What should I pack for Tokyo?

Shoes matter more in Tokyo than almost any other city. You'll walk 15,000 to 25,000 steps on a typical sightseeing day — Shinjuku station alone has corridors that feel like a half-kilometer hike underground. But the real issue isn't distance; it's the constant on-off cycle. Temples like Senso-ji's inner halls, traditional restaurants in Kagurazaka, ryokan lobbies, even some izakaya in Yurakucho's smoky alleyways under the train tracks: shoes come off at the genkan. Lace-up boots are a nightmare here. Pack slip-on walking shoes with decent arch support, something you can toe off without holding up the line behind you. Your feet will be swollen and warm by evening regardless. The vending-machine beer at the end of the day tastes better when you're not also peeling off blisters from stiff leather.

The single item that marks you as someone who's done this before: a thin hand towel. Japanese public restrooms — even at major stations like Shibuya and Ikebukuro — almost never have paper towels or air dryers. You'll feel the absence the first time you're standing there with dripping hands and no option. Locals carry a cotton tenugui or handkerchief; buy one at any Tokyu Hands or Muji for 300-500 yen, or bring a microfiber from home. While you're adjusting habits: bring a coin purse. IC cards and contactless payment have spread fast, and Suica works at most konbini and train gates, but plenty of ramen counters with their ticket machines, shrine donation boxes, and smaller shops in Yanaka or Shimokitazawa still run on cash. 500-yen coins are worth about $3.14 at current rates. They pile up and they're easy to lose in a jacket pocket.

Tokyo's weather is deceptive. Mid-April sits around 20°C during the day — comfortable in a light jacket — but mornings at Meiji Jingu can dip to 10°C when the sun hasn't cleared the tree canopy yet. The bigger surprise is indoor temperature. Department stores in Ginza and train cars crank the AC hard even in shoulder season; stepping from warm outdoor sun into the chill of an underground mall in Otemachi feels like walking into a refrigerator. Pack a light merino or cotton layer you can stuff into a day bag. Summer is a different animal — July and August hover around 33-35°C with 80% humidity, the kind of wet heat where your shirt sticks to your back within ten minutes of leaving the hotel. Winter runs 2-10°C from December through February, cold enough for a proper coat, scarf, and gloves, but dry and manageable if you layer. Nothing like Sapporo.

Skip packing certain things entirely — they're cheaper and often better here. Umbrellas are a solved problem. Every 7-Eleven, Lawson, and FamilyMart sells a clear vinyl umbrella for about 500 yen (roughly $3.14) the moment rain starts, and they're honestly sturdier than most travel umbrellas. Toiletries cost less and work better at Matsumoto Kiyoshi or Don Quijote, with one exception: deodorant. Japanese formulations tend to be milder, so bring your preferred antiperspirant from home. Uniqlo's Heattech base layers in winter and Airism undershirts in summer are worth buying on arrival at the Ginza flagship or Shinjuku store, where sizing fits Western frames and prices run lower than export markets. One thing you might not expect: laundry. Coin laundromats sit on practically every other block and run about 300-400 yen per load, so you can pack lighter than you'd think. Five days of clothes for a ten-day trip works fine.