What to Pack for Japan with Kids

Pack lighter than you think.

Seriously... Japan has almost EVERYTHING you need, often better quality than at home, and overpacking is probably the #1 mistake we see families make 🇯🇵

Here’s the realistic packing list that actually worked for us with kids 👇

DOCUMENTS & TECH

• Passports
• International Driving Permit (ONLY if renting a car)
• Printed hotel + Disney confirmations as backup
• Portable battery pack — Google Maps + Disney apps drain phones FAST
• eSIM or pocket WiFi
• Charging cables + portable charger pouch
• Universal adapter if needed (Japan uses Type A plugs like the U.S., but many outlets are 2-prong only)

We used a pocket WiFi rental and loved having consistent internet for navigation + translation apps.

CLOTHING

(Spring/cherry blossom season especially = layers)

• Comfortable walking shoes
• Shoes that are easy to slip on/off
• Lightweight jacket or layers
• Compact rain jacket
• Comfortable outfits you can walk 20k+ steps in 😅
• One nicer outfit if you have upscale dining/photos planned
• GOOD socks because you’ll remove your shoes often

One thing that surprised us:
Japan involves WAY more walking than most people expect.

KID ESSENTIALS

• Lightweight travel stroller
• Baby carrier for stairs/crowds
• Refillable water bottles
• Hats + sunglasses
• Small backpack with snacks/wipes/toys
• Tablet/headphones for Shinkansen days
• Portable stroller fan if visiting in warmer months

We used a Babyzen YOYO stroller and overall it worked really well for Japan. The double seat attachment could definitely feel tricky in crowded train stations and busy city areas, but honestly I don’t think a larger double stroller would’ve been any easier 😅 One thing we REALLY loved was being able to use it as either a single or double stroller depending on the day, which made it much more flexible while traveling around Japan. The compact fold and portability still made it totally worth it for us.

MEDICINE & TOILETRIES

• Children’s Tylenol/Motrin if your kids use it
• Prescription medications in original packaging
• Bandaids + blister patches
• Small first-aid kit
• Hand sanitizer/wipes
• Sunscreen

Japanese drugstores are AMAZING, but finding exact children’s medicine equivalents can still be stressful when traveling.

THINGS YOU PROBABLY DON’T NEED TO PACK

• Umbrellas — convenience stores sell them everywhere
• Tons of diapers/wipes
• Large amounts of snacks
• Full-size toiletries
• Heavy guidebooks
• Excessive cash

Japan is MUCH easier to shop in than people expect.

Convenience stores + drugstores honestly became part of our daily routine 😂

LAUNDRY HACK

One of the BEST things we did:
stay in apartment-style hotels with laundry.

Hotels like MIMARU Kyoto Shinmachi Sanjo and many family-friendly stays in Japan have in-room or shared washer/dryers.

We did laundry every few days and packed WAY less clothing than we normally would for a 2+ week trip.

Honestly, this made moving around Japan SO much easier with kids.