From the neon lights of Tokyo to peaceful gardens, incredible food, Disney magic and cruising around Japan, Japan had been on our travel wish list for years.
In 2023, we finally experienced it for ourselves, travelling with our 22-month-old daughter and extended family. It was our first international holiday with our daughter and a special multigenerational adventure with three generations travelling together.
Before we left, I wondered what Japan with a toddler would really be like. Would Tokyo be overwhelming? Would the trains be difficult? Would there be enough for a young child to enjoy?
Japan surprised us in all the right ways. It was clean, welcoming, easy to navigate and offered something for every generation.
Absolutely.
If you’re considering Japan with kids, the logistics can seem overwhelming. Huge cities, busy trains, a different language and so much to see can make planning difficult.
In reality, we found Japan incredibly family-friendly. The transport was efficient, we felt comfortable exploring, and there was a fantastic mix of culture, food, theme parks and sightseeing.
Travelling Japan with children does mean slowing down. We didn’t try to see everything, and I think our holiday was better because of it.
We flew direct from Sydney to Tokyo with All Nippon Airways (ANA).
The crew were warm, friendly and incredibly attentive, and the onboard meals gave us our first taste of Japanese culture — although I wasn’t quite prepared for curry at breakfast!
The direct flight was around 10 hours, which made travelling to Japan with a toddler much easier than having to connect along the way.
We travelled in October and loved it.
We enjoyed comfortable temperatures, beautiful autumn colours and only two rainy days during our two-week trip. Tokyo was still warm, but overall the weather was perfect for sightseeing.
When you’re travelling Japan with kids, comfortable weather makes a huge difference with the amount of walking involved.
If you don’t enjoy hot and humid weather, I would personally avoid the height of summer. Spring is beautiful for the famous cherry blossoms, while autumn offers colourful foliage and generally milder sightseeing weather.
My pick? I would happily travel in October again.
If it’s your first visit to Japan, I’d recommend allowing at least three or four full days for Tokyo.
We only scratched the surface.
Despite its enormous size, Tokyo was surprisingly easy to explore. The extensive train and metro network connects the city incredibly well, allowing you to travel between neighbourhoods and experience a completely different side of Tokyo in a relatively short time.
One minute you can be surrounded by neon lights, crowds and towering buildings; the next, exploring a peaceful garden, shrine or tiny local restaurant.
While Tokyo is known for its fast pace and constant energy, my advice is actually to slow down.
Leave some room in your itinerary to wander without a strict plan. Some of our favourite experiences weren’t planned at all.
Choosing where to stay in Tokyo can be overwhelming, particularly when you’re travelling with young children.
With a toddler, our priorities were fairly simple: a modern and comfortable hotel, convenient public transport and enough space to make travelling as a family easier.
We chose Ginza, and it worked really well for us.
Having a metro station and convenience store only minutes away made everyday life so much easier. When you’re travelling with a 22-month-old, those little conveniences can make a huge difference.
One of my favourite Ginza memories wasn’t a major tourist attraction at all.
We stumbled across a tiny hole-in-the-wall ramen restaurant. It wasn’t flashy, there weren’t huge queues outside and we hadn’t read dozens of reviews beforehand.
It was simply incredible ramen.
Our only regret was discovering it on our last night instead of our first!
Those spontaneous discoveries are one of the things I loved most about Japan.
Then came Disney…
If you know me, you’ll know this was the part of our Japan holiday I’d been counting down to.
As a lifelong Disney fan, I’d always dreamed of sharing Disney with my own children. Seeing our daughter experience the magic for the first time made the trip even more special.
She may have been too young to remember it, but I’ll never forget watching her eyes light up meeting the characters and exploring the parks.
Before our trip, I’d heard mixed opinions about taking very young children to Tokyo Disney Resort.
After experiencing it ourselves, I couldn’t disagree more.
Our whole family loved it.
There was plenty to entertain our 22-month-old, while the thrill seekers in the family could still tackle rides such as Tower of Terror — equal parts exhilarating and terrifying!
My answer?
Both.
The two parks offer completely different experiences and, if your itinerary allows, I would dedicate a full day to each.
DisneySea in particular exceeded every expectation.
It is unlike any other Disney park I’ve experienced and was easily one of the highlights of our trip. Since our visit, Fantasy Springs has also opened, which gives me yet another reason to go back.
If you’re planning to include Disney in your Japan family holiday, one of my biggest recommendations is to stay close to the parks.
If your budget allows, consider one of the Disney hotels or another hotel with convenient access to Tokyo Disney Resort.
We stayed at Tokyo Disney Celebration Hotel, which gave us a great balance of value and convenience.
The hotel was clean and comfortable, the staff were incredibly kind and welcoming, and complimentary shuttle buses made getting to and from the parks easy.
We also loved having the benefit of early park entry.
Even arriving around an hour before the general opening time, we were amazed by how many people were already waiting to enter.
A little preparation can make a huge difference to your Disney days.
After exploring Tokyo and Disney, it was time to experience Japan in a completely different way — by cruise ship.
For families who love the idea of seeing several parts of Japan but feel overwhelmed by navigating trains, transporting luggage and constantly changing hotels, a cruise around Japan can be a fantastic alternative.
You unpack once and your accommodation travels with you.
For our multigenerational family, it also meant everyone could enjoy the holiday at their own pace. There were activities, dining and entertainment when we wanted them, but also plenty of opportunities to relax between busy days ashore.
Princess Cruises was an easy choice for our family.
I had sailed with Princess before and knew we could expect great service, good food and a relaxed onboard atmosphere — all important when travelling with three generations.
What I particularly loved was the way Princess incorporated elements of Japanese culture into the onboard experience.
From tea ceremonies and origami to sake tastings and Japanese cuisine, it felt as though the destination remained part of the experience even when we were at sea.
Diamond Princess was also a great size for our family, with plenty of dining options, entertainment and quieter spaces.
Whether we wanted to relax or keep busy, there was something for everyone.
Before our cruise, I had never heard of Sakaiminato, but it ended up being one of my favourite ports.
With no major plans, we caught a complimentary shuttle to Yuushien Garden.
After several busy sightseeing days, it was exactly what we needed.
Sitting in the teahouse with a cup of tea and slice of matcha cheesecake overlooking the gardens became one of my favourite moments of our entire holiday.
Our cruise also visited Busan, South Korea, another standout destination thanks to its beaches, buzzing atmosphere and incredible food.
One day wasn’t enough — we’d love to return.
There were so many little things about everyday life in Japan that surprised us.
The trains were incredibly quiet. Public toilets were exceptionally clean. Vending machines seemed to be everywhere. And we felt comfortable exploring at different times of the day.
Then there were the bins — or lack of them!
Despite Japan being incredibly clean, public rubbish bins could be surprisingly difficult to find. Carrying a small bag for our rubbish quickly became part of our daily routine.
It’s one of those practical Japan travel tips you don’t necessarily think about until you’re there.
Food was easily one of the highlights of our holiday.
Ramen. Gyoza. Fluffy Japanese pancakes. Matcha. And plenty of dishes we’d never tried before.
Some of our favourite meals weren’t at famous restaurants. They were small local eateries we discovered while wandering.
When we couldn’t read a menu, Google Translate became incredibly useful.
My advice is to be adventurous. Some of our best meals came from simply walking into somewhere that looked good and giving it a try.
Without hesitation.
Japan was our first international holiday with our daughter and remains one of our favourite family trips.
Travelling Japan with a toddler meant slowing down, occasionally changing plans and accepting that we couldn’t see everything. But that became part of the experience.
Combining Tokyo, Disney and a cruise around Japan worked beautifully for our multigenerational family.
We left knowing we’d only scratched the surface — and we cannot wait to return.
Planning Japan with kids can feel overwhelming. Where should you stay? How many nights do you need in Tokyo? Should you include Disney? Travel by train or consider a Japan cruise?
Having personally travelled Japan with our toddler and three generations of our family, I understand the extra considerations that come with planning a family holiday.
Whether you’re dreaming of Tokyo and Disney, cruising Japan, or a tailor-made family holiday, I can help create an itinerary that works for your family.
Could Japan be your family’s next adventure?
CLIA - Cruise Lines International Association
Princess Cruises Commodore Club
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NSW TAFE Travel & Tourism Diploma of Tourism Management
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