Our November trip was planned as follows: 4N tokyo, 2N Hakone, 4N Kyoto 3N Osaka. 2 well traveled adults, 1 baby. The bottom of this post has the learnings of a new mum travelling.
Plane ride to Tokyo was actually surprisingly fine with a baby.
We landed at Narita airport around 3pm, got luggage, cash out from an ATM (I did bring ¥15000 backup) and got a better exchange rate than in my country from the ATM. We had one of us setup an e-sim using airport wifi which allowed easier navigation from the get-go and cost $AU26 for a 30 day/10GB plan. We got the welcome suica card from the machines and topped it up with ¥3000 to start each.
**Tokyo**
We used the train line to get to our hotel in Minato area – Shiba Park Hotel. (SIDE NOTE: The availability of hotels in recommended areas was about 95% booked 3 months before the trip so I thought “Hey a good train system, so an adjoining neighbourhood would be fine”. Wrong.) I think it was about 6pm when we checked in and it was already dark which caught us both by surprise.
We quickly learnt Japan has a lot of upstairs and downstairs places which are not easily navigable with a stroller (folds long ways) esp if baby is sleeping. Not staying in a convenient area meant the first 2 days were a massive shock in just trying to find places to eat with a baby. I’d read all the trip reports which said it was all fine and dandy, this was just not our experience.
Day 1 (first full day) Tokyo tower and drinking sake.
Day 2 Shibuya crossing, exploring shibuya and sushi train (recommended from here as fam friendly).
Day 3 Planetlabs experience.
Planetlabs was by far the highlight.
Getting around with a baby is definitely 1 or 2 things max per day. We were lucky that bubs would nap on the go in the stroller. But night sleep was terrible. We did have a cot in the room trying to replicate as much as possible to our home environment, he just didn’t buy it.
Day 4: breakfast, pack, checkout out of hotel and head to Tokyo train station. We bought tickets from the ticket counter to Hakone via Tokaido shinkasen. We got reserved seats, asked several times about our luggage and pram and was told yes OK.
We boarded and we did not have luggage seats. This was extremely embarrassing as our seats were in the middle of the car which meant so was our stroller, 3 suitcases and only the 3 backpacks went up overhead. Knowing a little of the Japanese culture, we apologised to everyone around us and felt awful.
**Hakone**
We hopped off the train, the station is very well sign posted for tourists in English. We bought the Hakone pass for 3 days and checked in to our hotel around 3pm. Definitely check the weather before getting the pass although it turned out to be worse than expected. As I said, it gets dark around 4pm so day 1 in hakone was basically shower, dinner and chill time. Bubs slept really well on the futons on Tatami mats. The hotel was Re Cove and I honestly can’t rate this one enough. So so spacious (60m2) and the whole area was a highlight of the trip despite the weather.
Day 2 we tried the ship. Cancelled due to fog. Also no point using cable car/ropeway as you couldn’t see anything. So we went to a private onsen accepting of tattoos and baby. This was magical.
Dinner was at sengokuhara yuzen with the set course – highly recommend.
Day 3 right weather is better, let’s get up early and enjoy before checkout. Nope ALL are cancelled now because wind is too strong despite shining sun. So we packed up and headed to the train again.
We used the machines to try and get shinkasen tickets (after 12pm) to Kyoto with luggage seats this time. I wasn’t sure we had it right, but looked like there was a green car that matched luggage and Kyoto for 1.30pm. But we went to check with the ticket counter and expressly asked for “luggage seats”. Her response was, nothing until 7pm..
So I asked about any seats in the green car, oh yes but you have to both sit in aisle seats next to each other – its 1.30pm. So booked that and we were on our way.
So so much better with luggage seats. The green car remained 90% empty the entire way…noone else was in the luggage seats at all.
**Kyoto**
The smallest of the accommodation and it felt that way. Baby slept on the couch turned the other way against the wall (makeshift baby bed).
Stayed in the centre so it was a good location.
The crowds were insane. I just didn’t enjoy kyoto and kiyomizu dera was just too packed. So much so, I skipped the bamboo forrest and inari shrine.
Happy Pancakes – book this ahead and save yourself the 1-2hr wait. You just walk straight in with your booking. The pancakes, yes!
Nishiki Market, this was OK but easily skipped.
**Osaka**
I loved it. The vibe was better, the people felt nicer. They have a great train system.
I can highly recommend Kobebeef Teppinyaki Rio (midosuji). The food was amazing.
Aquarium – def book tickets ahead. I deliberately went later in the day 5.15pm and had to wait 30mins for entry as I bought tickets at the gate.
Osaka castle – this was beautiful and offers a lovely view of Osaka and the gardens.
**Travelling as a new mum/parent:**
• Blackout cover on stroller and airline bassinets was a definite lifesaver.
• If youre buying a travel stroller, get one that folds into a neat briefcase style where you just carry one handle as that will slot in anywhere.
• A lot of Japanese baby wear. We did this too. But my lil guy sleeps better in a stroller.
• Japan nappies: better than mine at home, so pack enough to get you through a few days but don’t worry if you don’t have the whole trip covered. You’ll find nappies in drug stores (I used mamy poko) and then bought a pack for home.
• Most hotels do have cots if you’re not co-sleeping, so feel free to ask (baby bed)
• Change facilities were everywhere, usually multi-purpose room for disabled as well. Most places clean. Note though: Many don’t have bins.
• Parent rooms (breastfeeding) were hard to come by in general however I found osaka castle and department stores had a good room.
• All our rooms had a kettle, so we’d boil the kettle in the evening for the next days water for baby and add water to the flask so itd be warmish. Boil the kettle again in the morn ready for when we got back in afternoon.
• Bring snacks if bubs is on solids. The little baby crackers were a lifesaver in keeping him quiet in quiet restaurants.
• Final tip: your travel partner makes a huge difference. Mine kept having anxiety over everything from baby noises, to not eating on time to being rejected from places because of the stroller and making sure we’re on the right train.