15–25 minutes for the taxi. Allow 100–130 minutes overall if continuing from Tokyo to Niwa by JR via Ochanomizu instead of the final taxi. The arrival service is still to choose.
Akihabara, Okachimachi or Tokyo Station, depending on the restaurant. Eat at Tokyo Station before the final taxi if convenient; do not travel back there solely for dinner after a tiring arrival.
Niwa arrival roughly 17:15–18:45; back after dinner around 19:30–21:00, depending on immigration and arrival. Eat en route to Niwa if a second outing would be too late.
Choose dinner around 18:00–19:30 after check-in, adjusted to the actual arrival. Allow 45–60 minutes to eat. If delayed, simplify dinner and go straight to bed.
Sun 18 Oct · Ryogoku → Kitanomaru
Enjoy breakfast at the hotel. Allow 30–45 minutes by JR and on foot to SUMOLAND Signature; aim to arrive around 10:30–10:40 for the booked 11:00 start.
Three standard seats are confirmed for two adults and one child. The booking records the vegetarian request and an allergy. Get the venue to confirm the menu and allergy arrangements before relying on the included lunch. The entry QR is in the private Drive PDF.
Allow a short break plus a taxi to the Science Museum. The show includes lunch; a separate meal is a fallback only and will shorten the museum visit.
Start with hands-on FOREST and follow Tara’s curiosity. Published hours are 09:30–16:50, last admission 16:00. Shorten or skip this flexible visit if she is tired.
Return to Niwa after the museum, then choose one early dinner. Aim to be back for the night by 18:45–19:00 before the early DisneySea departure.
The 11:00 booking replaces the old afternoon target. Children can volunteer, but participation cannot be reserved or guaranteed. The QR is present; meal suitability still needs venue confirmation. All arrival and finish buffers are estimates.
The morning booking includes the planned lunch, so there is no separate 12:15 restaurant reservation. Confirm vegetarian broth, sauces and toppings and the recorded allergy arrangements with the venue. Have breakfast at Niwa. If a separate lunch is necessary, use one fallback after the show and shorten or skip the Science Museum rather than delaying food for Tara. Outside food needs the venue’s permission; do not assume it can be eaten inside.
SUMOLAND meal and venue policy ↗After the afternoon Science Museum and a rest at Niwa, choose an early dinner around 17:30–18:15 in Akihabara, Okachimachi or Tokyo Station. Allow 15–30 minutes each way by taxi from Niwa and aim to be back by 18:45–19:00. The included sumo meal is lunch; choose dinner portions according to appetite.
Leave Niwa at 09:45 after breakfast; either rail or taxi fits the 11:00 booking
Walk to JR Suidobashi, take the eastbound Chuo-Sobu local train directly to Ryogoku, then walk from the East Exit. Aim to be nearby by 10:30–10:40 for the booked 11:00 start; this is our arrival buffer, not a published doors-open time.
After the approximately 13:00 finish, allow a toilet/rest break and a 25–40 minute taxi allowance. Aim to begin the museum around 14:00. Extra lunch time comes out of the museum visit.
Finish around 16:00. Take the taxi if Tara is tired; the walk is optional. Skip or shorten the museum if the morning has been enough.
Choose one Akihabara, Okachimachi or Tokyo Station restaurant. Leave around 17:00–17:15, eat around 17:30–18:15, and keep the evening free before DisneySea.
Back at Niwa around 16:20–16:40 for a rest; final return after dinner by 18:45–19:00.
The 11:00–13:00 show includes the planned lunch, subject to the venue confirming the requested menu and allergy arrangements. If a separate lunch is needed, allow 20–40 minutes by public transport or 15–30 minutes by taxi from Ryogoku to Akihabara/Tokyo Station, 30–60 minutes to eat, then 30–45 minutes by transit/walking or 20–30 minutes by taxi to the museum; shorten or skip the museum. Do not add a second lunch by default.
Mon 19 Oct · Tokyo DisneySea
Allow about 75–90 minutes from Niwa to the park entrance by rail, including Tokyo Station’s long Keiyo-line transfer and the Resort Line. A taxi is an optional comfort choice.
All three 1-Day Passports are booked for 19 October. The app is installed, signed in and showing the tickets. Have them displayed before entry. Choose rides by Tara’s height and comfort; park admission does not reserve individual attractions.
Published hours are 09:00–21:00. Our family-paced target is dinner around 17:00 and departure around 18:00, reaching Niwa around 19:15–19:45. Stay later only if everyone has energy. Choose meals by where you are in the park and check mobile-order slots promptly after entry.
Casbah Food Court is closed 13–22 October, so it is excluded from our meal choices. No dinner reservation across Tokyo after the park.
Choose the option nearest the morning rides; target 11:00–11:30 or after the peak. Snuggly requires mobile order. Yucatan supplies the curry option. Casbah Food Court is CLOSED 13–22 October 2026, so its otherwise suitable vegetable curry cannot be used on this visit.
Eat around 17:00–17:45 while still inside DisneySea; do not depend on late restaurant hours. Zambini is particularly practical near the harbour when heading towards the exit. All three offer an officially identified plant-based main; ask a cast member about the vegetable stew if Tara needs a simpler meal.
Leave Niwa at 06:30 by rail, or 06:45–07:00 by taxi, with portable breakfast
JR Suidobashi → Ochanomizu → Tokyo, then JR Keiyo/Musashino to Maihama and the Disney Resort Line to Tokyo DisneySea. Allow the long Tokyo Station transfer, Resort Line waits and walking to the entrance. Target 07:45–08:00 arrival.
The exact distance depends on the rides chosen in the app. Crossing the park may take longer in crowds. Eat near the current port and allow separate time for queues and seated breaks.
Reverse the Resort Line and JR route. The upper end allows for evening crowds and missed connections. Eat inside the park before leaving, with no restaurant detour across Tokyo.
Leave DisneySea around 18:00 → Niwa around 19:15–19:45 by rail, or 18:45–19:15 by taxi. Staying until 21:00 means roughly 22:15–22:45 back by rail.
Early dinner around 17:00–17:45 supports the 18:00 departure. Allow 20–30 minutes from the far side of the park to the exit; shorten the day further whenever Tara needs it.
Tue 20 Oct · Toyosu → Ginza
Leave Niwa at 09:30 by public transport or around 10:00 by taxi. Entrance Passes are confirmed for two adults and one child. Aim to be nearby at 10:40–10:45, then join the queue at 11:00. The half-hour slot is for admission, not the visit duration. Allow around three hours inside; queues can add time, so keep the afternoon flexible. Bring spare clothes for Tara, wear clothes suitable for water and mirrored floors, and follow the age/height restrictions on individual activities.
Have a substantial hotel breakfast and a snack before entry. UZU is the simplest lunch before exiting; finish the art earlier if Tara is hungry. A long admission queue can push lunch and shopping later. Allow 30–45 minutes by public transport or 20–30 minutes by taxi onward to Ginza.
The later booked entry moves shopping later. Keep about two flexible hours, shortened if Planets or lunch runs long. Let Tara choose a stop. Dinner around 17:45–18:45, then Niwa around 19:15–19:45 for packing.
The saved Planets PDF confirms the booking but has no entry QR yet. Open the private My Ticket page after 00:00 JST on 20 October to display or print it. Planets is our chosen teamLab venue. The Glass House tea/sake experience excludes children 12 and under; it is not a family meal option.
The booked Planets entry is 11:00–11:30. Have a substantial breakfast and a snack before entry, then target UZU around 14:00–14:45 before exiting the ticketed venue. Shorten the art visit if Tara is hungry; do not postpone food just to finish every exhibit. If everyone prefers a Ginza lunch, allow 30–45 minutes by public transport or 20–30 minutes by taxi after Planets and eat around 14:30–15:15 at KOMEDA is or AIN SOPH. Check last orders and avoid a tight prepaid lunch reservation. Admission queues can push the afternoon later.
After the revised Ginza shopping block ends around 17:30, choose dinner around 17:45–18:45 at AIN SOPH or KOMEDA is, or Soranoiro at Tokyo Station on the return route. Allow 30–45 minutes by rail or 20–35 minutes by taxi back to Niwa, aiming for 19:15–19:45 with time to pack for the 10:00 Kyoto train.
Leave Niwa at 09:30 by public transport, or around 10:00 by taxi, for booked 11:00–11:30 entry
JR Suidobashi → Iidabashi, then the Yurakucho Line to Toyosu and a 10–15 minute walk to Planets. Station transfers and waits are included. Target 10:40–10:45 nearby, then join the admission queue at 11:00 within the booked 11:00–11:30 window. Queues may add 30–60 minutes before entry.
Walk back to Toyosu and take the Yurakucho Line to Ginza-itchome, then walk to the chosen shop or restaurant. Eat at UZU before exiting if selected. Leave Toyosu around 14:45 for shopping from roughly 15:30. A long admission queue or lunch wait shortens shopping.
AIN SOPH and KOMEDA is are on the Higashi-Ginza side. Soranoiro at Tokyo Station adds about 20–30 minutes by foot/transit from Ginza; choose one dinner stop.
From Ginza, use the Marunouchi Line to Ochanomizu, then JR to Suidobashi. From Tokyo Station, JR via Ochanomizu also works. The taxi range allows for central-city traffic.
Ginza finish at 17:30 → Niwa around 18:00–18:15 if returning directly; after dinner, around 19:15–19:45.
Have breakfast at Niwa and a snack before entry. Target lunch around 14:00–14:45 at UZU before exiting; shorten the art visit if Tara is hungry. An alternative lunch in Higashi-Ginza is later, around 14:30–15:15, so use it only if everyone is comfortable. Dinner around 17:45–18:45 leaves packing time. The booked slot is admission only; allow around three hours inside, with less shopping if queues run long.
Wed 21 Oct · Tokyo → Kyoto · DRUM TAO
Green Car and oversized-baggage-area reservation are confirmed. Eat breakfast at Niwa and buy train snacks before reaching the platform.
Leave luggage at THE THOUSAND and eat near Kyoto Station. Aim to leave for Kiyomizu by 13:30. The room is available from 15:00; noon early check-in was declined. A delayed train or lunch means less sightseeing, not a rushed theater evening.
Allow about 45 minutes at the temple, then a brief Sannenzaka / Ninenzaka stroll. Leave Higashiyama by 15:30 for the hotel. Drop the extended Gion walk and shopping today. If arrival or lunch runs late, shorten the lanes or skip sightseeing and check in from 15:00.
Return before dinner, collect the bags and settle into the room. Keep at least a short seated break for Tara after the train and walking; leave luggage at the hotel for the theater.
UNO RAMEN on the station’s 10F is the simplest vegan dinner. Leave the hotel around 16:30–16:35. Finish by 17:30, then cross to the Hachijo side for Avanti. The booked Premium tickets have no dinner package; do not rely on theater snacks as a vegetarian meal.
Avanti Building, 9F, across from Kyoto Station’s Hachijo Exit. Allow 20–30 minutes from the station restaurant including walks and the theater lift. The confirmation gives Premium admission from 17:45; our 18:00 target leaves time for the benefits and settling in before the show.
The 18 October confirmation records three Premium ticket-only seats. This is the first show, HIBIKI; the separately ticketed 21:00 YUME show is not booked. Allow until around 20:00 to exit, then walk back to the hotel by roughly 20:15–20:30.
All times are JST. The show booking is fixed; sightseeing and transfer times are estimates. Open all three individual lessQ entry codes from the private confirmation email; one adult can display them in sequence. Bring ID if requested. Tickets are final sale. No Fushimi Inari or downtown dinner detour; CHOICE and mumokuteki normally close Wednesdays.
After the 12:15 Kyoto arrival, drop luggage at THE THOUSAND and eat promptly. UNO Station is the quickest route; Veg Out adds a 15–20 minute walk and works only if seated promptly. Aim to leave for Kiyomizu by 13:30. If lunch runs late, shorten or skip sightseeing to preserve hotel rest and the booked 19:00 HIBIKI show. No Gion lunch detour today.
Target 16:45–17:30 at UNO Kyoto Station (10F, Kyoto Ramen Koji), after hotel check-in and a short rest. Open continuously 11:00–22:00; confirm dietary details as usual. This is a planned walk-in meal, not a reservation. Allow 20–30 minutes afterward to Avanti 9F, aiming for theater arrival around 18:00; Premium entry opens at 17:45 and HIBIKI starts at 19:00. The booking has no dinner package. If the queue is long, use the pre-show leisure buffer for dinner and go directly to the theater; do not detour to Gion or Sanjo.
UNO branch hours ↗DRUM TAO access ↗Check out and leave Niwa at 08:20–08:25 by rail, or 08:30 by taxi
Taxi is simplest with luggage. Allow roughly 15–25 minutes on the road plus 15–20 minutes to locate the Shinkansen gates/platform. Target 09:15 at the station for the confirmed 10:00 train.
NOZOMI 251 is booked for 10:00–12:15. The hotel is about two minutes from Kyoto Station’s central exit; getting off the train, through the station and leaving bags takes longer. Rooms are available from 15:00.
Aim to leave around 13:30 for a 14:15 temple visit. Taxi is the simplest choice for this shortened afternoon, though traffic can add time. If running late, shorten or skip the sightseeing rather than consume hotel rest or the show buffer.
After about 45 minutes at the temple, enjoy a short lane walk. Be ready to leave Higashiyama by 15:30. The extended Gion stroll is removed from today’s plan.
Target the hotel around 16:00–16:30, with time to check in and rest before dinner. If the transfer is running late, keep dinner near the station and shorten the pre-show leisure time; the show starts at 19:00.
Leave around 16:30–16:35 for dinner at 16:45. This branch serves continuously from 11:00 to 22:00, with last order at 21:30. Aim to finish by 17:30; a queue uses the flexible pre-show time.
Avanti is opposite the Hachijo Exit and linked by an underground passage. Address: 31 Higashikujo Nishisannocho, Minami-ku, Kyoto. Premium entry opens at 17:45 according to the booking email; target around 18:00 and allow for crowded elevators before the 19:00 HIBIKI show.
The performance is approximately 40 minutes. Budget until around 20:00 for the theater exit and lifts, then return directly; expect the hotel around 20:15–20:30. Do not stay for the separate 21:00 YUME show.
Bag drop around 12:30–12:45; return for check-in/rest around 16:00–16:30. After HIBIKI, back at THE THOUSAND around 20:15–20:30.
Lunch is a quick station-area stop before the 13:30 sightseeing departure. Veg Out is an alternative only if it fits that cutoff; extra lunch time comes out of sightseeing. Dinner is early at UNO Kyoto Station, 16:45–17:30, before crossing to Avanti. The Premium ticket-only booking has no dinner package. Gion, Sanjo and downtown dinner detours have been removed from this evening.
Thu 22 Oct · Nara day trip
Kintetsu-Nara is closer to the park than JR Nara. Allow 75–100 minutes hotel-to-park with waits. Use a direct service if convenient, or transfer at Yamato-Saidaiji. An ordinary express is flexible; a limited express requires its extra reserved-seat ticket.
Adults handle deer crackers; feeding is optional. Keep paper, bags and other food away from the deer. The restaurant choice below determines how far you walk into Naramachi.
Return by rail, then dinner close to the hotel or a deliberate central-Kyoto stop. This avoids relying on road travel through Kyoto’s festival traffic.
Nara is the committed choice for 22 October. Jidai Matsuri and Kurama are in the archive; do not add them to this day.
Reserve Kinatei or onwa around 12:00–12:30 and plan transport around it: both are on the JR Nara side, away from Todaiji, so a taxi avoids a hungry cross-town walk. CAFE ETRANGER on Sanjo-dori is the central, larger mixed-menu fallback; order the verified-ingredients Marinara and confirm sauce/dough. Take a suitable snack for the park; none of these is at Todaiji’s gate.
After the Nara return, UNO Station is the low-effort choice by the hotel. For more variety, reserve mumokuteki by 18:00–18:30 (last order 19:00) or CHOICE at Sanjo. Oct22 is Jidai Matsuri day in Kyoto, so downtown transport and tables may be busier even though this plan spends the day in Nara.
Leave THE THOUSAND at 08:45–09:00 after breakfast by Kintetsu or taxi
Allow 10–15 minutes to the Kintetsu platforms, 40–60 minutes on a suitable train, plus waits and 15–20 minutes from the station to the park. A direct train avoids a change; otherwise transfer at Yamato-Saidaiji. Target 10:00–10:40 at the park.
This depends on where you stop for deer. Time spent with deer and visiting the temple is additional. A 12:00–12:30 lunch booking determines whether the temple comes before or after lunch.
Kinatei and onwa are across town: allow taxi pickup as well as the ride. CAFE ETRANGER is roughly 25–35 minutes walking from Tōdai-ji, or a 10–20 minute taxi allowance. Do not treat these as restaurants at the temple gate.
Allow the walk back, a train wait, 40–60 minutes by rail and the Kyoto station walk. Start leaving the park at 15:30–16:00 rather than waiting until then to find a last attraction.
Leave the Nara park area at 15:30–16:00 → hotel around 17:00–18:00. After local dinner, back around 18:30–19:30; downtown dinner may mean 19:30–20:15.
For an easy dinner, UNO Kyoto Station is a 10–15 minute walk from the hotel including lifts; allow the same back, with no useful taxi leg. For mumokuteki or CHOICE, budget 30–45 minutes each way by subway and on foot, or 25–45 minutes each way by taxi, plus 60–75 minutes for dinner. Festival traffic makes rail preferable and may push the return later.
Fri 23 Oct · Arashiyama
From Kyoto Station, JR to Saga-Arashiyama is straightforward; add a short taxi or roughly 25 minutes walking to the south-bank start. Allow 20–30 minutes uphill and about 90 minutes overall.
Target Yoshiya — Oku no Niwa around 12:30 after Monkey Park. Choose the explicitly named Vegan Set Meal (¥3,300 per full set); confirm Tara’s portion and seating when reserving. Ermine’s Kitchen near JR Saga-Arashiyama is the backup, subject to confirmation. Neither restaurant is booked yet.
Walk the grove for 30–45 minutes and accept the crowds. Return mid-afternoon. Keep extra temples out of the plan so there is time to rest before the travel day.
The uphill monkey walk is not stroller-friendly; wet paths or closures override the plan. Lunch is planned at Yoshiya; confirm a reservation before relying on it. Keep the bamboo walk after lunch and return mid-afternoon to pack.
Target 12:30 at Yoshiya — Oku no Niwa after Monkey Park and the walk across Togetsukyo. Order the Vegan Set Meal (¥3,300 per full set); confirm Tara’s portion and seating. If Yoshiya is unavailable, arrange Ermine’s Kitchen near JR Saga-Arashiyama in advance. Keep the bamboo grove after lunch. Availability for 23 October is not yet confirmed.
Choose a comfortable early dinner back in central Kyoto; reserve mumokuteki around 18:00 or CHOICE for variety. MOON and BACK has later hours if Arashiyama runs long. UNO Station remains the easiest hotel-area fallback; pack tonight for the 09:30 train tomorrow.
Leave THE THOUSAND at 08:00–08:15 by JR, or around 08:15–08:30 by taxi
Walk through Kyoto Station to the JR Sagano Line, take a train to Saga-Arashiyama, then allow 25–30 minutes walking across Togetsukyo to the south-bank entrance. A short taxi from Saga-Arashiyama can save walking. Target 09:15–09:30 at the entrance.
Allow around 90 minutes overall, including time with the monkeys, longer for breaks. The uphill walk is part of the visit, not included in the hotel transfer. Finish the descent before heading to lunch.
Yoshiya, the first choice, is about 15–20 minutes away across Togetsukyo. If using Ermine’s Kitchen as the confirmed backup, allow 25–35 minutes to the JR station area. These are walking estimates. Target lunch around 12:30, with a rest beforehand; a reservation is still needed.
The exact approach depends on the restaurant. Add 30–45 minutes for the grove itself after lunch. Finish around 14:15–14:30 without adding another temple.
Allow 15–20 minutes to Saga-Arashiyama, the train wait, roughly 20 minutes on JR to Kyoto, then the station walk to the hotel.
Leave the bamboo area around 14:15–14:30 → hotel around 15:15–15:45. Final return after dinner around 19:15–19:45, then pack.
After a hotel rest, leave around 17:00–17:15 for a downtown dinner at 18:00. Allow 30–45 minutes each way by subway and on foot, or 20–35 minutes by taxi, for mumokuteki, CHOICE or MOON and BACK. UNO Kyoto Station is the shorter 10–15 minute walk each way if everyone needs an easier evening.
Sat 24 Oct · Kyoto → Tokyo → Narita
Confirmed Green Car seats with an oversized baggage area for two adults and one child. Store oversized bags behind your seats. The 24 September confirmation is saved in Travel → Japan → Train Tickets; use it for the exact seat assignments. The hotel is close, but leave time to find the platform.
The return Shinkansen is confirmed; book the onward airport train now. Allow at least 40 minutes to transfer and aim to reach Terminal 2 by 14:30. A sit-down Tokyo lunch must never threaten this connection.
Eat an early airport dinner or use the pre-requested onboard vegetarian meal. Arrive Bangalore on Sunday 25 October.
No sightseeing. Keep passports, medicine, tickets and one change of clothes with you if forwarding large luggage.
Carry an ingredient-checked snack or a prearranged Kyoto breakfast/lunch pack for the 09:30–11:45 train. Protect the Tokyo→Narita connection and aim for T2 by 14:30; no city restaurant detour. For a late lunch, T’s and N’s Court are before security. MITSUMOTO TEI is a later alternative only after check-in and security; do not keep Tara hungry until then.
These are alternatives for an early preflight meal, not an extra restaurant trip after boarding. Choose MITSUMOTO’s Buddha bowl airside around 16:30–17:00, or eat at T’s/N’s Court landside early enough for security. JL753 leaves 18:55; obey the actual boarding time and gate walk. Also pre-order JAL VLML/VGML/AVML for each passenger for the onboard dinner service.
Check out and leave THE THOUSAND at 08:15–08:25
The hotel is beside the station, but allow time for the station walk, gates and platform. Be in the Shinkansen area around 08:30–08:45 for the confirmed 09:30 departure.
NOZOMI 116, 09:30–11:45, Green Car with oversized-baggage-area seats. Keep the next train’s details and all boarding QR tickets available offline.
The airport train uses the underground Sobu/Yokosuka platforms. Include lifts, luggage and finding the platform. Narita Express is the chosen airport transfer, with no taxi alternative planned. Choose a departure at or after 12:25; the exact service and seats are still unbooked.
Aim to arrive in Terminal 2 by 14:30. This is a booking target, not a confirmed Narita Express timetable. Keep lunch at the airport so it cannot threaten the connection.
T’s and N’s Court are landside; MITSUMOTO is airside after formalities. Allow 60–90 minutes for check-in/security/immigration and 15–25 minutes to the actual gate if distant. Follow JAL’s boarding time for the 18:55 flight.
No hotel return today. Aim for Narita Terminal 2 by 14:30; flight lands in Bangalore at 00:55 IST on Sunday 25 October.
Carry suitable food for the morning train. Airport lunch around 14:00–14:30 and an early dinner around 16:30–17:00 are flexible alternatives according to hunger and check-in; the gate and boarding time take priority.
The vegetarian table
No meat or seafood; dairy and eggs are fine. Fully vegan kitchens are the easiest choices. Mixed-menu venues are included only for specific vegetarian dishes, with any remaining checks stated.
私たちはベジタリアンです。肉、魚、魚介類、かつおだし、魚醤、肉のだし、ラード、ゼラチンは食べられません。卵と乳製品は大丈夫です。昆布や椎茸のだしで作れますか？
We are vegetarian. No meat, fish, seafood, bonito stock, fish sauce, meat stock, lard or gelatin. Eggs and dairy are okay. Can you use kombu or shiitake stock?
Tokyo Station · B1 Square Zero
A dependable bowl of Japanese comfort food with a rich sesame broth and soy-based toppings. Useful for a simple first-night dinner or a quick meal when the route passes Tokyo Station. The small shop has 16 table seats plus seven counter seats, so three seats together may involve a wait.
Entire menu vegan; operator excludes meat, seafood, eggs and dairy.
Narita T2 · 4F landside
The strongest airport meal choice: a fully vegan restaurant in the same terminal as the JAL flights. Sesame noodles offer a substantial hot meal, while pho and a vegetable-and-bean rice plate provide alternatives if everyone has eaten enough ramen. Eat here before going through departure security.
Entire restaurant vegan; no animal ingredients in its published food concept.
Narita T2 · 4F landside
A spacious, practical airport café with more than 200 seats and family seating. This is a lighter fallback for a tired child or a queue at T’s, rather than a destination meal. Its published vegetarian choice is a vegetable sandwich; most of the main menu contains meat or fish.
Mixed kitchen; airport explicitly lists the vegetable sandwich without meat, seafood, eggs, dairy or honey.
Narita T2 · 2F Japan Food Hall · airside
A useful meal after security when you can settle into the airport rather than watch the landside clock. The Buddha bowl is the verified vegetarian choice in an otherwise meat-focused restaurant. Its Japan Food Hall setting also offers aircraft views and space to sit before the long flight.
Mixed kitchen; official airport listing marks the Buddha bowl meat-free and seafood-free. It contains eggs, which fit your diet.
Akihabara · CHABARA
The best fit for a Japanese meal close to the Niwa side of town. Small dishes, rice and miso soup introduce vegetables and plant-based dashi without a formal temple-course commitment. The chickpea-based omurice and soy karaage give Tara more familiar alternatives to a many-dish set.
Entire menu vegan, including the dashi; also excludes the five pungent alliums.
Okachimachi · Ueno
A useful change from noodles and a reassuring first-night meal after the overnight flight. The basement restaurant serves vegetarian Indian food, with curries, breads and rice suited to ordering several dishes for the family. It is a short onward journey from Akihabara, so works especially well after Ryogoku on the way back towards Niwa.
Vegetarian Indian restaurant; dairy/paneer dishes fit your diet. Ask staff about all sauces and any menu changes.
Toyosu · inside teamLab Planets grounds
The natural lunch choice for the Planets day: a substantial miso bowl with kombu and shiitake depth, grilled tofu and vegetables, with a citrus finish. The menu is deliberately small; tea and vegan ice cream turn the meal into a calm pause before leaving the art complex for Ginza.
Vegan restaurant; published ramen broth uses kelp and shiitake.
Higashi-Ginza · by Kabukiza
A considered sit-down meal beside Ginza’s shops: vegetable bento, soy-based mains and the restaurant’s well-known pancakes. The bento offers the widest mix of flavours; a teriyaki rice plate or soy cutlet is simpler for Tara. The ground-floor patisserie is useful if everyone only wants a sweet stop.
Entire restaurant and patisserie vegan.
Higashi-Ginza / Tsukiji
The easiest casual alternative around Ginza: soy-patty burgers, bolognese and generous café desserts in a relaxed setting. It offers a complete savoury meal without a long course, useful when Planets runs late or Tara wants something familiar. Only this specialised KOMEDA is branch has this all-plant-based menu.
Ingredients are 100% plant-based; the operator notes possible shared manufacturing equipment.
Tokyo Station · Ramen Street
A second station ramen choice with a clearly named vegan tantan bowl and boiled vegan dumplings. Useful for families who want the atmosphere of Tokyo Ramen Street, though the queue can be longer than the meal. It is a mixed restaurant, so precision when ordering matters.
Mixed kitchen. The operator explicitly identifies vegan tantanmen and vegan boiled gyoza.
DisneySea · Mediterranean Harbor
A practical familiar-flavour meal near the harbour, especially useful for dinner on the way towards the exit. The converted-winery setting provides a proper seated break, and vegetable spaghetti is an easy alternative to another curry. Its large capacity does not remove peak-time queues.
Disney’s published plant-based item excludes meat, seafood, eggs, dairy, honey and gelatin; shared kitchens/equipment remain.
DisneySea · Fantasy Springs
The meal that doubles as a Tangled experience: a tavern-inspired dining room with several themed spaces. The official 2026 burger is now explicitly listed as plant-based, so older reports questioning earlier versions should not override the current ingredient statement.
Disney’s published plant-based item excludes meat, seafood, eggs, dairy, honey and gelatin; shared kitchens/equipment remain.
DisneySea · Mermaid Lagoon
A comfortable indoor break in the undersea world of Mermaid Lagoon. The bean-and-guacamole tortilla gives a different texture from noodles or rice; the atmospheric room is useful in rain or when everyone needs a gentler stop. It is a good fallback near the child-friendly attractions.
Disney’s published plant-based item excludes meat, seafood, eggs, dairy, honey and gelatin; shared kitchens/equipment remain.
DisneySea · Lost River Delta
A substantial rice-based choice near the Lost River Delta attractions and Fantasy Springs side of the park. The archaeological-camp theme gives a different atmosphere from the harbour or Mermaid Lagoon, while the vegetable keema bowl replaces Casbah as the curry option for this trip.
Disney’s published plant-based item excludes meat, seafood, eggs, dairy, honey and gelatin; shared kitchens/equipment remain.
Kyoto Station · 10F Kyoto Ramen Koji
The easiest proper meal after the Shinkansen: leave the bags at The Thousand, then head up to the station’s ramen floor. Creamy soy-milk broth, rice-flour noodles and vegetable toppings deliver a recognisably Japanese lunch without fish dashi. This is also the useful dinner fallback closest to the hotel.
Entire menu vegan; dedicated plant-based, gluten-free kitchen.
Shichijo · Kamo River
A bright riverside pause, roughly 15–20 minutes on foot from Kyoto Station, before heading east into Higashiyama. Choose a colourful rice-and-vegetable plate or the more filling Buddha bowl with crisp soy meat. The river view and unhurried café setting are a pleasant counterpoint to the train journey.
Official menu excludes meat, fish, eggs and dairy throughout.
Gion · near Gion-Shijo
The strongest no-fuss dinner fit after Kiyomizu and the old streets: continue downhill towards Gion-Shijo for a hot, creamy bowl. Wood-lined seating makes the small flagship feel more intimate than a station outlet. It also works for lunch if the family goes straight to the Gion side before sightseeing.
All dishes vegan and gluten-free; no animal ingredients in the kitchen.
Sanjo · east of the Kamo River
The most useful UNO branch when a reserved table matters. A restored Kyoto townhouse gives dinner more of an occasion, and sushi and small plates create variety beyond another bowl of noodles. It is farther north than Gion, so use a taxi if Tara is done walking after Higashiyama.
Entire menu plant-based and gluten-free.
Downtown Kyoto · Takamiyacho, near Nishiki
A practical reserveable dinner after Gion, with English menus, child chairs and an accessible dining room. The vegan broth combines miso and soy milk for a richer, savoury bowl. Use the Takamiyacho flagship: the similarly named Nishiki Market Alley and Kiyamachi restaurants are different branches.
Mixed restaurant; explicitly vegan ramen is available. The official FAQ confirms its broth has no animal ingredients.
Teramachi / Gokomachi · downtown Kyoto
The clearest family dinner choice for Thursday or Friday. Adults can try tofu hamburger, crisp okara bites or miso cutlet with rice and small seasonal dishes; Tara has an actual children’s omurice plate. The roomy upstairs café also offers soy soft serve and elaborate vegan desserts.
All food, sweets and drinks use no animal ingredients.
Sanjo Keihan · Higashiyama
A change of pace from ramen: plant-based cheese, mushroom stroganoff, risotto, pizza and vegan omelette rice make a flexible dinner menu. The restaurant is convenient to Sanjo Keihan, but requires an extra journey from The Thousand; choose it for food variety rather than hotel proximity.
All dishes officially vegan and gluten-free, including cheese and egg-style dishes.
Nara · southeast of JR Nara Station
A small, personal restaurant for a proper Japanese lunch: rice, soup and four changing side dishes rather than a token vegetable option. The English-speaking chef explicitly uses mushroom-and-seaweed stock. It is on the JR-station side of town, so allow a taxi or a longer walk between lunch and Todaiji.
Fully plant-based; official policy includes oils, seasonings and stock, with utensils never used for meat or fish.
Nara · west of JR Nara Station
A converted house with a warm, small-scale feel, serving seasonal plant-based meals and unusually good-looking vegan cakes. Pair the day’s savoury lunch with a tart or Basque-style cheesecake. This is a purposeful lunch stop on the west side of JR Nara, not a café beside the deer park.
Official current site says the entire menu is free of animal ingredients and wheat.
Nara · Sanjo-dori / Naranicle visitor centre
The flexible, central fallback when a small vegan restaurant is full. Its large dining room and all-day pizza service make it easier with Tara and a shifting deer-park schedule. The clearly listed Marinara is a simple tomato, garlic and herb pizza; the broad menu also contains meat and seafood.
Mixed kitchen. Marinara’s published ingredients are tomato sauce, cherry tomatoes, basil, garlic and oregano; confirm the sauce and dough contain no animal stock/fat.
Arashiyama · main street near Togetsukyo
A convenient sit-down stop after descending from Monkey Park and crossing the bridge. The explicitly vegan set combines teriyaki tofu, vegetable tempura and a yuba-and-vegetable hotpot, giving a broad taste of Kyoto ingredients. The restaurant serves other diets too, so the exact course name matters.
Mixed restaurant with explicit vegan courses; book the Vegan Set Meal or Vegan Hana Yosiya, not an ordinary tofu or halal set.
Arashiyama · opposite JR Saga-Arashiyama Station
Backup lunch near JR Saga-Arashiyama if Yoshiya cannot be confirmed. This small vegan restaurant serves Japanese home-style bento; contact it ahead because seating and daily meals are limited. Allow 25–35 minutes walking from Monkey Park’s lower entrance, then continue to the bamboo grove after lunch.
Official menu is 100% plant-based and vegan.
Saved for another time
Plans 1–4 and 6, unchosen hotels, Borderless, Hakone, the festival and other unused ideas are preserved in the archive.
