Open Questions
Purpose
Track unresolved planning decisions and next work for the summer 2026 trip.
When to Use
Use this page when deciding what to research, verify, or book next.
Lodging Decisions
- Verify and cancel any unused Fukuoka city hotel or city Airbnb booking if it still exists.
- Confirm whether any ryokan or onsen night fits naturally and affordably.
- Do not add an additional Fukuoka-area night unless the overall trip can be extended or another lower-value day is intentionally removed.
- Choose my July lodging for 2026-07-03 through 2026-07-10.
- Search east Tokyo lodging for 2026-07-04 to 2026-07-06, especially Asakusa, Kuramae, Tawaramachi, Ueno, Yanaka, Nippori, Oshiage, or Sumida.
- Search Nikko lodging for 2026-07-06 to 2026-07-08, especially Tobu-Nikko/JR Nikko, Shinkyo/World Heritage area, or a value onsen stay around Chuzenji/Yumoto/Kinugawa.
- Search east Tokyo lodging for 2026-07-08 to 2026-07-10.
- Choose a Narita-area Airbnb or similar comfortable stay for Friday night, 2026-07-10.
- Decide whether the Nikko stay should be station/World Heritage practical or lake/onsen scenic.
Transportation Decisions
- Decide whether any luggage forwarding is still worth it now that both family Shinkansen legs have oversized-baggage-area seats.
- Save and distribute Smart EX QR ticket screenshots across at least two phones for offline access.
- If receipt-level tracking matters, capture the Hakata -> Kyoto total price from Smart EX; the imported summary screenshot does not show it.
- Choose IC-card plan for each traveler: mobile IC, physical local IC, or cash fallback.
- Confirm Tokyo airport transfer plan from The Tokyo EDITION, Toranomon, for the July 3 departure.
- Verify Hitachi Seaside Park routing from The Tokyo EDITION, Toranomon.
- Confirm the family’s exact July 3 departure airport and transfer plan.
- Confirm Quinn’s July 4 Narita terminal and preferred meetup plan.
- Confirm my July 11 Narita transfer plan after July lodging is chosen.
- Add Quinn’s July 11 Narita -> Hong Kong flight time, airline, terminal, baggage, and check-in guidance.
Practical Logistics Decisions
- Buy and install Holafly eSIMs; decide whether Korea and Japan need separate plans or one regional plan.
- Complete Visit Japan Web before the Busan -> Fukuoka flight.
- Confirm every phone is unlocked, eSIM-capable, charged, and has offline access to maps and trip docs.
- Verify whether anyone is bringing medication that requires Japan import permission.
- Confirm cash/ATM/card strategy and split backup cards across adults.
Itinerary Decisions
- Ask the family whether they want any small Fukuoka city add-on during the Dazaifu stay, or whether the Fukuoka stretch should stay fully shrine/forest/recovery focused.
- Decide whether Osaka evening on June 29 is worthwhile after Arashiyama.
- Decide whether Kurama/Kibune should remain the June 30 anchor or be swapped based on weather/energy.
- Decide how much Tokyo neighborhood time to protect around Hitachi and departure logistics.
- Decide whether July 9 should be city-focused, Kamakura/Enoshima, Mt. Takao, or a lower-friction east Tokyo day.
- Decide whether any family-window leftovers should carry into the July days with Quinn or stay intentionally separate.
Food Decisions
- Build shortlists by area with non-seafood options.
- Prepare tree nut allergy phrasing and verification plan.
- Avoid single-point restaurant dependencies.
Verification Needed
- Rainy season expectations and heat/humidity strategy.
- Current park hours, closures, reservation requirements, and seasonal conditions.
- Current transit costs, pass rules, and schedule options.
- For the Dazaifu Airbnb: AC in all sleeping spaces, late arrival after the 9:00 PM check-in window, exact walking route to Dazaifu Station, taxi drop-off proximity with luggage, and Sunday checkout route to Hakata Station.
- If the family chooses a small Fukuoka city add-on, verify the return train/taxi plan to Dazaifu before leaving for the city.
- Confirm whether CHOAN-RIN allows luggage drop or receiving forwarded luggage.
- Confirm whether The Tokyo EDITION can receive forwarded luggage from Kyoto.
- Verify Alaska schedule, Narita terminal, baggage allowance, and check-in guidance before July 11.
- Verify Tobu Asakusa -> Tobu-Nikko train timing, Nikko bus timing, and Tobu pass economics once lodging candidates are known.
- Verify July 7 bus routing for Lake Chuzenji, Kegon Falls, Ryuzu Falls, Senjogahara, and any onsen plan.
- Verify Narita-area Airbnb availability, check-in logistics, luggage practicality, airport transfer timing, and food/convenience options for July 10.
Gotchas
- Keep open questions explicit; do not silently convert guesses from the snapshot into confirmed decisions.
- Keep the July 4-11 skeleton light until the route is chosen with Quinn.