Japan with children
Photo: Christian Kadluba from Vienna, Austria, CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Japan is an exciting, safe and rewarding place to travel with children, but the big cities like Tokyo and Kyoto are not always super-friendly or convenient from the parents' point of view, especially if your children are still young. Here are some tips for making your visit a bit easier.
UnderstandJapan has always been a hierarchical society where everything and everyone has its place. Traditionally, the place for young children to be is at home with their mother.
Get inIf you're flying to Japan with young children, it's worth paying a little extra for Japan's own airlines, Japan Airlines (JAL) or All Nippon Airways (ANA), which are both extraordinarily kid-friendly.
Get aroundJapanese public transport is generally well set-up for children.
See and doDiscounts for children at tourist attractions are ubiquitous in Japan, often with a range of prices depending on the exact age. The usual suspects are:
BuyFinding baby products can be a hassle, as most inner-city Japanese groceries, supermarkets, convenience stores and corner drugstores do not stock diapers (オムツ omutsu) or formula (粉ミルク kona-miruku).
EatMany Japanese restaurants do not cater to babies, with highchairs (ハイチェア haicheā) being virtually unknown, and the average Tokyo hole-in-the-wall won't even have the space to park a stroller.
SleepAccommodation in Japan is usually charged per person, and once past the age of 12, children are considered adults when it comes to pricing.
Stay healthyJapanese health care is generally excellent and reasonably priced, although as always you should have travel insurance to cover any major accidents.
CopePublic toilets in Japan are free and ubiquitous, and larger train stations and tourist attractions nearly always have a large toilet equipped with a change table, or at least a change table in the women's section.
Sources and licences
- Guide text adapted from the Wikivoyage article "Japan with children" by its contributors, available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read on Wikivoyage · Contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0
- Photo: Christian Kadluba from Vienna, Austria, CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons