Hello! We are getting ready for our first international trip with our 1 year old and I would love feedback on our itinerary. A few things to note:
* Traveling late June. Flights and accommodations are already booked.
* Pre-baby, we traveled extensively internationally. We know that we are very fast-paced travelers in general. (ie. We’ve done 6 countries in 4 weeks before.) Definitely is not everyone’s style, but it’s how we like to travel. We are trying to balance our fast paced travel with our little one’s needs this trip.
* Baby has already done 3 big trips (Hawaii to East coast) in her life.
* Baby currently takes 2 naps/day: 9:00 and 14:00, give or take totaling 2-3 hours/day. She can nap in the stroller or carrier but often for less time so we aim to have at least one hotel nap ever other day or so. Sleeps well overnight (11 hours) and we are bringing her pack and play and slumberpod to ensure she keeps that good sleep.
* I am gluten intolerant so the food I have selected is to accommodate that however, stray bits of soy sauce and cross contamination don’t bother me.
* This itinerary has a ***ton*** of specifics, especially regarding food, because we learned that its hard to research spots we want to go to, on the go, with the baby. I wanted to have a plan with options already laid out but we are also ***very*** flexible knowing that we likely will not get to eat at a good amount of the spots.
* I do know that some days are overly busy. Again, rather have too much planned and cut as needed and as we are tired than be out and unsure what to do next.
Ok thanks!! This is long, I apologize….
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**Arrival day -**
* Land at 16:10 local time in Osaka
Book train to Kyoto \*\*( thinking of booking the 18:48 train, is this enough time?)
* Arrive at lodging (staying 5 min walk from Gojō Station, 10 min walk from Kyoto station)
Dinner options:
Grab takeout in Osaka and eat on the train or in Kyoto station
Restaurant next door has take out
Will pass a Lawson’s on walk (grab items)
**Day 1- KYOTO**
* Coffee @ Scene Factory on walk to
* Breakfast @ Machikadoya Karasuma Gojo (kiosk ordering, Japanese breakfast),
* Back for morning nap (9-10:30am)
* Walk to get a treat @ ToShoan (opens at 10am- arrive around 11)
* Nijo Castle (11:30-13:00)
* Lunch @ Teuchi Toru Soba (open 11:30-3) after castle (13:30-14:30) OR Kikyo Sushi closes 13:30
* Imperial Palace – walk for afternoon nap on the go (free entry) (15:00- 16:00)
* \*If time\* shopping at Musubi-Kyoto for Yukata for Baby
* Dinner at Soba 10 十割蕎麦専門店 10そば (Soba and gf tempura) OR …… (find alternative nearby\*\*\*\*\*\*
Snack/Dessert @ IKARIYA BEIKA KYOTO (rice cracker shop open until 19:00)
**Day 2- KYOTO**
* Nishiki Market before crowds – get some food here
* Back for morning nap
* Lunch at \*\*\*\*\* (TBD)
* Kiyomizu-dera
* Explore Gion/ Hanamikoji Street/Pontocho Alley
* Dessert at choupette Kyoto Sentocho (grab these before dinner)
* Stop at Nitta Bakery
Dinner at Ikkakuju – Shijo Shimmachi \*make reservation
**Day 3- OSAKA**
* Take train to Osaka (Kyoto station to Osaka Station about 30 minutes)
* Pack some breakfast for Baby (7-11)
* Coffee at SOT COFFEE ROASTER
* Tour Osaka Castle (1.5/2 hours), Baby take nap in carrier/stroller
* Visit Shitenno-ji
* Dotonbori (eat here)
* Can switch around these 3 activities depending on hunger and nap- all about equidistant
* Dinner -TBD- street food grabbed or Uber eats or nearby hotel
**Day 4 – KYOTO**
* Wake up and head straight to Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine (set alarm?)
* Visit Fushimi Inari Taisha – hike loop 3 miles – Baby nap on hike
* Inari to go at はな家
* Grab additional street food
***((TWO OPTIONS- depending on energy))***
* Head back to hotel for nap/relax
* Return to Gion/ Hanamikoji Street/Pontocho Alley for anything we did not see
* Dinner options:
* Kyoto Engine Ramen (opens 16:30, get in line at 16:15/16:30)
* Soy Milk ramen at Gluten-Free Restaurant ぎをん豆乳ら～めん うのゆきこ
* Gluten free tonkatsu at Cafe & Bar Maru ＠恵花 Gluten free
***OR***
* Head to Nara for half day trip
* Take train from Fushimi Inari to Nara (switch to rapid train at Rokujizo Station)
* Arrive at Nara station
* Walk down Sanjo Dori St. for street vendors and lunch
* Visit Kofuku-ji Temple
* Walk to Nara Park and visit the park
* Kasuga Grand Shrine (afternoon nap while visiting these)
* Visit Todai-ji
* Stop by Nakatanidou (mochi pounding)
* Dinner- street food in Nara (no specific gf restaurants) OR back in Kyoto
* Kyoto options: CocoCurry near hotel, Ikkakujuu if we didn’t eat there (make reso on way), waco crepes gf and local flavors (highly rated), ubereats
**Day 5 – KYOTO**
* Visit Kinkaku-ji (Golden Pavilion)
* Stop at Kew Cafe
* Visit Ryōan-ji (nap while strolling)
* Uotake for lunch
* Travel to Arashiyama ((Skip this if it’s too much))
* walk/hike bamboo forest, monkey park and temple loop (2.6 miles)
* Afternoon nap while walking likely
* Dinner – TBD
**Day 6 – TRANSIT**
* 9:00 Train to Tokyo – Baby nap on train
* Store luggage in Tokyo station for day
* Lunch @ Tonkatsu Hasegawa (short metro ride from Tokyo station) \*\*reservation (Michelin guide spot)
* Head to Akihabara for shopping/street snacks
* Continue at Gransta Marunouchi if desired
* Visit Imperial Palace (afternoon nap) & Gardens
* Head back to Tokyo Station for bags and then to lodging (Located – Akasaka-Mitsuke Station 3 min walk\_
* Dinner near lodging at ToriHana
* Dessert nearby at 氷屋 みどりこ (ice cream)
**Day 7- TOKYO**
*
Coffee at COUNTERPART COFFEE GALLERY
* Enjoy some time at nearby park Shinjuku Chuo Park (with playground)
* Stop at grocery store for any needed essentials Maruetsu Petit (+breakfast/snacks)
* If needed, head to department store Takashimaya Shinjuku for diapers etc. Need to metro back
* Back to hotel for morning nap
* 11:00 head toward Senso-ji – visiting later in day (1 hour on metro)
* Lunch at まるごとVeganダイニング浅草（Marugoto Vegan Dining Asakusa） (gf tempura and vegan karaage and falafel)
* 1:00(?) Skytree (reserve)
* Afternoon dessert Anmitsu no Shinryoku-dō
* Tour Senso-ji while Baby naps
* Additionally- if time/desire – Can also hit either of these in the morning if she isn’t napping
* Tokyo National Museum Heiseikan
* National Museum of Nature and Science
* Dinner at Gonpachi (make reservation)
**Day 8- TOKYO**
*
Travel to Tsukiji Outer Market for food/snacks/etc
* Stroll through Hamarikyu Gardens for Baby’s morning nap
* Sit down for lunch at Takarajima (gluten free okonomiyaki)
* Head to teamLabs Tokyo – 13:00 reservation
* 2:00 metro to Shibuya Crossing (Baby sleeps on the train?)
* Explore Shibuya
* Still TBD specific spots for food/sights
**Day 9 – TOKYO**
*
Coffee at Trichromatic Coffee
* Cheap nearby breakfast if needed Matsuya Nakano-Shimbashi
* Baby can play at Nakano Kuritsu Honnitogoyasuragi Park for a bit
* Morning nap at hotel
* Head out to Nezu no Pan for bread (not GF)
* Visit Nezu Shrine
* Lunch at Jojoen Tokyodomushitirakuaten ?? (not a must do, just a nearby option)
* Baseball game at 14:00 (stadium opens at 12:00)
* Game ends by 18:00 or earlier
* Dinner at 自然派十割蕎麦Sobaful
**Day 10 – TOKYO**
* Check out and store luggage at Shinjuku station
* Stop in 7-11 or family mart (or left over) for breakfast items for me (GF)
* Breakfast at Shiomi Bakery (non-GF)
* Walk to yoshida coffee sangubashi
* Morning Meiji Jingu shrine
* Nap while exploring gardens/ Yoyogi Park
* Lunch at Riz Labo (hours 1200-1700) arrive at 1200
* Bread at RICEHACK GlutenfreeBakery／ONDEN House (hours 1100-1700)
* Takeshita Street in Harajuku
* Toy Museum – get reservation for 1500
* Dinner at Teppan Baby (opens at 1700)\*\*\* already got GF okonomiyaki so maybe something different OR just to go stuff and get to hotel
* Pick up luggage from Shinjuku station and head to Disney hotel
* Check into Hotel in Tokyo Bay
Day 11- TOKYO Disneyland
* Lunch at Crystal Palace – reserve
Day 12- TOKYO DisneySea
* Check out and store luggage
* Flight at 21:00
Not including Disney plans because that’s separate and I have been to USA Disney parks many, many times so I feel comfortable planning that visit.
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I know this is super long, if you got this far, thank you!! Any tips, suggestions, feedback is very welcome.
6 comments
You should check the hours of some of these, because right off the bat I can see that at least a handful of your morning spots will not be open early enough to be back at the hotel in time for a 9AM nap.
Hotels generally have appliances to make coffee. Just buy drip bags or instant and take it in the room. Easier than finding spots open early enough and cheaper?
We went when our son was 1, biggest issue we had was finding food for him. Sounds odd but baby food wasn’t readily available like in the UK or the states, especially in Tokyo or Osaka. We were directed to pharmacies and some didn’t have, we had to walk round a few. Kind of a downer and a massive time sink!
Map out where you can get some or if you can take non refrigerated with you I would recommend
Takeshita street is not particularly baby-friendly— it’s busy and overstimulating, many of the shops are narrow. It’s a ton of fun though. Recommend that for shops, you take turns with one staying with the baby out of the way outside, while another goes inside.
We have traveled to Japan every year at least once a year since our son was born including once at 9 months then twice at one year and again at two.
It’s definitely doable with a small child and we always enjoyed our trips however you have a super busy itinerary and I feel like it is important to point out that Japan is not very stroller friendly. It’s going to be a big pain and very time consuming to manage a stroller on the metro and navigate the labyrinthine stations. I always put him in the front carrier and schlepped him around everywhere; we almost never used our little fold up stroller.
That meant a looooot of stair climbing and walking with him. I think there is also a much higher expectation that children will be quiet regardless of age in restaurants – much more so than in the US or Switzerland. Any time he made a peep one of us would take him outside to walk around.
I don’t want to discourage you from going – we loved these these early trips just as much as the more recent ones – but it might be more work than you expect.
I didn’t see it mentioned, but the ballgame entirely changes once the baby can walk. If baby doesn’t walk this will be a lot easier.
We also struggled to get all the way back to our accommodation for nap time (very time consuming). We often did naps with ideas like: going into a museum and sitting on a bench in a quiet darker corner for 90 minutes (with baby in a Tula carrier). We even did a nap by going to the uppermost empty seats when we were already inside the sumo arena in Tokyo.