Are you getting ready for a memorable trip to Japan? Packing is one of the most critical parts of traveling to such an eastern country that you are not familiar with. Here we will show you some fundamental packing tips for your Japan tour to help you travel lighter and experience your Japan tour with more ease and freedom.

Japan Packing Tips

How to pack for a week or a longer trip to Japan can be a real headache. Before you start packing, please remember the following points.

1. Daily Necessities can be purchased in Konbini

You can buy almost daily necessities in Konbini. Konbini is the Japan’s ubiquitous convenience store with more than 55,000 outlets. It is a one-stop shop that operates 24/7.

So you don't have to carry a lot of daily consumables as you can easily buy them in convenience stores. Especially if you will be traveling in Japan for a long time, you can always go to a convenience store to buy the daily necessities you need.

2. Packing with the right luggage

It is not easy to travel to Japan with oversized suitcases because space is limited in hotels, subways, and on the Shinkansen.

The best luggage for a trip to Japan is a carry-on backpack with a medium-sized 4-wheel suitcase (around 25 inches).

Things Needed to Travel to Japan

According to the packing tips, it is wise to pack as lightly as possible for your Japan tour. However, there is still something important that you need to bring with you for a trip to Japan.

Your Valid Passport and Japanese Visa

You’ll need a valid passport for the duration of your stay in Japan regardless of where you are coming from. Make sure it will not expire at least 6 months after your return flight. You should also carry your passport with you wherever you go, and save a soft copy(photo or scanned) of the inside ID page on your phone and email in case you lose it.

You won’t need a visa if you’re traveling to Japan from most European countries, the United States, Australia, and Argentina – covering a total of 68 countries. If you travel with these passports, you can get a Japan Visa-on-arrival for a short stay within 90 days. If you are traveling to Japan with other passports, you will need to apply for a visa in advance.

Valid passport and vaccination certificate are must needed documents.

COVID-19 Test Result and Vaccination Certificate

All tourists arriving in Japan are required to have mandatory medical insurance. All tourists arriving in Japan are required to have mandatory medical insurance to cover any COVID-related expenses they may incur during their stay in Japan.

In addition, you will need to provide a negative result of the PCR COVID-19 test within 72 hours before boarding, as well as a certificate of vaccination in English.

Japanese Yen and Credit Card

While credit cards are become more widely accepted in Japan, cash is still used a lot in Japan so it’s good to have some handy at all times, especially if you’re traveling to smaller towns or villages. Don't expect small stores, restaurants, and accommodations to accept credit cards. Always carry sufficient cash(yen) as your backup.

Japanese yen is used throughout the country. It is convenient to exchange currency at major airports and large hotels.

Consider bringing a spare debit or credit card (if you have one) that you store separately, in case you lose your wallet.

Pocket Wifi & Battery Backup

There are a lot of FREE wi-fi spots throughout Tokyo, but if you want to stay connected 24/7, you can rent a portable wi-fi. Pocket Wifi Rental can accommodate multiple users, so if you’re a group, you can split the cost of one unit. You’ll find a lot of them around, even at the airport but because of high demand, will be out of stock or unavailable most of the time. You can reserve one ahead online and just pick it up at the airport. Don’t forget to bring chargers and extra batteries, using wifi and picture/video taking will easily drain your gadgets.

Power Adaptor

There are two types of associated plugs used in Japan, namely type A and type B. Type A plugs used in Japan are plugs with two flat parallel pins, and Type B plugs are plugs with two flat parallel pins and a ground pin. The voltage used in Japan is 110 volts.

What Clothes to Pack for a Japan Tour

What you need to wear and what clothes to bring on your trip to Japan depends on when you are traveling and which part of Japan you are visiting.

Since Japan has four distinct seasons, the clothes you need to bring are not quite the same when you go at different times of the year.

Cotton T-shirts, jeans, and other casual clothes are perfect for city exploring. Depending on the season, you can bring a seasonally appropriate jacket, etc. A hat not only shades you from the sun but also keeps your head warm when the sea breeze is prevalent.

Of course, if you are going to the southernmost beach of Okinawa, you can dress up like you are going to any beach. If you are going to the northernmost Hokkaido for skiing, then please always remember to bring warm clothes.

What clothes to bring depends on your travel season.

Pack Comfortable Shoes

Traveling in Japan involves a lot of walking, whether it's getting around the city or heading to a shrine in the mountains. Therefore you need to prepare a pair of shoes that are comfortable and good for walking.

In addition, when visiting Japanese shrines and temples, it is often required to take off your shoes to enter and visit. Therefore, it is best if your shoes can be easily put on and taken off.

Conclusion

What to pack and what to bring on a trip to Japan is not really complicated. As a developing country with a highly developed tourism industry, you can easily buy your daily necessities at local convenience stores when traveling in Japan. Therefore, you can bring as few daily necessities as possible, so that you can reduce the weight and size of your luggage. It is inconvenient to travel in Japan with an oversized suitcase because space is limited both in hotels and on trains.

Pack your clothes according to your travel destination and travel time, and remember to bring shoes that are easy to walk in for long periods as well as easy to get on and off. Check your passport, visa, proof of accounting, and other necessary travel documents, and you can travel to Japan with confidence.

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