Ok.. decided to give hokkaido a miss as I don't want my 2 kiddos to get too cranky and become difficult to handle.. below is the itinerary I have drafted.. appreciate all bro/sis feedback on what else should we be visiting/doing and if the itinerary is alright.. thanks all in advance..
16 Dec 15
9am: Reach Narita Airport
10am: Catch Nagano Shinkansen to Nagano Station (1.30hr Journey) To check for cheaper alternative)
11.45am: Reach Nagano Station and take Nagano Dentetsu Train to Yudanaka Station (50mins journey)
Reach Yudamaka at 1pm: Bus/Cab to Hotel St. Moritz or Hotel Khuls (to be decided nearer to date)
2pm: Leave luggage at Hotel and visit Snow Monkey at Jigokudani Monkey Park (will take est. 45mins – 1 hr trekking to reach Snow Monkey)
4.30pm: Leave and head back to Ryokan (to leave early and avoid it getting too dark if possible)
Night time: Dinner at Ryokan & explore the area. Have an early night
17 Dec 15
8am: Breakfast at Ryokan
10am: Ski full day
6pm: Return to Hotel for dinner & rest
18 Dec 15
10am: Check out and depart to Tokyo
12.00pm: Reach Tokyo Lunch first
2pm: Catch JR Chou/Ome Line Rapid Service to Mitaka & transfer to Ltd. Express Kaiji 111 to Otsuki & finally transfer to Fujikyu Railway to Kawaguchiko
Reach Kawaguchiko at 5pm
By 6pm: To check-in to hotel/Ryokan and rest for the night
19 Dec 15:
8am: Breakfast
9am: Proceed to Lake Kawaguchiko
2pm: Head over to Gotemba Premium Outlet store
6pm: Head back to Hotel/Ryokan for the night
20 Dec 15:
10am: Visit Fuji Q Land (main purpose: Thomas & Friends land)
10pm: Check-out & take an overnight bus to Osaka
21 Dec 15:
7am: Reach Osaka & breakfast
9am: To hotel/apartment (airbnb) to leave luggage (likely Osaka/Namba area)
10am to 6pm: Head over to Umekoji Steam Locomotive Museum
7pm: Visit Rinku Outlet store
22 Dec 15:
8am: Breakfast
10am to 6pm: Universal Studio Japan (JR Sakurajima Line)
7pm: Visit Shinsaibashi again or Dotombori
23 Dec 15:
10am: Make our way to Nara (JR Nara Station)
11am: Reach Nara: go to Nara Koen & Naramachi
5pm: Head back to Osaka
7pm: Head over to Nipponbashi (Den Den Town in Namba) for anime & robots
24 Dec 15:
10am: Make our way to Arashiyama
To visit Monkey Park; Kameoka & River Hozu
5pm: Head back to Osaka
7pm: To visit Umeba Sky Building for Christmas Market
25 Dec 15:
11am: Visit Osaka Aquarium
Remaining time Free & Easy to roam around..
26 Dec 15:
10am: Check-out and head over to Tokyo via JR
2pm: Lunch & proceed to check-in (likely AirBnB apartment)
4pm: Akihabara (Anime building & Final Fantasy Café)
8pm: Back to apartment for the night (or shibuya depending on “awake level”)
27Dec 15:
9am: Breakfast around Shibuya
10am: Departs to Bandai Museum (Ishibashi Station)
4pm: Heads back to Tokyo Tower or Skytree
8pm: Back to apartment
28 Dec 15 & 29 Dec 15:
10am: Tokyo DisneySea & Tokyo DisneyLand
30 Dec 15:
10am: Legoland
5pm: Odaiba (Aqua City, Diver City, Rainbow Bridge, Palette town)
31 Dec 15:
10am: Ueno Park – Kaneiji Temple, Toshogu Shrine, Kiyomiza Kannon Temple,Bentendo, National Science Museum
5pm: Shibuya
11pm: Meiji Shrine for Countdown
1 Jan 16:
10am – Check-out
Roam around apartment area
6pm: Head over to Haneda airport (target to reach by 7.30pm – Flight departure at 11.35pm)
First day no time for lunch?
Your hotels are 30 mins away from the monkey park by car.
Might be better to stay a night at Shibu Onsen to save time.
The walk to the monkey park will be in snow in Dec. Need more time definitely.
Osaka Rinku Outlet closes at 8pm.
For USJ, the magical parade starts at 7pm. I don't think your kids want to miss it.
To start shopping at Den Den town at 7pm means most shops will be closing soon, around 8pm... same thing with going to Umeda at 7pm (but more shops will open here later... till 9pm)...
Odaiba from 5pm means not enough time to cover those spots listed on your itinerary...
Meiji Shrine at 11pm for countdown??? I haven't done it before at Meiji Jingu but I am quite sure unless you go there much much earlier, you probably won't be able to reach anywhere near the shrine by midnight because of the crowd... but I am worried for your 2 young kids though staying out so late?