Baby Trip in Kanto
Kanto With a Baby: Hakone, Atami and Minamiboso Onsen Stays Under 2 Hours
One night just 1 to 2 hours from central Tokyo by car. Cribs to borrow, private baths and baby food by age in months, drawn from real amenity data.
15 areas ยท 429 hotels (total listings across these areas)
A first trip with a baby brings a lot of questions: when is it safe to go, will they fuss on the way, will the hotel have what you need. During the first year, protecting your baby's daily rhythm matters most, so one night somewhere close, 1 to 2 hours from central Tokyo by car or no more than one train transfer away, tends to go better than traveling far.
When comparing hotels, narrowing it down to three things, the room, the bath and the meals, makes the choice quick. A Japanese-style room with tatami space means you can stop worrying about falls from the bed during the rolling-over and crawling stage, and a hotel that lends a crib or baby futon bedding (a thin mattress laid on the tatami floor) gives your baby a safe place to sleep. A private bath, kashikiri-buro, which your family reserves for yourselves alone, lets you soak without minding anyone around you, and if the changing room has a baby bed you can get everyone dressed single-handed. For meals, a hotel that serves baby food matched to your baby's age in months, or that will warm up the food you bring, lightens your bags considerably.
This collection groups the areas around Kanto by travel time and climate. Kanto is the region with the most listings on our site: of more than 600 hotels, over 50 offer three or more baby-friendly features. Loan items are limited in number, and at some hotels the certification or the baby food applies only to certain rooms or plans, so check the notes on the hotel page and the official site for the latest details. What you look for does not change once your child turns one or two: a tatami room, a private bath, and baby or toddler meals are still the three points to sort by.
Features to look for in this collection
Onsen Towns 1 to 2 Hours From Central Tokyo
Start your first trip with a baby here. The shorter the journey, the more hours you have once you arrive.
Hakone
A classic onsen town with plenty of hotels equipped for babies. You can choose a ryokan with a private bath and heya-shoku, meals served in your room
Atami
Reachable by shinkansen, with several hotels that hold Welcome Baby certification, a Japanese family-friendly accreditation, and serve baby food by age in months
Minami-Boso
Large seaside resorts and baby-friendly ryokan sit side by side, so you can spend the whole day on the property
The Izu and Shizuoka Coast
Comparatively mild even in winter, and full of rooms with their own open-air bath so you can soak without leaving your room.
Ito & Izu Kogen
Many small inns with an open-air bath in the room, plus private baths and in-room dining for a quiet stay
Izu
Near the sea you will find hotels where every room has an open-air bath, and some keep a full set of baby gear to lend
Family-Friendly Hotels at Lake Hamana
A large onsen resort with Welcome Baby certification, where the play areas and the baby food are only steps apart
Onsen and Resorts in Nasu, Kinugawa and Nikko
Cool in summer, and lined with large hotels where everything is under one roof, so there is little walking with a baby.
Nasu Kogen
A highland dotted with large resorts that serve baby food by age in months and lend baby gear
Kinugawa Onsen
Some onsen ryokan here have guest rooms designed just for babies, and hotels with private baths are easy to find
Nikko
Mainly onsen ryokan with tatami rooms and private baths, at a distance that pairs easily with sightseeing
Ikaho Onsen
Some hotels go as far as baby food and a nursing room, and you can find gentle simple hot spring water here
Kusatsu Onsen
A high-altitude onsen town that stays cool in summer. Baby facilities vary widely from one hotel to the next
Highland Resorts in the Fuji Five Lakes, Yatsugatake and Karuizawa
The elevation keeps summer comfortable, but mornings and evenings turn chilly, so pack one extra layer.
the Fuji Five Lakes
With more than 170 listings this is the widest choice of all, and the shore of Lake Kawaguchi has onsen stays with Welcome Baby certification
Yatsugatake
Resorts here combine an all-weather kids' space with hot springs, so a rainy day is no problem
Karuizawa
Even small hotels close to the station can offer both a private bath and baby gear to borrow
Kita-Karuizawa
Resorts with play areas on the grounds, including hotels equipped down to a baby bed in the bath changing room
Tips for traveling with kids
- checkKeeping the journey to 1 or 2 hours on a first overnight trip at age 0 usually keeps your baby's daily rhythm intact
- checkCribs and baby futon bedding are limited in number and cost extra at some hotels, so request one at the same time you book
- checkA private bath lets you soak without worrying about the rules of the large public bath. Whether it is free or paid depends on the hotel
- checkA hotel that serves baby food by age in months means less to carry. Some only let you bring your own and warm it up, so check in advance
- checkWelcome Baby certification sometimes covers specific rooms rather than the whole hotel, so confirm on the official site what is included
Recommended hotels in this collection (42)
Selected automatically from the top-ranked hotels in each area.
Kamogawa Grand Hotel
Kisui no Yado Monya
Hakone Hotel Kowakien
Hotel Okada
Kamenoi Hotel Atami
Hotel New Akao
Izu Kogen Hanairotei
Hotel Epinard Nasu
Kinugawa Onsen Hotel
Hotel Green Plaza Karuizawa
See all hotels in this collection (42)expand_more
- Kamogawa Grand Hotel
- Kisui no Yado Monya
- Hakone Hotel Kowakien
- Hotel Okada
- Kamenoi Hotel Atami
- Hotel New Akao
- Izu Kogen Hanairotei
- Hotel Epinard Nasu
- Kinugawa Onsen Hotel
- Hotel Green Plaza Karuizawa
- Fujilake Hotel
- Grand Mercure Yatsugatake Resort & Spa
- Hakone Yusakaso
- Hakone Shiunso
- Hoshino Resorts RISONARE Atami
- Atami Korakuen Hotel
- Grand Mercure Minamiboso Resort & Spa
- Kamogawakan
- Hotel & Spa Anda Resort Izukogen
- Village Izukogen
- Lucy Kiki
- Hotel Cetus Royal
- Hotel Wellseason Hamanako
- Hotel Green Plaza Hamanako
- Grand Mercure Nasu Highlands Resort & Spa
- Hoshino Resorts RISONARE Nasu
- Nikko Kinugawa Hotel Mikazuki
- Kinugawa Onsen Asaya
- Pension Troll's Forest
- Nikko Hoshi no Yado
- Hotel Matsumotoro
- Hotel Kogure
- Hotel Sakurai
- Kusatsu Onsen Kusatsu Now Resort Hotel
- Mars Garden Wood Gotemba
- Konansou
- Kids Pension Maple
- Hoshino Resorts RISONARE Yatsugatake
- Dormy Club Karuizawa
- Karuizawa Prince Hotel West
- Karuizawa Club Hotel Karuizawa 1130 / Hewitt Resort
- Kitakaruizawa Blueberry YGH
Frequently Asked Questions
How old does a baby need to be before traveling?
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There is no set age. Many families set off once their baby can hold their head up and is used to being out and about. In the early months, choose somewhere close with a short journey and try a single night to see how it goes. Health and vaccination timing vary a great deal from child to child, so talk to your pediatrician if you have any concerns.
How many baby-friendly hotels are there around Kanto?
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We list more than 600 hotels in the greater Kanto area, and more than 50 of them meet three or more baby-friendly conditions such as a crib to borrow, a private bath or baby food on the menu. By area, the candidates cluster in Hakone, Atami, Minamiboso, Nasu Kogen and around Lake Kawaguchi.
Is it easier to travel by car or by train?
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A car is easier when you are carrying everything a baby needs, though holiday traffic can almost double the trip. If you take the train, pick an area you can reach with no more than one transfer to keep the day light. For hotels far from the station, check the official site for a shuttle service before you go.
How can I pack less when traveling with a baby?
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Choosing a hotel that lends cribs, baby bathtubs, kettles for preparing formula and diaper bins cuts your luggage dramatically. If the hotel serves baby food by age in months, you can leave the meals at home as well. Loan items are limited in number, so reserve them when you book to be sure.
Is there a charge for a baby to stay?
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Many hotels charge nothing when the baby has no meals and no bedding, while others add a few thousand yen once bedding is included. The policy differs by hotel, and even by plan at the same hotel. Check the plan details and the official site before you book.