Before embarking on a trip, parents and children come together to create a “shiori”—a hand-made travel planner. It includes maps of the destination, a packing list, fun facts to learn, things to look forward to, and personal goals—often accompanied by handwritten illustrations. This process itself becomes a gentle, heartfelt way to prepare for the journey ahead.
The “Family Travel Planner Workshop” is held as a pre-trip event at tourist centers, inns, libraries, or family-oriented community spaces. Participants receive travel planner kits or templates, which they use to create their own original “shiori.”
The first step is to gather and organize information about the destination—pasting in maps and photos, filling in the daily schedule while discussing plans together. “Let’s eat ice cream here,” “I want to make a wish at this shrine,” “At night, let’s write in our journals under the stars”—such small hopes and ideas gradually come together to form a personalized travel blueprint.
For children, this creative process is their first step toward becoming the protagonist of the journey. Instead of simply following a plan made by adults, they begin to take ownership by thinking, writing, pasting, and coloring. For parents, it offers a chance to understand what their children are curious about, reshaping how the journey is planned—as a shared experience built together.
Inside each hand-crafted travel planner are thoughtful prompts such as “Things I Want to Try,” “People I Want to Thank,” “My Travel Goals,” and “Things to Write Down When I Find Them.” There are no right or wrong answers—some children treat it like a picture diary, while others stamp and decorate each page freely. Without rigid rules, each child’s unique personality naturally shines through.
The finished planner becomes a trusted companion on the journey. Families use it during travel to check their plans, jot down discoveries, and sketch what they see. Because it’s made of paper, every page becomes a layered memory. Through the planner, conversations flourish: “Let’s check tomorrow’s plan,” or “Where can we get this stamp?”—adding new excitement to each day.
For international families, making a travel planner can ease cultural barriers. Even without strong Japanese skills, children and parents can enjoy expressing their journey visually—with drawings, stickers, photos, and stamps. Many locations offer English or multilingual templates, turning travel anxiety into joyful anticipation.
After the trip, the planner becomes a lasting memory in physical form. Flipping through the pages revives the emotions of that time. Children might say, “I want to go there again,” and parents may quietly feel, “I’m so glad we shared this time together.”
Travel doesn’t begin on the day you depart—it begins in the moment you imagine it. The time spent creating a planner becomes a shared space for emotional preparation. It’s not just about where you go, but how you spend the time and who you share it with. Writing these intentions brings deeper meaning to the entire journey.
Inside each page are dreams for the days ahead, and blank spaces left for unknown scenery yet to come. The travel planner becomes both a record of the journey already walked and the beginning of all the journeys still to come.