Going to Japan for family vacation in couple weeks, any must see places? Plan to visit Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka
Day trip to Nara from Kyoto highly recommended - it's easy to get to, lots of beautiful architecture, and the deer will bow for snacks
Seconded.
Stay in a traditional Japanese hotel and not a Western one. That is something to see in itself. Sleep on a mat on the floor and all that. At least a couple days if not the whole time. It's quite an experience. You can find one in pretty much any city.
If you’re in Kansai anyway, bullet train down to Hiroshima with stops at Himeji and Kurashiki highly recommended.
Stop at an onsen
Sumo tournament. Although amazing to see, a single day ticket is enough sumo for a lifetime.
Most people agree on two things: I wish I spent more time in Kyoto. I'm glad I went to an onsen.
All the small villages have festivals, and there are still a few with Shinto fertility festivals where they parade a giant wooden penis around town. There’s one village that parades a giant sandal.
Day trip to Kamakura from Tokyo.
Skytree is good for aerial view of Tokyo. Or Shinjuku metropolitan building for less crowds