The way 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 acceptable vacation spot to go to with a child? Solo feminine journey knowledgeable Kristin Addis from Be My Travel Muse was 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 blended issues about how child pleasant Japan could be, from DMs telling me it wouldn’t be an important journey to the whole 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 flats and accommodations. Touring with a child in Japan comes with some particular concerns, however general, it may be an important 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 without doubt one of 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 take a seat with the child whereas I waited. It felt like firstclass remedy.

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 every single place as nicely, and I actually imply in every single place. Even the smallest metro and practice stations had them, and I by no means encountered one which wasn’t glowing clear. Individuals revered that they have been solely meant for these with disabilities and younger kids, as nicely. 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 loos are additionally stuffed 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 rest room as geared up 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 after they noticed him. We felt very welcome in every single 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 wherever 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 prone to have as nicely.

Though they’re costlier, we tended to prefer train travel to bus travel in Japan in order that we may 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.

When you’re touring throughout excessive season, be sure you guide practice tickets forward of time and reserve seats to keep away from having to face along with your child.

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

Packing Gentle is Sensible for Japan

When you’ll be taking the Japan Rail and/or metro to get round, you’ll wish 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 largest concern for households touring in Japan. They pack an excessive amount of and it impacts their journey enjoyment.

We opted to depart the stroller at dwelling and simply journey with a soft baby carrier. Whereas a stroller will be useful at instances, Japan has a whole lot 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 blended emotions about this choice 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 hiking baby carrier as a substitute. It distributes weight higher and is a extra snug expertise, plus they’ve space for storing. Simply remember that they’re cumbersome and also you’ll probably have to take away it when utilizing public transport.

When you completely should convey greater than you possibly can bodily carry, there are luggage forwarding services 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 cell once we visited Japan, we felt OK with not having a devoted sleeping house and using the ground beds as a substitute. Nevertheless now that he’s older, he wants a devoted sleeping house and ideally a stroller. If we have been to go to now, I’d make the most of rental companies to maintain our suitcases mild and nonetheless have entry to the gadgets we want for security and luxury.

It’s doable to rent strollers in various cities in Japan, relying on how distant you’re going. It’s also possible to rent other baby gear in some elements of Japan, significantly within the extra main cities.
 

Shopping for Child Necessities in Japan

One method to pack lighter is to plan to purchase child necessities in Japan. It’s simple to seek out diapers, formulation, and child meals if you recognize the place to look.

When you’re doing baby-led weaning, which we have 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 virtually solely completely different snacks and types than I’ve seen elsewhere. The produce was additionally method higher, because it was principally domestically grown. Even within the winter, we have been consuming completely ripe, locally-grown strawberries.

When you want diapers, child meals, or formulation, 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 probably the most typically.

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

Obtain the Google translate app so to maintain your telephone digicam as much as the Japanese Kanji and browse what the elements 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 accommodations and flats in Japan they usually each had their advantages.

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

Flats, which you’ll be able to guide on Airbnb, normally have two flooring and a kitchen. The kitchen was useful for meals prepping for the child, and the 2 we stayed in had microwaves. I journey with microwave steam luggage 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. Condominium leases are virtually at all times bigger, and in my expertise, extra reasonably priced than lodge rooms will be. Generally they’ve washers and dryers as nicely.

Scorching water kettles are a pleasant characteristic whether or not you’re in an residence or lodge room. They appear to be the usual in Japan, which makes sanitizing, washing, and heating water for formulation simpler. Faucet water in Japan is usually 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 provide. 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 have been traditional-style mattresses on the ground, so it was fantastic for our child to sleep on the ground mattresses, nonetheless now that he’s extra cell, I’d wish to convey alongside our journey mattress.

Feeding and Meals in Japan

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

We have been instructed that the lounge within the lodge we stayed at in Tokyo wouldn’t be obtainable to the child within the evenings when alcohol was served, nonetheless. Some eating places, together with the Michelin star ones you may be hoping to eat at, may maintain the identical coverage. There are some eating places in Japan which can be particularly geared in 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 prone to come throughout them.

When you’re nursing, my sense in Japan was that it’s finest performed in non-public. 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 guess for a snug and personal expertise. I noticed a nursing pod (a bit room that provides nursing privateness, much like the Mamava pods at US airports) at just a few main practice stations in Japan as nicely.
 

Medical Providers 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 medical doctors.

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 capable of go to a global physician at a clinic that companies foreigners the identical day. All the treatment the physician prescribed was obtainable there as nicely. Most often they’ll desire a money cost which you’ll be able to then undergo your travel insurance for reimbursement.

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

General, I cherished touring in Japan with our child. The clear household loos supplied a simple 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 frightened with so many stops and logistics that it may 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 knowledgeable who evokes ladies to journey the world in an genuine and adventurous method. 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 Travel Muse or on Instagram and Facebook.