What to pack for Japan

Is Japan having a moment? I keep hearing of people going or planning to go. And each time I do it creeps stealthily up my travel wish list. It’s a bit sneaky that way. It might not be the first place you think of for a holiday, but it has so much cool stuff! Especially when you can escape our cold weather in winter for a blast of summer sunshine. (And stuff your face with Japanese food! Yum!)

Fairlie from Feet on Foreign Lands is a Melbourne-based travel blogger, who is heading there in late June for a 2 week holiday with her family. Lucky lady!! It is their first visit, so there will be museums, shopping and baseball in Tokyo, temples and geisha shows in Kyoto, and onsen and a hot springs spa resort and water amusement park in Hakone. And I’m sure lots, lots more.

I can’t wait to read all about their trip, but let’s find out what to pack for Japan!

Weather forecast

June-July is hot and wet in Japan. It is the rainy season, so the days and nights will probably be warm, humid and overcast. The average high is about 27°, the low is about 22°, with humidity of around 75% and a 45% chance of rain.

What to pack for Japan

I’ve gone with mostly loose-fitting cotton clothes for maximum comfort in the hot, sticky weather. A compact umbrella is essential, as is a swimsuit that’s not likely to embarrass you on a waterslide!

Something to particularly keep in mind for Japan is the need to constantly take your shoes on and off as you go inside many buildings like temples and restaurants. This is not the time for complicated laces or tricky buckles.

And lastly, the Shinkansen bullet trains apparently only have overhead luggage racks, so the lighter you can travel the better. Fairlie is thinking of taking a 75l wheeled backpack-style bag (one per person), but if you have been-there-done-that, what sort of bag do you think is best?

Tops

A mixture of sleeve lengths is practical, as is something a little dressier like the Katies top. The Super Cool t-shirt is ideal for any Mary Poppins fans!

1   Bohemian Traders Corsair cami
2   Katies Extended sleeve print top
3   Hard To Find Super Cool t-shirt
4   Trenery Stripe t-shirt

Dresses

Loose and lovely are the key words here. I’ve included the Target one for its versatility since it would look smart with the ballet flats and a necklace if you need to dress up a bit, as well as being suitable for everyday wear with the sandals.

1   Little Tienda Short Las Flores
2   Target Asymmetric midi dress
3   Lazybones Alanna dress

Bottoms & Outer Layers

I couldn’t resist this lovely light F for Fairlie jumper in case there’s a chill in the air. Also ideal if you feel the cold on the plane. With the soft pants, sneakers and Super Cool t-shirt, you’ll feel like you’re almost in your pyjamas!

Find out how to wear compression socks on long haul flights here.

1   Country Road Stripe body t-shirt
2   French Connection F Vhari knit
3   Seed Ripped denim skirt
4   Katies Shirred waist rouched leg pants

Shoes & Extras

You could easily travel with two pairs of shoes, but all these summer clothes aren’t going to take up much room and I always like having options. Any of the shoes go with any of the clothes, but in my mind I would wear the sandals with the dresses and the plimsoles and ballet flats with the denim skirt and ruched pants, depending on how smart or casual your plans are.

Find the best shoes for travelling in summer here.

1   Nine West Adorabl ballet flats
2   Walnut Euro plimsole
3   Wittner Loya sandal
4   Shelta umbrella
5   Seafolly Block party maillot

The outfits

Here are some outfits from the pieces above to start you off.

Thinking about a trip to Japan of your own? Then don’t miss Fairlie’s post on Planning a First Time Trip to Japan.

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Is Japan on your bucket list?