So you got the job and you've booked your flight for Japan! Now all that's left is for you to pack your bags and say your goodbyes. Once you've finally come back down to earth you will begin to freak out about what you should pack and what you should leave at home.
Having spent hall of your life in your home country it can be very difficult to decide what you need to bring versus what you want to bring. As humans were naturally get attached to our personal items. It becomes increasingly more and more difficult for us to let go things that we are used to waking up to, looking at, and using every single.
While everyone's needs and opinions are very much indeed different, I wanted to create a guide to help you decide what you should really bring with you to Japan.
Because you will be moving to a new country you will have to consider the cultural differences such as the expectations for the way that you dress. You want to have everything that you need for immigration, work, or school so it is important that you pack any necessary documents as well as appropriate clothing for any events, outings, or dates that you may have within the first few months.
As a foreigner people understand that you're new to the country or that you're a tourist. They aren't expecting you to have 100 different outfits to mix and match everyday. It's okay to wear the same few things and live a minimalist lifestyle until you start working and can buy your own clothing and nicer furniture. I know this is hard to do if you're an over thinker and a shopaholic like me but you will regret overpacking once you arrive at the airport and get slammed with $500 worth of overweight baggage fees and then attempt to painfully and awkwardly maneuver them throughout the airports and onto trains all alone.
Please keep in mind that this guide is for those of you who plan to start a new life in Japan and NOT those of you who are just studying abroad for a semester or going on vacation for a month.
Having spent hall of your life in your home country it can be very difficult to decide what you need to bring versus what you want to bring. As humans were naturally get attached to our personal items. It becomes increasingly more and more difficult for us to let go things that we are used to waking up to, looking at, and using every single.
While everyone's needs and opinions are very much indeed different, I wanted to create a guide to help you decide what you should really bring with you to Japan.
Because you will be moving to a new country you will have to consider the cultural differences such as the expectations for the way that you dress. You want to have everything that you need for immigration, work, or school so it is important that you pack any necessary documents as well as appropriate clothing for any events, outings, or dates that you may have within the first few months.
As a foreigner people understand that you're new to the country or that you're a tourist. They aren't expecting you to have 100 different outfits to mix and match everyday. It's okay to wear the same few things and live a minimalist lifestyle until you start working and can buy your own clothing and nicer furniture. I know this is hard to do if you're an over thinker and a shopaholic like me but you will regret overpacking once you arrive at the airport and get slammed with $500 worth of overweight baggage fees and then attempt to painfully and awkwardly maneuver them throughout the airports and onto trains all alone.
Please keep in mind that this guide is for those of you who plan to start a new life in Japan and NOT those of you who are just studying abroad for a semester or going on vacation for a month.
Things to Keep in Mind Before You Pack Your Bags
- You're going to Japan. A country that is full of fun, food, entertainment, and nature. You will either be a student or working a full-time job so not much is really needed.
- If you are planning to live here permanently then you will make a lot of new purchases and will inevitably forget about the items you brought from your home country.
- Japan is a first world country. You will be able to buy most of the items that you love from and need from home here in Japan upon arrival.
- There are familiar brands available in Japan with just a slightly different smell, taste, or texture from food to toiletries.
- There are import stores in every major city.
- If you befriend with Japanese or Americans who are in the military they can give or sell you items that they purchased on the base for cheap.
- If you are living alone you will find that your day to living expenses aren't much at all in comparison to America (in regards to your rent and electric bill.
- Japanese men and women both dress very fashionably. You will almost never see someone who isn't homeless wearing clothing that looks cheap, in pajamas, loungewear or workout clothing in "inappropriate" settings.
- Japanese people don't use deodorant, but there are options for you here such as deodorizing wipes, roll-on and aerosol spray cans. Remover you can get someone to buy it for you on the military base as well.
- You can buy basic snacks, groceries, and toiletries from the dollar store or convenience store after you arrive.
- You won't spend much time at home as you will want to travel, go sightseeing, take pictures, work, attend classes at school, date, party, and so much more. You will be busy outside most of the time so there is no need to bring a lot of entertainment from home.
- Because you won't be at home much there is no need to bring big or expensive furnishings, games, movies, or books from home.
- You will inevitably change upon moving here. Your sense of style, your taste in food, and even your interests will change as you will be exposed to new things, different places and people.
What NOT to Bring to Japan
While these items might be useful they are all either a waste of luggage space, hazardous, "unfashionable", will expire/go bad by the time you arrive, are too heavy (will cause you to exceed the wight limit on your luggage), or illegal and thus can get you deported or in jail should you use it in public or someone decides to tell the police.- Glass
- Fragile Items
- Large bulky pieces of clothing and shoes
- Alcohol
- Drinks
- Flammables & Combustible Items
- Cookware
- Pillow (unless its small and compact)
- Desktop computer
- TV
- VHS or DVD Player
- Pocket knife
- Gun
- Sword
- Pepper spray
- Large bottles and containers of Toiletries (body wash, soap, handsanitizer etc.)
- Pornography of any kind (magazines, books, DVD's)
- Questionable Items (Anything that might make it seem as though you are trying to sell drugs or partake in illegal work or activities outside of your designated visa should be left at home since you never know who's bag will get searched).
- Meat, Fish, Dairy Products, and Plants
- Strong colognes and perfumes
GIFTS
There is no need to bring any gifts from home even if you are planning to meet your pen-pal, boyfriend, or homestay family. It is very unlikely that they have a gift for you and they aren't expecting you to bring them anything.
Your homestay family is already being compensated for hosting you, and they will more than likely spend as little money as possible to provide you with bedding and food so that they can maximize their profits (most people here are very frugal). Don't waste hundreds of dollars or use up your valuable luggage space on big bulky gifts for ungrateful and unsuspecting recipients. If you absolutely must bring something then keep in mind that most Japanese people only give small gifts of souvenir chocolates or crackers from the city or country that they came from.
- Chocolates or Crackers from a tourist destination (preferably that has your city's name on the packaging)
- Small compact items that are reusable (kitchen towel with your cities name on it and a nice design)
- Small custom goodie bag of assorted candies
NOTE:
While it is nice to decorate the packaging for them since you are the guest here it is unnecessary for you to have items professionally wrapped, in boxes or any expensive decorations. Your Japanese friends and "family" will literally just throw you what looks like a bag of Teddy Grahams without any special boxing or papers. Don't put so much effort into these gifts. They will be happy that you got them anything at all. You are not expected to or obligated to give anyone a gift even if they gave you one first. YOU are their guest this is THEIR country and you are new to it. They know that this extreme gifting culture is a "Japanese thing".No one will be offended or insulted by your inability to bring a big fancy gift. They will appreciate that you thought of them and attempted to share your culture with them.
Luggage
Most airlines allow you to bring a total of 4 bags. That is 2 checked bags, 1 carry-on, and 1 personal bag such as a purse. If you are a man for the sake of bringing additional items without having to pay the price or trashing them at the airport you should buy and wear a man bag to the airport. Most Japanese men carry one everyday as most people here walk and ride their bikes everywhere every single day. It is inconvenient to rely on the small amount of pocket space that you have. You will want tConsider investing in a name brand lightweight extra large suitcase that rolls on swivel wheels. What you don't want is luggage that is too small, cheap and flimsy that will break easily.
- 2 Suitcases
- 1 Carry On Bag
- 1 Large Shoulder Bag (Purse)
- 2 Foldable Weekend Bags (these are great to have since you will make additional purchases as well as go on short trips during your stay in Japan).
- 3 Reusable Shopping Bags (these exist in Japan but they aren't as big and colourful as American bags).
CLOTHING
Your goal is to pack only what you need. You want to save space for your personal items and bulky electronics. Japan sells clothing for people of all sizes but similarly to America the bigger you are the smaller the selection will be. You can have items custom made or shipped to you from overseas. There are plus-size stores available online as well as plus-size clothing sections in some stores. Remember that you will lose weight upon moving here as you will be more active, eating less and potentially consuming healthier foods overall.You sense of fashion will change as you will want to assimilate and "look Japanese" by wearing whatever the latest trends are here in Japan.
As a whole Japanese people are very "fashion-conscious" so to speak, Both men and women spend a ton of time and money getting ready every morning and preparing their skin and clothing for the next day.
If you can afford it you you should definitely bring any expensive designer clothing that you may own along with you to Japan. People will notice and compliment you on it.
This is a general guide for clothing. If you are very tall, obese, or coming to Japan for work then you should bring more clothing and shoes particularly professional suits and dresses as well as comfortable shoes with a wide width.Once again there are stores that cater to larger sizes, but you don't want to be running around trying to find a 3x dress shirt or size 10 wide women's shoes within the first month of being here.Don't go crazy with packing! Just a few of each item and you will have more than enough.
If this list seems to have more items than you were planning on packing then by all means don't take everything I listed here this is just a rough guide and reference for those who tend to freakout and overpack out of fear of missing or forgetting something that was needed. If you think you can manage with just one pair of gym shoes then just pack one instead of two. No hard feelings!
Advice for Women
Japanese women generally wear very modest loose fitting and long clothing. You will occasional see women dressed in less modest more skimpy outfits but these women are usually high school and college students, escorts, hosts or just "Japanese passing" (not even Japanese to begin with).
As a foreign woman you will unfortunately be held to a higher standard as you are already being fetishized and objectified. It is best to try your best to assimilate not just for the sake of respecting the country that you are living in but to avoid most (keyword being most) unwanted situations with perverts and creeps.
Advice for Men
Japanese men dress in a more relaxed way than women, but they typically style themselves in a much more fashionable way than American men. Business casual clothing is often worn by men during the weekends. Younger men tend to wear a polished hip-hop street look (reminds me of the Bratz Boyz dolls). A common outfit worn by men is the standard plain white t-shirt paired with a blazer and a pair of denim jeans sneakers.If you aren't used to putting a lot of effort into your skin, hair, nails, and clothing then you will be in for a surprise upon moving to Japan. Not looking well groomed, being unshaven and underdressed is not only a turn off to the ladies, but it makes you look sloppy, dirty and unprofessional.
Outerwear
- 1 Lightweight Down Jacket
- 1 Windbreaker/ Light weight Spring & Summer Jacket
- 1 Cozy Hoodie
- 1 Set of Cold Weather Accessories (Hat, Scarf, Gloves)
- 1 Travel Sized Umbrella
Shoes
- 2 Pairs of Comfortable Athletic Slip Resistant Running Shoes
- 1 Pair of Foldable Flats (women)
- 1 Pair of Chunky Heels (women)
- 1 Pair of Comfortable Dress shoes (men)
- 1 Pair of Slip Resistant and Water Proof Boots
Accessories
- 1 Wallet
- 1 Purse/Bag (men get over it and start wearing a man bag you'll need it trust me)
- 1 Watch
- 3 Pairs of Modest earrings (women
- 1 Modest necklace (women)
- 2 Ties (men)
Casual Clothing
- 2-3 Plain Colored t-shirts
- 2 Plain Long Sleeve T-shirts
- 3 Pairs of Jeans
- 2 Casual Dresses
- 2 Business Casual Tops (men)
- 2 Blazers
Underwear
- 7 Pairs (1 pack) of Panties/Underwear
- 5 Bras
- 4 Camisoles/tanktops
Loungewear
- 2 Pairs of Pajamas (thin top with short sleeves and thin pants/thick top with long sleeves and thick pants)
- 2 Pairs of Cozy Socks
- 1 Pair of House Shoes
Business Clothing
- 2 Blouses (women)
- 2 Dress shorts (men)
- 2 Cardigans
- 2 Skirts (women)
- 2 Pairs of Dress Pants
- 1 Dress (women)
- 1 Suit (men)
Other
- Compact comforter
- Small Fleece Blanket
- Travel Sized Pillow
- 1 towel Set
- 2 Garbage bags
- Scissors and Tape
- Ziplock bags
- 1 small compact first-aid kit
SEASONINGS & SNACKS
1 small bag of your favorite snacks from your home country is all that you should bring. You can purchase your items online and have them sent here to Japan or you can ask your friends and family to send you care packages in the future.
The reality is that you're going to have to get used to eating different foods and your tastebuds will change overtime inevitably anyway. Don't waste too much of your valuable space by filling up your suitcase with junk food that will be eaten gone and forgotten within days.
Obviously everyone has different tastes in food so below is just an example of my favorite items to bring back from home that are either impossible or very difficult or expensive to buy, and find here in Japan.
- Seasoned Salt
- Lemon Pepper
- Salt (Japanese sizes are much smaller and more expensive)
- Pepper (Japanese sizes are much smaller and more expensive)
- Louisiana Fish Fry Seasoning
- Spicy Flavored Snacks (Such as Cheetos Flamin Hots or Jay's Hot Chips)
- Peanut butter Snacks (Such as Reese's or cookies)
- Breakfast Cereal (Japanese cereal is very expensive and there aren't as many good flavors)
- Popcorn (It's very expensive here and butter flavor is apparently an American thing)
- Pizza Seasoning
- Steak Seasoning
- Curry Powder
- Funyuns
- Sun Chips
- Louisiana Hot Sauce
ELECTRONICS & ENTERTAINMENT
Bring a few of your favourite books and magazines to read when you're bored during your flight, at the airport, train station, terminal, at a hotel, or relaxing at home before school or work starts.Be sure to only pack items that are light! A few thick magazines or hard cover books can easily make your luggage exceed the weight limit at the airport. I would highly recommend that you upgrade to the latest phone available at the time, with the largest amount of built in memory, and an international phone plan that provides coverage in Japan. If you have an international plan you won't have to rely on getting pocket wifi or worry about the battery dying while you're out (it's a hassle having to keep to batteries charged). While the plan may be a little pricey it is worth every penny and it is cheaper than paying a regular monthly phone bill plus the additional bill for wifi. I personally didn't get a pocket wifi device until I had already lived in Japan for over a year and I survived off of just using my T-mobile One international plan.
- 2 10,000 mAH Spare Rechargeable Battery Packs
- A compact laptop that is thin and light weight
- Spare chargers for Your Devices
- Earbuds or Head Phones
- 1 Book
- 1 Magazine
- Digital Camera
- Tablet
- Cellphone
- Handheld Gaming Device with Games (Optional)
- Digital Music Subscription
NOTE:
Most international plans are only unlimited text and data this does NOT include calls. If you need to call your family at home you should consider downloading TextFree (uses wifi or data and is 100% free you just have to watch ads for minutes or you can buy them if you're in a rush), SKYPE, LINE, Facebook Messenger, or if the two of you have iPhones then you can use FaceTime to chat or even video call instead. Be sure to ask your mobile service provider about these costs and to ensure that you will have coverage.I personally made the mistake of using an older phone and buying a sim card and a plan for it not knowing that it wouldn't work once I actually arrived in Japan (it did work in America). I went 3 weeks without a cellphone or wifi and had a panic attack at the airport after getting lost, not being able to find my luggage, unable to translate what I wanted to say because I didn't have a phone to do that with, my dictionaries were in my suitcase. My arranged taxi had been waiting for over an hour possibly 2 hours by the time I had finally made it and it was extremely embarrassing as I was a hot and sweaty mess.
PERSONAL ITEMS
Being in a new country can be scary especially when you won't return home for a while if not ever. It is very important that you have comfort items with you beyond just snacks that will get eaten and used up. Whether it be a knick knack or a stuffed animal you need things that will make you feel more at home and not as though you are in prison. Your mental health is extremely important and you simply can't put a price tag on it. You may not have space to bring everything that you love so just a handful of items that can fit into your luggage or carry-on will have to due for now. You can always box up your favorite items and have someone send them to you at a later date.- Favorite Figurines & Plushies
- Journal & Notebook
- Bible and Religious Reading Materials (if you're religious)
- Pens & Paper
- Favorite Cards & Letters
- Coloringbook with Crayons & Coloring Pencils
- Planner (Most Japanese people carry an old fashioned planner instead of using their phone)
- Stressball
IMPORTANT DOCUMENTS
You never know what you might need, when you'll need it, or why so it best to be prepared. If you are planning on moving him permanently or longterm it would be in your best interest to bring all of your confidential personal items with you.
- State Identification or Drivers License
- Birth certificate
- Social Security Card
- Passport Copy
- Passport
- Degree's, Diplomas, and Certificates
- All of your credit and debit cards
- Bank account information
- Emergency Contacts (Full Names, Numbers and Addresses)
- Prescriptions for medications and eyewear
Shipping Options
It is an expensive and bad idea to have seasonal items shipped back and forth between your home country and Japan. You will have limited storage space here for clothing and unless you're rich it isn't worth the money to ship large boxes of clothing back and forth throughout the year. You will find new brands and items that you like here just as much as you love your wardrobe from back at home.
There are a few third party websites that offer shipping services for people around the world. I won't name any here since I am not being sponsored and I haven't had the best experience with the company that I almost used once, but a quick Google search will bring up companies that offer to store your items at their warehouse and send them directly to you in Japan allegedly at a slightly discounted rate.
Like most people you will only play a handful of games and wear a handful of your favorite clothing so don't waste time or money packing and shipping boxes back and forth. Anything you need can be found here in Japan or purchased online from either a Japanese or American retailer.
Stores to Shop & Eat at Upon Arrival
If you forget something or need something then these are the places that you'll want to look for. The good news is that these stores and restaurants are all located in every major city and there are often several locations with different products sizes, styles, and flavors so be sure to try out more than one location. Some of them are open as late as 10:00pm or until midnight.The restaurants listed below are all chain restaurants that are affordable (with the exception of the cafes) with price ranges from $1.00-$20 per an item or meal.
Clothing, Furniture, Toiletries, Homegoods & Groceries
- DAISO (High Quality Japanese Dollar Store Enough Said)
- UNIQLO (Plus -Size Clothing, Affordable Prices for All Sizes)
- 7-Eleven (ATM that accepts foreign cards, Cheapest Curry, Discounted Bentos & Onigiri)
- AEON (Affordable Groceries)
- Rakuten (Affordable Japanese Online Store Similar to Walmart & Amazon)
- Amazon Japan (Import Items & Furniture)
- Nitori (Japanese furniture and Decor)
- Don Quijote (Japanese Version of Walmart Meets Burlington without the coats)
- Forever 21 (Familiar Brands With Affordable & Fashionable Clothing)
- H&M (Familiar Brands With Affordable & Fashionable Clothing)
- BIC Camera (Electronics store similar to Best Buy)
- EDION (Electronics store similar to Best Buy)
Restaurants & Cafes
- Matsuya (Japanese fast-food beef and pork bowls)
- Yoshinoya (Japanese fast-food beef and pork bowls)
- Kitchen Origin (Japanese bento shop)
- Ippudo (Fast food ramen and karaage)
- Mc Donald's (American fast-food)
- Burger King (American fast-food)
- Taco Bell (American fast-food)
- Wendy's/First Kitchen (American fast-food)
- Denny's (American familyrestaurant that serves mostly Japanese food)
- CoCo ICHIBANYA (Japanese fast-food curry)
- Saizeria (Japanese family restaurant)
- Starbucks (American Cafe)
- Ueshima Coffee (Japanese Cafe)
- Ootoya (Japanese family restaurant)
Additional Services to Use in Japan
Here is a list of companies that I have personally used and would highly recommend to other foreigners that plan to move to Japan.
The Best Taxi Service in Japan
The Best Shipping Service in Japan
The Best Pocket Wifi
The Best Website to Book Your Flight With
The Best Company to Fly With
IMPORTANT
Don't forget your wallet, cash, credit card, passport, passport copy, drivers license or state ID!
You always want to be prepare in the unfortunate event of an emergency situation. Your passport is needed to board your flight and will be needed on a regular basis throughout your stay in Japan.
You won't always be able to use your card or your cash so it is good to have both as you will never know what forms of payment or currency is acceptable during your journey to Japan.
There are usually police boxes (mini police station offices that are upon to the public) that are located near schools, parks, and train stations that are located at busy intersections. They can help you find you destination or protect you from danger should you come across a creep or a threatening individual.
Most convenience stores are open 24/7 even on holidays so if you are ever lost or need help you can ask for it from one of the employees or connect to the free wifi there to search for help or make a phone call.
Most of these conveniences store have a small seating area with outlets for charging devices as well as clean public restrooms. There is no need to make a purchase but it is best to do so if you are a frequent patron or plan to stay for a long time it is nice to make a small purchase to avoid abusing their kinds (human decency/basic manners).
Please have a safe flight, and I hope you enjoy your new life in Japan!
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