'I just got back from Japan with my teens. Here's everything I wish we knew.'

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Picture this: I was sitting in a hot-spring-fed outdoor pool in my birthday suit, with my two naked teenage daughters on either side of me, both trying to stay underwater to protect their modesty.

In the gardens surrounding the pool, snow had settled, dusting the red-berry-laden heavenly bamboo shrubs, and merrily announcing that Christmas was in the air.

A mist was swirling over the mineral-rich water, steaming hot at 42 degrees, contrasting with the outside temperature of negative three. My girls ask, with rolled eyes: "Why are we doing this again, Mum?"

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"It's what the locals have been doing for hundreds of years," I answered cheerfully.

The pilgrim experience now ticked off, they tiptoed back to the dressing room, quietly giggling as they passed other naked hotel guests in the indoor geothermal pool. Back in the dressing room, they retrieved their colourful yukata and geta (robe and slippers) from the lockers.

Traditional stays and onsen bathhouses.

This was part of a traditional stay at Sakaeya Ryokan (a boutique hotel), located in Shibu Onsen near Yamanouchi.

It's an ancient village with 1300 years of history, renowned for its healing waters and onsen bathhouses, which have been visited by monks, samurai and travellers, all drawn to their purported healing properties. When my three teenage children discovered there were no bathrooms in the individual guest rooms, and that the only option was to bathe butt-naked in the hotel's communal onsen, as etiquette demands, they were initially baffled and, understandably, resistant.

Image: Supplied.

But in the name of horizon-expanding cultural experiences, they've now slept on tatami mats on the floor; eaten sashimi, miso soup and enoki mushrooms for breakfast; and bobbed around in the shared mineral waters with randoms (thankfully segregated into separate zones for men and women).

Once past the squeamishness of being naked in front of strangers, we came to appreciate the natural sodium-chloride and sulphate-rich waters, said to be a cure for everything from skin conditions to neuralgia.

And while I didn't experience any healing, I can confirm that it's a blissful soak after an energetic day on the nearby ski fields.

Hitting the slopes.

If travelling to Japan in winter, there are so many snow sports options.

We skied at Ichinose, part of the Shiga Kogen Ski Area, one of Japan's largest lift-connected ski regions, with 18 linked resorts, nearly 50 lifts, and runs reaching elevations of over 2,300 metres. It was approximately a 30-minute bus ride from where we were staying at Shibu Onsen, and we rented our gear and bought our ski passes once on the mountain.

Known for hosting alpine events during the 1998 Nagano Winter Olympics, its mountainous terrain is covered in deciduous beech forests and evergreen fir trees. And while we didn't stay on site, we commented that one of the cosy ski resorts would make the perfect setting to celebrate a white Christmas.

Image: Supplied.

Snow monkeys.

Another must-do in this area is a visit to the Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park to see wild macaques bathing in the snow-rimmed hot springs.

It begins with a 1.6-kilometre walk through the Joshinetsu Kogen National Park, before paying an entrance fee. It's hugely popular in the colder months, but the animals live there year-round. Watching them go about their monkey business was endlessly entertaining.

Image: Supplied.

Train travel.

As much as our teens loved these nature experiences, they were itching to get back to the bright lights of Tokyo. Two trains — one from Yamanouchi to Nagano, and then a Shinkansen (bullet train), the rest of the way — soon had us surrounded by crowds at Tokyo Station, trying to figure out which of the exits to take.

Top tip for navigating trains: we all downloaded the Suica app onto our phones and loaded it with credit so that it appeared in our Apple Wallet.  This meant we could each just tap on and off, without the need to purchase paper tickets every time.

You can also use the Suica app to pay for items at convenience stores and some food outlets. Google Maps figured out the rest — which station, which platform, and which line to take. This meant our teens could use public transport independently.

Image: Supplied.

Tokyo magic.

In the country's capital city, the possibilities are endless.

Is your son or daughter still catching Pokémon? Check out the Pokémon-themed café in Chuo City (reservations essential). Love Anime? Visit the Studio Ghibli Museum (But book ahead — we sadly missed out!). Mad about manga? Visit Animate Ikebukuro, the world's largest manga store.

And then there's teamLab. This immersive art experience will appeal to the whole family, but especially to teens looking for glitzy Instagram photo locations.

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We let our three teenagers determine the itinerary, and given that Japan is widely considered one of the safest countries in the world, we also let them roam around without us parents tailing them. These were some of their favourite activities:

Thrift shopping.

The bohemian neighbourhood of Shimokitazawa is an op-shopping mecca, with vintage stores lining the streets alongside bookshops, record shops and cafes. It oozes cool and we spent hours trawling second-hand stores like New York Joe Exchange, where we left with overflowing bags.

If we didn't have so many other things to see and do, the kids would have gone back day after day.

Image: Supplied.

Craft class.

Japan is known for its unique arts.

Whether you want to try your hand at beautifully cursive calligraphy or learn the meditative pastime of bonsai pruning, you can find a class to join. For our kids, it was kintsugi they wanted to attempt — an ancient practice of fixing broken ceramics with a urushi lacquer, infused with gold or silver, to accentuate the repair. It reflects the philosophy that imperfections can be positive, and that breaks, scratches and chips are part of the object's story. Words to live by! It was a fun, hands-on experience run by Mon Cadeau in Shinjuku.

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Tokyo Disneyland.

We went, we lined up, we lined up, we lined up. It was a Mum fail on my behalf… The wait times for rides are horrendous (think three hours). Don't be like us.

Instead, make sure you download the Tokyo Disney Resort app, and as soon as you enter the park, purchase the Premier Access pass (don't leave it till later as they sell out). My other tip: DisneySea, the neighbouring theme park, has much higher thrill level rides, more suited to teens.

Image: Supplied.

Mount Fuji.

There are plenty of lovely places to stay out near Mount Fuji, but we decided to do it on a day trip, by coach, from Tokyo.

Happily, we were blessed with clear skies, and Mount Fuji revealed her grandeur as Japan's tallest mountain and dormant volcano. We sat there, taking it all in while slurping on maple-leaf flavoured ice creams in the sunshine by Lake Kawaguchiko. And of course, we got the iconic photo from the viewpoint of Chureito Pagoda at Arakurayama Sengen Park.  

Image: Supplied.

On the way back to Tokyo, we passed Fuji-Q Highland, a theme park with stellar views of Mount Fuji, and some of the world's fastest and steepest roller coaster rides. Wish I had known about that earlier!

Walk Japan.

The best way to experience Japan on foot and truly immerse yourself in its culture, religion, and history is on a tour with Walk Japan. I did the Kunisaki and Yufuin Walk without my kids, but I wish I had taken them.

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The Kunisaki Peninsula was once one of the country's main centres of Buddhism, and its scenery remains largely unchanged. Our Japanese Australian guide, Joichi, shared stories he learnt growing up about Shinto Kami (spiritual beings), gave us a guide to basic etiquette (did you know, it's rude to leave even one grain of rice in your bowl!), and introduced us to natto — slimy fermented soy beans which are Japan's answer to Vegemite. I tried them, and it's definitely an acquired taste.

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Walk Japan have tours ranging in scope from a two-day city tour of Tokyo, where you pound the pavement and learn about a time when shoguns ruled the people, right through to an 11-day hike along the Nakasendo Way, which means 'road through the mountains', the ancient thoroughfare from Kyoto to Tokyo.

City hopping — Kyoto, Hiroshima, Osaka.

One thing we all agreed upon — we would definitely make the nine-hour flight from Australia to come back to Japan to explore its other cities.

Kyoto for its serene temples, traditional tea houses, and the chance to wander through geisha districts. Hiroshima to better understand the history and pay respects at the Peace Memorial Park. Osaka for Universal Studios and the bustling street food scene of Dotonbori. And city hopping is so easy thanks to the bullet train system.

With only a one-hour time difference, we arrived home feeling refreshed from our holiday, not jetlagged.

And my teens will now be forever grateful for private bathrooms.

Feature image: Supplied.