As a couple, my wife and I spent many trips exploring the ins and outs of Japan. With a JR Rail Pass, and we’d be zipping around on the shinkansen (bullet train) looking for the Japan you don’t see in the travel guides. And then…we had a child. Not letting the baby cramp our style, by the time our son was 10 months old we decided to take him to Japan. Thinking we could handle it, we made our travel plans just as we had when we were a couple. We decided to go to Japan’s northernmost island, Hokkaido, for their annual Yukimatsuri (snow festival). So, the first time traveling with a baby, we took a 11 hour airplane ride (with a transfer), to a foreign country - in the dead of winter time. How foolish of us.
We’ve now been to Japan now three times with our 4 year old son (the last time was to pick up our adopted daughter) and we’ve learned something from the experience that might be worthwhile sharing.
First, let me say that while Japanese people have a soft spot for kids, Japan is not a really kid friendly country from an American’s point of view. Specifically, I’m talking about the big cities, Tokyo, Yokohama, Osaka, etc… So, should you avoid travel to Japan if you have young children? I wouldn’t say that. But you should try to understand the differences between how everyday Japanese families (with children) live versus how we in America live.
Travel Topic; Getting Around in Japan
In America we all drive cars. You put your kids in the car. The most walking you do is to where you park your car. Kids stuff? No problem, put it in the car. Shopping bags? Put them in the car too. Got too much stuff? Get a bigger car. In Japan’s large cities, everyday people get around by walking, biking, trains, buses and taxis. Got kids? They walk. Kid stuff? You carry it. Shopping bags? You carry those too. Got too much stuff? You leave it behind.
While it’s true that most Japanese families probably own one car, they don’t use them like we Americans do. And if think you’re going to go to Japan and rent a car…you need to get real with your inner self.
Tip number one – Get in shape before you go!
If you have children of walking age, prepare them for A LOT OF WALKING! Parents, get ready to hear A LOT OF COMPLAINTS about the walking. Japan’s rail system (especially in the big cites) is world class, but you still got to do a lot of walking to and from the stations. So, before going to Japan you and your kids should get in shape by taking long walks everyday. To make it even more real, you should each take along a backpack full of books to simulate the various things that you will need to carry with you on your vacation (for example: camera, dictionary, maps, kids stuff…maybe a jacket, stuff that you buy).
Tip number two – Bring a small, light stroller!
If your kid is still in a stroller you’ll need to bring it. But keep in mind that Japan is not stroller friendly with all the stairs and hoards of people. Elevators are still not too common at the train stations (although this is changing fast). You will find that you’ll be frequently toting your child AND your stroller, so bring a light stroller with a carry strap. (Ever wonder why Japanese stroller makers, Combi and Aprica, produce smaller and lighter strollers than US designs? Leave your SUV-sized American stroller at home!) You’re better off with a strap-on carrier if your baby is old enough to hold his/her head up. Don’t have one? Buy one in Japan. You will be astounded with the wide variety of carriers they have, and after you’ve spent time there with a baby you’ll understand why.
Tip number three – What to do about car seats?
I’m not sure what car seat laws are in Japan, but I know that the times we did ride in the car, we didn’t have any protection for our kids! Yikes! Still, it is simply not practical to bring a car seat to Japan as you would when traveling within the US. Japanese taxis will pick you up even though you don’t have your kid in a car seat. But, I don’t think a taxi will pick you if you’re standing on the side of the road holding a baby and a car seat…he’s not going to want to wait for you to install it. Your choice is sometimes the lesser of two evils: risk the car ride, or have your child CRUSHED alive in a subway train…tough choice.
One more thing about Japanese car seats. During our first trip to Japan with our son we bought a Combi Zeus car seat from Akachan Honpo and lugged that big sucker home. It was one of the best baby products we ever bought. This model is not exported to the US, but we love it. It goes rear facing and forward facing - but the main thing is that it swivels 360 degrees which makes loading and unloading your child less back breaking. Now our adopted daughter uses it.
Little thumb-suckers are easier to get in and out of the car with our cool Combi car seat. Note the thick steel rod that extends from the front of the car seat to the floor board for extra safety.
Tip number four – On the trains, avoid the rush hour!
Japan is a highly structured society. One of the ways they keep the peace is by staggering peoples’ work/school days. For example, most office workers are at work by 9am, schools start a little later, and then retail stores open for shopping after that. It keeps the different groups of people (office workers, students and housewives) off the transportation network at the same time. But, because the largest of these three groups are the office workers, this means the trains are insanely packed between 7am and 9am – you’ve seen the pictures of station attendants shoving people in so the doors can close, that’s what I’m talking about. Riding a train with a small child at this time is so dangerous it’s simply suicidal. Japanese families just don’t do it. As a side tip, if you do get caught on a crowed train with your child, stand close to the door and put your child between your legs. And whatever you do, don’t get pushed from that spot. If you need to make a fast exit you’ll be able to without getting separated from your child.
A final thought related to getting around in Japan with kids. If you have children old enough to wander away from you, make sure you have some form of identification and phone number tattooed (joking) on to their bodies. If you can get this information written in Japanese so much the better, but, most people can read an English ID. Rent a cell phone so you can be reached in an emergency. Tokyo is one of the most densely populated cities in the world; can you imagine what you would do if your child got lost?
I’ll continue this subject in a later post…
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Planning on taking our 2 boys (8 and 9) with us to Japan…along with my 82 yr old father. I’m sure you’ll have a lot of suggestions from getting to/from the airport to our hotel to a place we can all stay in a minimum # of rooms.
Grandpa wants to go from Tokyo to Fukuoka. Do we need to have a JR railpass start from the get-go just to use the subway, trains in/around Tokyo? Thinking of being there 12 days in November.
Thanks
Left by Alene on May 11th, 2007
Alene,
You’re basically looking at two ways to get to your hotel from Narita airport; bus or train. The airport limo bus is a good choice if it stops at your hotel. If it doesn’t stop at your hotel, you’ll have to ride it to a hotel near yours and catch a cab from there…that’s not so good. The good thing about the bus is that you take your luggage with you on the bus, and depending where you’re staying, will drop you off at your door step. But, the bus can be very slow and you could be sitting on that thing for a couple of hours depending on traffic and where your hotel is. I believe you’re looking at about $40 per person.
There are many different train choices from the airport - it all depends on the location of your hotel. Accordingly, the cost of riding a train is variable. If you take a train you’ll need to do a lot of walking. This means that if every person in your party can collectively manage all your luggage through train stations and up and down stairs then the train is good. If you have a lot of luggage, then riding a train can be very difficult. But, a train will nearly always be faster than the bus.
If you are very wealthy, you could also catch a cab. A car ride from Narita airport to central Tokyo could take about an hour, so a cab would be pretty damm expensive.
Japanese hotels are interesting in that they not only charge by the room as in US, but they also charge by the person. So if you try to save money by sharing only one room you’ll still have to pay for each person. A “business hotel” is the economy choice in Japan.
Tokyo to Fukuoka is pretty far. Don’t quote me, but think along the lines of San Francisco to San Diego…a good day long trip even by shinkansen.
A JR Railpass is not super useful in Tokyo. When I go to Japan, if we don’t leave Tokyo, I don’t bother with a railpass. In Tokyo, the subways are more useful than the JR Lines and your railpass won’t work on the subways. If you’re traveling to multiple cities, than a railpass is the way to go. A railpass must be “activated” in order to use it, and once you do, the clock starts ticking. This means that if you buy a 1 week railpass and plan to spend your first week in Tokyo and another other week traveling down to Fukuoka, you could activate your railpass when leave Tokyo and use if for your second week in Japan.
November is a really nice time of year. I would plan to spend some time in Kyoto or Nara to check out the Fall scenery. Grandpa will love it but I’m not sure about your boys.
Good luck on your trip!
Left by Netsato on May 12th, 2007
You are SPOT ON about getting around Japan with kids. I am American, but live in Japan. I have 3 children under 5 years old. I frequently have to take the trains and subways with one or two of them during rush hour. It is ugly! The riders are almost robotic, avoiding all eye contact, and walk onto the train and run over anyone in the way. It is so opposite from the overall culture! I am very respectful of being “the outsider”, but on the train I am in a offense posture, planting my feet as solidly as I can. Thankfully, I am a tall woman and therefore sometimes a head taller than the other patrons.
Your comments about the strollers is also right on the money. An American stroller, Graco, etc. is ridiculous to get around Japan. If you can’t do a small umbrella type stroller, then you must carry your kids in the front pack. If you do a back pack carrier, then you must take it off on the train. My blonde kids get lots of attention everywhere we go, and I love that they speak the language and eat the food, with chopsticks! It is an amazing experience for all of us!
Left by Lauren on February 10th, 2008
Thanks so much for your post. My husband and I traveled to Japan 2 years ago and we loved it. We’d love to go back so much but always wonder how can we do it with our 6 months old daughter. Your eperience gives us some inspirtaion to start planning our trip now. Thanks again!
Left by Elaine on March 3rd, 2008
Hi, thanks so much for the post - love it. I will be travelling to Japan in end Sept for 12 days, and will have a 4 and 5 years old girls + hubby + parents (
Left by Jaime on June 16th, 2008
Having read your blog, am feeling slightly daunted at the prospect of travelling out to Nagoya with my Mum, 2 and a half year old and 6 month old twins in October I’m meeting up with my sister currently living in Australia so am hoping one adult per child will suffice. I’ll need both a double buggy and a single one. I doubt I’ll be able to carry the boys on my front for too long. Having braved the tube in Mexico City in rush hour am well aware of the potential danger with little ones. I’m sure a double buggy will cause us a great deal of hassle! Do you have any advice on hotels? Will be travelling into Tokyo etc aswell. Any advice on anything would be gratefully received.
Left by Kathie on August 2nd, 2008