If there’s anything I’ve learned from traveling over the years, it’s how to pack smarter. I learn something every trip.
Do not be mistaken though, because packing smarter doesn’t necessarily mean packing lighter, especially when it comes to me, packing smarter really means packing the right things.
And when it comes to Japan in summer, it means packing light clothing, somewhat modest, and good fabrics. And this past trip, I kinda nailed it.
If I do say so myself.
I was also really mindful of how people dress in Japan. While I always see all kinds of fashion, especially more colourful and fun around Shinjuku and Harajuku, it’s mostly more conservative, and not a lot of bright colours. Also, nothing too revealing.
So I packed a mix of comfortable dresses, loose tops, easy pants and pieces I could wear more than once.
I knew we’d be doing a LOT of walking, exploring cities, eating our way through Japan and spending ten days cruising, so comfort was a big priority.
Here’s what worked for me, what I’d recommend packing and a few things I’d do differently next time.
1. Comfortable shoes are everything.
It’s hard to be happy when your feet are killing you. True story (and this comes from someone who knows). There’s never a day where we walk under 20,000 steps, so I always make sure I have the right shoes.
My best tip is, have variety. It’s great to have one reliable pair of shoes that you love, but I found that my feet got used to the one shoe for that day, and cried with joy when I put a different shoe on for the night, that wasn’t touching all the same places that the previous shoe did.
I don’t make the rules, but this works, and I stand by this. So usually for me, it’s switching from one sneaker to a sandal, or from one particular sneaker to a different one.
I packed two pairs of ADIDAS sneakers – they’re less sports shoes, and more street shoe, and then I packed one hiking sandal, and a fashion sandal (for nights on the cruise).
2. Dresses were my best friend.
I love dresses, and I always have. I mostly love them because they’re comfy (nothing tight around my tummy), and I only have to think about one thing, i.e. which one dress will I wear. I pick it. I wear it. Easy.
In Japan the Cotton Desert Canyon Tiered Dress was so light and breezy, and could be worn with sneakers during the day, or with sandals at night on the ship.
My MVP dress was the Cotton Seam Detail Swing Dress because it was so nice to wear, and easy to make fun with a colourful cap and pink sneakers. Plus it washed easy and dried hanging in the wardrobe on the ship.
3. Loose, breathable tops are worth packing.
In the past year I’ve become a big fan of slightly oversized shirts, they’re becoming a big competitor for dresses. I wear them with pants, denim shorts, and bike shorts. I even wear them open over dresses, when it works. The Cotton Blend Modern Stripe Shirt was fun to wear and dress up and down, and light and breathable, without being revealing in any way.
4. Comfortable pants and layers.
One thing to know if you’re cruising in any part of the world, but especially in Japan during Summer is that you’re going to get vastly different temperatures. Super hot out exploring Japan, and then rather cool and more comfortable on the ship. So packing comfortable layers and pants works well.
Especially if you’re visiting more modest shrines and temples.
I wore the Cupro Relaxed Side Split Shirt with white linen pants, but I’ve also just bought the matching pants so that I can wear them together, which I’m excited about. I love a matching set!
5. Don’t forget what’s underneath.
I know I said having sore feet from wearing the wrong shoes can ruin a trip, well so can chafing. So many steps and humid weather, it’s bound to happen.
The Good Earth Cotton Anti Chafing Short was my go-to for this past trip. I didn’t wear them everyday, but wearing them regularly prevented any issues, without making me feeling hotter than I need to be (thankfully they’re really breathable).
I love Japan, almost as much as I love fashion.
Being comfortable is my number one priority when picking clothes, so this trip my suitcase was filled with pieces that felt good, looked stylish and worked well in Japan’s hot, humid summer weather.
If you’re heading to Japan anytime soon (lucky you!), my best advice is to pack layers, comfy dresses, good shoes, and don’t forget your anti-chafing shorts (trust me!).
This blog post is a collaboration with Taking Shape.
