u/Medical_Midnight9171

Hi folks. I am planning to take my wife and 1-year old baby to a relaxed Japan tour in November 2026 for 15-20 days. Idea is to have a relaxed itinerary and enjoy autumn as well as local vibes there. While a lot of itineraries are available online (thanks to ChatGPTs/Claude), I would really like to understand from folks who had been to Japan during Nov/Dec, how is the travel during these months? I am planning to be there in the second half of november.

• Most important, is it advisable to travel with a baby during those months? Are most cities/locations are stroller friendly?
• is there anything that we need to be aware of while travelling inside the country with an infant?
• Which all cities we should cover to enjoy Autumn vibes?
• Should we book accomodations/transits/sightseeing etc through Japan-based tour companies? I can manage the air tickets to and fro from Tokyo.
• How do you manage local sight seeing outside Tokyo, assuming not all places are accessible through JR pass? how affordable is taxi service there?
• How safe are AirBnBs there? Planning to stay in Ryokans for 3-4 days, but other stays will be staying in hotels or AirBnBs.
• Any tips to make the trip memorable?

Thanks in advance

Context:
I work in the AI space, and my current company is offering me a role at its London HQ with flexible work location and a hybrid setup (about 4–5 days in the office each month).

My current situation:

Alongside my full-time job in the AI space, I do some consulting and earn a bit from social media as well. My wife is currently on a maternity break (we have a 1-year-old) and hasn’t resumed work yet.

We live a comfortable lifestyle in New Delhi, own a car, and even after taxes, expenses and investments, I’m able to save around £2,000/month from my salary alone (excluding my wife’s income). The consulting + social media income is additional.

My questions:

• Would you advise relocating to the UK in our situation?
• What is day-to-day life like in the UK for a family like ours?
• How real are concerns around racism and petty crime (I’ve seen quite a few YouTube videos)?
• How is the environment for raising a child? Do kids face racism in schools?
• What would be an ideal salary/package (in GBP) to maintain a similar or better lifestyle? (ignore my earnings from consulting + SM for now as I will be continuing this even after relocating)
• Any examples of pre-tax vs post-tax income for expats would be really helpful
• If not London (too expensive), which cities/towns/villages should we consider?
• How easy/difficult is to get a job in retail, not at store but managing/handling product categories? My wife has about 10 years of exp in category management in India and the UAE.

Appreciate any honest insights, especially from people who’ve made a similar move