Giant Robot Slides and Luggage Forwarding: Japan With Kids, Part 2 (featuring Jo MacGregor)

You did not come this far to leave without knowing about luggage forwarding.Part 2 of our Japan series with Jo MacGregor is here — and this one is all about the stuff that actually makes or breaks a trip. Phrases to teach your kids before you land. The konbini experience that her kids sprint toward the second they touch down. Omakase with children (yes, really). Playgrounds that look like they were designed by a giant who loved Godzilla. And the luggage forwarding system that will make you rethink everything you thought you knew about traveling with kids.If you missed Part 1, go back and start there — it's a full three-week itinerary, city by city. This episode picks up where that one left off.IN THIS EPISODETwo mistakes families make when planning a Japan trip (and one of them will surprise you)Why Jo says strollers are non-negotiable Are kids actually treated like celebrities in Japan? Jo gives an honest, nuanced answerWhat to do if your family has gluten-free needs — including a Facebook group Jo recommends and a kitchen hack that changes the equationHow to read a room, Japanese-style: the cultural motto Jo uses with her own kids everywhere they travelJapanese phrases to teach your kids before the flight lands (including the one that will make every waiter light up)Konbini culture — what it is, why whole YouTube channels are dedicated to it, and why it might become the highlight of your kids' tripOmakase explained: what it actually means in Japan versus what we think it means, and how to do it smartly with a familyThe playgrounds. We talk about the playgrounds.Sumo and baseball — the seasonal schedule you need if either of these is on your listLuggage forwarding: the system that lets you travel like a local and pack like a human beingWhat Jo would say to a family the night before their first Japan trip if they called her in a panicLINKS + RESOURCES thetokyochapter.com — Jo updates her area guides constantly with new finds. Bookmark it!Jo on Instagram @thetokyochapter Find me at @untethered_childhood or hello@untetheredchildhoodpod.com