When Stephanie turned one, we took her on her first international trip to Japan and Taiwan (as usual I had my sister Whitney tag along). We expected that traveling with a one-year-old would be challenging, so we purposely chose destinations that we are familiar with to make things a little less adventurous.
John and I travel to Japan and Taiwan fairly regularly to visit friends and family. These are destinations that we are familiar with – we know where to stay, how to get around, and what to see and do. Yet I have to admit, traveling with a baby was far more challenging than I expected.
Kyoto
Kyoto is one of my favorite cities in Japan – it’s a city where the history meets the modern times. Compared to Tokyo, Kyoto is much easier to get around with a baby – it’s less crowded, streets are a little wider, and a more leisurely city. Many restaurants in Kyoto have private tatami dining rooms for even small groups, which is ideal for family with little ones. Family friendly hotels with spacious room to accommodate up to three adults and one child are also easier to find and more affordable.
There are still many small train stations in Kyoto (or Japan) have neither elevators nor escalators, or the only elevator is at the very end of the platform and only accessible to a few exits. In many cases, there is no choice other than using the stairs.
Although I could see why Japanese prefer baby carriers, I could also see many benefits of getting around with a stroller. One of the big pros for us is Stephanie could sleep comfortably in the stroller (by reclining her seat to a perfect angle for taking a nap) when she’s tired.
P.S. click here for [Video] Exploring Kyoto ~Day 1~
