Japan is and always will be a hot tourist destination. It has its own distinct culture and is comparatively safe. You always hear about souvenirs you should bring back from Japan, but what should you bring here? There aren’t many essential items in Japan that you can’t buy after you arrive. However, you still want to be prepared, especially heading into a foreign country where you won’t always get away with only speaking English. Here’s a rundown of travel essentials for a stress-free stay.
The Essential of the Essential: Passports, Visa, Money and Travel Insurance
You’ve probably thought about these things already. As safe as traveling to Japan is, the country is steadfast with regulations, and you definitely need to tick the international traveling to-do lists. Make sure your passport is valid for another six months and has a couple of blank pages. Check whether your nation needs a visa to visit Japan and make sure your credit cards are pre-approved for international payments. Convert some cash into yen and consider getting travel insurance to back yourself up.
Accommodation and Transportation
Book your flights and hotels in advance to avoid any price surges, and keep a printed copy of your reservation confirmations on hand to be safe throughout your trip. This is especially handy when you have to fill out the address of where you’re staying at immigration.
Wi-Fi and SIM Cards
If you’re not on an international phone plan, you can easily get pocket Wi-Fi or a SIM card at the airport. You can also activate an eSIM online.
Medicine
It can be scary getting sick abroad. Scouring the pharmacy for the right over-the-counter medication is the last thing you want to do when you’re not feeling well. Along with bringing any of your necessary prescriptions, it’s good to bring antihistamines during hay fever season and fiber supplements to help ease any constipation you might experience from travel anxiety. Do note this important notice from the Ministry of Health, however, because Japan can be quite strict about which medications it allows into the country.
Comfortable Shoes
This one is big. When you visit Japan, you are probably going to be walking a lot, so make sure to come prepared with comfortable shoes. Bonus points if you can take them off and put them back on easily as a lot of establishments in Japan will ask you to take your shoes off, so you want to avoid shoes that require extensive lacing up if possible.
Modest Clothes
You’ll find that the fashion in Japan is pretty modest. People don’t step outside in just leggings or shorts usually. If you don’t want to draw attention to yourself, wearing long pants and covering your shoulders is an easy way to do it. Most of Japan also has four seasons, and very hot summers. Make sure to bring a warm jacket and gloves in the winter, as well as a hat and breathable clothes for the summer.
Handkerchiefs
In Japan, a lot of public restrooms don’t offer paper towels or hand-dryers. Carry around a handkerchief so you can dry your hands and not have to pat them on your pants.
Deodorant
Many Japanese people are blessed as they don’t have much body odor, which means most of the deodorants sold at pharmacies are limited and not very effective. Bring your original strength Axe or your deodorant of choice from your home country if you know you’ll be getting a little sweaty.
Perfumes
On the flip side, perhaps consider not bringing the perfumes that you usually wear back home. Japanese people don’t often use particularly strong perfumes, and sometimes find strong scents too powerful. Though unlikely, some restaurants may turn away customers who wear very strong fragrances, so consider keeping your colognes more subtle if you can.
International Adaptors
This is something you can certainly buy when you get to Japan, but if you don’t want to waste precious time at an electronics store, bring the right adapters for your electronics. Japan operates on 50-60Hz and 100V supply voltage, and you’ll want to get an adapter for a two-prong adapter (without the third pin) if you have a three-prong charger.
Sunscreen and Mosquito Repellent
The sun is no joke in the summer months in Japan. Japanese sunscreens are some of the best in the world, but bring some of your own if you have a favorite. If you know you’ll be doing some outdoor exploration, especially near the water, you’ll want to bring mosquito repellent as well. Though mosquitoes in Japan rarely carry disease, bug bites are still a nuisance you want to avoid.
