Methods to Journey Japan with a Child (Up to date 2023)

Posted: 10/9/2023 | October

I like Japan. It’s one among my favourite nations on this planet. However is it an appropriate vacation spot to go to with a child? Solo feminine journey skilled Kristin Addis from Be My Journey Muse was lately there along with her child and has tons of suggestions and recommendation for vacationers pondering of taking a child with them to Japan.

Japan was our first main worldwide journey with our then six-month-old. I’d heard combined issues about how child pleasant Japan could be, from DMs telling me it wouldn’t be an incredible journey to the full reverse with individuals gushing about how child pleasant it was.

We determined to go for it, hitting 4 spots in two weeks, taking public transportation and staying in a mixture of residences and inns. Touring with a child in Japan comes with some particular issues, however total, it may be an incredible journey IF you propose it proper. Right here’s all the things to know:

Japan Child and Toddler Friendliness

With just a few unusual exceptions, like the shortage of cribs, Japan is among the most child and family-friendly locations I’ve been. It began once we had been personally escorted to the plane by a Japan Airways gate agent when boarding our flight to Osaka. They even provided me a spot to take a seat with the newborn whereas I waited. It felt like first-class therapy.

Every time we encountered an airport queue in Japan, whether or not it was for safety or boarding, they at all times had a household line, which is unfortunately lacking from each US airport I’ve encountered.

There are household restrooms in all places as effectively, and I actually imply in all places. Even the smallest metro and prepare stations had them, and I by no means encountered one which wasn’t glowing clear. Individuals revered that they had been solely meant for these with disabilities and younger youngsters, as effectively. I by no means needed to wait to make use of one and by no means noticed an able-bodied single particular person stroll out of them, which I see on a regular basis within the US.

The bogs are additionally stuffed with helpful objects like a child holder, which I’ve solely in any other case seen in Singapore, altering tables, and padded benches for nursing. I’ve really by no means seen a household toilet as outfitted as those in Japan.

The locals additionally LOVED our child. In all places we went, individuals would play peek a boo with him, smile at him, and lightweight up once they noticed him. We felt very welcome in all places we went with him.
 

Getting Round Japan with a Child

Usually, planning fewer issues is simpler than a packed itinerary when touring with a child anyplace on this planet. That is very true for Japan the place you’re probably taking a mixture of trains and buses across the nation. The extra distant you’re going, the extra connections you’re more likely to have as effectively.

Though they’re dearer, we tended to choose prepare journey to bus journey in Japan in order that we may make use of the altering tables on the trains. They had been extra spacious, and the buses not often had a spot to alter diapers.

In case you’re touring throughout excessive season, you should definitely ebook prepare tickets forward of time and reserve seats to keep away from having to face together with your child.

Alternatively, think about renting a automobile to get round. They are often dear, and for those who’re North American you’ll be driving on the other facet of the highway, however it additionally offers you final flexibility.
 

Packing Gentle is Clever for Japan

In case you’ll be taking the Japan Rail and/or metro to get round, you’ll wish to pack as gentle as potential. Realistically, solely what you and whoever you’re touring with can carry goes to work. This appears to be the largest difficulty for households touring in Japan. They pack an excessive amount of and it impacts their journey enjoyment.

We opted to go away the stroller at residence and simply journey with a smooth child provider. Whereas a stroller may be useful at occasions, Japan has loads of stairs and a few metro stations, even in Tokyo, don’t have elevators. We at all times discovered them at JR stations, although.

I’ve combined emotions about this choice as we had been aching by the top of the journey. If I had been to do it with a toddler or older child I’d most likely go for a mountain climbing child provider as a substitute. It distributes weight higher and is a extra comfy expertise, plus they’ve cupboard space. Simply take into account that they’re cumbersome and also you’ll probably must take away it when utilizing public transport.

In case you completely should convey greater than you possibly can bodily carry, there are baggage forwarding companies in Japan that may assist transport your baggage from lodge to lodge for you.
 

Renting Child Gear in Japan

Since our child was a bit youthful and never but cellular once we visited Japan, we felt OK with not having a devoted sleeping area and using the ground beds as a substitute. Nevertheless now that he’s older, he wants a devoted sleeping area and ideally a stroller. If we had been to go to now, I’d make the most of rental companies to maintain our suitcases gentle and nonetheless have entry to the objects we want for security and luxury.

It’s potential to lease strollers in numerous cities in Japan, relying on how distant you’re going. You too can lease different child gear in some elements of Japan, notably within the extra main cities.
 

Shopping for Child Necessities in Japan

One approach to pack lighter is to plan to purchase child necessities in Japan. It’s straightforward to search out diapers, components, and child meals if you understand the place to look.

In case you’re doing baby-led weaning, which we had been on the time, you possibly can store at any Japanese grocery store for fruit and veggies.

It was truly a deal with to go to the grocery shops there since they’d nearly completely completely different snacks and types than I’ve seen elsewhere. The produce was additionally means higher, because it was largely domestically grown. Even within the winter, we had been consuming completely ripe, locally-grown strawberries.

In case you want diapers, child meals, or components, you gained’t discover them at a grocery retailer. These things are on the market in drug shops solely. Matsumoto Kiyoshi (with brown lettering) is the one we got here throughout essentially the most typically.

Diapers had been straightforward to purchase. They’ll have the load clearly displayed in kilograms. Jarred child meals and components had been in the identical part of the shop. In case you want a specialised (non-cow) components, which may be tougher to search out. Since we did for my child, we introduced sufficient with us from residence for the entire journey.

Obtain the Google translate app as a way to maintain your cellphone digital camera as much as the Japanese Kanji and browse what the substances and child meals flavors are. Don’t anticipate to see English translations in shops.
 

Selecting The place to Keep in Japan with a Child

We did a mixture of inns and residences in Japan they usually each had their advantages.

Until you’re keen to pay up a bit extra, particularly in Tokyo, you possibly can anticipate lodge rooms to be on the smaller facet. Nevertheless they have a tendency to incorporate breakfast, which makes life simpler for fogeys with younger youngsters.

Residences, which you’ll ebook on Airbnb, often have two flooring and a kitchen. The kitchen was useful for meals prepping for the newborn, and the 2 we stayed in had microwaves. I journey with microwave steam baggage to sanitize our bottles, so this was a pleasant shock.

The 2 flooring additionally gave us a spot to hang around whereas he took his naps. Condo leases are nearly at all times bigger, and in my expertise, extra reasonably priced than lodge rooms may be. Typically they’ve washers and dryers as effectively.

Scorching water kettles are a pleasant function whether or not you’re in an condominium or lodge room. They appear to be the usual in Japan, which makes sanitizing, washing, and heating water for components simpler. Faucet water in Japan is mostly protected to drink and wash with.
 

Child Sleep in Japan

Probably the most bewildering and disappointing factor about touring in Japan with our child was the shortage of cribs. Even within the 5-star ryokan we stayed at in Kawaguchiko, there was no child crib on supply. It made me marvel what locals do. Do they convey their very own? Do they co-sleep?

In half of the locations we stayed, the beds had been traditional-style mattresses on the ground, so it was positive for our child to sleep on the ground mattresses, nevertheless now that he’s extra cellular, I’d wish to convey alongside our journey mattress.

Feeding and Meals in Japan

One of many adverse issues I heard was that we’d be turned away from eating places in Japan with our child. Whereas I’m certain it occurs, I didn’t encounter this, even at kaiseki (which is the best degree of eating in Japan) eating places. Typically they even had toys they’d convey out for our son.

We had been advised that the lounge within the lodge we stayed at in Tokyo wouldn’t be obtainable to the newborn within the evenings when alcohol was served, nevertheless. Some eating places, together with the Michelin star ones you could be hoping to eat at, may maintain the identical coverage. There are some eating places in Japan which might be particularly geared in the direction of households. The commonest you’ll discover are Bikkuri Donkey, Joyfull, and Gusto.

Most eating places in Japan can have excessive chairs, however when at extra informal ramen or yakitori eating places, you’re much less more likely to come throughout them.

In case you’re nursing, my sense in Japan was that it’s finest completed in non-public. I by no means noticed anybody overtly nursing in Japan, although I noticed loads of bottle feeding. The household restrooms are most likely your finest guess for a snug and personal expertise. I noticed a nursing pod (a little bit room that gives nursing privateness, just like the Mamava pods at US airports) at just a few main prepare stations in Japan as effectively.
 

Medical Companies in Japan

As a father or mother, I’m extra involved with the provision of healthcare companies than I ever was earlier than touring with a child. Fortunately Japan has a beautiful medical system with completely succesful docs.

I do know this firsthand as I wanted to go to a health care provider in Kyoto when my bronchial asthma flared up. I used to be in a position to go to a world physician at a clinic that companies foreigners the identical day. All the medicine the physician prescribed was obtainable there as effectively. Usually they’ll need a money fee which you’ll then undergo your journey insurance coverage for reimbursement.

In non-emergency conditions, search for a health care provider that focuses on worldwide sufferers as there may be language obstacles. I used to be capable of finding mine simply on Google Maps. In any other case, hospitals are broadly obtainable, even in smaller cities.

Total, I cherished touring in Japan with our child. The clear household bogs offered a straightforward place to alter him, feeding and shopping for provides had been straightforward, and getting round was easy with such a well-connected rail system.

I used to be nervous with so many stops and logistics that it could be a nightmare, however all the things is so well-organized in Japan, all of it labored out. Plus, the cute interactions between our son and the locals made it a heartwarming expertise.

Kristin Addis is a solo feminine journey skilled who conjures up girls to journey the world in an genuine and adventurous means. A former funding banker who offered all of her belongings in 2012, Kristin has been touring the world ever since. Yow will discover extra of her musings at Be My Journey Muse or on Instagram and Fb.