Bring The Kids: Tokyo, Japan

How hard is it, really, to drag two young children around Tokyo? I'm going to be honest with you. Your shoulders will be killing you from carrying a backpack full of child necessities, and/or wearing a baby. Your legs will be protesting every step as you push that stroller with the big kid in it because they needed a nap, and you were smack dab in the middle of the city.

But guess what? It's completely doable. Just don't go into it thinking it will be a cakewalk.

There are many different areas of how to successfully visit Tokyo with your young children that I'm going to cover, so I will break them up into categories throughout this post to explore them thoroughly.

1. ACCOMODATIONS

Choosing where you stay when you have kids is one of the most important things you will do. Many seasoned travelers like to say "Don't sweat the lodging, because you will only be sleeping there", but when you have kids, that is absolutely something you need to worry about. This is the place you will be collapsing at the end of the day, most likely with whiney, unhappy, exhausted children, and it needs to be a place where you can recharge.

Now, something you need to know about Tokyo - most hotels and guesthouses don't charge you by room, but rather, by person, which can start to add up when you have multiple children. Another thing to watch out for, is places being kid-friendly. Often times you will find what you think is the perfect hotel, only to see in fine print at the bottom that children are not allowed. We had a very hard time finding the right place.

What worked best for us, and was the cheapest option, was using Airbnb. We chose our rental based on location, being close to Haneda airport. I knew that after an 8 hour flight, we weren't going to want to spend another hour or so trying to figure out the train system and find our place in the middle of the night. Looking back, I think I would have preferred to just deal with figuring out the train system that first night and have something more central to the city.

Our Airbnb was VERY CLEAN, modern, and sleek, which, as a mother, scared me at first. There was no way my kids were going to leave this place unscathed. There was also a rule about noise, which we were unaware of until we checked in, and honestly, it made staying there a bit stressful. Because, well, kids make noise. Lots of it. We felt like we were trying to tiptoe around the apartment and constantly cleaning. It wasn't exactly a recipe for relaxation. In hindsight, we should've paid the extra money and gotten a hotel.

2. TRANSPORTATION

Japan is a country of trains. Anywhere you want to go in Tokyo, a train will take you there. The city was made for train travel, and that is how nearly everyone gets around - and it's how you should too. Renting a car may make you feel like you have some control over your travel, but it is only going to make things more difficult for you. There is no parking, the roads are very narrow, pedestrians always have the right of way, and traffic will triple your travel time.

Trains. How hard is it to use the trains with kids? Not hard at all! Kidding. Everything is hard with kids. But really, it isn't so bad. Here is a list of things you need to know about traveling with kids on the train:

• Under 6 years old doesn't need a ticket or a Pasmo/Suica/JRpass. They ride free.
• Google directions will get you where you're going, but we found that every time it said "Stay on board", it was wrong. Usually that means you need to disembark and grab the train on the other side of the platform.
• The train stations are not stroller friendly. There are a lot of stairs, and elevators aren't always easy to find, especially on the platforms. Also, once in the train, even outside of rush hour, there just won't be room for the stroller. I recommend the Pockit stroller. It folds up to fit in a backpack, making it much easier to travel by train, especially when you have more than one transfer (because you will). 
• Trains are places of silence. Japanese people are very rule-abiding, quiet, and considerate. They don't make much noise on trains, and if you do, they don't appreciate it.
• Shoes do not belong on seats. If you have a child who likes to stand and climb all over the seats, there will be an angry old lady sitting next to you that demands they take off their shoes.
• AVOID RUSH HOUR AT ALL COSTS. We did our very best to avoid rush hour, but a few times it couldn't be helped. It is NOT a good environment for kids! The people pack themselves into the train so tightly, that you can't move, and a child being worn, or having to stand next to you will get squished. It just isn't safe. Avoid it. And if a train pulls up that looks like its going to be packed, just wait for the next one. Trust me.

If a train says EXPRESS, it means it goes straight to the stop listed, without any other stops between. If it says LIMITED EXPRESS, it goes to the stop listed with only a few stops in-between. If it says LOCAL, it will hit all the stops on the way to the stop listed. A good way to avoid the packed trains, is to choose the LOCAL train. It will take a little bit longer, but you will be more likely to be able to sit down with the kids. 

PASMO / SUICA / JRPASS

Pasmo and Suica cards are basically chargeable cards that you use upon entering and exiting a platform. They are very easy to buy (just find a machine with the name on it, select English, and follow the directions), and they make things much easier when you are trying to get your kids through the station and onto a train. It keeps you from having to go to a machine and buy a ticket every time you want to go somewhere. They can also be used to buy things from vending machines, and on a few buses. You don't need one for your kids under 6, just for each individual older than that.

The big question when visiting Japan is, "Should I buy a JR Pass?"

If you are just staying in Tokyo, then the answer to that question is probably NO. It won't pay for itself. BUT if you plan on visiting other cities, do the math, and you may find that it will be cheaper to have the JR pass, rather than paying for all of those long-distance train tickets. 

BE PREPARED TO WALK.

This is a walking country. Everyone walks and rides their bike everywhere when they aren't taking a train. Being a foreigner won't exclude you from this. The city is laid out to accommodate it's people, and the way they travel. Be courteous to that, and be aware that taxi's can get very expensive, and take a much longer time to get to your destination.

Even if you have your entire train route planned out and you think your destination is close to the end station, you should still be prepared for a lot of walking. Some of the stations are very big, and you end up walking a mile just to get to the next train you are supposed to transfer to.

 3. DESTINATIONS

Tokyo is split up into many unique neighborhoods. You could easily spend an entire day in each one, but you could also just as easily breeze through two or three in a day! It's really all up to you and your travel speed.

So which neighborhoods should you visit? There are so many! Everyone likes different things, and I highly recommend looking at a Neighborhood Guide before you decide. BUT, there are a few that have rightfully earned the reputations of a MUST-SEE. They can all be seen in a day or two if you don't have much time. The ones that we really enjoyed with our kids were;

• SHIBUYA - Right out of the station you will see the famous Shibuya crossing. Just to the left of it is the famous clothing store, Shibuya 109. Those are the big hotspots, but there is plenty more around if you want to make a day of it! From Shibuya you can easily walk to....
• HARAJUKU - The land of Kawaii ("Cute"). On Sunday's you can see all the young people walking around in their crazy outfits in that unique, "street fashion meets victorian" style. Go down Takeshita Dori, the famous Harajuku shopping street. Down that street you will find the famous Harajuku crepes (must try!), Totti candy factory (for some amazing cotton candy), and many adorable clothing and souvenir shops!
• ASAKUSA - The tourist information center has a viewing deck on the top floor that gives an excellent view of Nakamise Dori (the shopping street you are about to walk down). Go down Nakamise Dori to buy ALL of your souvenirs. They seriously have everything you may possibly want on this trip. The little side-streets have restaurants if you are in need of some food. At the end of Nakamise Dori, you will find yourself face to face with Kaminari gate. Pass through it to see Senso-Ji temple, Asakusa shrine, and Dempoin temple all right in that area. 
• AKIHABARA - If you love Anime, this is your neighborhood. Shops and stalls, all dedicated to the anime culture. 
• TOKYO DISNEY - This one is obvious. It's Disneyland! 

For a more in-depth look at the neighborhoods we visited and how we did everything with kids, click on the names of each one above!