Hokkaido With a Baby: Cribs, Private Baths and Baby Food

Plenty of parents wonder whether Hokkaido is really doable with a baby under one. There is the question of how old a baby has to be to fly and how to help their ears adjust, the long drive from the airport to the hotel, mornings and evenings that stay chilly even in summer, and the snow in winter. Conditions adults would barely notice all become real considerations for a baby who cannot hold their head up yet, or who has only just started solids. Because Hokkaido's cities sit far apart, it works better to decide where you will base yourself before you pick a hotel.

When you look at a hotel, there are four things to check: the room, the bath, the meals, and what baby gear you can borrow. For the room, ask whether a crib can be brought in, or whether there is a washitsu, a traditional tatami-mat room, where your baby can sleep on a futon laid on the floor. For the bath, a private bath lets the family bathe on their own, and a baby cot in the changing room of the large public bath makes it far easier for parents to take turns. For meals, some hotels prepare baby food and others will warm up food you bring yourself. At a hotel that lends out baby bathtubs, bouncers, and even hot water pots for mixing formula, you simply have less to pack.

For this collection we gathered the areas and hotels in Hokkaido listed on Kids Stay that have real amenity data for babies under one: crib rentals, diaper bins, private baths, and baby food. The basic rule for Hokkaido with a baby is to keep to one or two bases and spend your time staying put rather than moving between them. Many rental items are limited in number, and the ages they cover differ from hotel to hotel, so please check the notes on each hotel page and the official website before you book. The conditions listed here, washitsu rooms, private baths, and baby or toddler meal service, work just as well for families with one- and two-year-olds.