Carry-On Only: What I Packed For 3 Weeks in Japan

In November, I took a three-week vacation to Japan and Taiwan. It was my first time visiting Japan and I spent most of the trip there. From the food to historic temples and shrines, abundant and on-time trains, and the remarkably clean streets and public restrooms, there was so much to love. It felt great to travel after staying put for the last couple pandemic years.

Both countries were actually Covid hot spots during the time we were there, showing up purple on the NY Times Coronavirus World Map. (The darker the color, the more of a hotspot. Japan is currently orange and Taiwan remains purple.) So, we took precautions, trying to eat outside where we could and avoiding restaurants at peak hours when we did dine inside. Thankfully, the 7-11s in Japan are a life-saver. They’re everywhere and stocked with delicious and affordable take-away meals. I really did not mind eating a few 7-11 meals in our hotel room.

I always pack light for trips. (See my packing list for one week in Mexico City or this 6-week capsule wardrobe.) But I knew that I wanted to pack especially light for Japan because the likelihood of me returning with more stuff was high. As a small, petite person, I was excited to shop in a country where things would fit me better. (Why yes, I did have to buy a duffel bag to cart home some of my new belongings.)

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What I Packed For 3 Weeks

First, temperature check. We were looking at highs of about 60°F/15.5°C but also some chillier days of about 45°F/7.2°C as the weeks went on. We visited Tokyo, Hakone, Nara, and Kyoto in late November and early December. In addition, we stopped in Taipei for a few days, which is considerably warmer with temperatures in the low 70s.

Here’s the minimal wardrobe I packed:

Tops & Sweaters

• 2 T-shirts (Mott & Bow boxy tee (gifted by brand), Thakoon for Target shibori print tee)
• 1 blouse (Eileen Fisher silk-cotton top) [review] [similar]
• 1 tank top (Pact reversible tank) [review] [similar]
• 1 button down chambray shirt [similar]
• 2 cashmere sweaters (Italic pullover) [review], Everlane cardigan [similar]

Bottoms

• 1 pair of jeans (Everlane cheeky jean) [review]
• 1 skirt (Quince washable silk skirt) [review]
• 1 sweatpants (Everlane joggers) [review] [similar]

Outerwear

• 1 puffy down vest (Uniqlo ultra light down vest)
• 1 puffy down jacket (Uniqlo ultra light down jacket) [similar]

Shoes

• 1 pair of sneakers (New Balance 574+, discontinued color) [similar 574+ platform sneakers]

Accessories & Layering Items

• HeatTech layers (1 tank top, 1 long-sleeve shirt)
• beanie (handmade)
• neck warmer (takes up less room than a scarf) [similar]
• gloves (Muji touchscreen gloves)
• crossbody bag (Baggu crescent bag) [review]

I also packed pajamas, socks, underwear, and a swimsuit. Everything above, plus toiletries, fit in my carry-on suitcase or I wore on the plane. My personal item for the seat was my trusty Lo & Sons backpack (reviewed here), which carried my laptop, journal, a book, noise-canceling headphones, water bottle, and snacks.

Now, I admit to cheating a bit with the outerwear. I didn’t pack a coat suitable for 40-degree weather. (It would have been tight, but one would have fit.) I told myself I would suck it up with HeatTech and my down vest and jacket. I figured if I needed outerwear, Japan was the perfect place for me to buy a new coat. (Ended up buying two!)

What Worked Well In My Travel Capsule Wardrobe

Layers! If living in Northern California for decades has taught me anything, it’s how to layer. On warmer days, I wore a T-shirt with a cardigan. And on colder days I combined the HeatTech tank with the button down shirt and a cashmere sweater.

The silk midi skirt was a recent-ish purchase and I was pleased with how well it traveled. It took up very little space and I could dress it up or down. T-shirt or blouse plus skirt was the way to go for me in the warmer environment of Taipei. Adding a sweater to the outfit worked for the cooler weather in Japan.

Of course having all the items in the same color palette — blacks and blues, staple colors of my wardrobe — made it super easy to get dressed and out the door. I also felt that my minimalist style fit in with what locals where wearing. (Of course, people dress in different styles. But no matter the style, in general, people dressed nicely.)

The Baggu Medium Nylon Crescent Bag was a last-minute buy for this trip. I knew that I wanted to bring a lightweight crossbody bag for the ease of hands-free travel. But the ones I owned were too too small for all-day adventures. I’m so happy with this purchase. With two zip pockets inside, it kept me organized. And it easily carried everything I needed, including a water bottle and small guidebooks. (Update 2/28/24: I review it in depth here. )

It rained some days, and we didn’t pack any rain gear, but this was not a problem. Big, clear umbrellas are popular in Japan and cheap at any convenience store or Daiso, the Japanese dollar store. I also picked up some rain ponchos at Daiso to wear over my backpack on days we were in transit.

What Could Have Stayed Home

I ended up not wearing the long-sleeve HeatTech shirt. But if I hadn’t bought a coat (well, two) in time, I would have needed it.

The cotton tank top got the least wear out of my tops. I brought it in case it was going to be grossly hot in Taipei (but that was not the case). I thought that I might also want it for layering. But I almost always reached for the T-shirts or blouse instead.

I also didn’t use the gloves, but I don’t regret packing those because when you need gloves, you really need gloves and don’t want to be running around trying to find some.

We did laundry once halfway through the trip. Looking over what I packed, I wore nearly everything. And some things, I wore nearly every day, like the jeans and of course, the sneakers.

I really went minimalist with the one pair of shoes. I usually pack another pair for variety or different occasions. But I knew we weren’t doing anything where I’d need a “nicer” shoe. And I have to say, if you’re going to go with one pair, these platform 574s (with the insoles swapped for these) were comfy. I walked 20,000 steps many days in them.

BTW, I must mention that Japan has this awesome luggage forwarding service. If you’re traveling from city to city, you can forward your bag ahead to your next hotel. (Just pack your essentials with you since you’ll be without your suitcase for a day or two.) Even though I was already traveling light with one carry-on and a backpack, I loved using this service and traveling unencumbered.