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Popular Packing Lists | Miscellaneous Packing Lists Tips | All Tips (71)
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If you plan to get laid in Japan....
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  • And everything is clear... ;-) - Japan
    And everything is clear... ;-)
    by PolishChick
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    I was hesitant for a long time whether to put up this tip or not, but after the horror I`d been through I decided to do it and save you some trouble! If you plan to get laid in Japan, bring your own condoms. I`m really really really serious!!! Not only are the Japanese ones VERY expensive, but also weird and.....small. Trust me on that one and don`t ask why! ;-)

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    Remember these...
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  • Compared with westerners, who often travel with large suitcases, it's not common for Japanese people to travel with a large suitcase around the country.

    Consequently, there isn't usually a wide space to store large luggage in trains, and the coin lockers aren't large enough to hold them either.

    I recommend keeping your luggage small when you travel around Japan. You might want to bring several small bags so that you don't have to carry a large suitcase

    Since it's a Japanese custom to take off your shoes indoors, you might have to take off your shoes often in Japan.

    I recommend bringing a pair of shoes that you can slip off and on easily. Make sure to bring, and wear, a nice pair of socks or pantyhose to avoid any embarrassment when you take off your shoes

    It's important to carry a handkerchief in Japan. Many restrooms in Japan don't have paper towels. Be sure to bring a handkerchief in your pocket to dry your hands! Also, pocket tissues are good to carry, since they are often needed while traveling ..
    ...... many times on the street you will see people handing out little tissue package with advertisiment..dont pass it up...it will come in handy later..:)

    The electricity in Japan is 100 volts, and there are two cycles (50/60).
    In Tokyo and areas northeast of Tokyo, the electricity is 50 cycles. In the southwest Japan, it's 60 cycles. Osaka, Kyoto, and Nagoya are in the southwest side

    If you need to bring any appliances from your country, make sure to bring a converter or plug.

    American appliances can be used in Japan without a converter although they will have less power

    If your appliances are three-pronged, you need a plug since Japanese appliances are two-pronged.

    You can buy converters and plugs in the airports or travel equipment stores in Japan. But since it could be a hassle for you to find a store that sells the converters, it's better to purchase them in your own country. It shouldn't take much space in your luggage.

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    Bring your own medicine!!!
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  • Any medicine you need- bring from home! - Japan
    Any medicine you need- bring
    from home!
    by PolishChick
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    I would strongly recommed you bring your own medicine with. Medicine is not so hard to get, but it`s very expensive and it doesn`t always work for foreigners. I believe this is due to different immunity systems...

    Even if you go to Japan in the summer, bring the medicine you usually take for a cold. Japan is really hot and humid in the summer and all the places are air-conditioned. So sometimes you go from the hot outside to a very cold inside. This turned out to be very bad for both mine and my Chilean friend`s body and both of us caught a cold. Not only was the Japanese medicine not working for us (even when we took twice as much as we should have), but it was radicolously expensive. So bring your own with and you won`t have a problem!

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    Bring A Hanky
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  • This Hanky is Just For Show - Japan
    This Hanky is Just For Show
    by giampiero6
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    Bring clean and tidy socks. You'll be taking your shoes off a lot.

    Yep...the long lost art of the gentleman's handkerchief. You might want to revive this one for your trip to Japan. Many restrooms and even some restaurants/snack shops don't have napkins. It's a small thing, but you'll be happy you did.


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    Bring ALL Medication That You Will Need!!
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  • Any, but if travelling by JR trains in peak-hour remember to take off your backpack before getting on the train.

    In summer, a light raincoat.
    In winter, very warm clothes.

    (Summer has the rainy season and in winter it snows)

    Tampons and Condoms - Trust me... bring them!

    All your medication that you will need. You DO NOT want to have to try and get medication in Japan.

    Hayfever sufferers should bring pills if travelling in the weeks leading up to or during spring.

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    Pack Light!
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  • The nicest hotel in Japan will be a shoebox compared to what Americans are used to, so don't bring a jumbo suitcase. You'll have a hard time getting it around, too.

    When I traveled in June, typhoons brought annoying rains almost daily. Bring an umbrella, just in case.

    Comfortable shoes, especially if going to Hakone to glimpse Mt. Fuji,

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    Check list before you go
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  • Updated By Maline on February 18, 2005
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  • If you are western, chances are high that clothes and shoes for sale in Japan will be on the small side. I am a European 38, but if you are bigger, then don't count on finding a lot of clothes in Japan.
    Umbrellas are for sale everywhere in Japan, and there are quite reasonably priced.

    Japan is a country abundant in pharmacies, so if you are in need of medical off the counter supplies or toiletries you needn't worry. However, do bear in mind that the knowledge of English in Japan is pretty rudimentary, and explaining what items you need can be hard if you don't speak Japanese!

    This is of course for sale in Japan. But as with all electronic equipment, be careful if buying since standards often differ between countries .

    A small portable radio and a mini flashlight can be good to bring in case you should be the victim of an earthquake. See my warnings and dangers tips for more info on natural hazards.

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    Blank book(let)
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  • commerative stamp of a temple - Japan
    commerative stamp of a temple
    by tompt
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    Most japanese attractions have stamps. So you can make a nice memory book from your japan trip if you take a small empty book with you. We also used the book to let people we met write something in it, with their adres. This way we didn?t loose any adres...

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    DON'T GET STUCK WITHOUT TOILET PAPER!
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  • When you use a public bathroom, you may find that there is no toilet paper. This is not uncommon in Japan, for reasons I cannot understand. Whenever you go out, you *must* bring tissue with you. Pocket tissue is best. You can buy it at the convenient stores or some bathrooms have a coin operated machine where you can purchase it.
    At some major street crosswalks or shopping streets, there are some people who pass out pocket tissues with advertisements on them for free. Take them! You never know when you will need it!!

    Another bathroom related accessory you would need is a small hankerchief or towel. After you wash your hands, often times there are no hand dryers or paper towels. Japanese people always carry around small hankies when they go out for this purpose.
    If you forget, that's ok. As a last resort just dry your hands on your pants!! Ha ha!!

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    Useful Things not to Forget
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  • Try to keep luggage as small and light as possible especially if you are planning to travel around a lot as it can get very crowded on the trains. Trying to catch a train to the airport during rush hour in Tokyo with a backpack is not advisable.

    Shoes that are easy to slip on and off can be handy especially if you are planning to visit lots of temples where you are required to take your shoes off at the entrance or go clothes shopping where you need to take your shoes off when you go into the changing rooms.

    The Japanese don't really use deodorant so be sure to bring some with you, especially useful for those hot, sticky days. In addition try not to forget to bring painkillers as the ones in Japan tend to be very weak and expensive.

    Cash - Japan is a cash based society. You have to pay for almost everything with cash and finding an atm that takes an international visa card outside of central Tokyo can be very hard.

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