Traveling in japan with infant

Question

plan to spend my vacation in Niseko, Hokaido, Japan the coming January with a 6 months old for 10 days. will also spend a few days in Tokyo or Osaka. will take trains most of the time. would like to breast feed the baby. would like to know if there are any facilities in train stations, ski resorts or other major tourist spots for breast feeding or preparing and warming formula milk or changing diaper. i'm also looking for nursery in Niseko which can take day care of babies. Also, what is the must-bring item for traveling with infants in Japan and what other things I should pay attention to?

Answer 1

Here is a little advice and information based on our experience. We first visited Japan with our oldest son at 8 months old.  Later we moved to Tokyo, Japan with our sons at 4 and 1.5 years old.  For breast feeding and diaper changing, major department stores are the best place.  They have family bathrooms and nursing areas.  Regarding travelling around Tokyo with small children, it can be a small challenge adapting. Please don't fear the people are very helpful.  While managing the little one and the 4 year old, people would help my wife with the stroller when she would get off/on the bus.  My first suggestion is to try and avoid the morning rush hours.  Start your weekday at about 10:00.  As for strollers, I suggest to go with a small, portable  compact and lightweight stroller.  When taking the train, you will have to take stairs and elevators to access the train platforms. My wife and I would basically take a backpack and the foldable stroller, one parent would take the stroller and the other would hold our son while taking the escalator or stairs.  As a side note, Japan is moving to a barrier free environment and more elevators are being constructed in train and subway staitons.  If you are worried about not having some baby supplies, in Tokyo there are 24 hours convenience stores everywhere, and buy any necessary items for the kids.  Breast feeding is not common, but understood, just like anywhere else you can find a good corner or spot to feed your child.  January in Tokyo can be quite cold, and the weather can bring snow to Tokyo.

We made yearly trips to Hokkaido to ski and snowboard but, by that time my kids were well out of diapers.  We spent our yearly trip at Rusutsu resort.  In general, Hokkaido and especially Niseko cater to visitors.  You will have all of the hotel services to help you out.  At Rusutsu, there was a day care for children, Niseko being a larger resort should also have the same services.  

As far as must bring items, I would like to try and encourage you to think about travelling light.  We brought the minimum diapers needed for the first 48 hours and then once in Japan, I started to buy diapers at the department stores as we needed them.  You may need to adjust for Niseko and bring more.  I would sometimes just bring milk, wipes and diapers.  If i needed something else like snacks or drinks, I would run into a convenience store.  The one thing that made a difference for us was the quick foldable baby stroller.  I would like to also suggest to build up your arms and legs.  My wife and I often talk about how much walking and stairs we had to do while carrying the little one.  

I hope this can help make your trip even more enjoyable.

Answer 2

Here is another person that asked a similar question on another website:

http://www.japan-guide.com/forum/queread...

According to the most sensible replies, it appears that it is okay.

Most places have facilities or private rooms.

Answer 3

I just did a three day Tokyo trip with my 3 month old to organize her passport. On the shinkansen there is an all purpose-room which you have to ask permission to use. The shirasagi train has a baby-changing table in the toilet, but the raichou and local trains do not.

If you carry your formula in powder form, then almost all convenience stores have a water heater that you can use to add hot water to the powder. In the hotel room, there will also be a kettle or heater.

In most restaurants or cafes there is no changing table in the toilet, so I would suggest bringing a fold-up changing mat and just changing diapers on the floor. (Because baby is not going to wait around for you to find a place to change her comfortably!)

I'm afraid that I don't know of any nursery school that will take in a child for only a few days. Application to nursery schools is done through the city hall. There MAY be a child care center in the city that could baby sit for you, but baby sitting in Japan is horrendously expensive. You would have to ask around locally though.

Another things to take note of is that some stations, especially the subway ones, don't have elevators. You are not allowed to take the stroller on the escalator, so you will have to either use the stairs or pick up the infant and carry them both on the escalator.

You'll want to pack very warm clothes for the baby if you are coming in January because there will be a lot of snow, particularly in the Hokkaido area.

If you have anymore questions, feel free to mail me anytime!

Answer 4

I'm sorry. I don't think there are many facilities for child rearing at train stations or tourist spots in Japan.

But Shinkansen train has "multi-purpose room" for mothers with child or disabled. If you want to use it, you have to tell its conductor that you want to use it. But I'm not sure if they speak English.

>what is the must-bring item for traveling with infants in Japan

It's the same with traveling with infant in other countries.

>what other things I should pay attention to?

People do not speak English. You cannot ask much help.