Strolling around Tokyo

Keep calm and just push along
R. Vijayanathan

What’s a good stroller to have while living or visiting Tokyo. Before moving to Tokyo, we had the Nuna Maxx stroller, an excellent stroller for us (we lived in the suburbs of NJ, and I had an SUV at the time). However, this stroller would not work for us in Tokyo due to the width, weight, and ability to travel with ease. I started to research travel strollers, and I came across the Uppababy Minu. I checked out the Minu stroller alongside the BabyZen YoYo stroller. The Minu met our needs; however, the BabyZen Yo Yo is also a great option. I figured I would share why this stroller works for us in Toky

lightweight and portable (14.8 pounds), not too big and not too small
easily weave through the Tokyo sidewalks and subways with ease
one-handed fold (a lifesaver when grabbing a taxi in Tokyo) with an attached shoulder strap (the strap is beneficial as I can never find the elevators in the subways, so I carry the stroller on one shoulder and have Mila in the other.
when folded down, it can stand up on its own
angled footrest (I love this feature!)
stores in the overhead bin of most planes using the Uppababy travel bag (love not having to wait for the stroller when you gate check)
extra sunshade protection UPF 50+ (a plus for Mila’s sensitive skin and much needed as the summers in Tokyo are very hot)
full coverage canopy, which has a built-in peek a boo window with mesh ventilation. You can keep it closed or roll it up.
storage pocket on the back of the stroller (I store a small pack of wipes, a few diapers, a travel-size ointment, and disposable bib, bug spray, mini trash bags, and sunscreen)
high end finished and sturdy material with leather handlebar
stores under tables at restaurants while eating
decent size basket that fits up to 20 pounds (usually I put our diaper bag here)
multi-position recline, you do need two hands to adjust the recline. Mila can comfortably nap or sit upright to take in all the Tokyo views.
Three-year warranty

Travel Safe Program – Uppababy guarantees your stroller during your air travel. All you have to do is register both your stroller and Travel Bag online before departure. My friend’s stroller got damaged during air travel, and Uppababy immediately sent her a new stroller.

UPDATE 3/10/2020 – Uppababy was having a tune-up event at Sprouts in San Francisco. I thought it was a good idea to have the stroller checked out since I was visiting family at this time. I walked into this free event, and the Uppababy tech team noticed our stroller’s frame was a little loose. They offered to ship me out a brand new frame as I was under the 3-year warranty.

The stroller tech advised me I would receive an email with a tracking number and that I would need to remove the fabric from my current stroller to put on the new frame; this concerned me as I wasn’t quite sure how to remove it. The stroller tech immediately showed me how to remove the fabric and mentioned that I could video chat with someone from the team to help me when I received the frame.

I was very impressed with the support provided by the Uppababy team and it was a great experience.