Getting Around Japan with Kids

Japan’s public transit honestly feels like the eighth wonder of the world when traveling with kids 🇯🇵

Trains are clean, stations are organized, convenience stores are everywhere, and somehow even massive cities feel surprisingly navigable once you understand the system.

Here’s what actually helped us survive 17 days in Japan with little kids without completely losing our minds over logistics 😅

GET SUICA OR PASMO CARDS ASAP

IC cards like Suica or PASMO make Japan SO much easier.

You can tap them for:
• trains
• subways
• buses
• convenience stores
• vending machines
• some restaurants/lockers

Get one for each adult when you arrive.

Kids ages 6–11 can get discounted children’s IC cards (bring passports).

We usually loaded around ¥3,000–5,000 at a time and topped up as needed.

One thing we loved:
you stop having to think about individual train tickets constantly.

DON’T ASSUME YOU NEED THE JR PASS

The JR Pass became much harder to justify after the 2023 price increases.

For many family itineraries (including ours), individual Shinkansen tickets were actually cheaper and easier.

We mostly used:
• IC cards locally
• Individual bullet train tickets for longer routes

Reserved seats are ABSOLUTELY worth it with kids.

Being able to sit together and store luggage properly makes a huge difference on longer train days.

We booked through SmartEX when possible, but station booking worked well too.

LUGGAGE FORWARDING IS AMAZING… BUT NOT ALWAYS NECESSARY

Japan’s luggage forwarding services (like Yamato / TA-Q-BIN) are honestly incredible.

You can send your suitcases hotel-to-hotel and travel lighter on transfer days.

This is ESPECIALLY helpful for:
• airport transfer days
• multiple train transfers
• longer travel days with kids

BUT…

Honestly? Sometimes it was actually easier and cheaper for us to just grab a taxi to the next hotel with our luggage instead of forwarding it.

We found luggage forwarding most useful when:
• changing cities
• taking the Shinkansen
• heading to/from the airport
• trying to simplify complicated transit days

Not every transfer day automatically needs forwarding.

WHEN RENTING A CAR ACTUALLY MAKES SENSE

For us:
cities = trains
countryside = rental car

We only rented a car during our countryside stretch around Mt. Fuji and honestly it made that portion of the trip SO much easier.

You’ll need:
• An International Driving Permit
• Your license/passport
• Confidence driving on the left side 😅

A few things to know:
• Japanese tolls can get expensive
• Parking is usually very organized
• Rest stops are AMAZING with kids
• Rural Japan is much easier by car than public transit

I would NOT personally want a car in Tokyo or Kyoto.

STROLLERS + TRAIN STATIONS

Japan is actually MUCH more stroller-friendly than we expected overall.

Most major stations have:
• elevators
• family restrooms
• nursing rooms
• stroller-accessible routes

That said…
rush hour is INTENSE.

Try to avoid:
• 7:30–9:30am
• 5–7pm

especially in Tokyo.

One thing we learned quickly:
the correct train exit can save you SO much walking.

GOOGLE MAPS IS ESSENTIAL

Google Maps in Japan is honestly incredible.

It tells you:
• exact train lines
• platform numbers
• transfer timing
• exit numbers
• train arrival times

And somehow it’s usually shockingly accurate.

Google Maps honestly made Japan feel WAY less intimidating than we expected. Once we understood the train system for a day or two, getting around became much easier.