travel in Japan with 2 children 8 and 3

Hi
My wife and 2 children are planning a 10 day trip to Japan in June.
We will arrive in Osaka and make our way to Kyoto then on to Tokyo.
Any ideas for an itinerary or places to stay

check out suggested itineraries here:

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2400.html

We did this in 2007 - in Kyoto make sure you head out to Arishama (private train has a touch of nostalgia and is cheap) nice walks, horse and buggy tours. In Tokyo go to Ueno Park - lots of things for kids, amusement park rides, zoo, food and drink - take the Metro.

My 9 4 and 1 yo are veterans of Japan - we go at least once a year - although it can be hard work with your kids and trains etc your kids should love it. In Osaka we went to the muesum of old Japanese farmhouses. My kids loved it. The farm houses have relocated from all around Japan and you get to walk inside them and most of them have a Japanese person in them that is willing to tell you about the house and who use to own it. The houses are hundreds of years old and heaps of fun to look at. It was really cheap I think adults were 500 yen and my school age child was 200yen (or there abouts).

My suggestion. Leave the kids at grandma's -- It's just not worth it to bring children so young who won't even remember the trip. (maybe the 8 year old would ... it's possible, but i highly doubt he/she's apprechiate it) ... each plane ticket is around 1,500$ ... not worth it. Relax with your husband and spend your money on you -- trust me I love kids, but you'll apprechiate the trip a lot more without them.