Everything I packed for two weeks in Japan

Plus: All of the packing mistakes I made

Hello!

I recently returned from two weeks in Japan (a full trip recap is coming soon!) and thought I would share my packing list and some of the mistakes I made packing for this trip. If you’re new here, I love packing for vacation and strive to pack as minimally as possible while still feeling put together. It’s no easy feat and I don’t always get it right.

Our trip to Japan was a packing challenge for a few reasons.

1)    We visited multiple cities with varying weather conditions

2)    The weather changed drastically throughout our trip (Japan was experiencing a heat wave when we arrived and a cold front by the time we left)

3)    We planned a variety of activities that required different attire

While I ended up wearing everything I brought, I definitely relied on more pieces than others and could have switched out a few things for more warm-weather-appropriate clothes.

Read on for everything I packed for two weeks in Japan plus what I would have done differently.

Everything I packed

Tops

-       Cropped black tank top

-       White sweater tank top

-       Blue tank top

-       Short-sleeve sweater

-       Denim shirt (the MVP of this trip!)

-       Thin sweater

-       Long-sleeve workout top

Bottoms

-       Navy pants

-       Jeans

-       Leggings

Miscellaneous

-       Black silk dress

-       Rain shell

-       Pajamas

-       Sports bra

-       Regular bra

-       Socks and underwear

- Hat

Shoes

-       Tennis shoes

-       Boots

What I would have done differently

1)    Wow I forgot how humid it is in Japan! I originally planned a packing list that revolved around mild Fall weather but changed it at the last minute when I saw that it would be fairly warm. I should have modified my plan even further because I was HOT for the majority of the trip. 65 in Tokyo feels like 80. I wore my lightweight navy pants with a tank top pretty much every day. In hindsight, I would have ditched the sweater and the jeans and added a cotton dress.

2)    Bringing a ‘hand wash only’ white shirt on a trip where I planned on eating a lot of sauces that stain was a mistake. I spilled chili oil on it on day three and while I was able to get it out (stain stick to the rescue!), I barely wore the shirt for the rest of the trip in fear of staining it again.

3)    Right before the trip I purchased Blundstone boots (a purchase I have been planning for over a year!). I love them, but made the mistake of wearing them for our huge travel day to Tokyo that involved a 10-hour layover in LA. Between all of the walking and how much my feet swell on planes, I was miserable when we arrived in Tokyo. I ended up lugging them around Japan, only wearing them a few times.

4)    I bought a new-to-me deodorant right before the trip and WOW did it not work for me. I’m laughing while writing this because I should have known better! Apologies to my family and everyone who came into close contact with me on the train... (side note: I’m currently using Salt and Stone’s Santal and Vetiver and I love it!)

I hope this inspires your packing list for your next trip! Let’s all learn from my mistakes.