No one handles culture shock better than kids, so look past the “foreignness” of Japan to discover why a family holiday to Japan is a great idea. Here are our top tips for travelling with kids in Japan and just a few of our recommendations for what to see and do with youngsters:
Travelling Japan with Babies and Toddlers
Japan is well-equipped for childcare, with most major airports featuring children’s play areas (often baby-friendly too), hotels handling babysitting services, and public transport offering discounted tickets for youngsters.
Toddlers will enjoy feeding tame deer out of their hands in Nara, playing in the city parks and watching swirling colours bodies of koi carp in Japan’s many landscape gardens. Japanese restaurants often cater to children, with dishes arranged into cute designs and cartoon characters!
Travelling Japan with Young Children
Tokyo Disneyland is a sure winner, though you may wish to introduce some Japanese films and cartoons to your kids before their Japan holiday, to familiarise them with some of the fun local attractions centred around these characters:
Anpanman (Red Bean Paste Bun Man), Doraemon (a blue cat-robot) and Hello Kitty (needs no introduction) are some of the most popular.
The Hello Kitty theme park can be found in western Tokyo, and her merchandise is all over Harajuku.
Older children may enjoy a ride on a bullet train, watching a sumo match or game at a local baseball stadium, as well as the whimsical magic of Studio Ghibli Films.
The Ghibli Museum near Tokyo is a fantastic place to visit for both kids and adults.
Travelling Japan with Teenagers
Tweens and teens will love an afternoon at a neon-bright game centre, such as those found in Tokyo’s Akihabara. Watch Japanese businessmen master complicated arcade games, from dance to piano playing to shooting games, before having a go yourself.
Pause at a Purikura (a Japanese-style photo booth) where you can digitally alter and decorate your pictures with accessories, messages and weird-and-wonderful distortions.
And finally – the Mecca of all tween and teenage holiday destinations – is a trip to Japan’s Universal Studios theme park, which is home to its own Harry Potter World.
Family Holidays to Japan
Wayfairer creates tailor-made family holiday itineraries, which are catered to your family’s interests and requirements.
