What to Pack for Japan in March and April (Cherry Blossom Season)

Approximately a 7 minute read

It’s hard to believe that one year ago I was googling “what to pack for Japan in March” and now I’m taking a moment to summarize what I brought, in case it will help somebody else. My travel partner and I packed for Japan in a large hard side suitcase, a small hard size suitcase, and two backpacks, altogether.

Update! I am hearing reports that it is quite cold in Japan this season. Please check the weather report before you depart!

Overall, the weather was cool/mild. Most days had at least one shower, but some days had lots of rain and others hardly any. I recommend checking the weather 48 hours before your departure to make last-minute packing changes if needed.

My Approach to Travel Outfits

I’m definitely not a fashion blogger and my clothing style is fairly restrained; I wear a lot of neutrals and blues. This made packing pretty easy since I knew that almost all of my shirts and pants could be worn in many combinations. Our itinerary was two and a half weeks, and we did laundry halfway through the trip at our hotel in Osaka.

For a more fashion-forward perspective on what to wear in Japan in April, here is a helpful post from Travel Pockets.

I made an initial stack of my favorite clothes I knew I had to bring and set it aside so I wouldn’t have to wash them before my trip. Then, in the days leading up to my trip, I checked the 10-day forecast to make sure the weather didn’t veer warmer or cooler than expected. It actually was going to be cooler than i thought so I packed a compact but warm coat at the last minute.

Clothing

The key to traveling in a transitional season like spring or autumn is layering. A day could start out cool, and then warm up nicely and then get cold again in the evening. I’m not opposed to stopping back at the hotel throughout the day but that’s not always realistic depending on daily activities. Light layers and a backpack to hold these items was a winning combination last spring in Japan.

Tops

I brought 10 shirts. These consisted of mainly T-shirts (1 black, 3 tan, 1 blue) and ribbed tees (1 black, one blue/white stripes). I also brought a lightweight turtleneck, a 3/4 sleeve mock turtleneck, and a chambray button up shirt for layering.

A note here about rewearing shirts: Normally on trips I do not hesitate to rewear clothes. However, I found that my shirts in particular picked up oily food smells from steamy ramen shops and yakitori shops. Hanging them up in the hotel helped, but I couldn’t get as many wears out of them as usual.

Pants

I brought 4 pairs of pants. Light blue skinny jeans, dark blue boot cut, gray wide leg, and tan skinny jeans. I also brought a pair of dressy slacks in case we went to a fancier restaurant, but they were not needed; a maxi skirt could also have worked for that situation.

Layers

I noted above that I brought a chambray shirt. A flannel shirt could work well for the same purpose. My other warm clothes were a fleece (Patagonia better sweater), a thin puffer coat, and a rain shell. The rain shell was crucial. Additionally, the more I look back at my photos, I realize I wore my puffer a lot. Since it packs really small it was easy to throw in, and I’m so glad I did. If you don’t have a fleece, a hoodie would work just as well.

Accessories

One key into rewearing outfits a few times and making them seem different is accessories. I brought a cute scarf (bandana) to add a little flair and a few earrings and necklaces to add interest on top of a plain shirt. Go with however you normally feel comfortable accessorizing!

I also carried a baseball cap with me most days which helped with the rain and, of course, keeping the sun out of my eyes. If you rarely wear hats, don’t consider this an essential.

Shoes

Since I was traveling purely for tourism, I did not bring any shoes other than sneakers. I was not too self conscious about looking like a tourist—everyone else at the temples and castles were tourists too, after all! I brought two pairs of sneakers just because I know that my feet benefit from a slight variation in shoes worn day to day. Make sure to bring shoes in which you can log 20,000 steps a day. When I went in to RoadRunner Sports for advice, they recommended Asics (similar to mine) or Hokas.

Discover more Japan posts on The Voyageer

Essentials

Can you believe I forgot to bring pajamas?! Do better than me and remember to pack yours. Every hotel that I stayed in provided pajamas, but if you wear a US size Large or bigger be aware that these may not fit you. Furthermore, you can’t just stop into the store and pick up a pair of pajama pants because they will not have those sizes in store. The Japanese “large” at Uniqlo was more like a US Medium, and even the huge store in Shibuya did not have extended sizing in stock.

Last but not least, remember to pack as many pair of socks and underwear as you deem appropriate.  

Other Gear

Remember how above, I recommended a rain shell? If you have waterproof(ish) shoes that are also comfortable to walk in, that can’t hurt (if you have room in your suitcase for multiple shoes). Again I only brought sneakers and I was fine. I highly recommend bringing an umbrella, although clear plastic umbrellas can be bought cheaply at convenience stores.

Japan is known for having very little crime. However, when traveling I always wear a crossbody bag just in case. Backpacks are also a great choice, but remember it’s polite to wear it on your front on a crowded subway, plus it’s more secure that way, too. You could also stash a foldable tote bag to carry things you pick up along the way.

Speaking of picking things up along the way, I have a duffel bag that packs down pretty flat, and I brought it in my suitcase, and then as I accumulated souvenirs and gifts, I brought it out and filled it with laundry. If you do this make sure you’re not maxing out your bag allowance on your return flight.

Also, consider your camera and camera gear. Are you simply planning on using a smartphone, or do you have an elaborate DSLR setup with many lenses and a tripod? This will affect what kind of bag you will carry around all day. Lucky for me my travel partner (husband) carried a backpack and a crossbody so we were able to stuff our rain shells and camera in the backpack when not using them.

TL;DR Version

If you skimmed all of that above, here’s the summary. Here is a packing list for two and a half weeks; adjust to your preferences. We did laundry once during the trip.

• 5-6 T-shirts for nice days or base layer
• 1-2 Light turtleneck or lightweight sweaters
• 1 button up shirt (chambray/flannel) for layering
• 3-4 Jeans or similar casual pants
• 1 Slacks if you have plans somewhere nice
• (If you bring shorts, you’ll be cold)
• 1 Fleece or Hoodie
• 1 Puffer jacket (check forecast)
• 1 Rain shell
• 1 Umbrella
• Accessories, socks, underwear, etc as appropriate

Final Thoughts

I definitely didn’t feel like I overpacked; in fact, it wouldn’t have hurt to throw in at least one more shirt for variety. The extra bag turned out to be a crucial item because I filled it with laundry and freed up room in my hard-side suitcase to bring home souvenirs, gifts, and snacks. Of course, one could buy a duffel while in Japan for this purpose!

Of course, this only covers what to pack for Japan in March. What comes to mind for a different time of year? What are some of your travel essentials? Anything I missed? Please let me know in the comments!

Photos by Doug and Staci Jackson for The Voyageer.