Travelling in Japan (with Japan Rail Pass) with a 2 year old child?

Question

We're planning a trip to Japan in mid March, and we plan to visit at least Nagoya, Tokyo and Kyoto. We're going to buy the Japan Rail Pass, and I'd like to know two things. First: is it easy to travel with a child in trains? How can we take a stroller with us (we have normal luggage as well)? Are there special cars for children in trains?

Second: what is the validity period for a 7 day rail pass, if we first start to use it let's say it 2 PM on Monday. Is is valid until 2PM on Sunday, or is it valid to 11.59 PM on Saturday / Sunday?

Also: do you have any suggestions for itinary and accommodation in those cities, and/or other places? We'd like to see some nature, and countryside also, and not just big cities.

Thanks for the comments so far!

We have travelled abroad with our child 5 times now during the past 15 months, every time without a car, relying only on public transportation (trains and busses) and walking, lots of walking. I’ve visited Tokyo a few years ago, so the crowds won’t be a shock, and we certainly plan to travel off-peak hours.

Answer 1

I have been living in Japan for 3.5 years now. When we first moved over from the US our younger son was 1.5 years old. I had also fown to Japan on a vacation with our older son when he was only 1 year old.

is it easy to travel with a child in trains? - yes but it takes just a bit of coordination. Ragrding the stroller, if you have one of the huge SUV style strollers, you will have a terrible time. I suggest bringing a very lightweight foldable stroller. Make it as compact as possible. There are no special cars for children. As for luggage, try to travel light. We basically tried to fit what we needed into a backpack. One of us would carry the backpack and the other would carry the stroller. The stroller we bought in Japan folds up really ice and compact. It is made of lightweight aluminum and is designed well for life in Japan.

You rail pass is inclusive of the activation day, you activate it on Monday and it will be good until the close of trains on Sunday. The rail pass does not account for hours, only calendar dates.

Travelling Japan can be fun. I have a few suggestions, one I already mentioned to travel light. Whenever we travel we always use luggage delivery services. For example, we usually take winter vacation every Dec-Jan. I pack up all the snowboards and clothes and send them to our hotel 2 days in advance. When we arrive and check in the stuff is there waiting for us. No check in luggage on the airplanes or luggage to handle on the bullet trains. I do the same on the return home. We also use luggage delivery services when we fly home to the US for our summer vacations. I ship all the luggage to the airport 2 days in advance. On the return to Tokyo, I ship all the luggage from the airport to our home in Tokyo. The delivery servies take 1 or two days depending on the route. Airport routes usually take only 1 day, meaning ship early today and the bags will be there next day before your requested time.

Between Tokyo and Kyoto you can ship some stuff or just try to travel light. You can ask the hotels to assist you with the luggage delivery service.

Answer 2

It is not a problem, other than maybe inside the train stations and getting to the right track with the stroller. Most of the larger stations have elevators.

I travel using the JR Rail pass, and it is great! Yes, it will be good until the end of the day on the Sunday you mentioned. There are no special train cars for children. I always upgrade and get the "Green Car" pass.

As far as the stroller and luggage, you can put those behind the last row of seats in the car you ride in. Smaller items can go up over your head. I would recommend a small stroller! There is not that much room, and the storage is first come, first served.

As far as hotels, I normally stay in very nice ones. Most cities have decent hotels right by (or attached to) the train station. Nagoya Station has a great Marriott ($130). Kyoto Station has Hotel Granvia ($190). Tokyo is a lot more difficult, because it depends what part of the city you stay in. I normally stay in Shinjuku, at the Century Hyatt ($225).

For sight-seeing, most hotels offer bus tour packages, which I highly recommend. I've done them in many Asian cities, and they are safe and informative. You may also want to go to Hiroshima and tour the "Peace Museum," which is all about the atomic bomb dropping. It is a quite humbling experience for an American!

You will see a lot of the countryside just traveling on the trains, although it goes by fast.

I hope that helps!

Answer 3

Please reconsider if you have any choice.
Have you ever travelled internationally with a 2-year old?
What does your 2-year-old eat, and how will you acquire it in Japan? Will your child be able to handle Japanese food, or will you have to eat at McDonald's or 7-Eleven every day?
Can you speak any Japanese?

You will probably be miserable.
At the very least, do not travel during the morning rush hour in any city. (6AM-about 10AM) a small child can get hurt, and even the most brazen mothers (the types who think it's OK to inflict their 2-year-old on the public in movie theaters and restarants) will NOT try to bring a stroller onto a morning rush hour train.
Lots of mothers opt to carry their children on their backs or stomachs rather than use a stroller. Still, some DO use strollers during non-peak hours on trains.

Many sightseeing spots in Japan are on mountainsides and slopes with no ramps, just long flights of stone stairs. In fact, any sightseeing is going to involve a lot of WALKING, miles per day at least. If all of your sightseeing until now has been by car, you (and your child) are in for a big shock.

Honestly, I can't suggest a good sightseeing itinerary for someone weighed down by a 2-year-old in tow.
At the very least, do a trial run in your home country of an weekend sightseeing trip WITHOUT the benefit of your car. See how it goes.

Luggage delivery service is good if you LIVE in Japan, where timing is not so critical, but if you're on a 7-day trip, a day without your luggage can ruin everything, and if it's an extra day late, you're screwed.

And a big F- YOU to the jerks who give thumbs down...
I guess you're some of the ones who think your precious little angels don't bother the rest of us while they're crying, screaming, running around and kicking us on airline flights (been there)
Anyone who takes a 2-year-old on an international trip is insane, or at the very least a selfish prick who doesn't give a crap about other people. Now, if you're RICH enough to take 5 international trips with your 2 year old, how about chartering a Gulfstream and letting the reest of us get some sleep during our 12 hours over the Pacific. GOD!

Answer 4

Umbrella stroller, definitely.. even during non peak times you may still find that it it is SRO and you'll need to fold up the stroller. Keeping the child in the stroller may be perceived as rude, as you would be taking up more space that way.

InTokyo, I recommend Ueno Park. several museums and a semi decent Zoo, although I will admit there are better ones in Japan. If you can, take a trip to Kamakura and see Daibutsu. Used to be you could crawl inside him. Oh yes, and Kurihama Flower World. huge flower gardens for the adults, and a giant playground(complete with Godzilla slide) for the rug rat.

Answer 5

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Answer 6

Great to know you're exposing your child to new cultures!!!

Good on you!!

Just bare in mind though, you'll be limited to only using 'JR' lines (which I'm sure you're already aware of that)...

You'd probably want to ensure you travel during the non-peak periods of the day, as you could find yourself in a spot of bother with a stroller, luggage AND a child in shoulder to shoulder trains... Believe me, Japanese trains, especially in the cities you've mentioned get UNBELIEVABLY PACKED!! -- To the point where you are squeezed and literally pushed in so the doors can close!!

I could name a million places you should visit, but everyone has their likes and dislikes, so...

If I were you, I would purchase a Lonely Planet guide to Japan - they may even have thinner books on just the cities you intend to go to... Great listings of places to stay, go and things to do, how to get there (budget to luxury), some timetables... (Not just the mainstream tourist destinations!!)

Have a great trip!!

B.

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Answer 7

Why on earth would you take a 2-year-old with you on a trip to Japan? What will that child get out of it? Leave the child with a relative and enjoy Japan.