I’m so excited to recommend a company who have a private driver and private tour service with a family focus in Japan!
“But travel in Japan with kids is so hard though, right?”
Statements and questions like this fly all around me at press events or even just around friends who find out what I do.
I couldn’t disagree more but I DO think it comes down to knowing HOW to do Japan with kids. That includes knowing where to go, the sneaky little kid friendly places with a playground near by or a free toy for kids while you dine.
It also means knowing how to not make life and travel in Japan more difficult than it needs to be. That is mostly down to leaning on the advice of locals and parents who have been in your exact position and have had the exact same worries.
With kids in tow on a Japan holiday I can completely understand why so many families want a driver who can take out the logistical worries of travelling with kids.
Especially for airport to hotel trips when tired or if you want to see Mt Fuji for the day without having to calculate train passes.
Naturally, if you’re watching your budget and you wanted to do just an airport transfer – you can do what we often do and take the Airport Limousine Bus (we do this from Narita and just wait at the taxi rank at Haneda as it’s only 30 mins from the city.) BUT neither of these options have a car seat and also, sometimes, when tired, you just want to get from A to B without a hassle and it’s worth the extra cost to do so.
PLEASE NOTE: This article contains some affiliate links. If you make a reservation through my link to the TokudAw website, I will receive a small commission at no additional cost to you.
I have been looking for a transfer and private driver company to work with for years and year now.
What took me so long? Well, I wanted to be sure that I am working with a company that take the safety of travel with children and babies a priority AND I wanted to make sure that I worked with a company who have legally registered* vehicles and drivers.
This is ideal for families who want to prioritise and customize their own experience in Japan. It is also for families who want peace of mind that their babies will be in proper car seats while they travel.
*Most 3rd party websites are not using registered drivers. The easiest way to tell is if they have a white license plate instead of a green license plate.
How to organise a private driver and a child seat for travel in Japan?
I’m Australian – and if you’ve been to Australia you’ll know that we have extremely strict carseat requirements for kids and babies.
I’ve also found (and friends have too) that some other transfer companies don’t take you seriously on car seats for children – the driver turns up and the just don’t have the seat there, for example. That’s not okay! (Especially if you’ve gone out of your way to do your research in advance.)
It is such good peace of mind to know that you will have the same level of safety in place for your children – even when travelling around Japan. I speak more here about the general rules (and lack of rules) for travelling with small children in taxis in Japan.
TokudAw understand the worries that we have (or at least the worries that worry-warts like me have!) regarding child seats in cars and taxis and are able to also supply baby capsules, boosters and child seats for their passengers. (Side note: they can also accommodate big families or corporate groups.)
How can I organise a private driver in Japan for a larger group or a corporate event?
TokudAw have vans and mini buses that can fit as many as 13 people and driver (total 14) when there are no suitcases. They are also happy to organise for a separate van to transport the luggage so everyone can travel without being squished together to fit in all of their belongings as well.
Child seat options when travelling with Tokudaw in Japan
Although availability dependent, TokudAw are able to provide the following car seat options for child between the ages of 1 – 10 years of age.
Child seat options in TokudAw vehicles:
Combination Child Car Seat (can be Front or Rear Facing): For a 0 – 2 year old child. This model is Made in Japan.
Child Car Seat (Front Facing) : For a 1-4 year old child, 9-18kg
Junior Car Seat (Front Facing) : For a 3-10 year old child, 15-36kg
How to organise a private driver for a wheelchair user in Japan?
I’m also so happy that so many families are now also travelling with Granny and Grandpa – but that also means that the days out need to keep a small child (and small child legs) happy while also keeping to a grandparent appropriate pace.
As mentioned above, TokudAw can accommodate large families travelling around Japan in their vehicles, equip the cars with age appropriate child-seats AND did you know they can also accommodate wheelchairs for private transfers in Japan?
FYI: TokudAw ALSO offer a service where you can rent a wheelchair from them to use during your stay in Japan!
TokudAw also work closely with Accessible Japan are therefore, a great resource when it comes to making Japan as accessible as possible to all of their clientele.
How to organise a private tour with a driver in Japan for families?
TokudAw offer many different tours around Japan and can also add local insight to your trip and/or choice of restaurants. So that means they can customise your day (or days!) out to match exactly what everyone in your family needs. For example, when you make a reservation, you can make sure are headed for gluten free restaurants while out and about. Or perhaps you would like to make sure you only visit sights that are easily accessed by those who are not completely able-bodied? Or maybe one or two members of your group are vegan? Then you can also mention this while organising a reservation with TokudAw and they can make sure you have meal and snack options all day long.
How do I believe is the smartest way to use this service for a full day tour?
For me, with kids, I believe that the best way is to do it a week or so into your trip. This is when everyone is getting a bit hard. Use it for an area where the sights you want to see are spaced out.
TokudAw will set up the itinerary, tell you what is realistic. They will also help with toilet stops and restaurant options too.
So, for me, I’d use it for seeing some of the lesser known spots in Kyoto, for example. Or to these amazing places outside of Tokyo with the most incredible Mt Fuji views that are still so much fun for kids.
What is the benefit of a private tour or a private driver for a family seeing Japan for the first time?
It just takes the hard work out of the trip for the parents, really. No one has to worry about having the train transfers sorted, having to check opening and closing times for temples or museums and also a company like TokudAw is aware of local knowledge like “where to eat on a national holiday?” “indoor options in case the weather turns bad” or even just the good old daily life problems like “where to stop to use the restroom.”
With kids, I also find that a driver can make it easier to access spots that aren’t easy to reach by train. With families this is even more valuable as you can visit big open parks, child-friendly museums and stunning lesser-known views (including Mt Fuji!) that would require a train then a bus and a taxi to get to normallly.
Which cities can I set up a private tour or private driver for travel in Japan with kids?
TokudAw can assist families in Tokyo, Kyoto, Hiroshima and Hokkaido. This includes airport transfers AND cruise transfers.
How many people can fit in one vehicle on a private tour while out and about in Japan?
TokudAw can organise vans for up to 9 people (and for more? They can also organise mini-buses etc, if required.)
How far in advance should I book a private driver or van for my family in Japan?
I recommend making a reservation 3 months in advance if travelling during peak season (Golden Week, March & April and Obon seasons, mostly.)
During the rest of the year I would be getting organised 2 weeks or more ahead of time – even earlier if you have special dietary requirements or need to hire a wheelchair etc.
PLEASE NOTE: This article contains some affiliate links. If you make a reservation through my link to the TokudAw website, I will receive a small commission at no additional cost to you.
If a private driver is outside of your holiday budget then see my city by city recommendations so that you can do certain areas on your own instead. For example, this is my Kamakura with kids blog post.
