When I just started solo travel and blogging 10 years ago, one of the most nagging things I was asked was, “When did you settle down?”
The question annoyed me. It suggests that there are only two paths in life. But it doesn’t seem to me that travel and have a family must be mutually exclusive.
Years later, when I returned from my 20th flight with my 7-month-old baby (it was our second international trip together), I knew right away that adventures don’t have to end just because you have children. That said, traveling can seem different to a child.
When I decided to visit Japan For example, with children, I consulted my community on Instagram and received a direct message saying that Japan is “not really kid-friendly”.
However, the more I researched, the more conflicting information I found.
People complain that hotel rooms are too small, some restaurants don’t allow infants or children, and transportation can be difficult with all the extra luggage that children usually require.
I’ve been to Japan twice already and I remember it as one of the friendliest, most welcoming places I’ve ever visited. So I trusted my first impressions and decided to give it a try for our first international family vacation. Fortunately, the country turned out to be as welcoming to children as I expected.
Immediately, Japan impressed me with its family-friendly amenities. Most places have impeccably clean family bathrooms, as well as spacious dressing tables. Some airports are even free cartif you decide to leave yours at home.
Restaurants are also quite laid-back, often providing an extra bowl of rice, toys, high chairs and other amenities that we didn’t have to ask. Plus, our baby captures attention everywhere we go with smiles and peek-a-boo interactions. I’m sure he’ll happily move there full-time.
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That said, there were several key things I did to make our trip a success.
Related: 12 tips on how to travel internationally with a baby
Book business class airline tickets
This was our first trip across the international date line and several time zones. My biggest worry is how will we Overcome jet lag. I knew if we could have a comfortable experience flying to Japan and back, our chances of saving naps and sleeping time on our flights would be much greater.
Incidentally, we flew both major Japanese airlines on this trip. For our flight, we struggled to find a mileage option that matched the amount I banked, so I used American Express Travel’s International Airline Program to find the discount. 25% off our flight. business class flight with Japan Airlines and use mine Platinum Card® from American Express to make a reservation. Tickets are pretty reasonable at $2,000 each, plus $250 for a infant in lap.
I’m so glad we chose business class for this part of our trip. Not only was the service top-notch, but Japan Airlines’ Sky Suite meant we had almost complete privacy, with plenty of room to nap and lie down on our stomachs.
During the trip, I searched for deals and found flights home on ANA via United for 90,000 miles each.
Like our experience with Japan Airlines, we thoroughly enjoyed our time flying with ANA. Our boy slept most of the overnight flight home, as did his parents.
If you’re like me, you probably worry about looking dirty when you put your baby in business class. However, don’t stress about it as we had no problems during our trip.
Odds are your child won’t be the only one (as was our case). People often comment on how our son handles flights like a champ, even though we don’t do anything special to keep him calm. Flat seats and the white noise of airplanes can do wonders for sleep!
Related: The best ways to travel to Japan with points and miles
light pack
One of the hardest things to do with a baby is to pack lightly. However, with the number of stairs in places like subway stations, I know we’ll thank ourselves later if we just bring what we can. So we got off the trolley and car seat stay at home, choose to wear baby clothes and rely on public transport.
In the end, it’s the right way to go. Japan’s public transportation system is efficient and reliable, so you can easily get to all the places you want to visit without renting a car or using a ride-hailing service.
To make our journey to and from Japan much easier, we also rolled the dice and opted not to bring his Travel Pack. As light as it is, it still needs its own bag and is too much to carry on this trip.
Instead of carrying a portable crib, focus on accommodations with bunk beds so your baby can easily have his or her own mattress. I did this and also took advantage of me American Express Fine Hotel + Resort credit for us being able to stay at The Prince Gallery Tokyo Kioicho, a Marriott– the linked property offers a surprisingly rare home comfort: a crib.
Related: How to pack — and prepare — for travel with your baby
Enjoy food at a convenience store
There was a joke going on during our trip that we were eating like royalty or eating convenience store cuisine. We enjoy both ends of the culinary spectrum, sitting down to traditional multi-course kaiseki dinners and taking multi-bowl ramen tours. We even brought the best of 7-Eleven back to the hotel for my kids to have a normal early bedtime routine. It also saves us on long travel days.
I can’t imagine any other country where I could be satisfied with eating so many meals from convenience stores, but as anyone who has been to Japan knows, this country has a great number of dishes. You can buy everything from hot meals to dried fruit with creative flavors of chips, poached eggs, mochi and Belgian waffles, and more.
An added bonus is that convenience stores are everywhere, from train stations to nearly every major neighborhood, so you won’t have to venture far to get a bite to eat. The proximity to this affordable dining area makes it extremely easy for people, especially a young family, to find food.
Related: A Beginner’s Guide to Visiting Tokyo: Everything You Need to Eat, See, and Do
Keep the cruise loose
When traveling with a baby, flexibility is key. My biggest regret about the trip is that we didn’t have enough days for our first stop, Kyoto. Since we were still adjusting to the new time zone, we mostly stayed in the rented apartment until midday.
It’s good that I didn’t plan or book too many activities in advance, as things always come up when traveling with a baby. Sure, that means you can’t check as many things off the bucket list as you like, but the trade-off of watching your kids experience a world where everything is new to them is worth it. They may not remember the trip when they were older, but it still means a lot to them right now.
It also means the whole world to me. Instead of trying to do more sightseeing, I’m glad we decided to prioritize one or two per stop so we can save time for precious natural moments with our son. Any time we can achieve more is a bonus, and we never regret limiting our daily activities.
Related: The best types of vacations to go with a baby
bottom line
While your travels will eventually change after expanding your family, that doesn’t mean you have to limit your time away from home. There is a huge world to explore and we all deserve to continue our adventure, no matter our age.
