This time in Japan, Cake Mom’s main mission was business—visiting brands and suppliers—with Cake Dad accompanying me. As for why I got the wild idea to bring along a little tag-along, well, it was guilt. On a previous Europe business trip that lasted over a week, the little one kept saying at home, “I miss Mommy~~” How could any mom not feel heartbroken? Thinking that Japan isn’t too far, I steeled myself and brought him along!
Departing from Shanghai Pudong. The little guy was happily looking at airplanes with Daddy.
He played with playdough at the airport and sticker books in the car. Other toys that help pass the time during waits and are easy to carry include portable drawing boards, audio books, and story players.
We flew into Tokyo Narita Airport, where there was a huge Disney billboard. Unfortunately, we didn’t have time to go—it was so disappointing...
The two days in Tokyo were packed with work, basically non-stop. We visited the supplier’s warehouse, and the boxes behind Cake Mom were all filled with Calbee snacks. Just looking at them made me want to eat some...
We visited different brands and suppliers.
Little Nian Gao really pulled his weight at crucial moments. After lunch, when we had to go into a meeting, he calmly slept in his stroller. He slept as long as the meeting lasted, treating the discussion as background music~~ Our partners all praised, “Such an angelic baby can definitely be brought out!” To which I could only say, he’s an angel only because he’s asleep...
So what does he do when he’s awake? There are two modes when he’s conscious: Crazy Mode and Little Gentleman Mode.
The so-called Little Gentleman Mode, in short, is playing with all kinds of toy cars.
Boys may be naughty, but they’re also easy to please!
After work in the evening, we went to explore Akihabara, the electronics district. It’s also a otaku’s two-dimensional world.
See the billboard on the right? Alipay or WeChat Pay get extra discounts. It feels like Chinese consumers are about to take over the universe...
We took the subway back to the hotel. First, taxis are too expensive. Second, Nian Gao loves public transport. Third, the English level of Japanese people is really... We had to ask four people, using gestures and guesses, just to find one shop...
On the way to Osaka, we stopped by Kyoto. Cake Dad went to inspect a noodle factory in the suburbs because the drive was too far, so Cake Mom and Nian Gao didn’t go. That’s how we had a happy half-day tour of this ancient capital.
First, here’s a photo of the noodles being made.
Back to Kyoto. This should be the Japanese city that artsy types love the most. It’s just like the Japan you imagine, see in Japanese dramas, or in anime!
These kimono-clad folks are mostly Chinese girls. Many rent kimonos here for photos. With their hair up and wearing wooden clogs, they’ve become quite a unique sight around Kiyomizu-dera Temple.
The nightclub by the river—does a nightclub really need to be this atmospheric? Apparently, it’s full of cherry blossoms during the cherry blossom season!
Also, Kyoto’s street-side shops offer all kinds of super sweet Japanese desserts, mainly matcha-flavored. Since I had Nian Gao with me, I didn’t buy anything. I don’t let the kid eat these sickly-sweet things, and I have to set an example myself!
The final stop was Osaka. We stayed at a hotel with a great view in Osaka, and I could finally walk around freely in the room. Land is expensive in Japan, so houses—and hotel rooms—are all very small. With a child, a big suitcase, and a stroller, moving around is difficult. For family travel, if you can, I’d recommend staying at nicer hotels.
We visited the horse oil brand. It’s a small Japanese company that has stuck with its product for seven years and finally made it a household name—it wasn’t easy.
We toured the country’s largest baby and maternity chain, Akachan Honpo.
Young moms in Japan are very into using baby carriers. You’ll see “kangaroo moms” everywhere you go.
Many malls in Japan have strollers like this—one level for the kid, another for the shopping basket. It’s really mom-friendly!
Osaka’s liveliest spot, Shinsaibashi.
So much delicious food. Compared to Europe or America, Japanese food is just amazing. I love pan-fried dumplings, I love fried rice!
I was lucky enough to be treated to authentic Japanese cuisine by a friend. The taste and service were top-notch, but the price tag was pretty steep too...
On the last day of the trip, finally free of work obligations, we joyfully took Nian Gao to the famous Osaka Kids Plaza. It’s a wonderful place with activities for kids from 0 to elementary school age. The only downside is that lots of local elementary school kids come to play (maybe extracurricular activities?). When groups of kids run in, it gets a bit noisy. Honestly, kids everywhere are the same...
Various facilities encourage kids to exercise, and the girls are quite adventurous too.
There are also pretend play and role-playing games.
Post office, hospital, police station.
Supermarket shopping and checkout.
A food street.
World Art & Culture Experience Center. There's also a science museum nearby.
Kids build on semi-finished structures while learning about different types of architecture.
Hands-on scenario experiences.
A mini library.
An area for toddlers to play.
The shoe cabinet is creatively designed—kids can choose to put their shoes on animal footprints they like.
For kids, being able to sit down and build blocks for a while is probably the happiest thing ever.
The person in the wheelchair isn't a disabled child—it's to let able-bodied kids experience life as a person with a disability. Got me right in the feels, didn’t it? Really have to give a huge thumbs-up to this kind of humanistic care.
Finally, let me also share what I observed about Japan.
Japan is a country that places great emphasis on etiquette and attention to detail. Service industry workers have a particularly strong sense of service—even an 80-something taxi driver will get out to help you with your luggage (which actually felt a bit embarrassing). By the way, it really feels like Japan’s aging society is very evident. Most taxi drivers have grey hair, and many service industry workers are elderly. Of course, this also has to do with social roles—there’s an idea that young people should do more challenging jobs.
Japan does a great job with visual control. The left side of the image below shows price signs at a laundromat, and the right side is a subway fare chart. The current station is "Shinagawa," and the numbers next to the other stations show the fare from Shinagawa to each respective stop.
Labor costs in Japan are extremely high, so anything that can be automated usually is. There are vending machines everywhere—selling drinks, cigarettes, even taking passport photos, and yes, ice cream too. There are about 5 million such vending machines in Japan.
Eating out isn't cheap either. A breakfast like this costs over 100 RMB... I only did it for one day before switching to instant noodles for breakfast. By the way, instant noodles were apparently invented by the Japanese.
Maybe because meals are expensive and the pace of life is fast, it seems like many locals eat a lot of convenience food. They grab something at a convenience store, whether in the subway or on the street, and just eat it at the little tables nearby.
There are 7-Eleven, FamilyMart, and Lawson convenience stores everywhere.
One thing that surprised me was how deeply Western culture has permeated here—the Halloween atmosphere in the shops was incredibly strong.
Japanese toilets are famously user-friendly. Both men’s and women’s restrooms have baby seats, and adult toilets often have a child-sized toilet seat attached. The design on the far right is just amazing—after using the toilet, press the flush button, and the faucet starts running water (for handwashing), and the water used to wash your hands goes into a tank to flush the toilet. Super eco-friendly.
Alright, that’s the end of my little travel log. Is traveling with kids tiring? Absolutely—it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say it’s exhausting. Especially when your kid is a two-year-old going through a rebellious phase.
When traveling with children, I think the most important thing is to “go with the flow.” When plans change, let go of the anxiety, calmly play with toy cars or enjoy the scenery with them, and the child will gradually learn that travel is something that requires patience. Be more lenient about meals—skipping one or two won’t hurt anyone. Acting up in public? Your top priority should be to leave quickly, stop the noise, and avoid disturbing others—“manners are something you practice behind closed doors.”
For a child, being with mom and dad is all that matters. And I, day by day, feel their attachment to me. When I ask him to “look at the camera,” he turns around and says “look at mommy.” When he asks to “bump foreheads,” he wants to “kiss mommy.” Just like that, completely unexpectedly, I get to experience the joy of being nurtured in return.
Next time we travel, if the trip isn’t too far or packed, I’d still want to bring along this little tagalong. Who could resist such an inseparable, super-cute little troublemaker?