Japan with Kids: How to Plan the Perfect Japan Family Trip

Japan appears to be on many travellers’ minds these days, and I now understand the hype. Having come back from spending just over two weeks there, I feel like we only skimmed the surface, and I’m wondering when we can go back already.

Planning our trip to Japan was probably the most difficult trips I’ve had to plan. Aside from travelling with five other families, there were several factors that played into this.

There was so much we wanted to see and do but we had to narrow it down to something realistic. Accommodation options were bountiful, but finding one in an ideal location that could accommodate our family of five took some researching. Lastly, moving from one location to the next most efficiently took planning.

In this article, I’ll share some tips I think will better prepare you and your family for Japan.

Preparing for Your Arrival

There are a number of items you’ll want to consider as you prepare for your entry into Japan.

Arrival Forms

At the time of writing, Japan still has mandatory arrival forms. Recently, Japan announced that they will be lifting all COVID-19 border measures on May 8, 2023. For the most up to date information and setting up an account to complete your arrival forms, please see the Visit Japan website. 

If you are travelling prior to May 8, 2023, you’ll likely still need complete these forms, and it’s best to do them prior to arrival. This will help speed up your processing through customs and immigration.

At the end of completing the forms, you should have an Immigration QR Code, Customs Declaration QR code, and Pre-registration for Quarantine Procedures form completed for each traveller. Just in case you can’t access wifi on arrival, be sure to screenshot all your forms.

Internet Access

There are many options for accessing data when in Japan. The easiest is to use an eSIM card.

It’s best to load and activate your eSIM before arrival. I had friends successfully use Ubigi and Airalo without many issues on this trip. GoogleFi worked great for me.

I like to make sure my GoogleFi is on prior to my flight departing Canada, to make sure I have connectivity on arrival.

JR Pass

If you plan on getting a Japan Rail Pass, purchase it before your arrival in Japan, as it will cost more having to it from the JR Pass office once in Japan. Children under age 6 are free, and those aged 6 through 11 receive a 50% discount.

Many foreign travellers…