1 month budget travel with kids in Hokkaido (2) : Why Japan?

26th June 2015

Many asked me why Japan?

Safety
Alone with 2 kids, my first priority is safety. Can I let go and let kids run around and exploring without having to worry?

The surrounding countries have high risk that I might lose either kid and never to see again.

Food
Can I enjoy food without risk or minimal risk of food poisoning? Can we just consume food along the way? Are the food suitable for kids and I do not have to specially cook due to unsuitable choice of food? Is it easy to buy ready food or even groceries?

In Korea, unless kids do not mind having spicy food every meals, most kids end up having to struggle or require to buy and cook back in hotel.

Children friendly 
Do they have children friendly services?
It is easy to find nursing rooms, play room even in baby store.  They have also such special room " multipurpose room" for these purposes.

Pram can be easily push around without having to carry both the pram and kid on the stairs. Neither do I have to struggle pushing pram on uneven paths. 

Do they have escalator instead of staircases only?

Currently, they have escalators for almost all train station, with most with elevators.

Comparing to 2 decades ago in Japan, I remembered that I have to carry my heavy luggages up and down few storeys high stairs to transfer trains or getting in /out of train stations.

Japanese do not complain about not having escalators and elevators, as Japanese children are trained from young to use only staircase. Even during school field trip, they carry their own heavy luggage up the stairs.  That is actually a very good training in developing endurance!

Public transportation 
Can I travel from one place to another without driving? Do I need to rely heavily on taxi ?
Are the services frequent?

If I will to use taxi frequently, my budget will increase. In Japan, using JR Pass , for this case, Hokkaido JR Pass, it is unlimited for that valid period.

Am I able to base in one location and travel to and fro within a day?
I prefer travelling in the day and base in almost 1 location to reduce the travelling hassle of check in , check out, move luggage along the way. The time spend checking in , checking out could reduce with the travelling time on public transportation while base in one location.

Self-Drive
Many prefer self drive around or getting a chartered coach around.

Most important is I don't drive. Rather than being stressed getting myself from one place to another, I would rather sit on a train or a bus that send me to where I want to go.

The other concern is driiving in winter. In all year round summer Singapore, we do not have experience in driving in bad snow weather, neither do we have the skill to drive a chain wheeled vehicle. Car skid often in snow covered road, how can I be sure that I know how to handle it and do not endanger my kids' lives? Even locals have fear driving in snow, what about us?

Safe
Japan except Fukushima is safe from radiation!! Even in Fukushima prefecture alone, some are are safe from radiation, agriculture are safe for consumption. Hokkaido being so far away is definitely safe to stay.

Japanese Yen at low rate. ( 100yen = 1.11)
At such a low rate, it is so much worth going.

We used to think Japan is so expensive to go as they have higher living standard and high exchange rate.
With Singapore living standard getting higher, we are almost the same if Japanese Yen exchange is low.  So why not enjoy a trip to Japan that has better food, better enjoyment and safer?

On top of all these, I am a Japanese speaking person so moving around is ok for me.
Many do not know that without knowing Japanese, it is easy to travel in Hokkaido too. Many can communicate well in English and Mandarin now.

Travelling time
Travelling approx 7 hours , there are many choices. By land, we can travel up to Kuala Lumpur, by sea, we have reached Batam. By Air, we can also reach Perth, Melbourne, Bandung, Thailand or even Hong Kong.

Comparing 7 hours flight to Melbourne, similar surrounding with nature, farm and children friendly places. Being a black hair Asian, it is common too with Asian students and immigrants. However, I dislike the quarantine spray before descending and the restriction of bringing food into country to protect their agriculture. Kids have preferences and do not understand why the sudden forbidden of their favourite food. There is also no way young kids can understand after parents have explained, ending up everyone is frustrated.

Travelling is already physically tiring , why add up to mental stress?