Packing your page
Tokyo is enormous, efficient and easy on travellers who pack light. Days are spent on foot and on trains, and the city's drugstores and convenience stores mean almost anything forgotten can be replaced within a block.
Typical temperature and rainfall for each month, climate averages for this location.
Highlighted months are the most comfortable for walking. Averages for a roughly 50 km grid cell, not a forecast; coastal and mountain places can differ by a few degrees.
Search fares into HND, then find guides and edits for it
What to buy there, where to find it, and what it replaces in your bag.
Occasion-first packing lists sized for a carry-on.
Three autumn nights in Tokyo with one day on a mountain path, packed so the city wardrobe and the hike share almost everything.
Six nights across Tokyo's neighbourhoods with a single backpack, built for trains, long walks and changeable October weather.
What to buy here, grouped by department and the season each edit was written for.
Fall
Uniqlo
Carry-on relevance: Rinse at night, dry by morning — good for humid cities and short trips with fewer tops.
Direct link to the product page. No affiliate relationship.
Uniqlo
Live price not verified yet. Check the retailer for today’s price.
Carry-on relevance: Base layers deliver warmth without bulk — far more packable than an extra sweater.
Direct link to the product page. No affiliate relationship.
Fall
Carry-on relevance: Available in small sizes, easy to buy on arrival rather than pack.
Direct link to the product page. No affiliate relationship.
Carry-on relevance: Inexpensive to buy on the ground, so it needn't take up liquid allowance on the way out.
Direct link to the product page. No affiliate relationship.
Carry-on relevance: Useful after long flights; buy a bottle in Tokyo rather than carrying one out.
Direct link to the product page. No affiliate relationship.
Fall
Onitsuka Tiger
Carry-on relevance: Slim sneakers take up less bag space than chunky runners.
Direct link to the product page. No affiliate relationship.
Carry-on relevance: Wear the cushioned pair on the plane and on the longest walking days.
Direct link to the product page. No affiliate relationship.
Reviews planned or completed on trips here, and of products in our Tokyo stories.
Our review of Aesop's travel set is in progress; here is what we'll measure on a planned Tokyo city break.
Our review of Uniqlo's packable down jacket is in progress, planned around a winter city break in Seoul.
We're testing Peak Design's expandable travel backpack on a planned Tokyo city week; the review is in progress.
We're testing whether Anker's compact multi-port charger can be the only charger in the bag; the review is in progress.
Many stores offer consumption-tax exemption to short-term visitors who show a passport and meet a minimum spend. Japan has announced changes to how the tax-free system operates, including a move towards refunds after purchase, so check current rules before you shop.
Department stores and larger shops generally open around 10 or 11am and close around 8 or 9pm, including weekends. Convenience stores are typically open around the clock and stock toiletries, basics and snacks.
Tokyo's rainy season usually runs from early June into July, followed by hot, humid summers. Late summer into autumn is typhoon season. Autumn and spring are generally the most comfortable times to visit.
