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With hundreds (if not thousands) of Japan trips under our belts, our staff have mastered the art of packing for Japan. Here are our top tips. Needless to say, the lighter you travel, the better.
What to pack
Clothing
Unless you have something very special planned, comfortable casual clothing is all that is required. Outside of business situations, the Japanese are very relaxed about dress, so formal attire is unnecessary.
You’ll need to consider the climate and weather to decide what clothes to bring. Please note that mountain stays will be significantly colder than the cities; from October to April you will need warm layers including a jacket.
Shorts and t-shirts are fine in the summer, but one thing to stay away from is strappy or low-cut tops for women as Japanese women prefer to be a little more modest.
Check out our When To Travel guide for weather overviews, as well as the best festivals and events across Japan.
Footwear
No matter your itinerary, you will be walking a lot in Japan! Temples, shrines, gardens and museums are all best accessed on foot so do bring a pair of comfortable walking shoes or trainers that are well worn in.
You will need to take your shoes off to enter some castles and temples, and at all ryokan traditional inns. Shoes that you can slip on and off quickly are helpful. Lacing up hiking boots for the third, fourth or fifth time during a day of city temple sightseeing gets rather tiring (as we know from experience!)
Do bring your best socks to Japan. You’ll often be shoeless in public, and nobody wants to see (or smell) old, holey socks.
You don’t need to bring slippers with you. These will be provided wherever you are asked to take your shoes off.
Swimwear
We recommend bringing your own swimming costume if you are staying at a hotel with a pool. While five star hotels can usually lend you a swimming costume, women may find it difficult to find something that fits.
Toiletries
Nearly all toiletries can be bought in Japan, but if you are loyal to specific brands, do bring these with you. Most hotels and hot spring baths provide shampoo and body wash, but again you may prefer to bring the brands you know. Deodorant is not so easy to find in Japan, so do bring your own. Japanese toothpaste often tastes quite different… just so you are warned!
Women’s sanitary products are available in all convenience stores, but may not be the type you are used to.
In summer we highly recommend bringing your own sunscreen and mosquito repellent.
Medication
Some medications that are legal in the west, are illegal in Japan. These include Vicks inhalers and even painkillers containing codeine. If you have prescription medicine, you may need to get a note from your doctor. Please check with your local Japanese embassy for details.
We suggest bringing a basic first aid kit (bandaids, bandages, painkillers, antiseptic cream etc), just to save you the time and trouble of finding what you need from a Japanese pharmacy.
Small overnight bag
Japan’s efficient and reliable luggage forwarding system means you can send your main suitcases ahead to save lugging them on and off public transport. The system works on a 24 hour basis, so you will need to pack essentials into a small overnight bag for the intervening travel. A foldable backpack or airplane bag to carry your toiletries, underwear and a spare t-shirt works well.
Small hand towel
Many public toilets do not have hand towels or dryers as most Japanese prefer to carry their own towel or handkerchief. You may like to bring your own, or pick one up in Japan for a few hundred yen in a convenience store.
Large towels are provide in all hotels and hot spring baths, so no need to bring this with you.
International Driving Permit
If you will be renting a car while in Japan, you must obtain an International Driving Permit before you leave your home country. You cannot drive in Japan without it!
Hiking gear
If you will be walking or hiking in Japan, you’ll need to bring a few extras:
- hiking boots
- waterproofs
- quick-drying clothes (avoid denim)
- hat & sunglasses
- water bottle
- small torch
- hiking poles (if you use them at home)
Plug adapters
Japanese electrical plugs have two flat, non-polarised pins (as in North America), so you may need to bring a plug adapter for your camera, phone and any other electrical equipment. Plug adapters are widely available at international airports. USB adapters are easy to find at Japanese convenience stores.
Umbrellas
The moment it starts raining in Japan, you will see umbrellas on sale everywhere for as little as 100 yen. However if you have a lightweight, folding umbrella, you may prefer to bring that with you to Japan.
Hair dryers
Hair dryers are provided at all hotels and hot spring baths, so save some luggage space and leave yours at home.
And finally…. a quick checklist of the essentials:
- Passport
- Travel/health insurance details
- Debit/credit cards
- Phone
- Camera
- Chargers
- This Info-Pack
For more information about travelling to Japan, get in touch with our team of Japan experts.