If you’re planning a trip to Japan and your itinerary involves heading between Tokyo and Kyoto, the easiest way to do this is by using the Shinkansen,a high-speed train more commonly known as the bullet train.

If you’re travelling with young children, though, the thought of doing this might make you feel a bit wary. However, we speak from experience when we say there’s no need to worry about taking a baby or toddler on the bullet train in Japan. Here’s why:

• You can book your tickets in advance, so you’ll know what train you’re on, and that you’re guaranteed a seat. There’s plenty of space for luggage, which you’ll probably want with a little one, on the overhead racks
• If your little one loves trains, which ours does, then this will be seventh heaven for them. You can build excitement by train-spotting on the platform before you get on-board, and then watch the trains out the window as you prepare to depart
• There’s plenty of space on the bullet train for your little one to sit on you if you haven’t booked them an extra seat. The leg room isn’t bad at all, and there’s room to pace up and down the aisles should you need it
• Unlike on the Subway in Tokyo, eating and drinking on the bullet train is not frowned upon, so you can ply your little one with snacks galore to keep them happy! You can also buy food and drink as your journey progresses
• The view out of the window provides never-ending interest, from snow-capped mountains to villages to urban settings full of people to stare at!
• If you need to change your little one, you can do so far more easily than on a typical English inter-city train. The toilets are also clean to a tee
• Finally, the speed at which the train travels means that you’ll reach Kyoto from Tokyo in just a couple of hours, around a third of the time it’ll take you if you decide to rent a car – making taking the bullet train between these two popular Japanese destinations a no-brainer!