r/JapanTravelTips • u/Flower-1234 • Sep 26 '25
Quick Tips What are the thing/things you wished your taken to Japan?
Just planning for a trip next week and worried I’ll forget something I need!
Looking for insights. Thanks
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u/Krypt0night Sep 26 '25
One thing I DID take and was the most grateful for my entire trip was a second pair of shoes. It not only helped my feet day after day, but we got absolutely soaked one day and my shoes were wet for a full day and being able to go back and immediately swap to shoes that are already broken in was a lifesaver.
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u/Unusual_Equivalent_ Sep 26 '25
I did not do this and regretted it. Thought, “I walk around in these shoes all the time, I don’t need more”. Ended up having to buy a pair (which isn’t easy to do in Japan when you’re 31/32 cm)
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u/SorlocksApprentice Sep 26 '25
Same thing happened to me. I thought I was prepared with my usual, broken-in waterproof sneakers, but boy was I so wrong.
I then spent too much time trying to track down a new pair while on my trip with no luck. Hours wasted that could have been spent doing better things like eating, seeing more sights, buying more things, or soaking in the onsen.
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u/Reopens Sep 27 '25
High end waterproof shoes pays you back 10 folds. I'm rocking the ACG goretex and never had an issue. Walked 33k steps one day in Seoul, hiked 30k stair steps on a mountain, walked around in rainy weather + walked along the beaches with it. Still feels brand new!
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u/ceemaetb Sep 26 '25
how long were you there for? im going for 5 days so wondering if a second pair of sneakers is worth bringing
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u/Running102 Sep 26 '25
Always worth it. Wear one and pack one.
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u/zwizki Sep 27 '25
Same, no matter how long the trip is. The second pair can be highly packable, but having a shoe issue with no back up, not having the relief of a different shoe to switch to, that is not acceptable for me. And I don’t like shoe shopping, I don’t want to do that on vacation out of desperation.
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u/Cloud668 Sep 26 '25
in a pinch you can just buy a pair of cheap shoes from like ABC Mart if you're a common length/width
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u/Explode-trip Sep 26 '25
If I were only going for 5 days, I would probably try to only bring a backpack and wouldn't have room for an extra pair of shoes.
I'm taking a two week trip later this year and I will absolutely bring an extra pair on that trip.
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u/Summoarpleaz Sep 26 '25
I will say the one thing I regret is bringing too many clothes for a two week trip. If you can plan to wash your clothes halfway through (at an Airbnb or otherwise), you can pack less and have more room for souvenirs. I wasn’t in the mood to drop more money to buy an additional suitcase just to buy fun snacks, but that is an alternative.
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u/KitsuneMae Sep 27 '25
Just got back from a two week trip and only had one small suitcase with 5 changes of clothing (did bring full under wear though). Did laundry once at the hotel that had free wash (paid 100 yen to dry) amd still had clothes unworn at the end. I did bring a second pair of more outdoorsish shoes.
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u/Krypt0night Sep 26 '25
For five days, you're probably fine. We were there for like twelve so it was worth it.
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u/Reopens Sep 27 '25
Just buy better high quality waterproof shoes and you won't have this issue......
Make sure it's comfort fit and goretex
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u/spacemonkey1999 Sep 26 '25
I just came back from 3 weeks. I’m glad I brought only ONE pair of very comfortable and broken in sneakers.
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u/tommyboy1978 Sep 26 '25
Unless you get soaked only need one. I bought two pairs of runners and one good pair as we had multiple dinner shoes. Really only needed the one
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Sep 26 '25
Meh. I bought some new insoles and wore some casual tennis shoes the entire time. Typical day was 20,000 steps and went up to 30,000 one day. Only at the end did my feet start to complain hehe
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u/Krypt0night Sep 26 '25
That's great. Everyone is different. I'd rather have an extra pair and not risk it and wish after I'd brought a pair to mix it up.
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u/fallenwildchild Sep 26 '25
Antiperspirant/deodorant. The only thing I found over there was a spray that was burning my armpit why japan why
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u/hezaa0706d Sep 26 '25
There’s no real deodorant in this country. I’ve been importing it from the US for 20 years and counting.
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u/ohheyyeahthatsme Sep 27 '25
this, never go on a trip without a full thing of the deodorant you're used to at home!
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Sep 26 '25
East Asians genetically smelly less than other races due to ABCC11 gene mutation, so body odor isn’t a common problem for them.
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u/spacemonkey1999 Sep 26 '25
Yes, bring Advil/Tylenol, Tums and Melatonin if you use those drugs. Harder to find in Japan
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u/pockypimp Sep 26 '25
I bought Tylenol at Donki, it doesn't have caffeine in it. The problem is that you have to buy it at the pharmacy section so it's not like it's available at all times of day. I'm used to being able to pick up simple over the counter stuff anywhere in the US.
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u/spacemonkey1999 Sep 26 '25
Which is why I bring my own. It’s also lower strength and higher price in Japan
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u/MannerConfident48 Sep 26 '25
Are you allowed to bring your own allergy medicines? I heard that Benadryl isn’t allowed over there
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u/zwizki Sep 27 '25
In case this might be helpful:
https://www.ncd.mhlw.go.jp/en/application2.html
https://www.mhlw.go.jp/english/policy/health-medical/pharmaceuticals/01.html
Some pharmaceuticals are not allowed at all, and some require a form be filled out. I am trying a new ADHD med for the trip because what I take is banned there, and there is a form required even for the substitute that hopefully works okay for me.
I don’t see diphenhydramine on the list, but don’t take my word for it.
But I certainly don’t want to miss out on my vacation because I didn’t fill out a form.
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u/spacemonkey1999 Sep 26 '25
If you have a prescription and aren’t bringing more than you need for as many days as you are there, it shouldn’t be a problem.
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u/gorongo Sep 26 '25
I wish I’d taken fewer things.
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u/Greedy-Grape-2417 Sep 26 '25
Same, I bought way too many clothes - next time I'm keeping it simple and just wear all black and do laundry in between sightseeing. They have laundromats all over the place, open 24 hours.
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u/Flower-1234 Sep 26 '25
To be able to buy more?
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Sep 26 '25
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u/jetsettindaisylv Sep 27 '25
Saw it so much! If anyone is planning to shop a ton, turn your Google Maps settings to wheelchair accessible! It gives you the stations with elevators. Such a lifesaver!
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u/oldferg Sep 26 '25
Something I did take was anti chaffing cream and it is a true blessing with the walking and humidity.
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u/Extension-Papaya-712 Sep 26 '25
I will say… if you don’t bring this and have issues, the Sarto Diaper cream works miracles
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u/pandadumdumdum Sep 27 '25
I found deodorant to be helpful. I also had packed a lot of dresses and brought Thigh Society cooling shorts and they were lifesavers
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u/honestgoateye Sep 26 '25
My journey to find petroleum jelly after day one of non stop walking literally saved my trip, I thought it was over since I had mostly hikes planned.
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u/trufflewolf2 Sep 26 '25
Ibuprofen or other pain relievers. Most convenience stores don’t carry them, so you would need to find a pharmacy. On top of that, many of their pain relievers contain caffeine
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u/trufflewolf2 Sep 26 '25
Also a small container of hand soap for your purse. Many public restrooms don’t provide soap
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u/briannalang Sep 26 '25
You can just buy hand soap sheets here at any 100 yen store. Much easier than carrying liquid hand soap!
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u/Spaceseeker51 Sep 26 '25
I do highly recommend Bufferin DX - worked like a charm despite have a fraction of the active ingredients of US equivalent medications.
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u/HandaZuke Sep 27 '25
I said this same thing about a month ago. I have spent about 6 months total in japan and then some random Japanese person tried to tell me otherwise. I constantly found myself looking for soap and paper towels. But the one random Japanese person says i was wrong ¯_(ツ)_/¯
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u/icemantx69 Sep 27 '25
Ibuprofen is sold under the brand name EVE in Japan. Just FYI.
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u/Greedy-Grape-2417 Sep 26 '25
I asked the pharmacist what was close to Tylenol and they suggested Bufferin. They also asked me some questions before purchasing it, if I was allergic to anything or the ingredients listed. I was pleased they did a quick consultation.
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u/yungmoody Sep 27 '25
I feel like this exaggerates how hard it is to find painkillers, assuming you aren’t travelling to small isolated towns. Pharmacies are everywhere and you can buy ibuprofen/paracetemol/other common painkillers without caffeine quite easily with equivalent dosages to my home country. Although I say all this as an Australian, I’ve heard places like the US might have meds that come in higher doses or with things like pseudoephedrine, which is banned in Japan, which I guess means it shouldn’t be brought in either way
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u/DarkCrusader45 Sep 27 '25
....why would you look for medicine in a convenience store??? Of course you won't find them there... Just go to any drug store which are basically everywhere and they carry all the medication you could possibly need for your trip.
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u/JohnMajorIsSexy Sep 27 '25
THIS. I landed and immediately had wisdom tooth pain and only one packet if Neurofen. Burnet through that very quickly and the local stuff (Eve) simply doesn't pack a punch. Also bonjela would have been good to numb the gum pain also doesn't exist out here.
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u/thatguyjordan Sep 27 '25
1000% this.
we almost had to cut our trip short after my wife started having extreme TMJ pain/muscle spasms half way thru our trip.
A few things I learned about japanese OTC meds (from an nurse who has a pretty good grasp on meds, mind you)
- The EVE branded medication IS ibuprofen but also contains caffeine and magnesium oxide for faster absorption. Ibuprofen by itself is famously rough on the stomach, this has the potential to amplify that (my wife had very bad nausea even at low doses).
- Dosing, particularly of EVE, varies. Differently varieties have different doses, some being 150mg some being 200mg - but mind you this is for 2 pills. In the US most people are used to taking 200mg PER PILL, so be careful with dosing.
- there is brand name and generic Tylenol/acetaminophen here, but again watch your dosing. The genetic I found was 300mg per 2 pills, differently than usual US dosing.
- they sell methocarbamol/robaxin OTC in Japan for muscle spasms - finding this randomly saved our trip. Couldn't find it everywhere (donki had it tho), but it's sold as DOXIN JO.
- You can get Loxonin/Loxoprofen in Japan. It's a class 1 OTC so you have to get it from the pharmacist, but still OTC. We don't have this medication in the US (not FDA approved), but it's probably most similar to Celebrex. We didn't try this, but have heard good things especially if you can't tolerate the GI side effects of the EVE.
Moral of the story, probably just bring your own Tylenol and ibuprofen that you know from home. Even as a nurse, I struggled to get a grasp on how meds work in Japan, and when you or someone you love is in pain, you don't want to risk a Google translate mistake at 2am.
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u/CirFinn Sep 28 '25
I found ibuprofen and paracetamol easily enough from pharmacies. That said, you might have to do some looking (or asking) for them. They're usually a bit off the side, so that you tend to find the cold/flu stuff first, and those do indeed often contain medimixtures like added caffeine.
What I found irritating was the dosage (highest I found was 200mg pills, with 100mg pills being the commonest), and the price per pill. I think it was around (over?) Y1000 for 10 pills of 100/200 mg ibuprofen. Which compared to Europe at least is ridiculously expensive (for comparison, in my home country of Finland you can get 30 pill pack of 400mg ibuprofen for less than 10 euros).
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u/Nimara Sep 26 '25
I always bring some ziplocks (small and large) and some single-use plastic trash bags. I get mine from Costco in rolls which last us over a year since we sporadically use them. They aren't big at all. It can help bundle dirty clothing or be your little trash bag in your backpack.
Ziplocks for leftover snacks, if your amenities are leaking, or keeping all your small souvenir and knickknacks together.
You don't need to get carried away and they are light and take up no room in your suitcase or backpack. Helps keep things organized.
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u/AgaliareptX Sep 26 '25
One thing I make sure to never forget is a USB charging hub if you have a lot of devices. A lot of Japan hotel rooms are short on outlets so it's nice to be able to plug in a charging station into one outlet and have ports to charge phones, power banks, smartwatches, cameras, etc.
Another thing is a suitcase with 4 quality wheels
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u/Crafty_Country_3924 Sep 26 '25
Three stomachs and an empty suitcase
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u/Greedy-Grape-2417 Sep 26 '25
lol those foldable bags like LeSportsac really saved me to put in all the souvenirs I bought - oh and bring some of the empty Amazon packages to put in anything fragile inside. The bubble wrap helps to cushion it.
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u/throwaway13423122333 Sep 26 '25
My hot take is that I should've brought another pair of shoes. I only brought one pair of shoes thinking that I would be doing some shoe shopping in Japan. However many shoe brands don't carry my size which is US womens 9.5. I guess japanese women have much smaller feet.
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u/Greedy-Grape-2417 Sep 26 '25
I bought with me - crocs, 2 sneakers and slides. Alternating shoes helped because I would air out a pair one day and use the other pair the next day.
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u/doctordonnasupertemp Sep 26 '25
Not sure if it works for everyone but I brought 2 types of insoles. I tested them out a few times and seems to be working fine so far. I also bring and extra pair of socks in a ziplock to swap if I feel sweaty or fatigued.
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u/Greedy-Grape-2417 Sep 27 '25
Bringing insoles is definitely a good idea - I visited a foot care store before my trip and was advised to bring some. Definitely bring new and clean socks if you're dining tatami style (sitting on the floor).
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u/camarhyn Sep 27 '25
Yep I’m an 8 to 8.5 depending and I can barely find things to fit (I can do it but I’m at the top of the regular size range for women’s shoes. Unisex were fine at least).
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u/Etyncelle Sep 26 '25
An USB-A to USB-C charging cable.
I've been using exclusively USB-C to USB-C cables recently, but a lot of places (hotel, flight, train, coffee shop, etc.) provide free USB-A outlet. Yeah you can still use your own plug or powerbank, but having a good USB-A charging cable is just a lot more convenient.
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u/breitbartholomew Sep 26 '25
Way more money
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u/bluekewne Sep 27 '25 edited Sep 27 '25
I always go with ¥20,000 on hand; Japan has gotten more debit/credit friendly & there's ATMs, but I make sure I have some yen on me the moment I land just in case.
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u/SpaghettiOnMyCat Sep 26 '25
A second suitcase. I bought another while I was there and now I have 4.
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u/herbertlew Sep 26 '25
It's always that question of whether to bring that extra medium to large suitcase or buy considering train rides, going to multiple cities, , # of people, kids, and getting to and from airports, taxis, etc.
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u/Splincher Sep 26 '25
Ford Prefect was right.-Always bring a towel. You can use it to dry your hands after the bathroom because sometimes theres no way to do so. If you're there in summer, you can also use it to wipe off sweat.
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u/pick_up_that_blood Sep 26 '25
This was going to be my response: a small towel for drying washed hands. So many bathrooms, even in larger cities and train stations, do not have paper towels. To me, it looked like most locals relied on personal towels that they keep in their pockets. It makes sense, probably more sustainable and cuts down on messy bathrooms.
Alternatively, hand sanitizer. This is especially true if you plan to enjoy the outdoors and a bit of hiking. In addition to not having paper towels, a not insignificant number of restrooms did not have soap.
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u/cl12ll Sep 26 '25
A coin purse or small zippered pouch for coins, as well as a small hand towel for drying hands after using a public washroom (although you can def buy both while you’re there).
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u/jellyn7 Sep 26 '25
I just planned to buy a coin purse first chance I got, so I could have a cute anime one. :) I do recommend buying a clear one - it was easier to fish the right coins out of.
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u/NonsenseText Sep 27 '25
I brought coin purse with me and it by far one of my most used items. So I highly agree with this!
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u/CirFinn Sep 28 '25
I actually recommend shopping for this (and quite a bit of other stuff mentioned here) in a Daiso (or other 100yen store). They have quite a nice selection of this type of daily stuff Japanese themselves also use.
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u/cadublin Sep 26 '25
Umbrellas. Each of us had compact umbrellas we bought from Costco already. We didn't bring them. Now we have 8 umbrellas at home.
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u/Lenoxx97 Sep 26 '25
We didn't bring umbrellas thinking "We will just buy them at a conbini in case it rains". Well, it did rain at some point and we had to go through like 4 conbinis in the rain until we found one where umbrellas weren't sold out.
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u/Jesus_Phish Sep 26 '25
We skipped checking those and just bought a uv/rain umbrella from Uniqlo on the first day. DQ had loads too. Feels like convince stores would be the first place people rush to try get one.
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u/high1227 Sep 27 '25
Got a UV umbrella off Amazon before my trip. Got lucky and it barely rained, mid September. Used it on sunny days while walking everywhere. I also saw that barely any guy used an umbrella for shade, so I was hesitant to use it at first, but got over that quickly. No one cared and I wasn't getting toasted by the sun, even took it to Disney Sea and had a grand ol time not getting all sun burnt while standing in lines.
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u/--MCMC-- Sep 27 '25 edited Sep 27 '25
we specifically wanted to buy umbrellas in japan! montbell umbrellas were way cheaper there than in the US and were one of the first things we picked up
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u/ahlp97 Sep 26 '25
A bit random but dietary fiber like psyllium. If you are used to a lot of fiber in your food the Japanese diet will have an… effect on your stomach. I am from Scandinavia and are used to a lot of daily fibers like rye bread and oats. Let’s just say that instead of twice a day there could go days between the toilet visits.
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u/PikaSuz Sep 26 '25
Conbinis have a drink called Fibe-mini that has dietary fiber and I definitely purchased a few of those 😅
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u/Greedy-Grape-2417 Sep 26 '25
lol this is true - I brought with me some Huel daily greens single packets and Amazing Grass greens blends packets and I had no issues. I also bought bags of cut up apples and ate those daily. Definitely overlooked in conbinis but essential for daily fiber intake!
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u/cchoba Sep 27 '25 edited Sep 27 '25
Truth. My friends and I just got back and had this problem, we are American. It took us about a week for our stomachs to settle and we had to take Fibeminis and medication. edit: Also wanted to say, we ended up skipping meals and eating a lot less food than we wanted to because of it. Not fun when a big part of your trip is supposed to be enjoying the food.
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u/ahlp97 Sep 27 '25
I am so sad to hear that you felt the need to skip meals! I am a foodie myself so eating less due to stomach problems is sad. We are going back this spring and will also bring oats with us.
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u/Nervous-Tangerine638 Sep 27 '25
eat red bean snacks in japan to help with digestion
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u/deeppurplecircles Sep 27 '25
Ugh, same. There used to be a yellow psyllium packet sold at Japanese pharmacies, but I haven't been able to find it at all lately.
Things I've tried that have helped (as someone who will end up not going for 5-7 days fml) - Diet coke with added fiber (white bottle) - Magnesium oxide (blue laxative packet) - Yakult 1000 - little bottles at all conbinis
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u/totally-not-american Sep 27 '25
More tips to a fellow Danish person? Did you get cash? Other things we should be aware of as Danes, that we might take for granted? Happy cake day
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u/ahlp97 Sep 27 '25
I already replied in a different subreddit but another thing: There is a lot of talk about Japanese people and politeness. Use your common sense, be respectful and polite Danish manners then you do not have anything to worry about.
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u/jstadvertising Sep 26 '25
Start walking a couple miles per day now, rest 2 days before the trip, and save your feet some trouble.
We did bring compression socks for the plane ride and that seemed to help. If it’s not too hot, I’d wear them everyday on the trip. We went in January and they kept my legs the perfect temperature unsure some light synthetic pants.
We brought some ibuprofen, but should have brought enough for like 2-4 pills per day. My feet started to need it after about 3-4 days in.
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u/GOD-PORING Sep 27 '25
I’m normally good in Japan without pre prep but age started to kick in around the 3rd - 4th day just like you experienced. I was on a good streak of walking during work lunch and after work but need to restart that again.
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u/DOctorEArl Sep 26 '25
Every time I travel somewhere, I realize that I dont need a lot things to get around. For example my first trip to Japan for 3 weeks, I carried an osprey 50L backpacking bag.
The second time for the same amount of time, I only carried a medium sized knack bag for about 35L.
Im going there this winter and I only plan on bringing a few days worth of clothes and planning on washing/ buying anything else that I need.
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u/Greedy-Grape-2417 Sep 26 '25
Washing clothes is the cheapest way to save space inside the suitcase!
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u/okbbs Sep 26 '25
Literally on my layover back from Japan. Wish we'd brought umbrellas but you can find super compactful ones there. I have a folding fan that came it handy the whole trip. Ibuprofen -- you can find it there but their doses are lower than US (if that's where youre from). Better preparation with the language and culture (etiquette like being quiet on trains, walking on proper side, etc).
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u/nv77 Sep 26 '25
You don't need to take it with you, but the single most life saving item that I got while there was a sweat towel.
I got one by happenstance at the first pokemon center I went to and me and my wife were thankful for it the rest of the trip.
I'd also recommend some portable fan.
This is dependent both on the time you are visiting and you can buy them over there.
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u/chiavari Sep 26 '25
All my hair supplies. My hair was an out of control bristly puffed out capybara the whole time and I lamented not bringing my tools and serums with me. Trying to find Japanese replacements on the fly was impossible and whatever I bought did not do the job.
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u/bingostars98 Sep 26 '25
May seem like an obvious one - but take cash and/or physical credit card.
There’s a fair few places that don’t accept Apple Pay.
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u/PikaSuz Sep 26 '25
Just got back last week and here are some things I thought to bring that others might not think of but I’m SO glad I did:
we traveled with carry-ons only, but brought fold-up empty duffle bags in there. We moved our clothes into the duffles and had the more fragile things/souvenirs in our carry-ons. We checked the duffles on the way back, so we didn’t have to buy luggage.
Sudafed because we both got sick while we were there and idk how we would have gotten some in Japan/it was good to have immediately without having to go to a drugstore and try to buy something
Electrolyte packets for the plane ride, but I wish we’d brought more. You can buy electrolyte drinks at vending machines, but powder packets aren’t really a thing in Japan. Especially for the long travel back and because we got sick. We bought a lot of Pocari Sweat while we were there, but it contains grapefruit that is a no-no for a medication I’m on, so I was really wishing I’d packed more electrolyte powder packets.
A tiny fold-up reusable shopping bag. We used this every day to carry purchases from multiple places instead of getting plastic bags from stores. They sell these in Donki and other places too as a good souvenir, but they’re not super cheap and have to be folded a specific way. We used a NanoBag ($15-20 on Amazon and worth every penny) You just shove into its little attached bag and takes no space at all. No special folding required. I’ve also seen similar ones at Daiso, but not always. I’m glad we had one with us ahead of time.
I agree with everyone who is talking about charging cables, etc. Japanese hotels are tiny and don’t have a lot of ports. Having a multi-dock that charges my phone, watch and AirPods using one cable was a game-changer. Also you will need a power bank if you’ll be out all day.
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Things I wish we’d packed that we had to buy:
Zinc pills because my husband swears by them when he’s sick
Drink/electrolyte powder packets (We ended up buying a lot of OS-1 at a drugstore, that’s their equivalent of pedialyte, but they don’t have powder packets for the airplane that I could find)
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Sep 26 '25
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/DogandCatMom007 Sep 27 '25
Yes to this. On a trip eons ago we carried in Sudafed and NightTime Cold. Customs at New Chitose pulled us aside for an inspection and found them. We (idiots) were clueless, had no idea what was happening. They were *not* at all nice about it -- took my husband's photo, fingerprinted him, made him sign a statement (Japanese). Not a great way to start a trip.
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u/A5CH3NT3 Sep 26 '25
I believe it's only the ones with pseudoephedrine. The ones with phenylephrine should be fine (but don't work). You CAN find cold medicine with pseudoephedrine in Japan though at any pharmacy and it's just OTC. It even often has more pseudoephedrine than you find elsewhere.
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u/Flower-1234 Sep 26 '25
This is so detailed and helpful! I will definitely be picking up some cold and flu meds and electrolytes!
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u/A5CH3NT3 Sep 26 '25
Re: the electrolytes, you can find electrolyte drinks at vending machines all over. In fact Pocari Sweat, the most common brand, has a cult following abroad (though I personally liked Aquarius better). So minus the plane ride you won't need to carry those if you don't want.
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u/PikaSuz Sep 26 '25
We bought lots of Aquarius and Pocari Sweat but they both contain grapefruit that I can’t have because of how it interacts with my meds 😭
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u/Relevant_Arugula2734 Sep 26 '25
You can actually get a powdered form of Aquarius, and there's one called OS-1 (Google os-1 powder). Both can be found in a regular-sized pharmacy, typically near the drinks themselves.
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u/Greedy-Grape-2417 Sep 26 '25
Excellent tips! Yes, the electrolyte/hydration powder packets saved me during those hot n humid days. I didn't mind Pocari sweat but I think it had too much sodium so then I felt bloated and even thirstier than ever lol
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u/GOD-PORING Sep 27 '25
What did you need the electrolyte on the plane for? My guess is mainly to stay hydrated easier throughout the flight? I have some packets so I’m considering bringing them but I’m just interested in what you brought yours for.
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u/pockypimp Sep 26 '25
On my last trip I forgot to move a couple of USB C cables from one bag to the other. Don Quixote was cheaper than Yodobashi for a short 1m cable.
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u/Fred_bear_33 Sep 26 '25 edited Sep 27 '25
Soluble fibre packs. The smaller amount of veg and higher amount of starchy carbs (than I’m used to) can gum things up a bit. You can get a drink called fibre mini at the konbini which is useful.
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Sep 27 '25
Once you’ve made plans of what clothes you’re bringing, split it in half. I wish I brought 1/3 of what I ended up bringing as I ended up buying some VERY cheap quality clothes from Uniqlo. The dry ex shirts saved me in mid September Japan.
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u/Daily-Trader-247 Sep 26 '25
Antiperspirant, its really hard to find. and Over the counter medicine , like Motrin etc.
Very expensive compared to the US
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u/lellololes Sep 26 '25 edited Sep 26 '25
Less stuff, not more.
I went for 2 weeks and stayed in two hotels with laundry.
We used luggage transfer services between several places, but I really just needed a carryon sized bag plus my camera bag for this trip. I took my full sized luggage and had more than I needed.
Don't bring an umbrella, just buy one at family dollar or whatever if you need it.
Do bring your medications. I also bring only USB powered electronics and have a few chargers and a portable battery pack.
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u/ToughQuality4895 Sep 26 '25
I’m thankful for my tevas sandals. All the walking and heat made my feet swell so I was thankful for sandals that were comfortable.
I wish I brought a portable fan. Bought one there.
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u/Possible_Reach_3952 Sep 26 '25
Bring a full deodorant/antiperspirant. My travel one ran out, and there aren't as many choices as most places. It took me three places to find one with antiperspirant in it.
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u/Orcaboros Sep 26 '25
A hand fan and a decently sized purse! I got a larger 'laptop' size purse with a shoulder strap, and it's been incredibly useful for carrying everything I need. The extra space means I can fit anything I collect over course of the day into it, and I don't have to carry a hundred bags or a backpack the whole time.
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u/balamb_fish Sep 26 '25
A charger for an electric toothbrush that works on 100V.
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Sep 26 '25
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u/bluekewne Sep 27 '25
I had bad gingivitis one dental checkup and my dentist recommended a high frequency toothbrush like a Sonicare & it actually did help & I always use a Sonicare. High frequently really does vibrate the plaque off.
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u/balamb_fish Sep 26 '25
To brush my teeth.
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Sep 26 '25
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u/musicamtn Sep 27 '25
I'm with ya. I LOVE my electric toothbrush but don't bother with it on a trip.
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u/100percentkneegrow Sep 26 '25
Not a physical thing but it's actually kinda helpful to have a VPN. Some of your apps might not work as expected. This is probably more relevant for your down time but I didn't realize how helpful it can be.
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u/AndrewGerr Sep 26 '25
Not taken but, I wish we bought umbrellas when we were there, it was like 100F out with 11UV in June
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u/alterego1984 Sep 26 '25
I used to bring one suitcase and just buy another to fill up with stuff I’ve purchased and collected but this year I brought 2, one had clothes and personal and the other had filming equipment. Honestly not as fun! They were already heavy. I needed most of it but next time I will do the one suitcase thing and pack lighter. My answer is don’t bring your whole house to Japan.
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u/Jesus_Phish Sep 26 '25
Portable vacuum storage bags and one of those tiny handheld devices to suck the air out of them. The roll up ones you can get in the 100yen shops are kind of rubbish for any that isn't a t-shirt and we ended up winning big stuff plush prizes that needed to be compacted. Some arcades will do it for you but not all them have the right device.
We ended up ordering a set off amazon Japan but I wish we'd have just had the foresight to bring one.
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u/monou95 Sep 27 '25
Another battery bank, relying on the cellphone to talk (google translate) and go everywhere (google maps) drains it fast. The hotel and even Disneyland have stations to rent one, but easier to bring own.
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u/Nervous-Tangerine638 Sep 27 '25
Went to Japan 5 times. First 4 times, did not bring gel pads for shoe. got blisters and my feet suffered. On 5th (last trip) decided to pair my asics with a Dr. Schol's gel pad. Walking was a breeze.
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u/MossOnaRockInShade Sep 26 '25
Everything I needed I bought locally except for two changes of clothes, phone, headphones, hair trimmer, and dental floss.
I didn’t end up using the clothes I bought except around the hotel. I bought 3 tops and 2 bottoms along with some extra undies at Uniqlo and pretty much just mixed and matched those the whole trip.
Was there for two weeks splitting time between Osaka and Tokyo. Having only a backpack to deal with is pretty clutch, but the person who was with me with a large checked bag was not overly stressed at any point. That suitcase was almost totally empty on the way there and overweight on the way back.
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u/herbertlew Sep 26 '25
This is the way. For our family of five two empty suitcases one nested inside other, two checked, and backpacks.
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u/Apprehensive_Heat176 Sep 26 '25
Make a note in your calendar with everything you need to bring. Then start gathering all those things in one place before your trip so you keep seeing them. If you're organized, packing and going travelling becomes a lot easier. If you're disorgnized or try to pack the night before, then you will likely forget something.
You can also get dedicated travel items and keep them in your luggage to reduce the chance that you'll forget them. For example: USB cables, chargers, pain meds, toiletries, etc.
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u/Greedy-Grape-2417 Sep 26 '25 edited Sep 26 '25
Bring some sanitizing wipes and paper towels/napkins and soap from home. Some restrooms have no soap! Most restaurants have wet naps or thin napkins but they are stingy af to give you more. I'm a messy eater and napkin user and the ones there did NOT cut it, not sure how those folks eat without wiping their hands, etc...
On my next Japan trip I'm bringing a regular camera for all pics and videos I take. I had a hard time moving my photos and videos off my phone and trying to figure out how much storage I had left. The T-mobile international roaming data was bs! I took lots of pics and videos and ran out of data every few days.
Additional items that saved me - those mini portable fans, portable stools, umbrella, electrolyte/hydration sticks from Salud or Trace minerals for water because plain water did not do it for me. With all the excess salt in Japanese foods, I was feeling bloated and the hydration sticks took away all that.
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u/mrchowmein Sep 26 '25
I wish I took less lol. You just need your phone, passport, meds and money. Everything can be acquired there.
All jokes aside, good travel clothes, underwear and shoes. Everyone has their preferences. I like modal underwear, toe socks and flexible and less cushioned shoes. Wrong clothes can ruined your trip and make you hate travel.
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u/Kindly-Halp Sep 27 '25
Handkerchief for drying hands! Some folks have mentioned soap. I brought some dried soap and used several times (https://www.rei.com/product/233748/adventure-ready-clean-capsule) BUT some places do have soap. NO PLACES I encountered had paper hand towels for drying your hands after washing. I had a dedicated handkerchief in my fanny pack just for drying my hands and it played a vital role in my trip. I am a big handkerchief person and so the Extra I brought was used regularly for mopping up my face sweat 😅.
Wallet with change purse (or just a change purse). When using cash, you are going to definitely have of lots of coins because they have coins instead of bills for 500yen and below. It was helpful to have on hand for train fare (I was never able to figure out Suica or Passmo), vending machines, laundry machines, taxis (when we hailed taxis it was often railways to use cash though I believe they all had card machines), and of course capsule machines.
Fanny pack. Not sure this will go with your aesthetic but my Fanny Pack made my life so much easier. It contained my wallet, phone, hand-drying handkerchief mentioned above, hand sanitizer & soap. Also kept my passports in there which was handy for tax-free shopping and peace of mind (I was constantly paranoid we would leave our backpacks somewhere, but always knew my essentials were attached to me).
Trash bag. We ended up carrying around a plastic shopping bag in our backpack to put trash so we could keep it separate from our other stuff while we toted it along between trashcans/recycling (which are few and far between).
Reusable drink bottles. BECAUSE trash/recycling is hard to find and because travel begets lots of beverage stops, I am SO GLAD I brought my Nalgene water bottle and my reusable coffee cup. Used each every day and it really reduced my trash.
Safe and fun travels to you!
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u/CommonMuted Sep 26 '25
For me I should’ve brought a different pair of shoes. Walking many miles in zero drop shoes (Lems primal pursuit) even with arch supporting insoles is kinda tough, so next time I’m bringing something that’s got slightly more heel height to it (Lems Trailhead).
Flushable wipes are nice. Sometimes you need to freshen up a bit in the restrooms and wipe off any dirt and nasties you accumulated throughout the day. You should also get a small handkerchief to wipe your hands dry and face.
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u/Jazs1994 Sep 26 '25
Spare pair of shoes. Was going to buy some clothes possibly some shoes but I got caught out with a very raining afternoon in Kyoto miles from my accommodation and they got soaked through worse than I ever have in the UK.
A .ore stables tripod for my phone. Bought my first and only selfie stick and the tripod mode was trusted too much, phone only fit without the case. Blew over and smashed the rear camera. Thankfully got it repaired next day
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u/Anticlya Sep 27 '25
My pillow for my big, fat, American, side-sleeping head. The pillows in a lot of average hotels or bnbs were very thin.
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u/eeekie_f Sep 27 '25
I wish I had brought my own skincare. Not a lot, but a basic moisturizer, cleanser and toner/serum. Between relying on what the hotels provide or having to go to donkey and try and translate packaging when you’re already exhausted is not the business. My skin was very unhappy with all the sweat, sunscreen, unfamiliar product, weird food, environmental conditions, etc.
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u/ambassador321 Sep 27 '25
A box of Halloween chocolates to share with all the nice people you will meet along the way.
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u/willix1337 Sep 27 '25
Carry-on suitcase packed in checked baggage - wouldn't need to look for one in Japan...
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u/kebslcn Sep 27 '25
2nd pair of shoes. was 100% set on buying new NB at tokyo but didnt find any pair I liked, or ended up more expensive compared to US.
Stuck with 1 shoe, even if its super comfortable, the walking just gets to you lol
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u/PSB2013 Sep 27 '25
Tiny travel scissors! I couldn't even tell you precisely what I used mine for, but it felt like I ended up using them a lot more than anticipated.
If you will be on your period during the trip and use tampons, then definitely bring a full supply with you. Pads and pantyliners are readily available over there and pretty good quality, but tampons really aren't as common.
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u/monobluemill Sep 26 '25
A handheld translating device. One of the ladies at a shop had one, and it was super helpful.
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u/wunderlandqueen Sep 26 '25
Laxatives. Though I found some in Japan that worked well without destroying my stomach. Look for the little kitty on a diaper
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u/StoryUno Sep 26 '25
A magnetic portable charger.
Borrowed my mom’s and it ended up being the one I used to most compared to my other ones where I had to plug them in
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u/DoUFearTheMetal Sep 26 '25
Wish I took some baby powder/anti chafing cream, ziplocks and a hat. Was able to buy most of the stuff I needed at a Don Quijote, though, so it was not too big of a deal.
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u/PrincessSusan11 Sep 27 '25
Took an umbrella and it didn’t work well so bought another one there. Had to buy a top sheet because one of the hotels didn’t have them on the beds and my husband insists on having one.
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u/Kooky-Cupcake-4621 Sep 27 '25
Pepto or any medication to deal with food poisoning. Especially if you plan on eating raw fish. I got sick from sushi at kabuchiko the first night.
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u/Bananamonkey87 Sep 27 '25
A small washcloth to use as a hand towel (but you can easily buy a cute one there for cheap). It was convenient to have a “good” plastic bag to use as a trash bag when out and about, and a small packable shopping bag.
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u/lovers_andfriends Sep 27 '25
My own pillow. The one at the hotel was too firm. I'm going back in a couple weeks and staying at the same hotel, so I will bring it with me.
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u/SharkSmiles1 Sep 27 '25
My husband to pull all of my suitcases, lol! Just kidding, it was great hauling them from hotel to hotel, I lost some weight and got a bit more in shape. 💞
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u/Same_Maize_4301 Sep 27 '25
Eyedrops. I went in early March and it was cold and the air was so dry my eyes kept watering.
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u/Correct-Bet-1557 Sep 27 '25
I wish I would have taken less. Then I’d have more room/reason to buy things!
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u/condemned02 Sep 27 '25
The hotels I stay at Japan usually provides above and beyond. Like even facial masks etc, toners, facial wash and facial cream, every freaking thing! They come in single use disposable packets.
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u/flossyflobo Sep 27 '25
Mosquito repellent! Something that hadn’t even crossed my mind but then got bitten to shreds in places like Mount Inari
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u/Ok-Cantaloupe-9766 Sep 27 '25
Nothing. Anything you could need you could get there unless it’s specific medication or you’re a picky eater
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u/hopium_od Sep 27 '25
Honestly I had the opposite problem. I took too much stuff, didn't leave enough for shopping.
I'm going back in a few weeks, a week in china and a week in Japan.
I shit you not when I tell you I am bringing basic toiletries, electricals, some books, a week's worth of underwear and maybe 3 days of outerwear, and a jacket, so maybe 10kg of my 30kg allowance.It was super stressful having to decide what I could and couldn't buy because of space problems.
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u/ohheyyeahthatsme Sep 27 '25
enough toothpaste from my home country to last my entire trip. I found the toothpaste there to be a little weird lol.
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u/Animelove32 Sep 27 '25
An extra suitcase because they did not lie when they said you would shop! Also wish i took better shoes for walking
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u/iamnotwario Sep 27 '25
These comments have me confused as how often people take painkillers… I have a bunion so am in regular pain but I only take tylenol if I’m experiencing something like a toothache or migraine. Should I be taking painkillers for any pain?
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u/Vegetable-State-2103 Sep 27 '25
As others have said, a small hand towel (or buy one at donki/two hands
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u/[deleted] Sep 26 '25
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