Japan with Kids

The family version of the trip: strollers, picky eaters, small emergencies, and keeping everyone fed and found.

1. 1Before you fly

   Family prep that pays off later.

   • Bringing Medicine into Japan: Customs Allowances How much medicine you can bring into Japan without a permit: OTC up to 2 months, prescription up to 1 month, plus rules for controlled drugs (as of June 2026).
   • Do You Need Travel Insurance for Japan? Real Cost Examples What medical care costs without insurance in Japan, what travel insurance covers, and how to read a policy.
   • eSIM for Japan: Setup Guide and Common Pitfalls How to choose and set up an eSIM for Japan, compared with physical SIM and pocket Wi-Fi, plus common pitfalls.
   • Japan's Crowd Calendar: Golden Week, Obon, and New Year When to avoid travelling in Japan: the Golden Week, Obon, and New Year peak dates for 2026-27, why they're crowded, and how to plan around them.
   • Japan Autumn School Holidays: How Families Avoid Crowds and Missed Trains A family plan for Japan's autumn breaks: crowd timing, return transport, child meeting points, IC-card balance, toilets, and rain.

2. 2Arrival & moving around

   Kids, bags, and trains — in that order of difficulty.

   • Narita, Haneda, KIX to City: Airport Transfer Comparison Routes from Narita, Haneda, and Kansai airports to the city, with time and fare tables plus late-night options.
   • Luggage Forwarding (Takkyubin): Send Bags Ahead in Japan How to send your suitcase ahead to your next hotel or airport in Japan, with costs, timing, and instructions.
   • Suica & Pasmo for Tourists: How to Get and Use IC Cards How tourists get a Suica or Pasmo in Japan, how to charge it, and how to use it on trains, buses, and at shops.
   • Shinkansen Luggage Rules by Line: 160cm Limit and Tohoku Difference The 160cm reservation rule applies on Tokaido, Sanyo, Kyushu, and West Kyushu Shinkansen—not Tohoku. Measure your bag and find the right storage.
   • Avoiding Rush Hour on Japanese Trains When rush hour happens in Japan, which trains and lines to avoid, and how to handle large luggage during peak commuting times.
   • Japanese Train Etiquette: The Rules That Actually Matter A simple guide to Japanese train etiquette for tourists: phone calls, priority seats, eating, backpacks, and the rules that actually matter (as of June 2026).

3. 3Eating with kids

   Menus that work for small and picky eaters.

   • Feeding Picky Kids in Japan: Family-Friendly Options Where to find kid-friendly food in Japan: family restaurants, konbini, udon and more, plus how to check for allergens.
   • Food Allergies in Japan: Labels, Cards, and Phrases Eating safely with food allergies in Japan: the labelling system, allergy cards, and phrases to confirm ingredients.
   • Conveyor Belt Sushi (Kaiten-zushi): How It Works A simple guide to conveyor belt sushi in Japan: how to enter, take plates, order on the touch panel, read plate-color prices, and pay.
   • Japanese Convenience Stores: A Tourist Power Guide What you can actually do at a Japanese konbini: withdraw cash, buy tickets, print, drop off luggage, find a toilet, and pay for almost anything.
   • Vegan and Plant-Based Options at Japanese Konbini What vegans can eat at Japanese convenience stores, how to read ingredient labels for hidden animal products, and naturally plant-based items to look for.
   • Vegetarian in Japan: Hidden Dashi and Real Options How to eat vegetarian in Japan: spotting hidden fish dashi and meat extracts, where to find safe meals, and phrases to confirm with staff.

4. 4Out and about

   The logistics of a family day out.

   • How to Find a Toilet in Japan Fast: Stations, Stores, and Konbini Need a toilet in Japan right now? Where to look in priority order, how reliable each spot is, phone tricks to find one, and what to expect inside.
   • Nursing Rooms and Baby Facilities in Japan: Where to Find Them Find nursing rooms, diaper-changing tables, hot water, and stroller-friendly toilets in Japan without assuming every station has them.
   • Can You Buy Tampons in Japan? Where to Find Period Products Yes — tampons are sold in Japan, mainly at drugstores. Where to buy tampons, pads, and period pain relief, plus how to read the packaging (June 2026).
   • Buying Sunscreen in Japan: SPF and PA Labels A plain-English guide to Japan's SPF and PA sunscreen labels, reapplication directions, shade and clothing, and what to do if your skin reacts.
   • Mosquitoes in Japan: Repellent and Bite Basics How to avoid mosquito bites in Japan, choose DEET or icaridin, follow child-age directions, and know when a bite needs medical advice.
   • Japan's Summer Heat: Staying Safe While Sightseeing How hot and humid Japan gets in summer, the warning signs of heat illness, where to cool down, and how to check the official heat alert.
   • Where Can I Cool Down in Japan During a Heat Alert? Find cooling shelters, stations, malls, libraries and cafés in Japan during a heat alert, check opening rules, and know when to call 119.

5. 5Where you stay

   Space for four and washing machines.

   • Airbnb in Japan: Why Listings Look Different (Minpaku Law) Why Airbnb and short-term rentals are limited in Japan, how the minpaku law works, and how to check a listing's registration number before booking.
   • Hotel Cancellation Rules in Japan: When You Get Charged How hotel cancellation rules work in Japan, when fees start, and how to cancel by phone or through a booking site to avoid charges.
   • Using Coin Laundries in Japan How to use a coin laundry in Japan: machine types, how to pay, detergent, typical costs, cycle times, and common mistakes to avoid.
   • Bath Etiquette in Japanese Guesthouses and Hostels How to use a shared bath at your guesthouse, hostel, or ryokan in Japan: taking turns, washing before soaking, keeping the water clean, and basic sento manners.

6. 6If someone gets sick or hurt

   Doctors, pharmacies, and the numbers to call.

   • Seeing a Doctor in Japan: English Help and Costs How to find an English-speaking doctor in Japan, what a visit roughly costs without insurance, and how to keep receipts for an insurance claim.
   • Finding Medicine After Hours in Japan Where to buy medicine late at night in Japan: 24-hour drugstores, convenience stores, and after-hours clinics, plus when to ask a pharmacist or doctor.
   • Japanese Drugstore Guide: Finding Medicine by Active Ingredient Use active ingredients, dose, warnings, and pharmacist advice to find an OTC medicine in Japan without relying on a familiar brand name.
   • Dental Emergency in Japan: Finding Help Fast How to find a dentist for sudden tooth pain in Japan, what an emergency visit may cost, and how to get care when you do not speak Japanese.
   • Calling 119 in Japan: How to Get an Ambulance How to call an ambulance in Japan: dial 119, what the dispatcher asks, language support, and 119 vs #7119 for non-emergencies.
   • Is #7119 Nationwide? Japan Emergency Numbers: 110, 119 and 118 When to call 110, 119, 118, #7119, or #8000 in Japan, how to check local #7119 coverage, and what to do if the advice line does not connect.

Different kind of trip? See the other scenarios or browse all guides.