The way to Journey Japan with a Child (Up to date 2023)

Posted: 10/9/2023 | October

I like Japan. It’s one in all my favourite nations on this planet. However is it an appropriate vacation spot to go to with a child? Solo feminine journey knowledgeable Kristin Addis from Be My Journey Muse was just lately there together with her child and has tons of ideas 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 a fantastic journey to the overall 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 general, it may be a fantastic journey IF you intend it proper. Right here’s every thing to know:

Japan Child and Toddler Friendliness

With just a few unusual exceptions, like the dearth of cribs, Japan is among the most child and family-friendly locations I’ve been. It began once we have 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 sit down 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 all the time had a household line, which is unfortunately lacking from each US airport I’ve encountered.

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

The bogs are additionally filled with helpful gadgets 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 every single place we went, individuals would play peek a boo with him, smile at him, and lightweight up once they noticed him. We felt very welcome all over the place 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 most 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 desire prepare journey to bus journey in Japan in order that we might make use of the altering tables on the trains. They have been extra spacious, and the buses hardly ever had a spot to vary diapers.

In the event you’re touring throughout excessive season, make sure to e-book prepare tickets forward of time and reserve seats to keep away from having to face along with your child.

Alternatively, contemplate renting a automotive to get round. They are often dear, and when you’re North American you’ll be driving on the other facet of the highway, but it surely additionally provides you final flexibility.
 

Packing Gentle is Clever for Japan

In the event you’ll be taking the Japan Rail and/or metro to get round, you’ll need to pack as mild as doable. Realistically, solely what you and whoever you’re touring with can carry goes to work. This appears to be the most important challenge for households touring in Japan. They pack an excessive amount of and it impacts their journey enjoyment.

We opted to depart the stroller at house and simply journey with a smooth child provider. Whereas a stroller might be useful at occasions, Japan has plenty of stairs and a few metro stations, even in Tokyo, don’t have elevators. We all the time discovered them at JR stations, although.

I’ve combined emotions about this resolution as we have been aching by the tip of the journey. If I have been to do it with a toddler or older child I’d in all probability go for a mountain climbing child provider as a substitute. It distributes weight higher and is a extra snug expertise, plus they’ve space for storing. Simply understand that they’re cumbersome and also you’ll most probably have to take away it when utilizing public transport.

In the event you completely should convey greater than you may bodily carry, there are baggage forwarding providers in Japan that may assist transport your baggage from resort to resort 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. Nonetheless now that he’s older, he wants a devoted sleeping area and ideally a stroller. If we have been to go to now, I’d make the most of rental providers to maintain our suitcases mild and nonetheless have entry to the gadgets we want for security and luxury.

It’s doable to hire strollers in numerous cities in Japan, relying on how distant you’re going. You may also hire different child gear in some elements of Japan, significantly within the extra main cities.
 

Shopping for Child Necessities in Japan

One solution to pack lighter is to plan to purchase child necessities in Japan. It’s simple to seek out diapers, system, and child meals if you already know the place to look.

In the event you’re doing baby-led weaning, which we have been on the time, you may store at any Japanese grocery store for fruit and veggies.

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

In the event you want diapers, child meals, or system, you received’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 usually.

Diapers have been simple to purchase. They’ll have the load clearly displayed in kilograms. Jarred child meals and system have been in the identical part of the shop. In the event you want a specialised (non-cow) system, which may be more durable to seek out. Since we did for my child, we introduced sufficient with us from house for the entire journey.

Obtain the Google translate app to be able to maintain your telephone digital camera as much as the Japanese Kanji and browse what the components and child meals flavors are. Don’t count on 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 and so they each had their advantages.

Until you’re keen to pay up a bit extra, particularly in Tokyo, you may count on resort rooms to be on the smaller facet. Nonetheless they have a tendency to incorporate breakfast, which makes life simpler for folks with younger kids.

Residences, which you’ll e-book on Airbnb, normally 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 all the time bigger, and in my expertise, extra reasonably priced than resort rooms might be. Typically they’ve washers and dryers as effectively.

Sizzling water kettles are a pleasant characteristic whether or not you’re in an house or resort room. They appear to be the usual in Japan, which makes sanitizing, washing, and heating water for system simpler. Faucet water in Japan is mostly protected to drink and wash with.
 

Child Sleep in Japan

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

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

Feeding and Meals in Japan

One of many unfavorable 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 very best stage of eating in Japan) eating places. Typically they even had toys they’d convey out for our son.

We have been instructed that the lounge within the resort we stayed at in Tokyo wouldn’t be out there 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, might maintain the identical coverage. There are some eating places in Japan which might be particularly geared in the direction of households. The most typical you’ll discover are Bikkuri Donkey, Joyfull, and Gusto.

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

In the event you’re nursing, my sense in Japan was that it’s finest achieved in personal. I by no means noticed anybody brazenly nursing in Japan, although I noticed loads of bottle feeding. The household restrooms are in all probability your finest wager for a cushty and personal expertise. I noticed a nursing pod (a little bit room that provides nursing privateness, just like the Mamava pods at US airports) at just a few main prepare stations in Japan as effectively.
 

Medical Providers in Japan

As a mum or dad, I’m extra involved with the supply of healthcare providers 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 physician in Kyoto when my bronchial asthma flared up. I used to be in a position to go to a global physician at a clinic that providers foreigners the identical day. All the treatment the physician prescribed was out there there as effectively. Generally they’ll need a money fee which you’ll then undergo your journey insurance coverage for reimbursement.

In non-emergency conditions, search for a physician that focuses on worldwide sufferers as there might be language obstacles. I used to be capable of finding mine simply on Google Maps. In any other case, hospitals are extensively out there, even in smaller cities.

General, I cherished touring in Japan with our child. The clear household bogs supplied a straightforward place to vary him, feeding and shopping for provides have been simple, and getting round was easy with such a well-connected rail system.

I used to be anxious with so many stops and logistics that it could be a nightmare, however every thing 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 knowledgeable who conjures up ladies to journey the world in an genuine and adventurous approach. 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.