What to pack for a trip to Tokyo?
What consistently surprises visitors to Tokyo is not the crowds or the language barrier — it is the relentless combination of heat, distance, and cash.
In short, what catches you out here
- Many small restaurants, ramen shops, izakayas, and temple entrance fees are cash-only, catching visitors off guard after a long day when they have no yen left.
- Summer heat in Tokyo is brutal and humid — 32°C with high humidity makes walking between outdoor sites (Asakusa, Meiji Shrine, Shinjuku Gyoen) genuinely exhausting, with little shade on many streets.
- The Tokyo metro network has 13 lines operated by two separate companies (Tokyo Metro and Toei); IC Card gates, exits, and platform numbering confuse first-time visitors and cause missed trains during rush hour.
Why this list?
A single day can cover 20 kilometres on foot across Asakusa, Shibuya, and Harajuku, in 32°C humidity, with a phone dying at 16:00 and no yen left for the ramen shop that only takes cash. The city is extraordinarily well-organised, but it rewards preparation in very specific ways: the right shoes for repeated removal, a coin purse because vending machines and temples deal in physical money, electrolytes because sweating is constant, and addresses saved in Japanese because taxi drivers cannot read romanised text. This list is built around those concrete frictions — the ones you only discover on your first full day — so that your second day is already better than most people's entire trip.
When to go
March to May ·October ·November
Spring (cherry blossoms in March–April) and autumn (foliage in October–November) are the best seasons; summer is hot, humid and affected by the rainy season.
Less favourable : June to August
✔To do before you leave
Your countdown: every action at the right time, from furthest ahead to departure day.
- Signal inside deep metro stations is unreliable; an offline map or the Tokyo Metro app downloaded before entering prevents getting stranded mid-journey without data.
- Taxi drivers and locals often cannot read romanised Japanese addresses; having your hotel address in kanji on your phone allows you to show it directly without any language exchange.
- Most sit-down places close in the afternoon; having a short list of konbini locations and the rare all-day restaurants near your itinerary prevents a hungry 45-minute detour on a hot afternoon.
- Without a loaded IC Card, every metro journey requires buying a ticket from a Japanese-only machine under time pressure — the card covers all lines, buses, and konbini payments.
- Many small restaurants, izakayas, and temple admissions are cash-only; konbini ATMs (7-Eleven, Lawson) accept foreign cards but have per-transaction limits — withdraw enough to cover 2–3 days.
- Station lockers fill by mid-morning on weekends; planning luggage drop before starting the day prevents walking kilometres with full bags in the heat between check-out and evening flights.
- Sweating heavily every day in summer heat means clothes need washing every 3–4 days; coin laundromats require 100-yen coins and a small detergent pod — neither is obvious to find on the fly.
✔The essentials
Without these, the trip is compromised. Don't forget them.
- Restaurant menus outside tourist areas show no English and staff often cannot answer allergy questions verbally; a printed card in Japanese is the only reliable communication tool at the table.
- Google Maps and transit apps run continuously all day across a large city; heat accelerates battery drain and there are no public charging points on the street — a depleted phone means being stranded.
- Navigation across Tokyo's 13-line metro and outer districts is impossible without reliable data; free Wi-Fi is patchy outside konbini and major hubs.
- Japan uses flat two-pin Type A sockets at 100V; UK travellers need an adapter for every device, and 100V can underperform some fast-chargers designed for 220–240V.
- Required for hotel check-in throughout Japan; some izakayas selling alcohol also request ID from foreign-looking visitors. Keep a phone photo as backup.
✔Nice-to-haves
Not vital, but noticeably more comfortable with them.
- Repeated shoe removal at traditional restaurants, some temple areas, and izakayas with tatami seating makes lace-up footwear frustrating; slip-ons that look clean inside are the local standard.
- Tokyo cash culture generates a large volume of coins quickly — vending machines, temple boxes, and small shops all deal in coins; without a dedicated purse they scatter and slow every transaction.
- Shibuya, Shinjuku station concourses, and Akihabara blast competing audio from screens, pachinko parlours, and street speakers simultaneously — hours of this causes real sensory fatigue.
- A full day in Tokyo easily reaches 20–25 km of walking across hard pavements and temple stone paths; blisters appear fast in heat-swollen feet and can end the following day early.
- Souvenir shopping in Harajuku, Akihabara, or Asakusa accumulates quickly; most Japanese shops give small individual bags and a foldable tote avoids carrying a growing pile of mismatched carriers.
- Some older public toilets in outer neighbourhoods have no paper or soap; carrying a tissue pack is a local habit precisely because of this — you will need it at least once.
- Pharmacies exist but product labels are entirely in Japanese; having basics (plasters, antiseptic, antidiarrheal) avoids a stressful and time-consuming konbini interpretation exercise mid-trip.
✔Weather & season
Adjust to the time of year and forecast for your trip.
- Sweating continuously in 32°C humid heat depletes salts faster than water alone replaces; electrolyte powder stirred into a vending machine water bottle prevents afternoon fatigue and headaches.
- Walking between outdoor sites in high humidity leaves clothing soaked; a reusable cooling towel wrung out at a vending machine provides instant relief that a regular cloth cannot.
- The gap between air-conditioned interiors and the 32°C humid street is brutal; a small rechargeable fan provides relief during queue waits and temple garden walks where no shade exists.
- Long queues at Senso-ji, Meiji Shrine, and teamLab venues are fully exposed; UV index regularly exceeds 8 in Tokyo summer and there is no shade while waiting.
✔ My own items
Create an account to save your lists and find them on all your devices.
- Every checklist you generate, kept and available anytime
- On your phone as well as your computer
- Your ticks picked up right where you left them
✔ Good to know
- Check whether JESTA (Japan Electronic System for Travel Authorization) applies to your nationality before booking — visa-exempt travellers are expected to need pre-trip online clearance once the system rolls out (planned by early 2029, with phased steps starting 2025–2026). source
- Make sure your passport is valid for the entire duration of your stay, and bring proof of onward or return travel — immigration officers may ask for it at the border. source
- Pick up a Suica or PASMO IC card at the airport or any major station: it covers trains, subways, buses and even convenience-store purchases, and will save you time compared to buying paper tickets. source
- Keep some yen in cash on you — smaller temples, local izakayas and neighbourhood shops often prefer or require it, so having a mix of cash and card gives you the most flexibility. source
- Pack a Type A plug adapter if you're not coming from North America: Japan uses two flat parallel pins at 100 V / 50 Hz (Tokyo), which is lower than most countries' standard voltage, so double-check that your devices support 100 V before plugging in. source
- Consider taking out travel health insurance before you leave — Japan's government is actively discussing requiring visitors to hold private health insurance, and medical costs for uninsured tourists can be very high. source
- Bulky suitcase / oversized luggage — Tokyo's train rush hours are intensely crowded and station staircases are narrow — a compact bag or using a luggage-forwarding service (takuhaibin) will make getting around much smoother.
- High-wattage dual-voltage appliances (hair dryers, straighteners) — Japan's 100 V supply is lower than most countries' standard, and high-draw devices may not work properly or could be damaged — hotels often provide compliant appliances in-room.
✔ Frequently asked questions
Is tap water safe to drink in Tokyo?
Tokyo's tap water is treated and regularly tested under strict standards by the city's waterworks authority, so drinking straight from the tap is considered safe. Public drinking fountains are relatively uncommon outdoors, but you can refill a reusable bottle at your hotel or in public restrooms; convenience stores also sell affordable bottled water as a backup. Bringing a reusable bottle is a practical way to stay hydrated without constant purchases, especially in summer.
How do I get around Tokyo by public transport?
Tokyo's public transport network is one of the densest in the world, combining the Tokyo Metro, Toei subway lines, JR rail (including the loop Yamanote Line) and numerous private railways. A Suica or Pasmo IC card, loaded at any ticket machine or via app, works across all these networks and removes the need to buy individual tickets each time. Tourists who plan to use only the metro may find a fixed-price Tokyo Subway Ticket (available for 24, 48 or 72 hours) convenient — note it does not cover JR lines. Taxis are honest and easy to hail but pricey; walking between nearby stations is often quicker than waiting for a bus.
What should I pack for Tokyo depending on the season?
Summer in Tokyo (roughly June to September) brings intense heat and very high humidity, so light, breathable fabrics and a portable hand fan go a long way — a compact reusable water bottle and high-SPF sunscreen are also worth packing. Because shops, the metro and restaurants tend to be heavily air-conditioned, a thin extra layer prevents uncomfortable temperature shocks when moving between indoors and outdoors. Winter (December to February) is cold but generally mild, and a mid-season coat with a warm inner layer and comfortable walking shoes should cover most days. Note that specific temperature figures were not independently verified for this entry, so check a current forecast closer to your trip.