My Top Items to Pack for Tokyo
With your up and coming to trip to Tokyo you may feel a bit unsure on what to pack. I definitely felt that may and looking back in hindsight. I feel I had overpacked my suitcase with items that were just unnecessary and took up my much-needed luggage for all the souvenirs we bought. In this blog post will discuss the top items I’d recommend bringing with you and 3 items I’d recommend not to pack! To help you feel less overwhelmed packing.
1. A lot of Luggage Space
Chances are if you’re traveling to Japan you are going to be bringing home a lot of souvenirs, anime figures, skincare, plushies, snacks and much more. While we did bring an extra suitcase with us, we ended up having to buy another one just to fit everything. Looking back, I feel I had overpacked and brought an excess number of items from home that I didn’t even need. So, plan ahead. If you know you’re going to be buying a lot of items pack light and also bring another empty suitcase with you. Also, if you’re traveling in winter like we did take into account that you’ll be bringing heavy coats and jumpers.
2. Japanese Yen and Coin Holder
While the majority of stores and restaurants offer payment with a card, there will be times when you may need to use Japanese yen or cash, which is still used more frequently than you might think. We often used coins when using gachapon and vending machines as well. Something we found useful was a yen coin holder. This kept our coins organised and made transactions a lot easier.
3. Slip on shoes
Depending on where you are in Tokyo and if you will be relying on public transport, you may be doing more walking than you think. While Japan is a relatively small country, I was surprised by how far away certain parts of Tokyo were from one another. Tokyo felt like multiple cities within one city. Having a pair of comfortable walking shoes that are also easy to put on and off is essential. Also, if you are welcomed into someone’s home or other spaces, you may need to follow the custom of removing your shoes.
4. Hand Towel
Now you’re probably thinking, why would I need to bring a hand towel? However, you may need it if you are using the public restrooms. One thing I noticed in the restrooms was the lack of paper towels or hand dryers. This is because many Japanese people bring their own portable hand towels with them, and a significant number of hand dryers were removed during the COVID-19 pandemic. While this can be good as it’s lest wasteful then paper towels. If can be a bit annoying having nothing to dry your hands with. I wish I had brought a small hand towel with me in my bag to dry my hands on the go.
5. Soap and Hand Sanitizer
Continuing with the theme of public bathrooms. Another thing I found annoying on my travels was the lack of soap in the public bathrooms as well. Again, it’s expected most Japanese will bring their own soap and hand sanitizer, and it is also a result of cost-saving measures. Having a small bottle of soap or hand sanitiser in your handbag or backpack will be, no pun intended, handy.
6. Reusable Bag
Having a reusable bag was very useful in Tokyo. We did a lot of shopping, and we ended up getting so many plastic bags it ended up being very wasteful. Another reason a reusable bag is useful is that I noticed the lack of rubbish on the ground and bins in public spaces. If you have wrappers, bottles, cans or rubbish you want to throw away it’s very hard finding a bin anywhere. Having a small reusable bag to put your rubbish in and then take back to your hotel to dispose of is a lot easier.
7. Reusable cutlery and chopstick clips
If you have never visited Japan and are not completely comfortable eating with chopsticks, and you can’t find any cutlery in a restaurant, bringing a small reusable container with a knife, fork, and spoon can be helpful. You can purchase these online for a very low price. If you want to eat with chopsticks but need a bit of practice, having a reusable chopstick clip can still help maintain control when eating.
While packing for Tokyo can be daunting it doesn’t have to be! We found that we actually didn’t need to pack as much as we thought! If you check out my new blog post on 3 Items Not to Pack for Japan, you’ll find that many hotels provide you will all the essentials for a comfortable stay. Doing some research before any overseas trip is very important and will you save you time, stress and money.