Japan Packing List: Complete Guide on what to pack for Japan

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Japan is a unique combination where the modern and new-age tech coexists with centuries-old traditions and sites. The country features 4 distinct seasons with significant regional variations. We visited Japan for 2 weeks in early June. And like most first-time visitors to Japan, our trip in early summer season had Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka on the itinerary. But we combined some smaller towns and rural landscapes with the larger cities to round up the trip. Read this comprehensive guide on what to pack for Japan and the best tips for Japan summer packing list.

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Tips for Japan packing list

Less is more: Unlike some of the other Asian countries that we have visited, while packing for Japan, we were mindful that we would need to carry our bags (potentially for long distances and over staircases) to train stations and buses. This had to be balanced with hot and humid weather so you can’t repeat many clothes. So we took the minimum quantities needed for our 2 week trip.

Is only a carry on required? That said, Japan is easy to get around with well-organised public transport. So you needn’t bother with just a carry-on. There is space for mid-size suitcases to fit in overhead compartments on trains easily. And a lightweight backpack is useful for carrying snacks, water, or an extra layer of clothing during day trips and for short overnight trips. We carried our clothes for an overnight temple stay at Koyasan in our backpacks while our hotel in Osaka helped arrange the suitcases to be transferred to Tokyo.

Comfortable walking shoes are the most important item in your travel packing checklist. I recommend packing 2 pairs of comfortable good quality walking shoes (sneakers etc) per person. You don’t need to rain boots for summer season (June to August). But waterproof sneakers would be a good choice. Also, if a pair of shoes gets wet or starts hurting, you can switch to the other one.

Dress modestly while visiting temples and shrines. Japanese style is modern, but there is an element of modesty in public life that is not always present in the U.S. or Europe. So it is best to avoid highly revealing clothing. That said, while you won’t see most Japanese in athleisure wear, it is ok for tourists to be wearing them. Do take care to dress conservatively while visiting rural areas in Japan.

Fushimi Inari Taisha popular spot on any Kyoto travel itinerary — I wore cotton dresses that were until my knees or below for visiting temples and shrines.

Wear breathable fabrics to fight the heat and humidity in summer season. Cotton and linen are good, as are more modern heat-wicking clothing fabrics used by brands like Uniqlo. Denim is not so good for summer months as it’s heavy and holds moisture.

For spring (March to May) and fall season (September-November), you would need layers. Early spring like March would need a puffer jacket, whereas in late spring (May), you could do with a lighter jacket. Similarly, a lighter jacket is all that in needed in September, but late October and November months may need a puffer jacket.

Apart from weather, also consider regional variations for the Japan packing list, ranging from sub-arctic in the north to subtropical in the south. Northern region like Hokkaido is still cold in March / April, with snow lasting until early May in mountain areas. Also, by November, it gets cold and may see early snow. Most visitors go to Central Region (Tokyo/Kyoto/Osaka). Here March is cool, warming to mild by late April/May. September still feels like summer, but October brings ideal, dry weather. November is crisp and cool. Summers are consistently hot and humid nationwide, with rainy season in June / July.

What to pack for summer in Japan

For a 2-week trip, you can pack clothes for about a week. It is easy and budget-friendly to do laundry in Japan. Coin-operated laundries are ubiquitous in Tokyo, Osaka and other cities. And do keep some space in your suitcase for food items and souvenirs to bring back from Japan.

Clothing essentials

Pack inner wear for 6-7 days. Packing cubes are useful for inner wear to keep them separate. See options here for Packing cubes.
7 assorted tops (including T-shirts, half sleeve tops)
3 or 4 travel bottoms (cotton pants, capris, shorts, skirts)
2/3 dresses for myself (I changed for dinner occasionally, but most evenings were in the same clothes as sightseeing for the day)

For your 5 day Tokyo itinerary, make sure to book Shibuya Sky tickets in advance. — At Shibuya Sky in Tokyo

Nightwear (pajamas or shorts, whatever you are comfortable in at night time). Several Japanese hotels keep nightwear in their rooms but I prefer my own.
1 light cardigan or shawl (something to layer up if the morning or night gets cool). This was also useful to cover up during temple visits.
1 pair of sandals (after walking around all day in closed shoes, it was nice to switch to sandals in the night)
1 or 2 pairs of comfortable walking shoes (I bought another pair during my trip to Tokyo)
3/4 pairs of light socks.

Additional items to pack for Japan

Sunglasses and a cap / hat for sun protection (this was much needed for sightseeing in Kyoto when the afternoon were warm)
A rain jacket or rain poncho if you are visiting in June – August.
Swimwear for beach visits or onsen resorts
Japan has public drinking water from taps in stations. Carrying a reusable water bottle helps keep you hydrated and reduces your use of disposable plastic. See options for Water Bottle here.
A wallet with a coin section or a separate coin purse (since you will get many coins from small stores after your purchase).

You needn’t carry umbrellas for rainy season from home, it is easy to buy them from a convenience store or at train stations. For summer trip, it is also easy to buy portable fans, cooling rings from convenience stores / pharmacies to stay cool during the day.

You cannot step out without an umbrella or a rain coat in rainy season.

What to pack for spring or fall in Japan

Your inner wear, night wear, shoes, sandals, socks are essential clothing items that remain the same. For outer clothes, you need to dress in layers for spring and fall season.

So bring long-sleeved tops, T-shirts or shirts and jeans / pants.
Also pack a medium to light jacket for everyone.

Japan packing list: Medication and Toiletries

Prescription Medicines: We needed to take some prescription medication for our daughter to last our entire trip. I checked the official Ministry of Health site to see which medication is allowed to be taken. I did carry the doctor’s prescription and a separate letter from the doctor explaining in brief the purpose and need for this medication. This is required for controlled substances.

We also carried some basic medicines like paracetamol and for stomach upset.

We got lucky with no rains in Kyoto, but the warm days required cotton clothes and sunscreen.

Toiletries –

Regular toiletries like toothbrush, contact lens kit, menstrual products, hair accessories, hair brush.
All our hotels provided toothpaste, soap gel, hair cleanser and conditioner, so we didn’t carry those to save space. But do carry them if you prefer your own brand.
It is important to travel with good quality sunscreen especially if you are visiting Japan in summer.
I did carry a roll-on deodorant but no perfume / cologne. If you are carrying perfume, do remember that it’s seen as impolite to wear an overpowering scent in closed public spaces like train compartments.
Mosquito repellent is required (especially for summer season).

You can also visit any pharmacy the day you land and easily buy the above items. A toiletry bag is best to pack all this separately. See some of the options for travel: Toiletry Bag.

Electronics for Japan

For the Japan trip, we used an eSIM without the hassle of a physical SIM card. It is easy to purchase an eSIM for Japan before the start of your trip.
Phone
Portable power bank. We used google maps much more in Japan than any other trip I can remember, so battery drains out quickly.
Also charging cables and travel adapter for the same. Japan uses Type A and Type B electrical outlets, similar to the ones used in the United States. A universal travel adapter can be helpful, especially if traveling from a country with different plug types.
We now read books on kindle app on the ipad. So we carried our iPads, useful for long train journeys.
Camera. This has become redundant for me in most trips with photography limited to iPhone.

We use packing cubes for electronic items like chargers and cables to keep them separate. See options here for Packing cubes

Travel Essentials for Japan

Passport: Carry your valid passport that has at least 6 months of validity. Also do remember to carry your passport for duty-free shopping in Japan. We tried passport copies while during our Osaka trip and it didn’t work (the store needed the original passport))

Visa: Many nationalities need a visa to enter Japan. You need to arrange a Japan visa before you enter the country. One of the important Japan travel tips is to fill out the immigration form online on the Visit Japan site few days before your departure to Japan. This will basically fast track you through various procedures such as immigration, and customs declaration.

Travel insurance: I would not recommend any trip to Japan without proper travel insurance. Carry a printed form with you.

So many local restaurants wanted payment in cash.

Cash: It surprised me the amount of cash we ended up using on our Japan trip. Most important was to top up the Pasmo (or Suica) card (you cannot top it up via your credit card). Also at several small restaurants, to pay our tour guides, to pay for taxis at times (when not using Uber).

Credit and Debit cards: Carry your credit cards to be used at all the hotels, hi-end restaurants and for pre-booked tours in Japan. It is important to carry debit cards because you willl need to take out cash during your Japan trip. It is easy to use your debit card at any ATM (at 7/11, Lawson etc) to withdraw cash. The fixed fee of 220 yen for cash withdrawal is reasonable.

Hope your Japan trip is amazing with the above packing tips.