Mission Adventure: Japan Spring 2025 with Luca & Nico – Part 6

Inspired by our actual adventures, interactions, and discoveries in Japan with kids — from quiet mornings at Kiyomizu-dera and chirping floors at Nijo Castle to hands-on fun at the Kyoto Railway Museum and lantern-lit paths through Fushimi Inari Shrine — crafted into a story you’ll enjoy!

When I woke up, it was still dark outside. Kyoto hadn’t started buzzing yet. Even the streets were quiet, like the whole city was still sleeping.

Nobody said much about what happened last night, but I knew we were all thinking about it. The air felt kind of heavy, even with Nico snoring softly in the bunk above me.

As we got dressed, Mama gave us a quiet smile. “Today’s a new day,” she said gently. “Let’s start fresh.”

When we stepped outside, the morning air felt cool against my face. The sky was still bluish-gray, and our footsteps made little echoes down the empty street.

“Where are we going?” Nico whispered, rubbing his eyes.

“Kiyomizu-dera,” Mama said softly. “And if we’re lucky, we might have the whole place to ourselves.”

That sounded… magical. And after yesterday, it felt exactly like what we needed.

Mission 1: The Peaceful Path – Sunrise at Kiyomizu-dera

When we got to Kiyomizu-dera, the sky was just starting to brighten. The big temple gates stood quiet in front of us, with nobody else around. It felt like stepping into a storybook.

Papa pulled out a mission card and read it quietly, pretending to be extra serious:

Walk slowly and keep your eyes open in the temple of pure water.

Then he leaned closer. “Remember, today’s a fresh start. Let’s see what Kyoto wants to show us.”

Nico looked up at the huge wooden building. “It’s super quiet,” he whispered.

“Exactly,” Mama smiled. “Kiyomizu means ‘pure water.’ Let’s go slow and just look around.”

We climbed up to a giant wooden deck, way above the hillside. Below us, the city looked like a tiny toy town waking up slowly in the morning. The air felt cool, fresh, and special. Nico and I didn’t even feel like joking around… well, almost.

Parent Insight: Early mornings give children access to emotional space they rarely find in busy tourist hours. Quiet moments in sacred places like Kiyomizu-dera allow them to feel calm, reflect naturally, and form a personal connection with cultural experiences.

At one point, Nico leaned over and whispered, “You know, if I was a ninja, I’d definitely hide up here. Or maybe just hide snacks up here. Ninjas probably get hungry too.”

I grinned. “Just don’t scare any monks.”

We explored quietly, looking around corners and listening to the wind rustling leaves. It felt like the temple was helping us press reset on yesterday.

Then we reached the Otowa Waterfall, where three little streams of water trickled into stone basins. Papa said each stream meant something different, health, love, or wisdom.

Nico went up slowly and looked at the streams. He glanced back at Papa, like he wasn’t sure what to do. Papa smiled and nodded at him.

Nico carefully reached out and touched the wooden handle of a water ladle. He scooped a tiny bit of water from one stream, then poured it back gently. He closed his eyes for a second, like he was making a special wish.

When he stepped back, I nudged him gently. “So…wisdom again?”

He smiled quietly. “Maybe a little of everything.”

I nodded. “Yeah. Good idea.”

Mission One: done. And honestly, maybe one of our best yet.

Parent Tip: Arrive right at opening time. The peaceful setting allows your family to explore at your own rhythm. It’s stroller-friendly in parts, but consider baby carriers for smaller kids and plan a slower start to the day to let the calm energy really settle in.

Mission 2: Sneaky Floors & Samurai Secrets at Nijo Castle

After breakfast, we walked through Kyoto’s quiet morning streets toward a place Mama had been talking about since before we even started the trip: Nijo Castle.

“I want you both to listen to the floors,” she said as we reached the huge stone gate.

“Listen to the floors?” Nico gave Mama a funny look. “Why? Do they talk?”

Mama just smiled mysteriously. “You’ll see.”

At the entrance, Papa handed over our next mission card. I unfolded it and read aloud, trying to sound extra official:

Follow the chirping floors and learn the samurai’s secrets.

Nico made a face. “Chirping floors? Like… birds?”

Papa grinned. “You’ll find out.”

Inside, we took our shoes off and stepped onto an old wooden floor.

Chirp.

Nico froze instantly. “Was that me?”

Mama nodded. “Yep. These floors were built to squeak, like nightingale birds, to stop sneaky ninjas from getting inside.”

Parent Insight: Nijo Castle, like many historical sites, offers children a rare chance to step into living history. Quiet curiosity and active imagination are rewarded as kids learn by exploring sounds, textures, and hidden meanings, no flashcards required.

Nico’s eyes went huge. “Wait…these are anti-ninja floors?”

He dropped into a ninja stance and tiptoed forward dramatically.

Chirp. Chirp-chirp-chirp.

I giggled. “You’re the loudest ninja ever.”

“You try!” he whispered. “I bet you sound like a whole flock of birds.”

I took a step, trying to be quiet.

Chirrrrp.

Okay, maybe a small flock.

We wandered through the castle, stepping quietly and listening. We saw painted doors with tigers, golden pine trees, and rooms where samurai used to have secret meetings.

“Imagine if this was our house,” Nico whispered, still tiptoeing carefully. “We’d never sleep. Every step would squeak.”

“That’s the whole point,” Mama said softly. “Samurai used these floors to know if someone was sneaking around.”

“It’s like a ninja alarm!” Nico said excitedly.

Papa nodded. “Exactly. The floors weren’t broken, they were supposed to make noise.”

We stood quietly in front of a big meeting room. I imagined samurai talking quietly, their armor clinking softly, the floor chirping gently as people walked.

“Pretty smart,” I whispered.

Nico nodded seriously. “Smart, but noisy.”

As we stepped back outside, Nico threw his arms into the air dramatically. “I, Captain Nico, have officially passed the samurai squeaky-floor test!”

“By making the most noise possible,” I added.

“Exactly!” he said proudly.

Mission Two: complete, with honor and lots of chirps.

Parent Tip: Set the stage like a spy story. Telling your kids they’ll be walking on anti-ninja traps makes them instantly more curious and more respectful. Don’t rush, let them try the quiet step challenge and notice the murals and gold accents along the way.

Mission 3: All Aboard at the Kyoto Railway Museum

After all that ninja sneaking, we were ready for something faster. Papa smiled as we reached our next stop and handed me the third mission card.

“Mission Three,” I read aloud.

Train your mind and body like a railway master!

Before I even finished, Nico spotted the huge building full of trains and started running.

“TRAINS! I SEE TRAINS!” he yelled.

Inside the Kyoto Railway Museum, it felt like stepping into a giant toy box full of trains. There were big steam engines, shiny bullet trains, and lots of other trains lined up like a huge parade.

Some trains were so big they made me feel tiny, like a little Lego figure.

We jumped from one train to the next, pretending to be conductors, turning knobs and pressing buttons. Nico kept yelling things like, “Departing Platform 3 in 5…4…3…!”

Parent Insight: For train-loving kids, railway museums offer an ideal blend of hands-on fun and educational discovery. Real engines, working exhibits, and interactive simulators keep kids engaged without ever feeling bored.

We even printed real-looking tickets from a cool old machine. Nico tried using his ticket at every train, like it was a magic pass.

Then came the best part… the train simulator.

Upstairs, we waited for our turn. When I finally got to the controls, I grabbed the handle tightly. “This time, I’m stopping perfectly.”

Nico leaned closer. “Bet you can’t.”

I squinted at him. “Watch me.”

The screen showed the train moving down the tracks. I focused hard, pulled the lever gently, and, screeeech, stopped almost exactly at the platform.

“Boom!” I said, pumping my fist.

Then it was Nico’s turn.

He started well, but when it was time to stop, he totally missed.

“What was that?” I laughed.

“I was going for dramatic effect,” Nico said seriously. “You know, cool entrance.”

“Cool entrance? You practically crashed the station!”

Nico shrugged proudly. “Best entrance ever.”

After the simulator, we ran outside to see real trains passing by. We waved at one conductor, and I think he waved back.

As the sun started going down, we sat on a bench, watching the tracks.

“Okay,” Nico said, thinking. “I still want to be a pilot, a ninja, and maybe a pirate. But train conductor is now top five.”

“Me too,” I said. “But only if I get to do the simulator again.”

Mission Three: complete, at full speed.

Parent Tip: Give kids time to explore freely, and try to visit the train simulator early in your visit to avoid longer afternoon lines. Don’t miss the rooftop train-watching area, it’s a fantastic spot for a snack break!

Lanterns, Foxes & Nighttime Whispers: Gion & Fushimi Inari After Dark

After dinner, instead of heading back to the hotel, Mama had a surprise.

“Tonight,” she whispered mysteriously, “we’re exploring some of Kyoto’s coolest places, after dark.”

Papa handed me a small card, making his voice extra serious:

Follow the foxes after sunset… if you dare!

Nico’s eyes went huge. “Wait…we’re doing a secret night mission?”

I grinned. “Let’s go.”

First, we walked through Gion, a neighborhood full of old wooden houses and red paper lanterns that glowed softly in the dark. Everything felt quiet and kind of magical.

Nico whispered, “Do you think geisha are actually ninjas?”

I thought for a second. “Maybe. If they are, they’re super quiet about it.”

We didn’t see any geisha, but it still felt like walking in a secret place.

Then we reached Fushimi Inari Shrine.

At night, the famous red gates felt totally different… less busy, more mysterious. Lanterns flickered gently, and everything was quiet.

“This is way cooler at night,” I whispered.

Parent Insight: Exploring cultural sites after dark offers older kids a completely different atmosphere, calmer, quieter, and perfect for sparking imagination and a sense of adventure.

Papa nodded. “That’s why we waited until now.”

We started walking up under the red gates, the path getting darker as we went higher. I was excited and ready to reach the top.

But soon, Nico started to slow down. He was looking around, holding Mama’s hand extra tightly.

“It’s kind of spooky here,” he whispered. “What if there are fox ghosts?”

“Fox spirits,” Papa said gently. “They’re supposed to protect the shrine.”

“Yeah, but what if they don’t like visitors at night?” Nico asked quietly.

I leaned closer and whispered, “I bet they like kids who share snacks.”

Nico didn’t smile. I could tell he really was a little scared.

Papa knelt next to him. “Hey, we don’t have to go all the way tonight. Maybe we can come back another day, when it’s lighter. Sound good?”

Nico nodded quickly. “Yeah, daytime sounds better.”

We still took a photo near the glowing gates. Nico kept holding Mama’s hand, but he smiled again.

As we walked down, I didn’t feel disappointed. I knew we’d be back, and maybe next time, Nico wouldn’t be scared at all.

Mission complete (kind of), but it still felt special.

Parent Tip: Fushimi Inari’s pathways can feel spooky to younger or sensitive kids at night, especially with dimly lit fox statues along the path. Consider a short nighttime visit focusing on lower areas only. Then return early the next morning for a peaceful, crowd-free exploration that feels just as magical.

Until Next Time…

Back at the hotel, Nico and I flopped onto our beds, feeling tired in the good way, the kind where your feet hurt a little but your head is still full of adventures.

“Today was way better than yesterday,” Nico mumbled, yawning.

“Way quieter, too,” I teased, poking his arm gently. “No swinging bells tonight.”

Nico made a little face. “I still feel bad about that.”

I shrugged. “It’s okay. You totally made up for it today. Especially at Kiyomizu-dera. Your waterfall wish was super pro.”

He smiled a bit. “I practiced in my head first.”

Papa sat down and smiled at us. “We did a lot today, sunrise at Kiyomizu-dera, ninja floors at the castle, trains everywhere, and even a spooky fox shrine at night.”

Mama nodded. “And we learned something important, when things don’t go perfectly, you always get a second chance.”

I pulled out my journal and wrote down today’s missions:

• Walk slowly through the temple of pure water.
• Follow squeaky floors and learn samurai secrets.
• Train your mind like a railway master.
• Be brave at the fox shrine after sunset.

Then I thought for a second and added one more line:

• Sometimes the bravest thing is taking one small step forward, even if it feels scary.

Tomorrow, Kyoto would still be waiting, full of more adventures. And we’d be ready for them, one step at a time.

Stay curious, stay adventurous, and keep dreaming!
~ The LuNi Travels Family ~