What to pack for Japan: the complete checklist

The essentials

• Passport, valid for your whole stay, plus a printed or saved copy of your booking. Check entry rules in our visa-free entry guide.
• Payment cards and some cash. Cards work in most places, but carry cash for small shops, rural buses and some ticket machines (JNTO (opens in a new tab)). See money in Japan.
• Phone, charger and adapter, with an eSIM set up before you fly. Zwitchy (zwitchy.io (opens in a new tab)) is our eSIM of choice; see our eSIM guide.
• Power bank, in your carry-on only. Japanese airlines allow two of 160 Wh or less, and you may not charge them on board (JAL (opens in a new tab)).
• Travel insurance details, and the medicines you need with your prescriptions.
• Comfortable walking shoes. You will walk far more than at home.

Plugs and voltage

Japan runs on 100 volts AC everywhere, at 50 Hz in the east (Tokyo) and 60 Hz in the west, including Nagoya, Kyoto and Osaka (JNTO (opens in a new tab)). Outlets take Type A plugs with two flat pins.

• From the US and Canada: two-pin plugs fit. Three-pin plugs need a cheap adapter, as many Japanese outlets have no earth hole.
• From Europe and the UK: you need a Type A adapter for every device.
• Voltage: phone and laptop chargers labelled 100–240 V work fine. Dual-voltage hair dryers, irons and shavers work too, but single-voltage European appliances need a step-down transformer (JNTO (opens in a new tab)). Most hotels provide hair dryers.
• Forgot something? Adapters and transformers are easy to buy in Akihabara in Tokyo, Nipponbashi in Osaka, or at Yodobashi Camera and Bic Camera (JNTO (opens in a new tab)). New shinkansen have outlets at the window seats (JNTO (opens in a new tab)).

Medicines: check before you pack

This is the one area where a packing mistake can cause real trouble. Without any paperwork, you may bring up to one month's supply of prescription medicine and up to two months' supply of other medicines and disposable contact lenses. For more, you need an import confirmation before you leave home (MHLW (opens in a new tab)).

Some medicines that are normal in the US or Europe are controlled in Japan. Medicines containing amphetamine, such as Adderall, cannot be brought in at all, even with a prescription. Medicines with pseudoephedrine (common in cold remedies such as Sudafed) or lisdexamfetamine (Vyvanse) need advance permission, and narcotics such as codeine, oxycodone and morphine need a permit that you should apply for at least 14 days before you travel (MHLW (opens in a new tab)). Check every medicine on the official list before you go, carry it in its original packaging, and bring a copy of your prescription.

Clothes and shoes

Japanese people dress neatly but casually, and there is no strict dress code for tourists. A few things are worth packing on purpose:

• Shoes you can slip off. You will take them off at ryokan, some restaurants, temples and fitting rooms (JNTO (opens in a new tab)). Laces you have to retie every time get old fast.
• Socks without holes, for the same reason.
• Layers. Trains, shops and hotels are air-conditioned in summer and heated in winter.
• A modest outfit for temples and good restaurants; shoulders covered is a safe default.
• Swimwear only for pools and beaches: onsen are bathed in naked; see our onsen guide.

What to add for each season

Check the forecast for Tokyo, Osaka or Sapporo the week before you go.

Small things that make a big difference

• A foldable tote bag. Most shops charge for plastic bags (JNTO (opens in a new tab)).
• A small hand towel or handkerchief. Many public toilets have hand dryers or nothing at all.
• A coin purse. You will collect a lot of ¥100 and ¥10 coins.
• A small bag for trash, as public bins are rare; see our etiquette guide.
• An IC card on your phone for trains and convenience stores; see our IC card guide.

Pack light: let your bags travel separately

Big suitcases are hard work on crowded trains and station stairs, and some shinkansen need a reservation for oversized luggage (JNTO (opens in a new tab)); see our shinkansen guide. Japan's "Hands-Free Travel" services can deliver your bags from the airport to your hotel, between hotels, or from a convenience store, often the next day (JNTO (opens in a new tab)). For a few hours, coin lockers at most stations cost about ¥300 to ¥600 (JNTO (opens in a new tab)).

What you can leave at home

• Lots of toiletries. Hotels usually provide shampoo, soap, toothbrushes and slippers, and drugstores and convenience stores sell the rest.
• A big umbrella. Convenience stores sell cheap ones everywhere.
• Too many clothes. Coin laundries and hotel washers are common, so plan to wash once a week.
• Your hair straightener, if it is single-voltage; it will not work properly on 100 V.

Ready to go? Read our flights guide and arrival day guide next.