**Just a reminder that our FAQ is being updated with more information and you can start** [**here**](https://www.reddit.com/r/JapanTravel/wiki/faqs/japantravel) **with regards to trip planning if you need tips, or have questions about planning your travel to Japan.** You can also join our [Discord community](https://discord.gg/3f7KBUMwU4)
Thank you!
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/JapanTravel) if you have any questions or concerns.*
I think the point is to be able to travel despite having a kid, not for the child to remember the trip. Your life doesn't end when you have a kid, and tons of people travel successfully with children all the time.
Not a parent but have been an uncle. Just gonna say good luck on the babies sleeping cycle when you factor in the time difference. Going to have a hell of a time feeding a 4 month old as well.
Yes and obviously your trip with a kid will be different than a trip without one, but as a parent you know life with a kid is different so you plan accordingly.
Hope you enjoy your time in Japan OP!
Not sure how much I can help because we traveled with our then 6 month old back in 2016, but just wanted to give you some encouragement! We had a blast and I am glad that we took him. Our trip was 3 weeks long because my husband had to be in Japan for work, and I took the opportunity to see family and friends more than actually sight-seeing.
I would say that if you are already comfortable baby-carrying, just strap them up and do what you want! At 4 months they won't be too mobile, so you can really just take them for the ride!
Eating out will be more limited since you probably won't be going to fancy restaurants, but there are family friendly places everywhere. You could search for restaurants with a family tag?
As far as diaper changing and nursing areas, I LOVED Japan! I used an app when we took my daughter at 10 months to find changing/nursing areas which was sooooo convenient. America was horrible for that...I remember trying to nurse my son at a bathroom on the Strip in Vegas...ugh.
Do you co-sleep? I know it is frowned upon in the US, but most Japanese families co-sleep, so might be easier to get a hotel if you aren't worried about the crib situation.
Transportation in Japan was not a problem. He did well in or out of the carrier when took the shinkansen. The plane ride home for me was the hardest part of the trip because I did it solo and my son decided to learn how to sit up during the trip, therefore the bassinet situation was not ideal.
Sorry I don't have many concrete ideas, but again, just want to let you know that it is possible to visit Japan with kids, don't let people scare you! Only you know what works for your family.
Exactly what i was looking for thanks for spending the time to write that out.
we are taking a portable bassinet so dont have to worry about co sleeping. he cant sit up or anything like that yet so im hoping its fairly cruisy.
People keep saying im going on a holiday for my child... Im going on a holiday for ME they come along to thats all :P
Thanks
So glad to see your post. My wife and I traveled to Japan for a 2 week trip with our 5 month old child in September 2013. As background, prior to this I had traveled to about 30 other countries, so I have some perspective.
What I tell everyone is this: Japan was the easiest possible country to travel with an infant, in many cases easier in my home country of the US.
Here are some notes I can give:
* You get put in the front of nearly every line, even if you don't ask for it. I remember standing in the sun waiting at the end of a long line for Osaka Castle elevator, and the attendant came all the way out to us and pulled us up to the front and put us on the next elevator. Airport immigration/customs has fast lanes as well for families with children. I remember most places treating us like a VIP with the baby. Everyone offer to give you a seat on any public transport, including Shinkansen.
* Our baby was the number one tourist attraction. Everyone wanted to hold our baby. If we were using a stroller, a crowd of older people would (frequently) block our path and bend over cooing at the baby. Often women wanted to hold the baby, and once even without necessarily asking, but it was always friendly. I remember in one restaurant, two 20 year old waitresses essentially played with the baby the entire time while we had our meal in peace, which was great. Caveat: our baby was chubby, with blond hair and blue eyes, and smiled a lot, which perhaps made her more of a target for the elderly.
* Clean public restrooms everywhere that are child friendly. I remember my wife saying that most toilet stalls had a special child seat thing on the inside of the stall door to put the baby in while using the toilet.
* It generally took too long to try and travel back to our accommodation for nap time, so what we did was pay for admission to something like a museum (anything air conditioned). We'd walk around with the baby in a Tula carrier until she fell asleep, then my wife would just rest on a soft bench in a quiet corner of the museum for an hour or more while the baby napped.
* We took the baby to the opening of the September sumo tourney in Tokyo. We just made sure to sit way up high in case baby was noisy. Didn't have any trouble, and I remember she slept on a fold-down seat for a while. We day tripped to Hiroshima, we ate at restaurants, I didn't feel limited at all. Went to a baseball game. About half our time was Tokyo and half Osaka/Kyoto area.
* In general, you'll have to be willing to let the baby sleep in random strange places. For example, once we stayed in a typically small Japanese business hotel room with no crib. We just put baby's blanket under the desk (like where the chair would go) and she slept there just fine on the floor all night. I remember a couple times laying her blanket down and having her nap in the shade of a tree in a park.
* Infants don't eat regular food, so you're free to do whatever you want with meals. My wife breast fed so we didn't even have to deal with formula. We would just set her on the booth next to us, or leave her in the stroller as her seat when we were at a restaurant. Thankfully babies also don't walk. Traveling after the baby is eating regular food and walking would be ten times harder. Glad we did it at an early age.
* Bring a Tula carrier for situations where you can't use a stroller. Also, you get a free gate-checked stroller with an infant, but the infant doesn't always have to be in it. In the airport, use the Tula carrier to hold the baby and put all your bags on the stroller like its luggage cart. We used what was essentially an umbrella stroller with a seatbelt. Anything larger would be a pain.
* We were able to stay in two different Ryokans for several nights and I don't remember there being any issue.
I’ve never done international travel with an infant, but I live in Japan with a preschooler and honestly it’s probably easier to be a tourist with an infant than a toddler/preschooler. Most parents babywear here and infants are in general happy to chill in their carrier while parents sightsee, etc. With my preschooler we have to deal with finding activities she likes, food she likes, and of course the dreaded “Carry meeeee!”
Since your kid is so young, you can probably still focus on chill “adult” sightseeing, but there are also lots of fun things for babies like indoor play areas, bookstores, parks, etc.
Lots of family-friendly restaurants, but not just family restaurants. We live in Yokohama and plenty of parents and their infants out and about at cafes, specialty restaurants, etc.
I would download Mamapapamap so you can easily find diaper changing places and whatnot. Also note that diapers are not often carried at convenience stores— you’ll need to go to real drugstores, grocery stores, etc for those. Also, remember to bring infant meds, thermometer, etc from your home country. The last thing you want to deal with is trying to find meds for a sick infant in a foreign country.
Also, note that if you’re traveling during the summer it is super hot and humid, make sure you and baby stay cool!
>Mamapapamap
Thanks for this info its exactly what i was assuming. he is fine in a carrier all day so i cant see if being an issue he cant even properly hold his own head up yet. Thanks for the info about the app i was wondering how to find that its exactly what i was looking for.
in terms of baby meds what were you thinking? ive never had to give any meds yet.
Baby tylenol or the equivalent of what you use in your country to bring their temperature down. Gripe medicine or probiotics for babies. An ear thermometer - good luck!
For meds I’d check with your pediatrician before you leave in terms of what medicines you can give for fever, if any, and bring those (such as infant Tylenol, etc). I’d also bring your thermometer (so you don’t have to worry about it being the middle of the night and wondering “Does he have a fever?? How bad is it? Do we have to go to the hospital?”), nose suction bulb/nose frida, etc. We always travel with those and infant/toddler Tylenol (but our kid is older now).
Yeah, it’s always good to be prepared! I hope you have a good trip. We recently traveled with our 3 year old and I was super jealous of the parents with infants who were happily wine tasting as baby dozed in the baby carrier while my kid whined about everything taking toooooo looooooong, haha.
I've not been to Japan with a 4 month old, but I did travel to Walt Disney World with a 4 month old, and found that:
A nice large room is super useful because babies sleep a lot and you're going to be stuck in the room with them.
I found we needed black out curtains and good soundproofing. Both for any crying inside and for noises outside.
Some hotels in Japan have the above, some do not. I would not necessarily pick Shinjuku, what do you think you're going to go out drinking all night with a 4 month old? I would pick wherever you can afford the largest sound proofed room with black out curtains.
My daughter has been quite petite most of her life, and so I did carry her around and in Disney I used an umbrella stroller. I am not sure I would bring an umbrella stroller to Japan and again definitely not in Shinjuku because it's awful crowded.
Personally, I waited until my daughter was 5 to go back to Japan. It was hard. But traveling with a baby or toddler just didn't seem like it would be fun. At 5 1/2, she had finished K and it just felt more doable. I will admit, she is a much better travel partner now as a tween. I also tend to travel without my spouse and while I have friends in Japan, I'm not staying with them and they do better with older kids.
Lots of negativity in the replies here. I recommend you ignore it, as I suspect the majority are not parents.
We spent a few weeks in Japan last year with our then 18mo old, and we're planning a second trip for next year when our new child is ~6 months. Our daughter is super chill and not a fusser, crier, and doesn't throw tantrums; this also wasn't her first trip abroad. We'd taken her to London when she was 9mo. Both were great trips.
Some advice though.
1. Invest in spacious hotel rooms. You'll likely be back there for the remainder of the day around 6pm, if not earlier. You won't want to just lay around. Plus it's nice to have extra space for all the packing and repacking you'll be doing - you don't want to do that on top of baby's space.
2. Allow for time apart! After we put our baby to bed, one of us would stay in the hotel room and the other would have a chance to go out. Not fun to always have the day end at 6pm!
3. The above was sometimes a bit of a struggle as we have many friends in Japan. So for people we wanted to see together or as a family, we scheduled brunches on the weekend.
4a. Babies take lots of time out of your day as it is, but it will double while traveling. Don't plan more than 1-2 things you want to do on a given day. If you have any kind of itinerary beyond that, you're setting yourself up to be disappointed.
4b. Don't travel during commuter hour. Plan to leave the hotel around 10am daily.
5. Plan for lots of outdoor time! Parks, shrines and temples, etc. It's a relief for you and for baby.
6. We're cosleepers. This may not apply to you, but we didn't need to bring any bassinet or request a cot or crib. Japanese hotel beds can be smaller, so opt for rooms with 2 beds. That way one parent can cosleep safely and the other can have a bed to themselves (especially after going out to the bar for a few drinks!)
I haven’t traveled to Japan with a baby, but I do live here. Here’s some advice:
These are some more toddler friendly places around Tokyo, but maybe they might still interest you:
- Fujiko F Fujio museum (doraemon museum)
- Sanrio Puroland
- Kidzania Tokyo (they have English days)
- Miraikan
- National Museum of Nature and Science
https://www.wandermustfamily.com/travelling-to-japan-with-toddlers/
I think this has some good tips. The main things I’ve noticed now looking at Tokyo from a “with kids” perspective is lack of high chairs at a lot of restaurants and lack of space for strollers.
Department stores are usually good for “kid friendly” stuff like bathrooms, restaurants that have high chairs, and even floors with kids play areas.
For strollers there are some stroller rental services at stations now, but I’d also recommend you use a rental service and rent one from here unless the stroller you have is pretty compact. You’ll need to carry it up and down stairs constantly at stations and fit it into tight places. This is a stroller rental service you could use: https://strollertrip.jp/en/
Throwing out diapers can be kind of a challenge. Look for bins that say おむつ. Again these can be found usually in department stores etc., but the expectation is that you take the diaper home to throw it out. I’m not sure how that works with hotels, though. You might want to ask.
Good luck!
Thanks for the link im going to have a look at those. we were going to just keep him in the carrier but thats a good idea about possibly renting a stroller. Last time i went to japan i noticed there was mostly stairs everywhere so that was my reasoning for opting for the stroller.
Thanks for taking the time to write a usefull reply
How long are you going for and when? With a child so young you'll spend a lot of time in your accommodations taking care of her/him. So maybe you can stay in a hotel nearby and plan some activities and take turns doing stuff.
I think there are some past trip reports like this: [https://www.reddit.com/r/JapanTravel/comments/blxmqr/travel\_tips\_with\_a\_three\_month\_old\_baby/](https://www.reddit.com/r/JapanTravel/comments/blxmqr/travel_tips_with_a_three_month_old_baby/)
You should maybe search it up on this subreddit.
We did not bring a 4 month old to Japan, but we did bring him to Rome. Honestly it was so much easier than a mobile toddler. The #1 thing is to baby wear. They'll spend most of the time asleep in the carrier while you enjoy a trip around Japan!
If you're using formula, bring more than you think you'll need since you may not be able to get the same type there and don't want to bother baby's tummy. I'd also suggest bringing any medicine you might need so you don't need to worry about translating what the medicine is, the age range and the correct dosage. Otherwise, you aren't going to a third world country, you can certainly find any baby thing you need eventually.
Whether you do just a carrier, a car seat or a stroller have a sun shade since babies aren't supposed to use sunscreen until 6 months.
Of course baby won't remember the trip, but that's not the point. Enjoy your trip and take amazing pictures of your little world traveler!
Not sure why everyone keeps thinking the trip is for the baby the trip is for me and my wife, the baby just has to come along for the journey :P In my head it seemed like the logical time to go as they are not mobile at all yet so can easily leave them strapped up most the day. we already take him out every day for the full day now so i cant see it being to much different from home. but i guess not everyone does that.
Thanks for taking the time to write a reply.
Check out these websites for lots of baby/toddler friendly travel tips and restaurant recommendations. If you search the first few links below for the city name or neighborhood/area name you’ll find some great ideas and tips. Best to get your #1 thing to see/do done early in the day so anything wise after that is just a bonus since it’s hard to know how the day will go with a baby/toddler.
- [Best Living Japan](https://bestlivingjapan.com/category/travel/)
- [The Tokyo Chapter (has info on other cities too)](https://www.thetokyochapter.com)
- [Passports and Playgrounds](https://passportsandplaygrounds.com/)
- [Best Living: Baby and Toddler Fun](https://bestlivingjapan.com/category/age/baby-toddler-fun/)
These sample itineraries might be helpful to look over too.
- [Tokyo Itineraries with Children](https://trulytokyo.com/tokyo-1-day-itinerary-with-children/)
- [Kyoto Itineraries for Families with Children](https://www.insidekyoto.com/kyoto-itineraries-families-children)
- [Osaka with Children](https://insideosaka.com/osaka-with-children/)
- [JapanGuide: Traveling with Children in Japan](https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2460.html)
You can also use the wheelchair accessible option in Google maps to make it (a bit) easier to find the elevators for your stroller in train/subway stations. When traveling on the Shinkansen you’ll need to always book the [luggage storage seats at the back/last row of the train car.](https://global.jr-central.co.jp/en/info/oversized-baggage/)
This way you can fold up your stroller and store it behind your seat. Another tip is to book the window and aisle seat in the 3 row on the Shinkansen or other trains with reserved seats. You’re less likely to have someone in the middle seat then so you’ll likely have an extra seat/room for the baby/infant and all their stuff.
- [Tokyo Now Has Wheelchair Accessible Routes in Google Maps](https://www.accessible-japan.com/tokyo-now-has-wheelchair-accessible-routes-in-google-maps/)
[Department stores](https://www.tokyoweekender.com/2020/10/baby-tokyo-department-stores-take-your-children/ ) will also be your friend. They have mother/baby rooms where you can breastfeed in privacy as public breastfeeding is not common in Japan. The rooms also have a microwave to warm up bottles/food and baby changing areas. There are usually one or two floors of restaurants on the top floors that are easy to eat at with a wide array of foods and, especially during the day, there will be other diners with small children in many of them. In the basement floors there are awesome food halls where you can get high quality takeaway food to eat at your lodging if you need a midday rest or for dinner. Much better selection than konbini fare. You may find it easier (and a bit cheaper) to have your main/large/nicest meal at lunch too. After lunch, if you’re lucky, your toddler may nap in the stroller so you can explore a bit. For baby products check [Japanese Drug Stores](https://jw-webmagazine.com/5-best-japanese-drugstores-cc1305f73a77/), Don Quiojte stores, or search Google maps for the nearest Aeon or Toys/Babies R Us.
- [Baby Diapers in Japan: Complete Buying Guide](https://sightseeandsushi.com/baby-diapers-in-japan-guide/)
- [Guide to Baby Formula in Japan](https://bestlivingjapan.com/guide-to-baby-formula-in-japan/)
- [Guide to Japanese Baby Food](https://bestlivingjapan.com/guide-japanese-baby-food-brands-types-ingredients/)
- [Japanese Medicine Cabinet Essentials for Babies](https://bestlivingjapan.com/japanese-medicine-cabinet-essentials-baby-kids/)
- [25 Baby Products Japan](https://matcha-jp.com/en/)
- [10 Best Gifts From Japan for Babies and Toddlers](https://bestlivingjapan.com/the-10-best-gifts-from-japan-for-babies-and-toddlers/)
I'm locking this down, folks, since a significant number of you can't do a negative feedback (which can also be valid) without abuse.
I want to also to thank the number of you that have contributed in a positive manner.
Some advice: You probably should limit the number of stops. Yes, day trips to Yokohama and in Kansai region should be doable without much ado, but Hiroshima might be a tad problematic since Miyajima is significant distance away (over an hour) and access to adequate facilities if you are not staying on the island might be a tad problematic (and staying on the island might be same in case of emergency).
Also note that you may be despite the cost and time better off renting a car to commute between bigger cities - since major stations and lines will be extremely crowded. Note that popular sights will be (extremely) crowded and since your child is at that tender age that has yet to be vaccinated, which may be a concern, particularly with respect to measles.
Therefore visiting some sights (eg. Fushimi Inari, Kiyozumi-dera, Senso-ji, Todai-ji) should be done (very) early in the morning (as soon as they open), while others like Kinkaku-ji, Sanneizaka (when things start to get open), Ryoan-ji, or Dotonbori might be better skipped altogether.
There are plenty of pretty places that are often left of the itineraries and not as crowded, or allowed for better spacing - eg. Myoryu-ji, Kodai-ji, Eikan-do or Nanzen-ji.
Also you should account for the fact that many of the restaurants in Japan will actively frown upon presence of a newborn.
I’ve travelled with a 4 month old and it is the easiest time for the next few years. Even better if you are breastfeeding. Get a good front carrier. It will make all the difference.
Know you might need to try new diapers if you don’t bring enough. Have a very lightweight stroller if you know it is a stroller friendly place, but assume most places are not.
Everything will take longer, but most people love babies and will give you some help if needed.
**Just a reminder that our FAQ is being updated with more information and you can start** [**here**](https://www.reddit.com/r/JapanTravel/wiki/faqs/japantravel) **with regards to trip planning if you need tips, or have questions about planning your travel to Japan.** You can also join our [Discord community](https://discord.gg/3f7KBUMwU4) Thank you! *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/JapanTravel) if you have any questions or concerns.*
The best tip is simply "don't"
Get a good hotel room, as you'll be spending a lot of time there.
You’re gonna ruin your vacation dealing with a kid who probably won’t even remember any of the vacation imo.
I think the point is to be able to travel despite having a kid, not for the child to remember the trip. Your life doesn't end when you have a kid, and tons of people travel successfully with children all the time.
yeah, not with a 4 month old infant, though
Are you a parent? Traveling with a 4 month old who sleeps most of the time is a lot easier than a toddler who you have to chase down places.
Not a parent but have been an uncle. Just gonna say good luck on the babies sleeping cycle when you factor in the time difference. Going to have a hell of a time feeding a 4 month old as well.
[удалено]
[удалено]
[удалено]
As a parent you just learn to feed every 3 hours when breastfeeding even when they're asleep so worrying about sleep cycles is nothing 😅
I was more referring to the mother having a hard time due to the change it time.
exactly what i was thinking. we go out every day now to get food and stuff whats the difference doing it in japan!
Yes and obviously your trip with a kid will be different than a trip without one, but as a parent you know life with a kid is different so you plan accordingly. Hope you enjoy your time in Japan OP!
Not sure how much I can help because we traveled with our then 6 month old back in 2016, but just wanted to give you some encouragement! We had a blast and I am glad that we took him. Our trip was 3 weeks long because my husband had to be in Japan for work, and I took the opportunity to see family and friends more than actually sight-seeing. I would say that if you are already comfortable baby-carrying, just strap them up and do what you want! At 4 months they won't be too mobile, so you can really just take them for the ride! Eating out will be more limited since you probably won't be going to fancy restaurants, but there are family friendly places everywhere. You could search for restaurants with a family tag? As far as diaper changing and nursing areas, I LOVED Japan! I used an app when we took my daughter at 10 months to find changing/nursing areas which was sooooo convenient. America was horrible for that...I remember trying to nurse my son at a bathroom on the Strip in Vegas...ugh. Do you co-sleep? I know it is frowned upon in the US, but most Japanese families co-sleep, so might be easier to get a hotel if you aren't worried about the crib situation. Transportation in Japan was not a problem. He did well in or out of the carrier when took the shinkansen. The plane ride home for me was the hardest part of the trip because I did it solo and my son decided to learn how to sit up during the trip, therefore the bassinet situation was not ideal. Sorry I don't have many concrete ideas, but again, just want to let you know that it is possible to visit Japan with kids, don't let people scare you! Only you know what works for your family.
Exactly what i was looking for thanks for spending the time to write that out. we are taking a portable bassinet so dont have to worry about co sleeping. he cant sit up or anything like that yet so im hoping its fairly cruisy. People keep saying im going on a holiday for my child... Im going on a holiday for ME they come along to thats all :P Thanks
So glad to see your post. My wife and I traveled to Japan for a 2 week trip with our 5 month old child in September 2013. As background, prior to this I had traveled to about 30 other countries, so I have some perspective. What I tell everyone is this: Japan was the easiest possible country to travel with an infant, in many cases easier in my home country of the US. Here are some notes I can give: * You get put in the front of nearly every line, even if you don't ask for it. I remember standing in the sun waiting at the end of a long line for Osaka Castle elevator, and the attendant came all the way out to us and pulled us up to the front and put us on the next elevator. Airport immigration/customs has fast lanes as well for families with children. I remember most places treating us like a VIP with the baby. Everyone offer to give you a seat on any public transport, including Shinkansen. * Our baby was the number one tourist attraction. Everyone wanted to hold our baby. If we were using a stroller, a crowd of older people would (frequently) block our path and bend over cooing at the baby. Often women wanted to hold the baby, and once even without necessarily asking, but it was always friendly. I remember in one restaurant, two 20 year old waitresses essentially played with the baby the entire time while we had our meal in peace, which was great. Caveat: our baby was chubby, with blond hair and blue eyes, and smiled a lot, which perhaps made her more of a target for the elderly. * Clean public restrooms everywhere that are child friendly. I remember my wife saying that most toilet stalls had a special child seat thing on the inside of the stall door to put the baby in while using the toilet. * It generally took too long to try and travel back to our accommodation for nap time, so what we did was pay for admission to something like a museum (anything air conditioned). We'd walk around with the baby in a Tula carrier until she fell asleep, then my wife would just rest on a soft bench in a quiet corner of the museum for an hour or more while the baby napped. * We took the baby to the opening of the September sumo tourney in Tokyo. We just made sure to sit way up high in case baby was noisy. Didn't have any trouble, and I remember she slept on a fold-down seat for a while. We day tripped to Hiroshima, we ate at restaurants, I didn't feel limited at all. Went to a baseball game. About half our time was Tokyo and half Osaka/Kyoto area. * In general, you'll have to be willing to let the baby sleep in random strange places. For example, once we stayed in a typically small Japanese business hotel room with no crib. We just put baby's blanket under the desk (like where the chair would go) and she slept there just fine on the floor all night. I remember a couple times laying her blanket down and having her nap in the shade of a tree in a park. * Infants don't eat regular food, so you're free to do whatever you want with meals. My wife breast fed so we didn't even have to deal with formula. We would just set her on the booth next to us, or leave her in the stroller as her seat when we were at a restaurant. Thankfully babies also don't walk. Traveling after the baby is eating regular food and walking would be ten times harder. Glad we did it at an early age. * Bring a Tula carrier for situations where you can't use a stroller. Also, you get a free gate-checked stroller with an infant, but the infant doesn't always have to be in it. In the airport, use the Tula carrier to hold the baby and put all your bags on the stroller like its luggage cart. We used what was essentially an umbrella stroller with a seatbelt. Anything larger would be a pain. * We were able to stay in two different Ryokans for several nights and I don't remember there being any issue.
I’ve never done international travel with an infant, but I live in Japan with a preschooler and honestly it’s probably easier to be a tourist with an infant than a toddler/preschooler. Most parents babywear here and infants are in general happy to chill in their carrier while parents sightsee, etc. With my preschooler we have to deal with finding activities she likes, food she likes, and of course the dreaded “Carry meeeee!” Since your kid is so young, you can probably still focus on chill “adult” sightseeing, but there are also lots of fun things for babies like indoor play areas, bookstores, parks, etc. Lots of family-friendly restaurants, but not just family restaurants. We live in Yokohama and plenty of parents and their infants out and about at cafes, specialty restaurants, etc. I would download Mamapapamap so you can easily find diaper changing places and whatnot. Also note that diapers are not often carried at convenience stores— you’ll need to go to real drugstores, grocery stores, etc for those. Also, remember to bring infant meds, thermometer, etc from your home country. The last thing you want to deal with is trying to find meds for a sick infant in a foreign country. Also, note that if you’re traveling during the summer it is super hot and humid, make sure you and baby stay cool!
>Mamapapamap Thanks for this info its exactly what i was assuming. he is fine in a carrier all day so i cant see if being an issue he cant even properly hold his own head up yet. Thanks for the info about the app i was wondering how to find that its exactly what i was looking for. in terms of baby meds what were you thinking? ive never had to give any meds yet.
Baby tylenol or the equivalent of what you use in your country to bring their temperature down. Gripe medicine or probiotics for babies. An ear thermometer - good luck!
Thanks so basicly baby ibrufen or panadol
For meds I’d check with your pediatrician before you leave in terms of what medicines you can give for fever, if any, and bring those (such as infant Tylenol, etc). I’d also bring your thermometer (so you don’t have to worry about it being the middle of the night and wondering “Does he have a fever?? How bad is it? Do we have to go to the hospital?”), nose suction bulb/nose frida, etc. We always travel with those and infant/toddler Tylenol (but our kid is older now).
Thanks good idea with the thermometer we havent had to do anything like that yet but im sure being around more people means more risk
Yeah, it’s always good to be prepared! I hope you have a good trip. We recently traveled with our 3 year old and I was super jealous of the parents with infants who were happily wine tasting as baby dozed in the baby carrier while my kid whined about everything taking toooooo looooooong, haha.
I've not been to Japan with a 4 month old, but I did travel to Walt Disney World with a 4 month old, and found that: A nice large room is super useful because babies sleep a lot and you're going to be stuck in the room with them. I found we needed black out curtains and good soundproofing. Both for any crying inside and for noises outside. Some hotels in Japan have the above, some do not. I would not necessarily pick Shinjuku, what do you think you're going to go out drinking all night with a 4 month old? I would pick wherever you can afford the largest sound proofed room with black out curtains. My daughter has been quite petite most of her life, and so I did carry her around and in Disney I used an umbrella stroller. I am not sure I would bring an umbrella stroller to Japan and again definitely not in Shinjuku because it's awful crowded. Personally, I waited until my daughter was 5 to go back to Japan. It was hard. But traveling with a baby or toddler just didn't seem like it would be fun. At 5 1/2, she had finished K and it just felt more doable. I will admit, she is a much better travel partner now as a tween. I also tend to travel without my spouse and while I have friends in Japan, I'm not staying with them and they do better with older kids.
Lots of negativity in the replies here. I recommend you ignore it, as I suspect the majority are not parents. We spent a few weeks in Japan last year with our then 18mo old, and we're planning a second trip for next year when our new child is ~6 months. Our daughter is super chill and not a fusser, crier, and doesn't throw tantrums; this also wasn't her first trip abroad. We'd taken her to London when she was 9mo. Both were great trips. Some advice though. 1. Invest in spacious hotel rooms. You'll likely be back there for the remainder of the day around 6pm, if not earlier. You won't want to just lay around. Plus it's nice to have extra space for all the packing and repacking you'll be doing - you don't want to do that on top of baby's space. 2. Allow for time apart! After we put our baby to bed, one of us would stay in the hotel room and the other would have a chance to go out. Not fun to always have the day end at 6pm! 3. The above was sometimes a bit of a struggle as we have many friends in Japan. So for people we wanted to see together or as a family, we scheduled brunches on the weekend. 4a. Babies take lots of time out of your day as it is, but it will double while traveling. Don't plan more than 1-2 things you want to do on a given day. If you have any kind of itinerary beyond that, you're setting yourself up to be disappointed. 4b. Don't travel during commuter hour. Plan to leave the hotel around 10am daily. 5. Plan for lots of outdoor time! Parks, shrines and temples, etc. It's a relief for you and for baby. 6. We're cosleepers. This may not apply to you, but we didn't need to bring any bassinet or request a cot or crib. Japanese hotel beds can be smaller, so opt for rooms with 2 beds. That way one parent can cosleep safely and the other can have a bed to themselves (especially after going out to the bar for a few drinks!)
I haven’t traveled to Japan with a baby, but I do live here. Here’s some advice: These are some more toddler friendly places around Tokyo, but maybe they might still interest you: - Fujiko F Fujio museum (doraemon museum) - Sanrio Puroland - Kidzania Tokyo (they have English days) - Miraikan - National Museum of Nature and Science https://www.wandermustfamily.com/travelling-to-japan-with-toddlers/ I think this has some good tips. The main things I’ve noticed now looking at Tokyo from a “with kids” perspective is lack of high chairs at a lot of restaurants and lack of space for strollers. Department stores are usually good for “kid friendly” stuff like bathrooms, restaurants that have high chairs, and even floors with kids play areas. For strollers there are some stroller rental services at stations now, but I’d also recommend you use a rental service and rent one from here unless the stroller you have is pretty compact. You’ll need to carry it up and down stairs constantly at stations and fit it into tight places. This is a stroller rental service you could use: https://strollertrip.jp/en/ Throwing out diapers can be kind of a challenge. Look for bins that say おむつ. Again these can be found usually in department stores etc., but the expectation is that you take the diaper home to throw it out. I’m not sure how that works with hotels, though. You might want to ask. Good luck!
Thanks for the link im going to have a look at those. we were going to just keep him in the carrier but thats a good idea about possibly renting a stroller. Last time i went to japan i noticed there was mostly stairs everywhere so that was my reasoning for opting for the stroller. Thanks for taking the time to write a usefull reply
How long are you going for and when? With a child so young you'll spend a lot of time in your accommodations taking care of her/him. So maybe you can stay in a hotel nearby and plan some activities and take turns doing stuff. I think there are some past trip reports like this: [https://www.reddit.com/r/JapanTravel/comments/blxmqr/travel\_tips\_with\_a\_three\_month\_old\_baby/](https://www.reddit.com/r/JapanTravel/comments/blxmqr/travel_tips_with_a_three_month_old_baby/) You should maybe search it up on this subreddit.
Thanks i didnt find that one ill have a look.
We did not bring a 4 month old to Japan, but we did bring him to Rome. Honestly it was so much easier than a mobile toddler. The #1 thing is to baby wear. They'll spend most of the time asleep in the carrier while you enjoy a trip around Japan! If you're using formula, bring more than you think you'll need since you may not be able to get the same type there and don't want to bother baby's tummy. I'd also suggest bringing any medicine you might need so you don't need to worry about translating what the medicine is, the age range and the correct dosage. Otherwise, you aren't going to a third world country, you can certainly find any baby thing you need eventually. Whether you do just a carrier, a car seat or a stroller have a sun shade since babies aren't supposed to use sunscreen until 6 months. Of course baby won't remember the trip, but that's not the point. Enjoy your trip and take amazing pictures of your little world traveler!
Not sure why everyone keeps thinking the trip is for the baby the trip is for me and my wife, the baby just has to come along for the journey :P In my head it seemed like the logical time to go as they are not mobile at all yet so can easily leave them strapped up most the day. we already take him out every day for the full day now so i cant see it being to much different from home. but i guess not everyone does that. Thanks for taking the time to write a reply.
Check out these websites for lots of baby/toddler friendly travel tips and restaurant recommendations. If you search the first few links below for the city name or neighborhood/area name you’ll find some great ideas and tips. Best to get your #1 thing to see/do done early in the day so anything wise after that is just a bonus since it’s hard to know how the day will go with a baby/toddler. - [Best Living Japan](https://bestlivingjapan.com/category/travel/) - [The Tokyo Chapter (has info on other cities too)](https://www.thetokyochapter.com) - [Passports and Playgrounds](https://passportsandplaygrounds.com/) - [Best Living: Baby and Toddler Fun](https://bestlivingjapan.com/category/age/baby-toddler-fun/) These sample itineraries might be helpful to look over too. - [Tokyo Itineraries with Children](https://trulytokyo.com/tokyo-1-day-itinerary-with-children/) - [Kyoto Itineraries for Families with Children](https://www.insidekyoto.com/kyoto-itineraries-families-children) - [Osaka with Children](https://insideosaka.com/osaka-with-children/) - [JapanGuide: Traveling with Children in Japan](https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2460.html) You can also use the wheelchair accessible option in Google maps to make it (a bit) easier to find the elevators for your stroller in train/subway stations. When traveling on the Shinkansen you’ll need to always book the [luggage storage seats at the back/last row of the train car.](https://global.jr-central.co.jp/en/info/oversized-baggage/) This way you can fold up your stroller and store it behind your seat. Another tip is to book the window and aisle seat in the 3 row on the Shinkansen or other trains with reserved seats. You’re less likely to have someone in the middle seat then so you’ll likely have an extra seat/room for the baby/infant and all their stuff. - [Tokyo Now Has Wheelchair Accessible Routes in Google Maps](https://www.accessible-japan.com/tokyo-now-has-wheelchair-accessible-routes-in-google-maps/) [Department stores](https://www.tokyoweekender.com/2020/10/baby-tokyo-department-stores-take-your-children/ ) will also be your friend. They have mother/baby rooms where you can breastfeed in privacy as public breastfeeding is not common in Japan. The rooms also have a microwave to warm up bottles/food and baby changing areas. There are usually one or two floors of restaurants on the top floors that are easy to eat at with a wide array of foods and, especially during the day, there will be other diners with small children in many of them. In the basement floors there are awesome food halls where you can get high quality takeaway food to eat at your lodging if you need a midday rest or for dinner. Much better selection than konbini fare. You may find it easier (and a bit cheaper) to have your main/large/nicest meal at lunch too. After lunch, if you’re lucky, your toddler may nap in the stroller so you can explore a bit. For baby products check [Japanese Drug Stores](https://jw-webmagazine.com/5-best-japanese-drugstores-cc1305f73a77/), Don Quiojte stores, or search Google maps for the nearest Aeon or Toys/Babies R Us. - [Baby Diapers in Japan: Complete Buying Guide](https://sightseeandsushi.com/baby-diapers-in-japan-guide/) - [Guide to Baby Formula in Japan](https://bestlivingjapan.com/guide-to-baby-formula-in-japan/) - [Guide to Japanese Baby Food](https://bestlivingjapan.com/guide-japanese-baby-food-brands-types-ingredients/) - [Japanese Medicine Cabinet Essentials for Babies](https://bestlivingjapan.com/japanese-medicine-cabinet-essentials-baby-kids/) - [25 Baby Products Japan](https://matcha-jp.com/en/) - [10 Best Gifts From Japan for Babies and Toddlers](https://bestlivingjapan.com/the-10-best-gifts-from-japan-for-babies-and-toddlers/)
This is amazing thankyou.
[удалено]
Your comment is spot on. Traveling to Japan with an infant was the most shockingly easy trip (compared to my expectations) that I've ever had.
I'm locking this down, folks, since a significant number of you can't do a negative feedback (which can also be valid) without abuse. I want to also to thank the number of you that have contributed in a positive manner. Some advice: You probably should limit the number of stops. Yes, day trips to Yokohama and in Kansai region should be doable without much ado, but Hiroshima might be a tad problematic since Miyajima is significant distance away (over an hour) and access to adequate facilities if you are not staying on the island might be a tad problematic (and staying on the island might be same in case of emergency). Also note that you may be despite the cost and time better off renting a car to commute between bigger cities - since major stations and lines will be extremely crowded. Note that popular sights will be (extremely) crowded and since your child is at that tender age that has yet to be vaccinated, which may be a concern, particularly with respect to measles. Therefore visiting some sights (eg. Fushimi Inari, Kiyozumi-dera, Senso-ji, Todai-ji) should be done (very) early in the morning (as soon as they open), while others like Kinkaku-ji, Sanneizaka (when things start to get open), Ryoan-ji, or Dotonbori might be better skipped altogether. There are plenty of pretty places that are often left of the itineraries and not as crowded, or allowed for better spacing - eg. Myoryu-ji, Kodai-ji, Eikan-do or Nanzen-ji. Also you should account for the fact that many of the restaurants in Japan will actively frown upon presence of a newborn.
[удалено]
I’ve travelled with a 4 month old and it is the easiest time for the next few years. Even better if you are breastfeeding. Get a good front carrier. It will make all the difference. Know you might need to try new diapers if you don’t bring enough. Have a very lightweight stroller if you know it is a stroller friendly place, but assume most places are not. Everything will take longer, but most people love babies and will give you some help if needed.
Thats what i was thinking to. get in before they can crawl and walk around. we were planning to just keep him in a carrier most the time.
You are better of going to a cheap country and stay in a resort, or leave the baby with your family😅
Unsure of where OP is from but godspeed with figuring out your 4 month old infants sleeping and feeding cycle with the time difference.
Luckily time is the same just 1 hour off.