General
Today I want to dive into the topic furusato nōzei (ふるさと納税) and baby carriers.
It’s time again to buy things to benefit from the furusato nōzei program.
Baby carriers are also available in this system, so I want to look at all models in detail in this article.
However, if it is worth using the furusato nōzeiI I don’t know. Please calculate by yourself!
Please note that in most cases I haven’t tested the carriers by myself and am evaluating each by the pictures I have seen and my personal expertise as a professional baby wearing consultant.
Sun&Beach (Support Kanagawa!)
It’s not a secret that I am a fan of this brand! They have a really nice designed carrier and I am fully recommending it in case! it fits you and your baby.
sun&beach is located in Zushi close to Kamakura which is always worth a visit. You can try their carriers on in their shop under professional guidance.
Of course, you can also try it through my services.
The sun&beach can only be worn in front (not forward facing) and on the back.
You can use the sun&beach from newborn until 2 years safely.
The furosato nōzei comes at a price range of 20,000 to 50,000 Yen and you will receive 15 coupon tickets worth 30% of the price you paid, to use in their physical shop for all the products they have.
Their carriers in the shop come at a price of 23,000 – 25,500 Yen.
Lucky Industries Quattro Air 3.2 (Support Aomori! Support Gifu!)
This carrier comes with a harness system that‘s popular because it seems easier to many people. Especially men like these type of carriers. However, harness carriers usually also come without the possibility to narrow the seat (only limited options available – infant insert + wide seat) and I often see that the M-shape (baby‘s buttom lower than knees) is not archived.
This may, however, be due to mistakes while putting the carrier on.
When I watch the pictures the brand is providing, there are a few things that catch my eye.
The baby sits in the carrier without the M-shape. The legs are spread but the knees not higher than the bottoms. The back is more or less straight. On one picture, the hip is tilted to the backwards, resulting in a hollow back and legs pointing outwards.
In forward facing position, the legs are spread too much and the model baby is barely able to have its head over the backpanel.
While all mentioned points will not hurt or damage your baby (except the forward facing position if baby is really not fitting in it yet, I think that there are better and more comfortable (for baby) options on the market. – even from the same brand.
The brand says the carrier can be used from two weeks after birth (without SG safety mark for the first two months of life) up to 36 months.
The furusato nōzei price is 96,000 Yen and the regular purchase price comes at 28,600 Yen.
Joie Katoji (Support Aichi!)
Joie is mainly known for their car seats and strollers but entered the babywearing market in 2021 with their Savvy carrier.
This carrier uses the same system as the Lucky Industries Quattro Air.
It is a harness carrier with infant insert that can additionally adjusted through buttons.
Depending on the age of the baby, it can sit well in this carrier (coming from the best possible position: rounded back, correct spread squat position). Older babies might sit in this carrier with hanging legs.
What can be a problem, is the harness for breastfeeding moms. The harness closes right under the breasts and can uncomfortably press on them, leading to engorgement or leaking.
The brand says the carrier can be used from 3.5 to 16 kg.
The savvy comes very reasonably for 65,000 Yen in the furusato nōzei program and 17,800 Yen without.
Nuna Katoji (Support Aichi!)
And again a harness carrier.
What I have seen on the pictures shared by the brand on Instagram, a lot depends on how the carrier is put on.
I have seen pictures where the baby is sitting good in the carrier, and I have seen horrible pictures.
For the first four months, a booster is needed. This booster is actually a piece of cloth zipped in just like BabyBjorn uses it.
I tried this carrier once in the store with a small doll. What I asked myself was why a second booster-like cloth is sewn into the panel. This will shorten the leg support when baby is older. However, it seems necessary for when baby is in forward facing position. But at the same time it is restricting the M-shape of buttom and legs.
The nuna doesn’t have a buckle for the waistbelt but uses velcro.
The service and advice given by the staff in the Daikanyama shop was really nice! (They may want to sell you the whole carrier as organic cotton though while website says it’s only the protection pads.
The brand writes that the carrier can be used from 3.5 kg to 16 kg.
Furusato nōzei price is 110,000 Yen, purchase price is 29,700 Yen for the cotton version.
Babysling (Support Okinawa!)
This ringsling looks extremely like the slings of Hokkyoku Shirokumado but are not coming with their signature rings made of nylon.
The Babysling rings are made of stainless steel (heavier than aluminum and nylon) and the cloth seems to be the same weaving technique like Hokkyoku Shirokumado.
On the rings, the fabric is folded and not gathered. Most parents like the gathered fabric better, but there are also people who favor the folded slings.
The sling comes at a price of 20,600 Yen with the furusato nōzei program and if you buy it in the shop, it’s 7,700 Yen.
hugmamu (Support Aichi!)
I couldn’t find out clearly if this brand participates in the furusato nōzei of Tokyo or Aichi.
It is a very simple sling which is not a fully handsfree option. The hugmamu can be used from when baby can sit freely by itself.
While I never tried the hugmamu, I once owned a similar sling. It’s doing its work but I would really recommend to see if it is working for you. For me it wasn’t.
Because baby was already bigger when he could sit, it wasn’t easy to pop him in and out, and he felt extremely heavy and the shoulder straps cut into my flesh.
If you have a different body shape, you might have a different experience though!
On rakuten with furusato nōzei you get it for 9000 Yen. On their usual rakuten site it’s only 2,800 Yen.
Eightex サンクマニエルキューブ 5way (Support Saitama!)
This is a bit of a special carrier since it doesn’t have a waistbelt. Still, it’s a 5-way carrier!
Newborns are held lying in front of you while carrying. This is a typical position for Japan because at a time, pediatrics didn’t recommend the upright position (from when there weren’t good and safe options for that). However, this position isn’t good for the one carrying…
From around four months, you can switch to the normal carrying upright on your belly. Later, you can change to the back and forward facing too, even though forward facing with a small baby (size-wise) is looking quite bad in this carrier and everything else than comfortable for bub!
I think the fifth carrying position is the Buddha seat (upright, legs in) before baby can hold its head but in this carrier I really can’t recommend it safety-wise! The head is completely inside the panel and it can happen that not enough fresh air comes in, especially when worn under the jacket.
Adjusting the size of the carrier to baby is not possible.
If you still find this carrier is a good idea (there are niches for waisbelt-less carriers) it comes at 35,000 Yen with furusato nōzei and at 9,680 Yen without.
Eightex カラーズ (Support Saitama!)
Another one from Eightex and a really simple one!
No adjustments can be made, but this time it looks like a “normal” baby carrier.
It has a waistbelt, a backpanel, and two shoulderstraps.
These kind of carriers can be used from when the baby can sit freely by itself.
The carrier is designed for arms out, this means there is less support at the upper back. – the backpanel already ends under the arms. This makes it a carrier with a shortened usage period.
It costs 35,000 Yen with furusato nōzei and 10,450 Yen without.
Do you still have questions regarding one or more of these carriers?
Did you find one that looks interesting for you?
Write it in the comments 🙂
Design: Grey
Design: Grey
