The perfect suitcase for Japan is as light as possible: in Japan you can buy almost everything and the luggage forwarding services (takkyubin) carry your suitcase from one hotel to another for about 1,500–2,500 ¥, so you do not need to drag it through the trains. Here is everything to bring for your trip to Japan — and what you can leave at home or buy there. If it is your first time, complement this list with the guide to travelling to Japan for the first time.
Essential documents
| Document | Essential | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Passport | Yes | At least 6 months' validity from the entry date. Carry a separate photocopy. |
| Travel insurance | Yes | With minimum medical cover of €30,000 and repatriation. Japanese healthcare is expensive without insurance. |
| Flight ticket, printed or on phone | Yes | Always keep an offline copy in case there is no wifi. |
| Hotel reservations | Yes | You need the address of the first accommodation for the immigration form. |
| International driving permit | Only if you rent a car | Mandatory to drive in Japan. Arrange it before leaving. |
| Credit/debit card | Yes | Visa or Mastercard. Bring at least two different cards in case one fails. |
Electronics and connectivity
- Type A plug adapter — mandatory from Europe. The Japanese plug has two flat pins and the current is 100 V at 50/60 Hz (50 Hz in the east, including Tokyo; 60 Hz in the west, Osaka and Kyoto); the European one does not fit without an adapter. Buy one before leaving (2–5 €) or in any Daiso on arrival (100 ¥). All the details in the guide to plugs and voltage in Japan.
- eSIM or tourist SIM — the cheapest and most convenient option to have data as soon as you land. An eSIM for Japan is activated before leaving and costs around 10–20 € for 2 weeks. If your phone does not support eSIM, buy a tourist data SIM at the airport on arrival (from about 1,500 ¥). See the full comparison in the guide to internet and connectivity in Japan.
- Charger or power bank — the days in Japan are long and your phone with Google Maps drains. A 10,000 mAh battery is enough for a full day.
- Universal charger with USB-C and USB-A — modern phone and laptop chargers are universal (100–240 V) and work in Japan with just the shape adapter.
- Headphones — on trains it is forbidden to talk on the phone; headphones are essential for podcasts and music.
What you can leave at home: the pocket WiFi (the eSIM is cheaper and more convenient), the voltage transformer (modern chargers are already universal).
Clothing by season
| Season | Temperature | Essential clothing | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring (Mar–May) | 8–24 °C | Layers: t-shirt + jumper + light jacket | Mornings are cool; midday can be warm. Bring a folding umbrella. |
| Summer (Jun–Aug) | 24–36 °C | Very light, breathable, short-sleeved clothing | Extreme heat and humidity. Factor 50 sunscreen. Cooling wipes (sold at konbini). |
| Autumn (Sep–Nov) | 10–28 °C | Layers + light waterproof | October is ideal: neither cold nor hot. November requires a coat for the evenings. |
| Winter (Dec–Feb) | 2–12 °C | Coat, thick jumper, gloves, scarf | The inside of buildings is very heated; use layers. |
Tips specific to Japan
- Socks without holes — you will visit many temples and traditional houses where you have to take off your shoes.
- Comfortable walking shoes — you will do 15,000–25,000 steps a day. Do not break in new footwear in Japan.
- Modest clothing — Japan is fairly conservative about dress for entering temples and shrines. Avoid very revealing clothing in these contexts.
- Small umbrella — it rains without warning; in Japan there are cheap umbrellas in any konbini for 500 ¥.
Not sure what season you are travelling in yet? The guide to when to travel to Japan compares the four seasons (climate, crowds and prices) so you can adjust your packing to your dates.
Medication and health
Japan controls the entry of medication more strictly than other destinations. Without prior paperwork, you can bring up to one month of a prescription medication and up to two months of an over-the-counter medication for your own use; for larger quantities an import permit is needed, the Yunyu Kakunin-sho (formerly called Yakkan Shomei), which is worth applying for at least a couple of weeks before the trip. Always carry medication in its original packaging with the leaflet and the prescription.
Important: some substances very common in Europe are banned in Japan, even if you buy them without a prescription. This is the case for pseudoephedrine (cold and flu decongestants, Vicks-type nasal inhalers) and codeine (present in some cough syrups and painkillers). Do not pack them. If in doubt about any drug, consult the Japanese embassy in your country before leaving.
- Regular medication — bring enough for the whole trip plus a few extra days, within the one-month limit with a prescription, and keep the prescription handy in case it is requested at customs.
- Painkiller — ibuprofen and paracetamol are available in Japanese pharmacies, but the packaging is in Japanese. Bring your own.
- Anti-diarrhoeal — the change in diet can affect you. Loperamide is sold in Japan but with instructions in Japanese.
- Sunscreen — in summer, factor 50 minimum. Japanese sunscreens are excellent and can be bought in any drugstore (Matsumoto Kiyoshi, Sundrug), but they are more expensive.
- Foot cream or anti-blister — you will cover many kilometres on foot. Blisters can ruin days of travel.
- Travel insurance with medical cover — Japanese healthcare is excellent but expensive. An emergency consultation can cost 200–500 €.
What to leave at home (or buy in Japan)
| Item | Bring it? | Alternative in Japan |
|---|---|---|
| Hair dryer (220 V only) | No | Hotels and ryokan have one; if it is dual voltage (100–240 V), you can bring it. |
| Large towels | No | All accommodation includes them. The ryokan includes a yukata too. |
| Soap and shampoo | No | Included in almost all accommodation; at the konbini for 200–500 ¥. |
| Large umbrella | No | At konbinis and supermarkets for 500 ¥. Bringing a small folding one does make sense. |
| Plastic bags | No | At any konbini. In Japan they are charged for. |
| Home currency in cash | No | Withdraw yen directly at the 7-Eleven ATM on arrival or exchange beforehand. Details in the guide to money in Japan. |
| Basic over-the-counter medication | Bring your own | They exist in Japan but the packaging is in Japanese. |
Travel light: how to get around without dragging your suitcase
In Japan you travel better with less. The rooms in business hotels are small, the trains are full at rush hour and every change of city means carrying everything up platforms and stairs. Three resources let you bring half the luggage:
Takkyubin: door-to-door luggage forwarding
The takkyubin (or takuhaibin) is the courier service the Japanese use to send suitcases from one hotel to another. You arrange it at your accommodation reception or at any konbini: for 1,500–2,500 ¥ per suitcase they pick it up and deliver it the next day at your next hotel. It is ideal for the Shinkansen legs or for arriving at Hakone with just a day pack while the large suitcase travels straight to Kyoto. Send it with a day's margin: it is not same-day delivery.
Laundry: wash mid-trip and bring clothes for a week
You do not need to bring clothes for the whole three weeks. The coin laundries (self-service launderettes) are in every neighbourhood and many hotels have a washer-dryer on the floor: a full wash with drying costs 200–400 ¥ and takes about an hour. Washing once or twice during the trip lets you pack for 5–7 days instead of for the whole trip, which completely changes the weight you carry.
Lockers in stations for day-trip days
The large stations have coin lockers (300–800 ¥/day depending on size). They are very handy on the departure or arrival day, when you have already checked out but want to make the most of the day without your suitcase in tow.
The large luggage rule on the Shinkansen
Since 2020, on the Tokaido, Sanyo and Kyushu lines, luggage whose three dimensions add up to more than 160 cm (a large checked suitcase) needs a seat with space for oversized baggage, which is reserved free when buying the ticket. If you bring a suitcase of that size without the reservation, there is a 1,000 ¥ fee on board. The measurement is the sum of height, width and depth including wheels and handle; if you travel with cabin luggage it does not affect you, but it is worth knowing when reserving a seat with a JR Pass.