Tokyo With a Toddler
Japan! A bucket list place for Jamie, and our one year celebration for Bronte! While we didn’t experience the night life of Tokyo, Jamie was enamored with the design, the food, and the fun. For me, I love nothing more than walking markets, trying new coffee, and the open space you found with temples and parks. It was such a beautiful city to explore, and Bronte was such a champ being in her stroller most days. She was fascinated with the colors and the screens everywhere, and we notably got her out to practice walking in Shibuya Scramble Crossing and at Senso-Ji temple, where she scooted around and shook sticks for good luck.
When we arrived we got settled at Tokyu Stay Shinjuku Eastside, and walked to grab food. The corner restaurant we stopped at was a learning curve for us. We had to order at a kiosk outside, but it didn’t take credit cards. Luckily we had an app on our phone that is commonly accepted in Japan and were able to use that for payment. We ordered udon and slurped it at a bar stool while Bronte slept in her stroller. Everything was moving so fast around us, and lights that lined the streets greeted us as we fought off sleeping ourselves. At 3am we were all wide awake, and considered going out again. But instead we had Bronte crawl over us, read books, and fell back to sleep by 4am. Our first full day in Tokyo would start at Udatsu Sushi - a fancy restaurant that had a private room for children. Making reservations at 11am was easy with our jet lag, and it was the perfect intro to Japanese cusuine. I opted for vegetarian sushi, and never have I ever had such delicious sushi with marinated tomatoes or steamed potatoes on top.
While getting around was efficient, what with the on time departures and clean subways, walking was also fun to see how locals lived and all the nooks and crannies that held tea houses and book shops. One day we walked from Kurmae to Asakusa, stopping at shops that lined the streets, and along a waterway. Kanda Jinbocho is also a book town, and we got amazing food at Sabouru restaurant - which was also one of the many restaurants we left our stroller in the street (because restaurants are tiiiiiiinnnnnnnyyyyyy), and are so thankful that Japan is notoriously a safe city, and nothing was ever stollen. At Golden Gia, we even were comfortable sitting to drink Sake at a bar with Bronte asleep in the stroller in the alley (within arms reach - don’t think we are crazy), but the sight of a stroller repulsed the bartenders and we were denied Sake. Bronte slept for quite a few activities, and snoozed the whole time we were at Meiji Jingu shrine and along Omote-Sando Avenue where we went shopping.
In so many ways, Japan is efficient when traveling with toddlers. Bronte turned one year old during our trip, and the amenities here make it so you can be hands free for a pee, and you skip lines because you have a stroller. When we booked our trip to Japan, we were told how easy it would be - however, I feel like most of that advice came from people who didn’t actually travel to Tokyo with a toddler, and who just saw all the signs and conveniences that it has. What we didn’t know, was how Tokyo is not the best city to travel with a toddler for several reason - NONE of which affected how much fun we had, and how awesome Bronte did, and the amazing culture we experienced.
First off, the restaurants are super super thin and small. Which is also why it is fun - however, strollers had to be left in alley ways or in the street. Secondly, there are no such thing as high chairs in Tokyo. Which meant that Bronte was on our lap, on the floor, or on the center of the table as we attempted to eat Ramen. Some restaurants had floor seating, which was amazing because we could corner Bronte in, but for the most part, we ate fast and gave her noodles to occupy her. Her first noodle was an udon noodle. Thirdly, we learned the hardway that we needed to put wheel-chair accessible in our maps when we traveled via the subway. The amount of stairs that we had to carry strollers up and down was back breaking. We would laugh, and say “who said it was easy with children??” but we also didn’t know the inside secret. Fourthly, there are no parks or playgrounds outside. We were told that they were in shopping malls - which is a place we avoided, and therefore had no idea how to get Bronte’s energy out. Thankfully she was content people watching from her stroller. At Shinjuku Gyoen, we saw a play area for kids on their map, which turned out to be an empty feild. But at this park, we did get to see early blooms of Cherry Blossom trees. Lastly, they do not like it when you change diapers in public. Unfortunately for us, Bronte had massive diarrhea the first 4 days of the trip, and we got kicked out of an Adidas store for changing her on the premise. I remember holding up the soiled bag in one hand, and Bronte naked in the other, saying “it was an emergency.” It really was though. She had poop soaking through her outer sweater and neckline.
Udon Shin was by far the best food we had in Japan. Based in Tokyo, it was one of the few restaurants we made reservations for in advance. While waiting in the reservation line (which faced the long wait line - so everyone was watching us) Bronte projectile vomited the contents of her bottle (this was in the first few days of stomach Hell that she was going through) on the street and on our pants. Within two minutes I removed the soiled clothes and carrier, threw them into the stroller in the alleyway, and we were called in by the hostess for our table. It was the best Udon ever - and Jamie and I ate at a rate that our stomach screamed. But the beer was cold, the broth was warming, and we just watched to see if Bronte would explode again.
At Tsukiji Outer Market, we looked at Japanese knives and had coffee at John Lennon’s favorite cafe, Yonemoto Coffee Lab. The wagyu beef came on skewers, as did the candied strawberries. Jamie had multiple sushi experiences, and when Bronte went to sleep, she went for a third round of lunch at a renowned sushi bar. There, she got yelled at by the chef for using soy sauce inappropriately, but she was in heaven.
It was such an adventure for us - the good and the harder parts. We loved being together as a family, and figuring it out. We know Bronte had fun with the food, and she was so observant of all around her. Before we left Tokyo, we went to Disneyland, just for her, on her special day!
