KUALA LUMPUR - The Japan Today reported, foreign language babysitting services are becoming increasingly popular in Japan as more tourist families seek ways to explore the country without being limited by young children.

Some providers also offer hands-on programmes for children, allowing parents and kids to spend their time separately but meaningfully, reflecting changing travel needs amid Japan’s tourism boom.

In November, Kelvin Young, visiting from California with his family, left his five year old and two year old daughters with a nanny at their hotel.

During the four hour session, he and his wife dined at a high-end sushi restaurant in Tokyo that is not family-friendly for small children.

The next morning, the couple’s daughters proudly showed the crafts they had made while under the nanny’s care.

The childcare service was provided by Synk Inc, a Kamakura-based company in Kanagawa Prefecture that employs nine English speaking, nationally certified childcare workers and one nurse.

Since launching the service in April 2025, the company has handled more than 50 requests, with prices starting at 54,000 yen for three hours.

Besides hotel babysitting and walks, Synk also offers activities such as Zen meditation at temples and visits to local Japanese nursery schools.

Synk President, Saya Sugahara said that by providing children with specialized experiences, they want parents to be able to enjoy time for themselves without hesitation.

“By providing children with specialized experiences, we want parents to be able to enjoy time for themselves without hesitation,” said Saya.

Tokyo based childcare company Poppins Corp has increased its recruitment of foreign-language-speaking babysitters since spring 2025.

Nagoya Marriott Associa Hotel has also started offering an online booking service for guests seeking foreign language babysitters.

Government data shows Japan welcomed about 36.8 million foreign visitors in 2024, including roughly 690,000 children aged four and below.

Akane Kakishima, a senior researcher at the Japan Travel Bureau Foundation, said such services could also help revitalize the nighttime economy as travel with young children often limits adult-focused spending.