• Akachan Hompo January 17 - 8:32 pm

• Baby strollers/ Buggy January 7 - 1:43 pm

• Bottles / Tippy Cups June 30 - 9:44 pm

• Ink to make baby's footprint May 9 - 8:13 pm

Hi, I'm looking for a Bjorn Baby Carrier, and I have no idea where to start looking for one. I'm eight months pregnant now, and will be needing lots of other baby stuff, so does anyone have any ideas where I can find stuff for the baby in Japan, like The Bjorn Baby Carrier, other that the big department stores? Thanks in advance.

Hi! I've a 11 mo daughter and live in Tokyo.
A good place to find a lot of baby-related stuff is "AKACHAN-HONPO". One outlet is located close to the Higashi-Nihonbashi station on the Toei Asakusa Line and another one in Gotanda. Their prices are good (I've bought my Baby Bjorg carrier there for 6400 Yen) (if you don't live in Tokyo, they have outlet also all over Japan).
Another good place is Toy'r'us. The store I'm familiar with is in Kameido Station on the JR Sobu line in a big shopping complex called Sun Street.

About baby goods, I would suggest buying on-line.�@Prices in Japan are outrageous and (is it only me?) there doesn't seem to be the range of infant developmental toys that are available in the States. (Maybe I haven't looked enough!) Only problem is that some of the US companies won't ship overseas. You could have your purchase shipped to a North American address and forwared. Or you could try ebabyasia.com, a Hong Kong based outfit that ships anywhere, but seems a little expensive. I got a book entitled "Baby Bargains" at Tower Records (in Shibuya, Tokyo) which has a wealth of on-line resources.

Anyway, whatever you need, get it now because after the baby comes you will be too exhausted! Trust me! I have a 2 month old daughter and wanted to go out to get a carrier myself but couldn't because I didn't have a carrier! Good luck and hope you have a smooth birth experience.

I love the 'Miki House' brand of Japanese clothes, but would never in a million years buy them at the prices they are new in the department store! Does anyone know any good recycle/second-hand shops that carry nice quality children's clothes, like the 'Miki House' brand? I am looking for clothes for a 1 1/2 year-old boy.
For the first poster on this list, I suggest buying children's stuff in a second-hand store. I have found reasonable prices on toys there, cheaper than at Toys'R'Us. I even saw the same brand of Diaper Genie thing at my local second-hand store after I'd bought mine at Toys'R'Us for less than half the price. I've also seen several baby carriers there (though by now I'm sure you have yours!) They can be a real bargain when they have what you're looking for. I live in the suburbs (Nagareyama) and have found some excellent second hand stores that carry just about everything, except for clothing. I am willing to hit some Tokyo area stores for nice clothes. Anyone have any ideas?

Hey folks,
Good stuff on sale right now at Kids and Baby Gap stores.
I was in Sunshine City Ikebukuro Gap yesterday and found a pair of small sized wraparound sunglasses marked down to 600 yen (from 1600 yen?), which rang up at the register for only 400 yen, now my kid looks a bit like a character out of The Matrix! We also picked up a cotton tank for 900 yen (down from 2000 yen?) with a small "lenticular"? design (angle of view changes image from butterfly to rose and back) on the front. "kewl"

There's a list of Gap stores in Japan on this site:
http://www.tokyowithkids.com/fyi/gap_japan.html

Mothercare Japan Co,.Ltd (originally a U.K. company)
Telephone 03-5666-3403
Facsimile 03-5666-3401
Address 6-4-5 Sinozaki, Edogawa- ku, Tokyo 133-0061
E-mail mcj@po.iijnet.or.jp
http://www.mothercare.co.jp

Mothercare Shibuya PARCO
Shibuya PARCO Part2 5F, 3-7 Udagawacho, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 150-0042
tel 03-5632-3732 fax 03-5632-3733

Mothercare Hikarigaoka
Hikarigaoka IMA senmontengai, 5-1-1 Hikarigaoka, Nerima-ku, Tokyo 179-0072
tel 03-3979-0102 fax 03-3979-0108

Mothercare Akabane BIBIO
Palroad2 Akabane BIBIO 2F, 1-6-1 Akabanenishi, Kita-ku, Tokyo 115-0045
tel 03-3908-0682 fax 03-3908-0691

Mothercare Asakusa ROX
Asakusa ROX-3 3F, 1-26-5 Asakusa, Taito-ku, Tokyo 111-0032
tel 03-3836-7746 fax 03-3836-7748

Mothercare Kameido Sunstreet
Kameido Sunstreet 2F, 6-31-1 Kameido, Koto-ku, Tokyo 136-0071
tel 03-3681-0509 fax 03-3681-0545

Mothercare Tanasi
Tanasi ASTA Senmontengai 3F, 2-1-1 Honcho, Tanasi, Tokyo 187-0011
tel 0424-60-2090 fax 0424-60-2091

Mothercare Tama Center
Tama center Karyon 3F, 1-39-1 Ochiai, Tama, Tokyo 206-0033
tel 0423-89-0194 fax 0423-89-0378

Mothercare Chofu PARCO
Chofu PARCO 6F, 1-38-1 Kojimacho, Chofu, Tokyo 182-0026
tel 0424-89-5413 fax 0424-89-7675

Mothercare Hibarigaoka PARCO
Hibarigaoka PARCO 3F, 1-1-1 Hibarigaoka, Houya, Tokyo 202-0001
tel 0424-25-5238 fax 0424-25-3077

Mothercare Kichijoji PARCO
Kichijoji PARCO 7F, 1-5-1 Kichijoji honcho, Musashino, Tokyo 180-0004
tel 0422-23-3911 fax 0422-23-3912

Chiba
Mothercare Sinurayasu
Shoppers Plaza Sinurayasu 3F, 1-4-1 Irifune, Urayasu, Chiba 279-0012
tel 047-381-2104 fax 047-381-2114

Mothercare Shapo Ichikawa
Shapo Ichikawa B1, 1-1-1 Ichikawa, Ichikawa, Chiba 272-0034
tel 047-326-3358 fax 047-326-3359

Mothercare Yachiyodai
Yourelm Yachiyodai 2F, 1-1-10 Yachiyodaihigashi, Yachiyo, Chiba 276-0032
tel 047-484-9143 fax 047-484-9144

Kanagawa
Mothercare Jusco Sagamihara
Jusco Sagamihara Shopping Center 3F, 2-10-1 Kobuchi, Sagamihara, Kanagawa 229-0004
tel 0427-69-7689 fax 0427-69-4086

Mothercare Kawasaki
Kawasakieki Station Bld. Kawasaki BE 5F, 26-1 Ekimaehonchou Kawasaki-ku, Kawasaki, Kanagawa 210-0007
tel 044-200-6731 fax 044-233-5776

Mothercare Atsugi PARCO
Atsugi PARCO Honkan 6F, 2-12-15 Nakamachi, Atsugi, Kanagawa 243-0018
tel 0462-96-8253 fax 0462-96-8254

Saitama
Mothercare Kawaguchi
Kawaguchi Greencity 3F, 3180 Negisi, Angyoryo, Kawaguchi, Saitama 322-0834
tel 048-281-4508 fax 048-281-4565

Mothercare Kawagoe
Atre Maruhiro 5F, 105 Wakitachou, Kawagoe, Saitama 322-1122
tel 0492-26-7222 fax 0492-26-9846

Mothercare Minamikoshigaya
Minamikoshigaya OPA 2F, 1-15-1 Minamikoshigaya, Koshigaya, Saitama 343-0845
tel 0489-90-2224 fax 0489-90-2226

Kansai
Mothercare Suminoekouen
OskerDream 1F, 1-2-1 Sinkitajima, Suminoe-ku, Osaka 559-0024
tel 06-6684-2383 fax 06-6684-2384

Mothercare Esaka
Tokyu Life Plaza booming Esaka 4F, 10-15 Toyotsuchou, Suita, Osaka 564-0051
tel 06-6339-9973 fax 06-6339-9974

Mothercare Kobe Herbersurcus
Kobe Herberlandcenter bld. 3F, 1-3-3 Higasikawasakicho, Chuo-ku, Kobe, Hyogo 650-0044
tel 078-362-8094 fax 078-362-7674

Mothercare Matsuyama
Jusco city Matsuyama 2F, 273 Tenzanchou, Matsuyama, Ehime 790-0951
tel 089-946-9349 fax 089-943-7190

Hello, Does anyone know where I can find baby furniture in Tokyo?
Thanks Evelyn

Anyone know where I can purchase a new bed for a toddler.
Canopy bed or something cute.

Hi, I am looking for a fanny pack/bag in Tokyo who works like a child carrier. Could someone please tell me where to buy a child carrier like this. I would be happy to get the name of a brand with good quality.

I would like to buy a Western-style Glider/Rocker with
Ottoman.
Please contact me at gregorys@bg.wakwak.com if you have one
in good shape to sell or if you know where I can find one.
Cali

I saw a red canvas baby chair named Miffy which has 2 aluminum bars extending from the front which clamps to a table. The owner says it was purchased in Japan and he has not seen one in Canada. Where can this be purchased? Write to alsar@sympatico.ca
Allan

Hi, I am looking for a pressure safety gate with minimum height of 90 cm(35")? Our 30 month-old son can escape from his crib and can open all the doors in the house so we would like to keep him safe in his room during nights. Any suggestions ?
Thanks, Anne

Hi Anne,
I think your son wants out of his crib. At 30 months he could certainly be in a bed with a safety rail (and pillows on the floor for added protection initally). If he is escaping from his crib, he is in more danger of hurting himself in the process and what is the point in keeping him in a crib that he can get out of? I would consider moving him to a bed. He may even sleep better. Take him with to get the bed, if you can, and make an event out of getting it. Space makes this difficult but keep the crib in the room once you get the bed. You won't have to do this for long. Of course, you probably should put a gate on his bedroom door, (available at Toys R US)or depending on the door handle, there are covers that fit over that are child proof (but you must close the door fully, which I am not in favour of, so you might want to consider this for the other doors). You can also hang wind chimes or a bell on his door (or door alarm!)which will alert you if the door is moved. Good Luck!

Thank you all I did find a suitable gate made by "Tomy" at Akachan Honpo.
Does anyone knows where to buy fun style kids' beds in Tokyo ? I checked Akachan Honpo but they have no good choice.
Thanks, Anne

Fun style kids beds - I've seen a couple of things like racing car-shaped beds and raised beds with slides down at a furniture shop called Okay in Kinshicho (Sumida-ku).

Sorry, I don't have a phone number or anything, but it's on the sixth floor of the Arca Kit building (formerly Sogo Department store) on the north side of Kinshicho JR station (three stops past Akihabara on the JR Sobu line, and also on the JR Yokosuka and Hanzomon subway line). The same building has a huge Akachan Honpo branch on the 5th floor.

Also, it could be worth checking out IDC Otsuka furniture - branches in Shinjuku (on the Koshu Kaido road on east side of Shinjuku station) and Odaiba (I think next to Aomi station on the Yurikamome monorail line). They have a pretty wide range of stuff.

Re IDC Otsuka - I saw an ad of theirs on the train today, and actually the Odaiba/Ariake branch is by Kokusai-tenjijo station on the Yurikamome. They also seem to have branches in Kichijoji, Yokohama, Tama etc, but the biggest one is Odaiba.

If you can read Japanese, maps to their various branches are here:
http://www.idc-otsuka.co.jp/idc/idc_f.html

Thanks Bethan,
I found the phone of "OKAY" in Kinshicho: TEL: 03-5619-1855. I am not sure as I can't read kanjis, but I gess that is the one you mentionned in your previous post.
Thanks also for the IDC address, although it looks very expensive for a toddler bed. I will try OKAY first to check their fun beds.
Thanks
Anne

Bethan, Great minds think alike! I was also thinking of IDC and OKAY, but then I checked the TOYS R US website and they have the Little Tikes Roadster bed there, as well as US size mattress and mattress supports. (bed was out of stock). They will deliver (of course). I sent all the details by private e-mail so hopefully Anne will find what she needs. They are opening a new IDC in Yokohama, right near Jack Mall. OKAY is at World Porters and Toys R US is at Jack Mall. These 3 stores are all within walking distance or you can take a � 100 bus. From Tokyo you take the new Minato Mirai Line (MM21) so it is a great excuse to check out the new train and Yokohama - shopping here is very stroller friendly.

I am looking for a Graco DuoGlider for my newborn and 1 1/2 year old. Anyone who have one for sale (newer model with snacktray in front...)or know where I can buy one, I have tried ToysRUS but they only had one model (not good for baby) also several webshops but they don't ship abroad...please mail me at sivwat@hotmail.com

hello ....my baby will be born in any day now and I am searching for original baby carrier (maya wrap style) or any other original style not like that in akachan honpo...very standard one...does anyone have any idea????

If you have a sewing machine, its really easy to make your own Baby Sling.
http://www.sleepingbaby.net/jan/index.html?Baby/sling.html
You can get fabric and rings from a Yuzawaya store. The rings can be hard to find but are usually with the buttons.
Not sure if there is a store near you but this is their webpage. http://www.yuzawaya.co.jp/
It took me about 1hr +1/2 to make mine and about 3000yen

Hi Kathy,

I have a Snugly baby sling that I absolutely adored (from Canada). It is souple like a wrap-style carrier, and it is so easy to put on. Tie it to your waist, throw the straps over your head and shoulders, and then just slip baby in! It has been used and is not as beautiful as a brand new would be, but if you are interested I could give it to you... (since we've decided that 2 kids is enough) Contact me for a photo if you are interested.

thank you, Paula for the links, I don;t have a sewing machine but i will make use of them when i get one..
Caroline, I e-mailed you about the sling....thanx a lot again

I made my own sling without a machine. (Actually my husband did the sewing... really easy!) The rings are a little hard to come by. I got mine in the hardware (pipefitting section) part of Tokyo Hands.
They are kind of big. If you have time, you could try slingrings.com for rings.
Try babywearing.com for more sling designs.
I looked around for slings in baby stores here and found powder blue and white checkered Nojo slings at Toys R Us. They were about 5,000Yen. They are padded but kind of bulky. Akachan honpo didnt have slings at all.
Good luck. Erin

Erin..:) that's beautiful you did the sling (i dont think i can make my husband sew though..:) but how did you stitch...double stitch or something??? will it hold??

Hello,
My daughters (6 months old) are coming to Japan. They have been fed Similac Advance. Which formula is the most similar one? Or which formula do you recommend in Japan???

Dear Fukuya,

My daughter was also on Similac Advance when we came here (she was 10 months old at the time). After finishing the big stock I brought from home I tried the Wakodo brand formula (blue containers, also sold at Costco) and her reaction was not a good one. I consulted a doctor who recommended the Meiji Brand. They have 2 types of formulas, I'm not quite sure what's the difference between them, but I use the cheaper one called Step and so far it's been great without any side effects and my daughter loves it(she's now 20 months old).

Hope this helps!

Dear Liat,

Thank you so much!
I will report here what the difference is later when I come back to Japan with my family.
Take care and have a nice winter season!
Fukuya

Hello,
According to a website, the distinction between these two Meiji's formula is:
Hohoemi is more like breast milk.
http://www.kenko.com/product/item/itm_7251088072.html

Step is designed for babies weaned off breast milk. They say about 9 months old or older. (a little controversial???)
http://www.kenko.com/product/item/itm_8331309072.html

Fukuya

Thanks Fukuya for the info, now I know my daughter is not missing anything and she is in fact taking the right formula...

Liat

I was wondering about the cost of baby supplies in Japan... diapers, wipes, clothing as well as basic foods that they like to eat- fruit, crackers, milk, bread, etc.... My kids are very open to new foods and have grown up with Japanese food, but I was wondering how expensive it will be to keep them fed. TIA

Tsuki

Dear Tsuki,

Answering your question is a bit tricky, since prices in this country vary so much...All the items you've mentioned can be found in different places, but with their price tripled, if not more.

Diapers - depends whether you can use local diapers or imported diapers. Pampers and Moonie cost around 1500 Yen (quantity of diapers per bag depends on size and weight of the baby). If you need a better diaper (they don't seem to absorb much, which is problematic for the night time)then you can buy the Huggies for 3750 (!) Yen for a small bag.

Wipes - depends on brand and quality. I would say around 200 Yen for a packet.

Clothing - You didn't specify how old are your children. If we are talking about children under 1 year old then Uniqlo has a small collection of clothes that are reasonably priced, Akachan Honpo that was mentioned earlier has all the supplies you need for babies, clothes included, under one roof, and if you want them to look nice and trendy you could always try the Gap. There are small designer shops that sell utragesouly expensive clothes for children, but again it is all a matter of taste and budget. Ranges of prices: Uniqlo's nice thick shirt and corderouy pants for a year and a half old baby - around 3000 Yen. In Akachan Honpo - around the same price, sometimes a little higher. Gap - around 5000 Yen and sometimes much more.

Food - Depends where you shop. Milk and crackers would cost almost the same anywhere, but the fruit and the bread prices may vary. If you're interested in the regular plain sliced bread then the prices are similar, but if you're talking about fresh bakery bread, then the prices pop again. It is recommended to find a cheap local fruit store and buy there.
Just to give you an idea: Milk - ~ 150 Yen, Rice crackers (depends on quntity, flavour etc.) ~ 150 Yen, Bread (plain, sliced)~ 200 Yen (I think...) and fruit: a bunch of 5 bananas: 80 - 400 Yen, apples: 75 - 400 Yen each, Mikan (about 8):200 - 500 Yen, melon: 1500 - 15,000 Yen, Strawberries: 200 - 600 Yen.

A nice option it to shop at Costco. They have 5 or 6 stores in Japan (the one I shop at is in Chiba, about 45 minutes drive with toll roads - 1100 Yen each way). They sell Pampers diapers and wipes in large boxes (3 bags of diapers and 12 wipes packets) for a much cheaper price then buying them seperately. Sorry, but I don't remember how much they charge for it.

Hope this helps.

Liat Friedman

I'd like to buy a rocking chair for when my baby is born. Does anyone know a good place to get one in Tokyo?

I've been going to Book Off - the one in Chiba is good. they have a good range of second hand baby goods and clothes. Some of the things are like new. I bought a cot there, as well as a "Oyasumi home theatre" (light illumination with music) both really cheap. For baby equipment, it is worth trying there

Hi,
My son just turned 5 months. I want to start giving him solids. Does anybody know where I can buy rice cereal ? Couldn't find it in drug store. Found some baby rice though. Had to mix with hot water. Gave him a little today.. hope his tummy is ok :)

I've been looking for the same thing. The only place I found it was at the foreign Buyers club, some brands have to be bought in bulk, but others you can buy individually. My mum has offered to buy me some in NZ and send it over, it's so light, the postage is cheap.

Hi
its called OKAYU
about Yen 210 for a pack weighing 100g, see picture here
http://www5.ocn.ne.jp/~matuya/Baby-food.htm
You make it by adding spoonfuls of boiled water to the consistency your baby requires.
It is sold in most supermarkets, if not the main section then there is usually a drugstore off to the side with a separate cash register
The brand I buy has no preservatives or salt, sugar
it's just rice. It also works well as a thickener later when the baby is trying new foods to help thicken the food up if its too sloppy. (Baby food tip. I boil up vegetables ice cubes for my own home made babyfood. eg spinnach, boil,blend then freeze in the ice cube tray,store in labelled plastic bags ready to warm for easy portions to add with some rice cereal. This is convenient like canned baby food but under your control avoiding salts, preservatives sugar etc.and means you only have to cook for bub once a week or once a month if you have the freezer space.

Be careful with the packaged baby foods in Japan. They are labelled for use for 5,6, 7 month old bubs but often have foods that we would normally wait to introduce because of potential allergens. Eg eggs, shrimp, corn, dairy, orange juice etc. Even the famous baby food brand names are marketed to the Japanese palette so dont have the foods that you might introduce back home
You can usually tell what is in the packs by the pictures on the outside if you cant read Japanese.

Another tip if you are making baby foods is not to forget how useful the ricecooker is.

I make a lot of applesauce, nashisauce and boiled vegetables in it. Just cut up the vegetables/fruit and add water and switch it on. The best thing is that you can just forget about it and it doesnt matter, once it is done, just drain and puree it to whatever consistency your baby likes and then freeze in small portions.

I found it a lot easier to use the rice cooker than to have a pot boiling away on the stove while I was busy doing other things

Hello,
I am looking for a booster seat for a 4 year-old for my car
that holds the shoulder strap in a comfortable position.
Does anyone have one they no longer need for sale? Thank you.
Amy

Hello! We're expecting a baby in a few weeks, and are in the process of decorating the nursery. We have all the furniture we need (crib, etc.) and have stocked up on baby necessities (diapers, wipes, etc.). All we're looking for now are some cute finishing touches for the room...area rugs, prints, wallpaper borders, etc. Any good ideas on where to find nursery furnishings in Tokyo? I've been to Akachan Honpo and to various department stores, but haven't seen exactly what I'm looking for. Many thanks-
Beth

Nursery furnishings aren't a big thing in Japan because babies don't have their own rooms - they sleep with their parents, usually until school age - so the only decorative nursery items you will find will usually be imported (and expensive) in department stores etc. If you haven't tried it already, you could look in Tokyu Hands - they often have stuff you don't find elsewhere. Otherwise, mail order (over the internet) might be the only way you'll find what you're looking for.

Thanks for the idea. I haven't tried Tokyu Hands yet (at least not for nursery stuff). I know most babies here don't have their own rooms, but I was hoping to find something since I've left it a bit late for mail order. Oh well...I'm sure the baby won't care what his room looks like!

Sorry about the repeat posting, by the way...I got an error message and didn't realize my post had made it to the list.

Hi. We are moving to Osaka/Kobe Japan in August from Jakarta.

Are there any tips on what to stock up in the shipping? For example, in Jakarta, Huggies diapers cost about USD6 for a pack of 42s and Pigeon Wet Wipes about USD1.50. Are the prices around there in Japan?

Sounds like Jakarta is definitely cheaper for diapers. Prices vary here according to size and brand (you don't get Huggies except as expensive import, but you do get Pampers and some good Japanese brands), but the cheapest ones would be at least Y1,000 (roughly $10) for a packet of about 40 (number you get per packet depends on size), and better brands would be more like Y1,500. So if you don't have to pay personally for the shipping, then go ahead and stock up. Wipes too.

Other good things to bring if you have children are any favourite long-lasting foods (cereal etc) to last you until you work out how to get hold of them here, and whatever prescription/over-the-counter medication you use. You can't get good equivalents of most children's medicines here, and of course it's better to have things with English instructions.

Hi Christine,

I just moved to Tokyo recently and was
shocked to see that specifically Huggies
are 3938 Yen (roughly 40 USD) for a
package of 34 in the store near us. Stock
up before you come if you really want
Huggies, on your baby's current and next
sizes, depending when you expect your
things to arrive and whether someone else
pays your shipping or not. The local
brands are great, and have the added
bonus of names like "Goons" and
"Moonies", but are still more expensive
than what you have there.

How much do you get taxed on shipping new items into Japan via ExpatExpress? I came from Singapore where everything was duty free. What about when relatives send gifts for new baby? What should they put on the outside of the package? My MIL sent my daughter a birthday gift and I was not asked to pay a tax. Any insight would be appreciated. Thanks, Chirs

What is ExpatExpress? We've had a bunch of stuff both from my mom and from directly from companies. We've just had them sent through the mail and FedEx.

The conditions of ExpatExpress should be explained on their site at:
www.expatexpress.com
Since they are a commercial entity, best to ask them directly. Receiving things from them is different than having relatives send.

As for tax/duty, it really depends on the commodity. USUALLY, there is just consumption tax of 5%, as if you bought it in Japan. But, some things like textiles or leather goods can get additional duty.

If the shipment is from an individual, I think they are a bit less strict, but never guarantees.

I have also noticed over the years that packages in the post seem to be checked less rigorously than via FedEx or DHL. EVERY package on those seems to be opened and checked very thoroughly.

Similar to ExpatExpress is Foreign Buyers' Club, which has been around for a long time. I can attest to their service. Their site is at
www.fbcusa.com

Hi!Im looking for a baby monitor which is 220V capable.New or used(but still in good condition) is ok.Please contact me...Thank you!

Hi there! I've just arrived in Tokyo today with my 6 months old baby for a 2 week stay. We're staying in Shinjuku, but sofar I have not been able to find any diapers anywhere in the neighbourhood. Does anyone know where to find them in Shinjuku?
Thank you thank you thank you, I'm really running out. yty[at]wanadoo.nl

Jennifer,
Most department stores have them in their kids department, you may try in one of those. I know there is an Isetan with a kid's club, so they may have them.

Or go into a drug store - one selling shampoo, soap, etc in the front, they often have diapers hidden in the corner. I wish I knew a specific store in your area, I had the same problem when I first arrived in Tokyo. Maybe someone else can tell you that. If you don't find them and you get desperate, e-mail me privately and I'll help you get some.
Suzanne

Hi Jennifer
I had the same problem in Ikebukuro! I found out some pharmacies don't display them because they take up too much room. Just go to the counter and say 'omutsu kudasai'. This means 'diapers please' and then they will go to their storage room and get you some. If your baby is 6 months he/she probably takes M size so say 'emu saizu'.
Good luck! Sarah

hi I am 5 months pregnant Indian women, this is my first time, I am living in roppongi,going back soon to India in month of NOVEMBER, so urgently required following things. mail on tishya_ghate@rediffmail.com
I am looking for
1. baby strollers shop in Tokyo,(it should be good & cheap)
2. good & cheap baby cloths
3. what is different baby utility?
4. pragency classes in English, or groups(English speaking)

Hi, my family is moving to Tokyo in March. I have 2 girls (4 & 2). In my past Tokyo visits, I found that the kid's wear in department stores are very very expensive. does anyone know any places selling kid's wears at reasonable price with good quality?

Another very important question. My small girl has been feeding with soy protein formula (Isomil by Abbott) since 3 months old as she couldn't diggest lactose in ordinary formular. Is Isomil (soy protein formular) available in Tokyo? Can I get it in any supermarket?


Also any suggestions for stocking up in my shipment, eg. medicine, preserved food, etc ?

Thanks

Thanks to those who have emailed me with detail informations. I really appreciate all of you and the readers of TWK who are so kind to share informations.

One more product for my baby, petroleum jelly. I am using vaseline (from petroleum jelly to lotion) which are great. Is that available in Tokyo? Can I get it in supermarket or drugstores? If not, any local Japanese substitutes?

BTW, regarding the Soy Protein Formula. I sent an email to check with Morinaga Milk Co and was told that Wakado company has a soy protein formula, called "Bonlacto". Morinaga Milk Co has another product called "Non lacto" which was NOT soy protein formula but doesn't contain lactose. Those who have babies with problem of diggesting lactose can try these two products after consulting the pediatrician.

Thanks.


Thanks
Wendy

hi Wendy
Petroleum jelly is sold here as vaseline. It
is available in all pharmacies but in teeny
tiny little jars. You might want to bring
some large jars with you.
cheers
anne

Hi,
does anyone know where I can buy the fetal heart beat doppler?
Thanks
Elisa

Hi All,
Parental advice needed. Was wondering if anyone can help me with this. I have 2 luxury apartments in Phuket that I rent out for short stay vacations. I don't have children so I am not sure what items I should provide for young children or babies. Cots, high chairs, play areas etc.

Could anyone advise me on what I could purchase to make our apartments the best possible experience for parents, children and babies?

This is the website for our apartments: http://phuketvacationapartments.com

I am a resident of Tokyo (so I can buy things in Japan) but was thinking of buying items from this site in Australia.
http://www.babiesgalore.com.au
I was thinking of buying a travel cot, but have no idea which one to choose. Also, maybe a high chair? And possibly a Portacot - Graco Pack �N�EPlay SPORT which is a kind of play area thing that can be taken to the beach or outdoors.

Also a friend mentioned it may be a good idea to get some kind of covers for electrical sockets.

Any advice greatly appreciated. All the best, Sascha
bookings@phuketvactionapartments.com

Sascha, since you are considering buying products from Babies Galore, why not check out the Choice Magazine Online where they give unbiased reviews of all the baby products commonly available in Australia. They claim that their reviews are completely impartial, and they always buy the goods that they trial themselves, rather than receive them free from the manufacturer. As well as the website where you either pay a subscription or buy a particular article on the products you wish to compare, there is a book they have out called The Choice Magazine Guide to Baby Products which is good because it tells you what are really the must have essentials, and what is really not very useful.

http://www.choice.com.au/defaultView.aspx?id=102314&catId=100165

Hi, I want to buy a babydan for my 20 months old daughter. I couldn't find it from Toysr'us, any good place to shop babyproducts in Tokyo?

Thanks claudia

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All products can be sent gift wrapped with no extra charge.

Hi, I've used this site for most of my pregnancy and baby gear.
http://japan.sendit.to/shops/maternity
Nice to find a bit of choice on the web!

Hi!
We're going to visit Japan with a baby (9m) and would like to ask what kind of baby solid food is available in Japan?

Hi!!
I am looking for some information on how can I get a stroller from US shop shipped to Japan at lowest shipping rates.
I found that combi and aprica strollers available here in japan are very light where as the strollers available in US are much stronger than them aand am really interested in buying it from US.
But, the main problem I am facing is getting the strollers shipped to Japan. I saw some good graco strollers on US online shopping sites but none of them support international shipping. I was wondering if its worth getting the product shipped to some local address in US and then get it from that local address to my japan address?
I would really appreciate if anybody could suggest on how I can get the product shipped to Japan at the lowest shipping cost. Thanks in advance for all the suggestions

Post Office is probably the least expensive, though it will not be cheap. FedEx/DHL type of services charge a minimum "weight per volume" which means that even if the package is fairly light for its size, it's still charged as if it were of average weight for that size. Something the size of a stroller would cost 10-20,000 yen, I would think.

Would have to inquire at US Post Office for their cost. There are also customs forms to fill out, and the possibility of paying consumption tax if they figure out it's a new thing.

I think the reason they are lighter is that you have to drag them up and down stairs at the train stations. I would just buy one here.

If you have your heart set on it I would either have it shipped to FBC Express in California and they will forward it or you can try www.expatpress.com. I haven't used them but they have been recommended to me. Personally I use FBC. Their website is www.fbcexpress.com.

Foreign Buyer's Club offers a forwarding service called FBC Express that is pretty reasonable. I have used them for a large item in the past. Their website is http://www.fbcexpress.com/cart/customer/shop_popup.html

That was a really quick and helpful response, thanks a lot everybody!!! I checked out fbcexpress.com site, and found it quite useful, will post a query to them n try to find out an approx cost for shipping a stroller to Japan.
thanks a lot again

Hi!

I had the same opinion one year ago, but finally I got a really good stroller here is Japan. It is one on:
http://tokyo.craigslist.org/bab/372838782.html
but you can buy a new one.
,,I think the reason they are lighter is that you have to drag them up and down stairs at the train stations. I would just buy one here." - I agree.
Good luck!

Hi!!
yeah I agree that the strollers here are light weighted purposely for being carried around in the stations and are really comfortable to fold and carry, but apart from this what i found is that the strollers in US come with extra accessories too, like child tray, parents cup holders and bigger baskets etc, which I havnt found in any of the existing strollers here both in Aprica and Combi. I have been checking the strollers in Akachan honpo and toysrus. Is there any other place where i can find strollers of some other brand. I am looking for a stroller for 0-2 or 0-4 yrs baby. Also I have been trying to contact www.fbcexpress.com to find out the approx cost of shipping a stroller but i am getting no response. Is there any contact number where i can call n inquire them about the same.

Sreekant,

We bought our first stroller in Japan and compared them to ones we saw in the United States. FWIW, here are some of our observations.

a) The Japanese stroller handle height is often too low (for me) and it stresses my lower back. Recommend putting this on your checklist if you buy here.

b) The US strollers were HUGE and had tons of accessories, cup holders, trays, etc. Ask yourself: do you really need all this. The only thing we really wanted was more trunk space under the seat, and this seems to be available with some Japanese models.

c) The US strollers are made for an automobile society not for our train station convenience. If you have a car - a big car - then you probably will be fine. If not, even the lightweight strollers are a (brief) burden when climbing and descending stairs.

d) The US strollers often had separable car seat sections that fit into a base strapped into the car. Those are great, especially if you have a sleeping baby. Japanese strollers might have these too.

e) Japanese strollers often fold up relatively compactly so they don't block the genkan.

f) Our first stroller was plushly cushioned for a sleeping baby. Our second stroller, which we bought in the States when our child was about 18 months, was a triangular lightweight job and cost just $10.

g) If you find exactly the stroller type or brand you want, someone who can read Japanese may be able to find a website for a retailer Japan. Sometimes a tiny shop in Aoyama or a specialty shop in Niigata may have a cache of that brand. This may not be the most cost-effective, but it may be less hassle.

On a side note, we bought our child car seat in the US for about one-third of the Japan prices. The car seat was approved for airline use (although we never used it for this) and was approved by whatever US agencies for safety. There appears to be no such screening or regulations in Japan. It cost us about $100 to mail the large seat box (which was also stuffed with other items) from the US to Japan (we mailed it ourselves when visiting relatives) and it was still cheaper overall than buying a car seat here.

One way to have an item posted here is to have it mailed to a relative and have them readdress it and mail it to you with the promise you will pay them back next time you see them.

I hope these points will help you in your decision.

Stev

There is a high-end looking place near Yoyogi-koen that sells strollers. I think it is called Air Buggy? Does this sound familiar to anybody? It is very near the Yoyogi-koen koban at Tomigaya ichome. I pass it on the bus all the time. I can try and check it out this weekend if you like. Have you tried Tokyo with Families magazine? I suspect if there were any high-end boutique places for the ex-pats they would advertise in there.

hello. Here's a site which might help you.

http://plaza.rakuten.co.jp/shopwise/

http://plaza.rakuten.co.jp/shopwise/diary/?ctgy=4

click the "baby" part and you will be able to find many strollers from abroad which you can purchase on the Internet and it will send it to your home directry. Write a comment on the BBS and then an e-mail adress will show up.

just some more infos

AIR BUGGY YOYOGI KOEN
http://www.rakuten.ne.jp/gold/gmp/

and other buggys
http://item.rakuten.co.jp/paranino/

hope you can find your favorite one!
and ask me if you have more questions.

Buying children's clothes:

those interested in imported baby and children's clothing, please have a look at my new online store www.tokyoclothingimports.com
I got fed up of trying to do a year's worth of clothes shopping with my kids during trips back home, and had always wanted to have an online shop, so here we are!
Any feedback appreciated.

Paula Sugawara

Hello,
I am now in the USA. I have a 3 mth. old baby and would like to know where I can buy Japanese milk powder/infant formula for my baby. Is there any internet orders that deliver to USA? Thanks!

Yoki Perry

Hi Everyone

For those of you intested in buying reusable cotton nappies and not prepared to put up with the unreliability of Japanese style ones, please take a look at my new website:

http://en.redrosebaby.com

We stock Tots Bots, Easy Peasy Nappies and Modern Baby, as well as being the only Japanes stockists of UK Mooncups.

Hi! i`m expecting a baby in about 5 weeks and looking for a baby bag..The kind of bag that i want to buy is usually made of cloth so it is very light, and has some pockets to put baby suit, bottle, nappies and so on..
I searched in a number of shops like but coudn`t find exactly what i want..Anyone who knows where to find such bags, kindly let me know...

Hello Texasmom,

Toys R Us and Akachan Honpo sell baby infant formulas.

I started supplementing my daughter formula when she was 3 months old. She's 5 months old now (so probably same age as your child by now). The previous brand which i gave her is not available in Japan. It's running out soon and i decided to give the Japanese brands a try.

I went to Akachan Honpo to check the range out but because i dont speak or read Japanese, i was totally at lost. Thankfully, i met another shopper (she's from the US) who could speak great Japanese. She ended up translating for me after asking the staff there (none of the staff there spoke English unfortunately).

Basically, infant milk formulas are categorised as such:

a) From 0 to 9 months (it's marked with a "0")
b) From 9 months onwards (it's marked with a "9")

I bought the one manufactured by the Glico Group (the nutrition content was comparable to the Wyeth brand) and have been giving it to my daughter for about 5 days now.

However, despite the nutrition content to be of the same level for both brands, we realised that while Wyeth recommended 25.5g of powder to 180ml of water to feed 5x daily, Glico recommended 47g of powder to 220ml of water to feed 5x daily!

Yesterday, i noticed an oil-like substance in my daughter's stool. I wonder if it has to do with the feeding amount of the Japanese milk formula?

I just came back from a visit in Okinawa and found a wonderful children's shop that was fairly big located between "The Sauce" and "4 Season's" Restaurants. Near Camp Lester and Camp Foster. I do not know the name of the store but noticed some of their clothes I could also find at Jusco in American Village. I was wondering if anyone knew of the store in question and if there was one on Mainland Japan like it. Most of my shopping that I do for my daughter is at Grandberry Mall. My daughter wears 100-110 in clothing here and I would love to find a store that is reasonably priced with a good assortment of clothing. I would appreciate any and all correspondence/replies. Thank-you.

Hi there,
I have bought a Avent bottle warmer from France (220 - 240v) and need a power converter to use it in Japan. Can anybody advise me or been in this situation?

Hi there,
I have bought a Avent bottle warmer from France (220 - 240v) and need to use it now in Japan (100v). Can anybody please advise what type of converter do I need? Many thanks!

Hi Does anyone use the Avent Electronic Steriliser to stem the milk bottle? I could not find it everywhere include Akachan and Amazon.com. All I found is just the microwave type. Thanks

Hi everyone,

I'm a mother- to- be and am planning to get a Combi or Aprica stroller/travel system. Can anyone tell me where to get it in Osaka? Thanks in advance!

Kids come with a lot of joy and happiness but they also bring additional budget problems. Kids grow so fast that there clothes wear out very soon and we have to buy clothes for them every trimester. I like Couture christening gown very much.

Hi everyone,

I have few toddler furniture for sale like toddler beds with bed rail, change table/drawers, wardrobe, etc. Both toddler beds have build-in storage underneath. Please see website for pictures. Also some girl clothes to give away. Contact me if interested ace_slade@yahoo.com.sg

http://www.flickr.com/photos/75035662@N08/
Location: Tokyo

hi. I am looking for possible supplier of surplus baby items for my soon-to-open shop for gently used stuffs for babies here in my country, Philippines. any suggestions?