Japan Packing List
By the NanoPack team · Updated on · Checked against official sources
What to pack for Japan: pack light and a little neat, because you walk a lot, take your shoes off often, and cover long distances by train. Set up a mobile Suica or Pasmo IC card in your phone's wallet for trains and convenience stores, and still carry cash, since many small restaurants, shrines and shops remain cash-only. Bring slip-on shoes you can remove easily, a Type A plug adapter (Japan runs on 100 volts), a small hand towel for restrooms, and a bag for your trash, because public bins are rare. Leave anything you would tip with at home, tipping is not a custom in Japan. Then pack for the season you are landing in.
Japan essentials at a glance
- A mobile Suica or Pasmo IC card
- Cash in yen, plus a coin purse
- Slip-on shoes you can remove easily
- A Type A plug adapter (100 volts)
- A small hand towel for restrooms
- A bag for your trash
- Neat, modest outfits for temples
- Layers for the season you land in
Japan runs smoothly if you pack for how the country actually works: a lot of walking, shoes off at homes, temples and some restaurants, trains for everything, and a surprising amount of cash behind the tap-to-pay veneer. Travel light and slightly neat, keep an IC card and some yen within reach, and add the small comforts, a hand towel, a trash bag, shoes that slip off, that make a long day of exploring easier.
Money and connectivity
- Passport · carry it, it is required by law
- A mobile Suica or Pasmo IC card · add it to your phone wallet: instant top-up, no deposit, no line
- Cash in yen · around 15,000 to start, from a conbini or airport ATM
- A coin purse · you accumulate a lot of coins
- A credit card
- Pocket wifi or a travel eSIM
Shoes and clothing
- Slip-on shoes you can remove easily · you take them off constantly
- Comfortable walking shoes
- Socks without holes · they show every time your shoes come off
- Neat, modest outfits for temples and restaurants
- Layers for the season
- A compact umbrella or rain jacket
Daypack essentials
- A small hand towel · many restrooms have no dryer or paper
- A bag for your trash · public bins are rare
- Hand sanitizer
- A reusable water bottle
- A pocket fan for humid summers
Tech
- A Type A plug adapter · Japan runs on 100 volts
- A power bank
- Phone and charger
- Headphones
- A translation app downloaded for offline use
Health and toiletries
- Any medication · check it is allowed; Japan restricts some common ingredients
- Travel-size toiletries
- Bandages and basic first-aid
- Motion-sickness remedy for winding mountain buses
By season
- Summer: light, breathable clothes, a fan and sweat wipes
- Winter: warm base layers, a coat, hat and gloves
- Spring and autumn: a mid-layer and a rain shell for changeable days
What not to pack
- Anything to tip with · tipping is not a custom in Japan and can confuse or offend
- Shoes that are hard to remove · laced boots are a chore when you take them off all day
- Socks with holes · they are on show every time you slip your shoes off
- Medicines with pseudoephedrine or codeine · some Sudafed, Vicks inhalers and strong painkillers are restricted or banned in Japan; check before you pack them
- An oversized suitcase · rooms, trains and lockers are small; pack light
Packing tips and mistakes to avoid
Set up a mobile IC card before you go
Add a Suica or Pasmo to Apple or Google Wallet before you fly and top it up with your card. It beats a physical card on every count, no deposit, instant reloads, and no ticket-machine line, and you simply tap through train and bus gates and pay at convenience stores without fumbling for coins.
Cash is still king in the small places
Japan looks cashless, but roughly a third of small restaurants, shrines, markets and family shops take only cash. Withdraw yen at a convenience-store or airport ATM, and keep a coin purse, because you will collect a lot of coins.
Do not tip
There is no tipping custom in Japan. Good service is simply expected, and leaving money can baffle staff or even have them chase you down the street to return it. Save it for your IC card instead.
Carry a hand towel and a trash bag
Many restrooms have no way to dry your hands, and public bins are genuinely rare, a legacy of past safety rules. A small hand towel and a bag for your trash solve both, all day, every day.
The things people forget
- A mobile IC card set up before you land
- A small hand towel for restrooms
- A bag to carry your trash
- Slip-on shoes you can take off easily
What people wish they had packed
- A coin purse for all the change
- A pocket fan in the humid summer
- An offline translation app
- Comfortable shoes you can slip off
Frequently asked questions
What should you pack for Japan?
A mobile Suica or Pasmo IC card and some cash, slip-on shoes and socks without holes, a Type A plug adapter for Japan's 100-volt sockets, a small hand towel, a bag for trash, neat outfits for temples, and layers for the season. Leave anything you would tip with at home.
Do you need cash in Japan?
Yes. Japan has gone much more digital, but around a third of small restaurants, shrines, markets and shops are still cash-only. Carry yen alongside your IC card and cards, and keep a coin purse for the change you accumulate.
What power adapter do you need for Japan?
Japan uses Type A plugs (the flat two-pin type, the same as North America) and runs on 100 volts. Most modern phone, laptop and camera chargers are rated 100 to 240 volts and work fine with just a plug adapter.
Do you tip in Japan?
No. Tipping is not part of Japanese culture and is not expected anywhere, from taxis to restaurants to hotels. Trying to tip can cause confusion, so a simple, genuine thank you is the right gesture.