June 2023
Packing in a Carry On: Two Weeks Springtime in Japan
Finally! After the pandemic disrupted our first trip to Asia, we had no idea how long it would be until we revived that plan. Well, here we are three years later and we booked a trip to Japan for a two week adventure exploring the Golden Route of Tokyo and Kyoto. Our trip was schedule for late spring and just before the rainy season set in so we expected warm spring weather for our trip. Layers seemed to be the best approach for this trip to mix and match to pack light. We also booked Airbnbs that had a washer so we could keep reusing the clothing packed. Overall, we were very successful in packing in our carry on for this two week trip thanks to neutral colors that matched – I could pick any bottom and any top and they went together – and the washer so accessible.
I will note that overall, the people in Japan dress very nice. Business attire is everywhere and neutral colors, particularly black, navy, and white, are prominent. We were not trying our best this trip to blend in but if you are, definitely go with more a more polish look. Since we were on the go so much with several theme park days and tons of walking, comfort was a priority when packing for this trip. While I packed leggings, seeing them around or even tight clothing in general was not very common. Bold colors and prints were also not something we saw a lot of during our trip. While I packed comfortable clothes, I also went with more neutral and soft colors.
Full packing list
The bag: EBags TLS Mother Lode Weekender Convertible
Packing cubes size medium and large
Walker Family Goods Toiletry Bag
- Medications (Ibupofen, Meclizine, Tums)
- Deodorant
- Bar of solid soap
- Contacts
- Solid sunscreen
- Lush solid shampoo
- Toothbrush with sanitizer pod / floss
- Hair Brush
- Razor /Spare razor head
- Band-Aids/first-aid and Q-tips
- Hair accessory bag (headband, hair ties, hair clips)
- Lip balm
Quart Bag for 3 Ounce Liquids
- Reusable bag
- Tooth paste
- Travel size body lotion
- Travel size conditioner
- Travel size face wash
- Face moisturizer in repurposed container
- Steroids/Aquaphor (for my terribly dry skin)
- Hand sanitizer
- Contact solution
Medium Packing Cube: Small Clothing Items
- Adventure Bands
- Sport tops- new favorite
- Comfy bras / underwear / socks – packed six days worth
Large Packing Cube: Clothes
- Joggers – Albion Fit
- Four t-shirts
- Three tank tops
- One pair of shorts
- One pair of jeans
- PJs
Main Backpack Compartment
- Large packing cube
- Medium packing cute
- Walker Family Goods toiletry bag
Electronics Bag and Camera Bag
- Nikon Z50 Camera with two lens
- Phone power bank charger
- Various chargers
- Camera gear
- Outlet adapters
Front Backpack Compartment
- Travel Detergent
- Tripod
- Northface rain jacket
- Glasses case / sunglasses
- Umbrella
- Camera bag
- Electronic Bag
- Packable backpack
- Packable bag
Back Backpack Compartment: Chromebook, travel documents
Documents
- Travel documents – itinerary, confirmations, flight information
- Arrival paperwork
- COVID vaccine documentation
- COVID test results
- Passports
- International driver’s license
- Extra Passport Photos
Walker Family Goods Sling Bag
What I Wore on the Plane
- T-shirt
- Xero shoes
- Long sleeve button down
- Active leggings
- Albion bomber jacket
- Hydro flask
Final weigh in! We wanted to leave room for any souvenirs on this trip so our packing was fairly light. Since we were flying a domestic airline, there was not weight limit for our carry on bags. The final weigh in was just over 22 pounds with plenty of room to grow.
How did we do? Now that we are back, I can say I am definitely getting good at packing the right amount of clothes. Having laundry is essential for longer trips to keep clothing items at a minimum. Layers were perfect as the mornings were chilly but it would get hot in the middle of the day. And I was happy to have our rain gear as we had a few wet days. Depending on your trip and the time of year you are traveling, this may vary a bit.
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