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What To Pack
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Hair Dryer: Most hotels in Japan will have a hair dryer in the room. If not, you can always call house keeping and they should be able to provide you with one. If you are staying in a minshuku (family inn) or a Buddhist Temple, a hair dryer may not be available so you should bring your own. Hot Water Makers: Most hotels in Japan have a hot water pot in the room, but they usually only provide Green Tea bags. So we suggest you bring your own favorite beverage, instant soup, coffee, tea, hot coco mix and a tea spoon. Foot Wear: What shoes to wear is frequent question for travel not just to Japan but for all countries. First and foremost walking shoes Must Be Comfortable! Please don’t purchase a new pair of shoes the day before your trip begins. Give yourself plenty of time to break in your shoes, wear them a few hours a day for the first week or so. When staying in a minshuku (family inn) or ryokan (Japanese Inn) and when visiting temples and other historic structures, it is necessary to remove your shoes. So slip on shoes are more convenient that ones that require lacing. |
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 Jungle Moc |
The Jungle Moc, made by Merrell, is one of the most comfortable shoes we’ve found. Merrell makes several models and we have tried a few. We found them all to be comfortable walking shoes that slip on and off easily and provide fairly good traction (some models have better traction than others). The tops are water resistant and the rubber soles come up high enough to provide added protection in a heavy rain. They also make a summer moc called the Ventilator.
Please note that this is just a personal opinion and Ampac Tours makes no guarantees or warranties what-so-ever regarding these shoes. Nor does Ampac Tours receive any financial remuneration for recommending Merrell shoes. |
| Carry-on Luggage: International airlines don’t seem to have an exact standard for the size of allowed carry-on baggage. But a general rule is 22in x 14in x 9in. However, this may be a little large for travel in Japan. If you are traveling by train, the stations often require extensive walking and stairs are more common than escalators or elevators. A bag with wheels and a sturdy top handle is a must and because the train overhead luggage racks are very narrow, a bag with soft pliable sides is recommended. We don’t recommend hard sided carry-on cases, they have a tendency to slip around in the overhead racks.
Large Luggage: For negotiating airports, it’s preferable to have luggage with wheels. Most travelers to Japan will ship large luggage between major cities within Japan and live out of a small carry-on bag for a night or two. So a durable bag that can be locked securely is a good choice. Luggage Locks: We suggest you visit the TSA web site for a link to companies that sell TSA approved luggage locks. Click Here to go to TSA web site. But remember that these locks are only recognized here in the U.S. Other countries have no such restrictions on locking your luggage. |
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Electrical Adaptors: Electricity in Japan is 100 volts, 50 cycles, A.C. 15/30 amps. Electrical appliances from the U.S. such as hair dryers will work, but they will run a little slow. The plug is the same as the U.S. so no adaptors are required. U.S. purchased Camcorder, digital camera and mp3 chargers will also work without an adaptor. |
| Cell Phones: Due to different technologies used, mobile phones from the U.S., including GSM phones, are likely not to work in Japan. Instead, short time visitors to Japan can rent mobile phones or purchase prepaid phones through various companies, some of which have a counter at the airports. | |
