How one can Journey Japan with a Child (Up to date 2023)

Posted: 10/9/2023 | October

I really like Japan. It’s one in all my favourite international locations on this planet. However is it an acceptable vacation spot to go to with a child? Solo feminine journey skilled Kristin Addis from Be My Journey Muse was not too long ago there along with her child and has tons of ideas and recommendation for vacationers considering 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 folks 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 motels. Touring with a child in Japan comes with some particular concerns, however total, it may be an important journey IF you intend it proper. Right here’s every little thing to know:

Japan Child and Toddler Friendliness

With a couple of unusual exceptions, like the shortage of cribs, Japan is likely 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 supplied me a spot to take a seat with the child whereas I waited. It felt like top notch 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 effectively, 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. Folks revered that they have 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 lavatory as outfitted as those in Japan.

The locals additionally LOVED our child. In every single place we went, folks would play peek a boo with him, smile at him, and lightweight up once 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 less complicated than a packed itinerary when touring with a child anyplace on this planet. That is very true for Japan the place you’re most definitely 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 costlier, we tended to choose practice 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 not often had a spot to vary diapers.

If you happen to’re touring throughout excessive season, be sure you e-book practice 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 expensive, and if you happen to’re North American you’ll be driving on the other aspect of the highway, nevertheless it additionally offers you final flexibility.
 

Packing Gentle is Clever for Japan

If you happen to’ll be taking the Japan Rail and/or metro to get round, you’ll need to pack as gentle as attainable. Realistically, solely what you and whoever you’re touring with can carry goes to work. This appears to be the most important problem 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 delicate child service. Whereas a stroller will be useful at instances, Japan has plenty 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 determination 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 service as an alternative. It distributes weight higher and is a extra snug expertise, plus they’ve space for storing. Simply needless to say they’re cumbersome and also you’ll most definitely have to take away it when utilizing public transport.

If you happen to completely should convey greater than you possibly can bodily carry, there are baggage forwarding providers 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 an alternative. Nevertheless 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 gentle and nonetheless have entry to the objects we want for security and luxury.

It’s attainable to hire strollers in varied cities in Japan, relying on how distant you’re going. You may also hire different child gear in some components 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, method, and child meals if you realize the place to look.

If you happen to’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 really a deal with to go to the grocery shops there since they’d nearly fully totally different snacks and types than I’ve seen elsewhere. The produce was additionally manner higher, because it was largely regionally grown. Even within the winter, we have been consuming completely ripe, locally-grown strawberries.

If you happen to want diapers, child meals, or method, 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 burden clearly displayed in kilograms. Jarred child meals and method have been in the identical part of the shop. If you happen to want a specialised (non-cow) method, that could be tougher 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 in an effort to maintain your telephone digicam 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 motels 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 possibly can anticipate lodge rooms to be on the smaller aspect. Nevertheless they have an inclination to incorporate breakfast, which makes life simpler for fogeys with younger youngsters.

Residences, which you’ll e-book 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. House leases are nearly at all times bigger, and in my expertise, extra inexpensive than lodge rooms will be. Generally they’ve washers and dryers as effectively.

Scorching water kettles are a pleasant characteristic 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 method simpler. Faucet water in Japan is usually secure 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 surprise what locals do. Do they create 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 high-quality for our child to sleep on the ground mattresses, nonetheless now that he’s extra cellular, I’d need 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 very best stage of eating in Japan) eating places. Generally they even had toys they’d convey out for our son.

We have been informed that the lounge within the lodge we stayed at in Tokyo wouldn’t be out there to the child within the evenings when alcohol was served, nonetheless. Some eating places, together with the Michelin star ones you is perhaps hoping to eat at, might 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 could have excessive chairs, however when at extra informal ramen or yakitori eating places, you’re much less more likely to come throughout them.

If you happen to’re nursing, my sense in Japan was that it’s finest executed 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 wager for a cushty and personal expertise. I noticed a nursing pod (a little bit room that provides nursing privateness, much like the Mamava pods at US airports) at a couple of main practice stations in Japan as effectively.
 

Medical Providers in Japan

As a dad or mum, I’m extra involved with the supply of healthcare providers than I ever was earlier than touring with a child. Fortunately Japan has an exquisite 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 capable of go to a world physician at a clinic that providers foreigners the identical day. The entire medicine the physician prescribed was out there there as effectively. Typically they’ll desire a money fee which you’ll then undergo your journey insurance coverage for reimbursement.

In non-emergency conditions, search for a physician that makes a speciality of worldwide sufferers as there will be language boundaries. 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.

Total, I beloved 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 frightened with so many stops and logistics that it is perhaps a nightmare, however every little 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 skilled who evokes ladies to journey the world in an genuine and adventurous manner. A former funding banker who offered all of her belongings in 2012, Kristin has been touring the world ever since. You could find extra of her musings at Be My Journey Muse or on Instagram and Fb.