Chapter 435 - Tokyo Adventures (with a Toddler)

So this was our second overseas trip with Matthew (who is now 14-months old). Travelling with Matthew was pretty much a logistical nightmare! Esther had to ensure that we packed enough diapers, milk powder, toys, clothes, medication, etc etc for the trip, and this post shares some of the things that we had not expected when travelling in Tokyo with a Toddler (from a Singaporean's perspective)

1. There are staircases, staircases and staircases
While most parts of Tokyo are wheelchair (and therefore stroller - Japanese call them "Baby Cars") friendly, not all subway stations are wheelchair-friendly. Well, at least we can't always seem to find escalators, or elevators (lifts) at the exits/entrances that we are headed for. In these cases, Esther and I would have to carry Matthew (whom we termed our "Little Prince") up/down the stairs in his throne (aka. Baby Car).

Creative feeding in a tatami-styled restaurant

Some people may prefer a baby carrier over a stroller - however, we'd definitely still prefer a stroller, as it allows us to take a break when Matthew falls asleep - we could leave him alone for a while, and not have to carry him around for a bit. This was especially helpful, since we were out for most parts of the day.

2. Baby high chairs are not a given

Baby chair at the Chef Mickey restaurant

In a number of the restaurants that we went to, baby high chairs were not necessarily available. And if they were available, there may not be a harness/strap to strap the toddler in. Some restaurants were able to provide a belt, or even a rope to help "tie" the baby to the chair (sounds horrible eh?). If you definitely need a strap for your kid, you may want to consider bringing an extra belt (in which case, you can even just belt him to a normal chair).

Matthew pictured here sitting at the counter in his stroller

When baby chairs were not available, the strollers came in real handy, as it meant that Matthew could still sit at the table with us in his stroller. Just make sure that the restaurant that you go to has got enough space, and that they are okay with the baby. (Some places simply won't allow babies! E.g. Daiwa Sushi @ Tsukiji Fish Market refused to allow us to enter, even though Matthew was securely strapped in his baby carrier!)

3. It is not easy to find baby food / diapers / milk powder


In Singapore, we are used to getting our supply of baby food / diapers / milk powder at the nearest supermarket. However, in Japan (Tokyo), most of the supermarkets only sell fresh food/produce, and such items are only available at the "drug store" (or pharmacy). Only problem was that not all "drug stores" carry baby products, and you will need to find one that is big enough to sell them. Some places where we found them were at Tokyo Sky Tree (drug store at Level 1), Toys R Us (or rather Babies R Us) and some department stores (check out the baby/kids section - e.g. Mitsukoshi @ Ginza). Just to be safe, it would be best if you could to bring enough baby food / diapers / milk powder to save you the trouble of having to find them.

4. Baby Changing Facilities (Two Thumbs Up!)
Although baby high chairs are not a given (we think that's because it may not be common to eat out with a kid in Tokyo), baby changing facilities in Japan / Tokyo are FANTASTIC! Just visit any department store, and the baby room is amazing! The baby rooms are huge, and have numerous cubicles for changing and for nursing mothers. Not only that, the rooms are clean, and have hot water dispensers, which dispense water to the right temperature for baby formula. Not just that, the baby rooms were often stocked with Stokke chairs! (okay, this last point may sound a little bimbotic... ;p)

5. Childrens' Play Area
And it's not just baby changing facilities - the kids/toys section in most department stores allow free-play of the toys for kids. This could mean 30 minutes (or more, depending on you) of allowing your child to explore some toys. We found a lovely play area in Muji @ Ginza for kids too and spent no less than 45 minutes, letting Matthew play with the other children.

6. Invest in an inflatable bath tub

Bath time with ducky!

Tokyo apartments/hotels tend to be on the small side, and we found our little inflatable duck (from Munchkins@ Mothercare) to be one of the best buys for the trip. As the bath tubs tend to be small, and too high, it was much easier to shower Matthew in the inflatable bath tub, as seen in the picture below.

7. Consider staying in an apartment instead of a hotel
We booked an apartment through Airbnb.com, which we found to be really useful, as the apartment has a kitchen (useful for washing bottles), and a washer (for washing soiled clothes, and also means bringing less clothes for the trip!). If possible, we'd strongly recommend getting an apartment with separate bedrooms, rather than a studio - allows the parents to watch some tele while the baby is asleep!

I hope this post has been helpful and documents some of our own learning from the trip! :)