Japan was one of those trips that felt a little intimidating to plan. The trains look complicated, so many of the ticketing websites are in Japanese, hotel rooms are notoriously small, and there are a lot of little cultural differences you don't necessarily know about until you're there.
But after traveling through Japan as a family of six, I can say this: Japan with kids is SO much easier than it looks from home.
There are definitely a few things I wish I'd understood better before we went, though. From navigating train stations and getting Suica cards to forwarding luggage and knowing which experiences need to be booked months ahead, these are the things that made the biggest difference for us, and the things I would tell any family before their first trip to Japan.
1. Set Up a Few Basics Before You Go
You really don't need a complicated list of travel apps for Japan. The two we used constantly were Google Maps and Google Translate.
Make sure you'll have reliable cell service or data as soon as you land because Google Maps is going to become your best friend. Save your hotel addresses and major reservations somewhere easy to access, and you're pretty much set.
Google Translate is also incredibly helpful, especially the camera feature. You can point it at menus, signs, instructions or ticket machines and translate them instantly.
2. The Trains Look Complicated. They're Actually Pretty Easy.
This was probably the thing I was most nervous about before our trip, and after a day or two it felt completely manageable.
Google Maps tells you almost everything you need to know. It will show you the train line, direction, platform, how many stops you're riding, where to transfer and most importantly which station exit to use.
PAY ATTENTION TO THE STATION EXIT.
If there is only one train tip you remember from this post, make it this one.
Some of the train stations in Tokyo and other major cities are enormous. You can technically arrive at the correct station and still come out on the completely wrong side of it. That can easily turn what should have been a five-minute walk into a much longer one.
When Google Maps gives you an exit number or letter, follow it.
Also give yourself more time than Google Maps says for transfers when you're traveling with kids. A transfer might technically take five minutes, but that doesn't account for walking through a giant station, finding an elevator, going to the bathroom or trying to keep everyone together.
Local vs. Express Trains
Pay attention to whether you're getting on a local, rapid or express train. An express train may skip the stop you need.
Again, Google Maps is usually very clear about which train to take. We found that following it step-by-step was much easier than trying to understand the entire Japanese rail system.
Regular Trains vs. the Shinkansen
For normal subway and local train rides, you don't need to reserve tickets ahead of time. You can generally tap your Suica at the gate and go.
The Shinkansen, or bullet train, is different. For longer trips between cities, we liked having reserved seats so we knew our family could sit together.
If you're bringing very large luggage onto certain Shinkansen routes, pay attention to the luggage rules too. On the Tokaido, Sanyo, Kyushu and Nishi-Kyushu Shinkansen, luggage with combined dimensions over 160 cm requires a reservation for an oversized-baggage area.
Kids Pay Different Train Fares
JR considers children ages 6–11 eligible for child fares, while ages 12+ pay adult fares. Children under 6 generally don't need a ticket, although they do need one if you want to reserve their own seat.
That is one reason getting the kids their own child Suica cards is helpful.
Do You Need a JR Pass?
Don't automatically buy a Japan Rail Pass just because you're going to Japan.
The JR Pass is convenient for certain itineraries, but it is expensive enough now that it doesn't automatically save money. The current ordinary 7-day national pass, for example, costs ¥50,000 per adult when purchased through the official online service.
Price out the actual long-distance train rides in your itinerary first.
For our route, buying the transportation we actually needed made more sense than automatically purchasing a national pass.
3. Get Suica Cards
A Suica is basically a reloadable transportation card, and it makes getting around Japan SO much easier.
Instead of buying an individual ticket every time you ride a train, you tap into the station and tap back out when you arrive. The correct fare is automatically deducted.
And Suica isn't just for trains. You can use it at tons of convenience stores, vending machines, lockers and other places throughout Japan.
For adults, adding a digital Suica to your phone can be really convenient. For kids who qualify for child fares, you'll want a child Suica/Welcome Suica. JR East requires identification such as a passport when purchasing a Welcome Suica for a child.
One more thing: keep an eye on everyone's balance. Nothing slows down your family train exit quite like one child getting rejected by the gate because their Suica is out of money.
4. You Have Two Really Good Options for Luggage
One of the best things about traveling in Japan is that you do not have to drag all of your luggage everywhere you go.
Especially with kids, this is something I would take advantage of.
Option 1: Forward Your Luggage
Japan has an amazing luggage-forwarding system. You can send your suitcases from one hotel to another and travel to your next city with just the things you need for the day — or a small overnight bag if your luggage won't arrive until the following day.
Most major hotels can help arrange it at the front desk, and Japan's official tourism site also lists airport, hotel and convenience-store options for luggage delivery.
This is especially nice when you're taking the Shinkansen. Navigating a busy train station with kids is significantly easier when you aren't also managing several giant suitcases.
Option 2: Use Train Station Lockers
If you just need somewhere to put your luggage for a few hours, train station lockers are everywhere.
This is perfect if you check out of your hotel in the morning but want to explore before taking your next train, or if you arrive in a new city hours before check-in.
There are different locker sizes, and many newer lockers accept IC cards like Suica. The official Japan tourism site notes that lockers at busy stations can fill up, so I wouldn't rely on finding six giant empty lockers at the busiest station in Tokyo during peak hours.
Many major stations also have staffed luggage-storage counters.
Between luggage forwarding and station storage, there is almost never a reason to spend the entire day sightseeing while dragging your suitcases behind you.
5. 7-Eleven, FamilyMart and Lawson Will Save You
The convenience stores in Japan are on a completely different level.
We used them constantly.
Breakfast. Snacks. Drinks. Food for train rides. ATMs. Random things somebody suddenly needed. They are everywhere, and they make traveling with kids so easy.
We also used 7-Eleven for tickets. Depending on where you purchase something, Japanese ticketing systems may have you pay for or pick up your tickets at a convenience store. We picked up baseball tickets this way, and you may run into the same process with train tickets, attractions and events.
It sounds confusing when you're planning from home, but once you're standing inside a 7-Eleven, it's much less intimidating. And if you can't figure out the machine, ask for help.
I also wouldn't feel like every meal in Japan has to be a planned restaurant experience. Grabbing breakfast or snacks from a convenience store can make a busy sightseeing day so much easier.
6. You Will Walk WAY More Than You Think
We are a pretty active family, and Japan still involved a surprising amount of walking.
The distance between attractions is only part of it. You're also walking through giant train stations, transferring between lines, finding exits, walking underground and then walking from the station to wherever you're actually going.
Those steps add up fast.
Build more travel time into your itinerary than you think you need and bring really comfortable shoes.
7. YES, Bring the Stroller
If you're debating whether your younger child is "too old" to bring a stroller to Japan, my vote is: bring it.
Our youngest doesn't need a stroller for normal everyday life at home, but we were so glad we had one in Japan.
You walk SO much.
Are elevators always conveniently located? Absolutely not.
There were plenty of times when my husband and I just picked up the stroller and carried it up or down a set of stairs rather than walking around trying to find an elevator.
I would still bring it again without hesitation.
A lightweight, foldable stroller is ideal because there will be moments when you need to carry it, fold it on a crowded train or maneuver it through a busy station. Other parents traveling Japan with young kids consistently flag the same tradeoff: the stroller is incredibly useful, even though station elevators can require detours.
8. There Aren't Many Public Trash Cans
This is one of those tiny things that you don't think about until you're standing there holding six snack wrappers.
Public trash cans can be surprisingly hard to find in Japan.
We started keeping a small bag in our backpack for trash because sometimes you'll be carrying it around for a while before you find somewhere to throw it away.
9. Public Bathrooms Are Everywhere — and Usually Really Nice
On the opposite end of the spectrum: finding a bathroom in Japan is generally very easy.
Train stations, department stores, malls and attractions usually have clean public bathrooms, and they're typically free.
Family and multipurpose bathrooms are also common, and finding baby-changing facilities is much easier than it can be in a lot of other countries.
As a parent, this is one of those small things that makes traveling Japan noticeably easier. Family-travel guides from people living in Japan also consistently point to the abundance of baby rooms and family restroom facilities as one of Japan's biggest advantages for parents.
10. Japan Feels Very Safe, but the Crowds Can Be Intense
We felt incredibly comfortable traveling around Japan with our kids, but there are places where the crowds are HUGE.
Shibuya. Major train stations. Popular attractions. Shopping areas on weekends.
Before going somewhere really crowded, make sure your kids know what to do if they can't see you.
With younger kids especially, I like having them know our names and making sure they have our hotel/contact information somewhere they can access.
11. Train Etiquette Is a Little Different
Japanese commuter trains tend to be much quieter than trains in the U.S.
Kids obviously don't need to sit in complete silence, but it helps to explain ahead of time that people generally keep their voices down. If they're using a device, use headphones.
Eating is also different depending on the train.
On the Shinkansen, eating and drinking at your seat is completely normal. On everyday commuter trains and subways, people generally aren't sitting there eating a meal.
And when trains get crowded, just be conscious of how much space your stroller and luggage are taking up.
12. Carry Some Cash
Japan is much more credit-card friendly than it used to be, but I still wouldn't travel there without cash.
We used cash for smaller vendors, temples and shrines, ticket machines and other places that didn't take cards.
7-Eleven ATMs are really convenient for international travelers, so you don't necessarily need to arrive carrying a huge amount of yen.
And don't throw your coins into the bottom of your bag thinking they're useless. You will actually use them.
13. Don't Over-Plan Your Days
This is probably good advice for any trip with kids, but especially Japan.
There is SO much to see that it's easy to create an itinerary that looks totally reasonable on paper and is exhausting in real life.
Remember that transportation takes time. Stations are big. Kids need bathrooms and snacks. You're going to see a store or arcade or gachapon place that everyone wants to stop at.
Give yourself room for that.
We usually had a couple of things that were priorities and then filled in around them.
14. BUT Book Your Priority Experiences Early
This is the other side of that advice.
Do not assume you'll be able to book everything once you get to Japan.
Some of the experiences people travel to Japan specifically to do can sell out incredibly fast.
Things like:
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Pokémon Café
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Nintendo Museum
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Ghibli Museum
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teamLab
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Universal Studios Japan/Super Nintendo World
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Popular character cafés
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Special classes and hands-on experiences
If you find something while planning your trip that makes you think, "My kids would LOVE this," prioritize it.
Look up exactly when tickets go on sale and write that date down. Some tickets are released on very specific dates or at specific times.
I'd rather build our itinerary around one experience we really cared about than realize two weeks before the trip that the thing the kids were most excited about sold out months ago.
At the same time, don't reserve every minute. Leave some room for wandering around neighborhoods, shopping, finding random gachapon machines and doing things you didn't know existed until you walked past them.
Some of our favorite moments on trips happen that way.
15. Hotel Rooms Can Be Small — Especially for Bigger Families
If you're traveling with a family of five or six, pay really close attention when booking hotels in Japan.
A room that looks like it has enough beds may have a strict occupancy limit that doesn't work for your family.
This is one reason we love using Booking.com when traveling with our family of six. It makes it much easier to compare properties that can actually fit all of us, and we've often been able to find better rates on larger rooms or apartment-style accommodations.
Apartment-style hotels can be especially great in Japan because you get more space, and sometimes a washing machine or kitchen too.
If I had to choose between a fancy tiny hotel room and a simple apartment with more space and laundry for a longer stay with four kids, I'll take the space.
16. Pack Light — Because You're Going to Want to Bring a LOT Home
Japan is not the trip where I would pack every suitcase completely full.
Between Don Quijote, character stores, beauty products, Japanese snacks, stationery, Pokémon, Nintendo, gachapon prizes and about 500 other things you didn't know you needed, you're probably going to come home with more than you brought.
We also found it really easy to do laundry during the trip, which meant we didn't need as many clothes.
Pack lighter than you think you need to and either leave room in your suitcase OR pack a foldable duffel/extra suitcase inside your luggage for the trip home.
Future you will be very happy you did.
17. Bring Your Passport When You're Planning to Shop
If you're planning a big shopping day, bring your passport with you.
Eligible international visitors can use Japan's tax-free shopping program at participating stores, and your passport is used to verify eligibility.
One important update: beginning November 1, 2026, Japan is changing to a refund-style tax-free system. Travelers will pay the tax-inclusive price first and then complete the applicable customs/refund procedure when departing Japan. You still need your passport for the process, so the easiest rule is simply: if you're going shopping, bring it.
18. Wear Comfortable, Easy-to-Remove Shoes
Have I mentioned the walking?
Because there is so much walking.
Japan is not the trip for shoes that are cute for an hour and painful for the other 11.
You'll also visit places where you need to remove your shoes, so shoes that are comfortable and relatively easy to take on and off are ideal.
19. Use Jet Lag to Your Advantage
Coming from the U.S., there's a pretty good chance someone in your family is going to be awake at an absurd hour for the first few mornings.
Instead of fighting it, we used it.
Early morning is an amazing time to see popular outdoor sights before the crowds arrive.
Temples, shrines and outdoor areas that are absolutely packed later in the day can feel completely different first thing in the morning.
20. But Know That a Lot of Japan Opens Late
The downside of waking up at 5 a.m. ready to explore?
A lot of stores don't open until 10 or 11.
We ran into this multiple times.
Don't plan an early-morning shopping itinerary and then discover everything is closed. Use your mornings for temples, shrines, parks, neighborhoods and other outdoor sightseeing.
Then switch over to shopping and indoor attractions later in the morning.
21. Vending Machines Are Everywhere
This sounds like such a random thing to include, but when you're traveling with kids, it is surprisingly useful.
You don't need to carry everyone's drinks for the entire day because there are vending machines everywhere.
They're inexpensive, easy to use and somehow buying a drink from a vending machine never stopped being exciting to our kids.
22. Japan With Kids Is Much Easier Than It Looks
If you're sitting at home trying to plan your first family trip to Japan and feeling overwhelmed by train maps, Shinkansen tickets, Suica cards and Japanese reservation websites, don't let that scare you away.
Japan was one of the easiest places we've traveled once we were actually there.
The transportation system is incredibly organized. Google Maps makes the trains manageable. Bathrooms are everywhere. Convenience stores solve half of your problems. You can send your luggage ahead instead of hauling it around. And there are so many fun, interesting things for kids that even getting from one activity to another feels like part of the experience.
There are definitely a few things that work differently than they do at home — but once you know what to expect, they aren't difficult.
If Japan is on your family travel list, go.
Bring the stroller. Get the Suica cards. Don't forget which station exit Google Maps told you to take.
And definitely leave some extra room in your suitcase.