Japan with kids: pushchairs, trains, family attractions and practical tips

Pushchair or carrier?

• Lifts exist in almost every major station, but they can be at the far end of the platform and queues build at busy times. Look for the lift symbol on station maps.
• Avoid trains at rush hour, roughly 7.30 to 9.30am and early evening on weekdays in big cities; a pushchair on a packed Tokyo train is hard for everyone.
• Temples, shrines and some older neighbourhoods have gravel paths and long stone steps. A baby carrier is easier there, so many families bring both.
• Fold the pushchair on buses if asked, and on busy trains if it blocks the aisle.

Trains and fares

• Under 6: children generally ride JR trains free when they do not occupy their own seat, within a limit per adult. On a busy reserved train, they sit on your lap.
• Ages 6 to 11: generally half the adult fare, including limited-express and Shinkansen supplements.
• Age 12: still counts as a child on JR while at primary school.
• Child IC cards exist for travel at child fares; adult cards charge adult fares, so ask at a station office.
• On the Shinkansen, reserve seats for families so you sit together, and consider the car at the end of the train for space behind the last row.

Family attractions

• Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea: tickets are dated and sold online in advance, and popular days sell out. Very young children enter free; check the age bands and current prices on the official Tokyo Disney Resort site. DisneySea suits older children and adults; Disneyland is gentler for little ones.
• Ghibli Museum, Mitaka: tickets are released at 10am Japan time on the 10th of each month for the following month, through Lawson Ticket, and weekend slots go fast. They are timed and name-linked, and resold tickets may be refused. Ghibli Park in Aichi is a separate attraction with its own tickets.
• Aquariums: Tokyo has several, including Sumida Aquarium at Tokyo Skytree and Shinagawa's aquarium; Osaka's Kaiyukan is one of the country's best, and Churaumi in Okinawa is famous for its whale sharks.
• Legoland Japan is in Nagoya, an easy stop on the Shinkansen between Tokyo and Osaka.
• Free fun: parks with playgrounds, the train-spotting decks at big stations and the toy floors of department stores keep small children happy for hours.

Food

• Family restaurants (famiresu) and food courts have children's menus, high chairs and picture menus.
• Convenience stores sell onigiri, sandwiches, yoghurt, fruit and baby food, open around the clock.
• Supermarkets and pharmacies (drugstores) stock baby food and formula; labels are in Japanese, so a translation app helps.
• Small, traditional restaurants and izakaya can be cramped and smoky; check before taking a pushchair in.

Nappies and baby rooms

• Look for baby rooms (赤ちゃん休憩室 or ベビールーム) in department stores, shopping centres and large stations, often with changing tables, nursing rooms and hot water for formula.
• Most public toilets have a fold-down changing table and a baby seat to strap a toddler into while you use the toilet.
• Nappies are sold in supermarkets, pharmacies and some convenience stores. Japan sorts rubbish strictly, so carry used nappies until you find a bin that takes them.

Hotels

• Japanese hotel rooms, especially in Tokyo, can be very small. Check the room size in square metres, not just the bed count.
• Many hotels count young children as sleeping in your bed free of charge, but rules vary; state your children's ages when booking.
• Apartment-style hotels with a washing machine help on longer trips.
• A ryokan stay with futons on tatami is a hit with many children, as long as you check whether children are welcome.