What to Pack for a Trip to Japan
This article is for those who are planning to travel to Japan.
I hope this information will help you, and your travel gets much easier and smoother when you are in Japan.
First of all, I do not think there so many stuffs you should buy or prepare before your trip to Japan.
Why?
You can buy those anywhere in Japan as there are a lot of convenience stores everywhere, and you can also buy and get daily necessities at electricity stores such as Bic Camera, Yodobashi Camera, or other similar stores.
We also have 100 yen stores in many cities, especially, where train stations are located at.
So, even though you do not need to prepare beforehand, I will give you some tips on what to bring for your trip to Japan.
<What to bring>
・SIM free smartphone with SIM card(usable in Japan)
Compared to other countries, Japan is still behind the other countries when it comes to Wifi network. There days, gradually the number of train stations and cafes that offer free Wifi services for travelers has increased, but it is not enough yet.
Once you are away from the station or cafe, your smartphone is useless.
I STRONGLY recommend you get the SIM card that could be used in Japan, and you can use very fast 4G internet access through your SIM free smartphone.
・Guidebook
The transportation system in Japan is complicated, especially in Tokyo, so you definitely should have this. For sure, many Japanese even get lost easily.
If you are at the JR station, JR does not have the maps for metro, or other privately operated trains. In this case, you might get lost easily. So, you better have a guidebook that has all information about transportations.
・Power plug adapter
In Japan, we use type A for power outlet, so you need a power plug adapter.
You should buy it before your arrival as you do not waste your time here.
・Medicine
There are many drug stores in each city/station, however, many medicines’ packages are written in Japanese, and it might be hard for you to find the right one. Also do not assume store staffs can understand English or other languages well. So, please bring medicines that might be needed when you get sick from your home country.
Comments
Very true about medicine. I once spent half a day looking for something for a headache. It took a while to figure out that pain killers are not available in convenience stores.
I found a pharmacy, but the pharmacist didn’t understand what I was asking for, and lacking Google translate, I could not communicate it. However, I did see an area on his shelves with the unmistakable Bayer logo, and what looked like aspirin. I just asked him to sell me the bottle that looked like it was probably aspirin, as the headache was pretty awful. Turnso out that I guessed correctly, but now I always bring some things with me, just in case I need them.
Thank you for leaving the comment! I hope some of the information here will help you☆