Hi!
Travelling to Japan in June with Qantas ~ They allow a 30kg baggage allowance.
As i am travelling solo that should be enough, but what items are a must to pack with me?
Also with the 30kg allowance, can that be split into 2 bags, eg 23 in one and 7 in the carry on?
Thanks!
yes got caught out with that one - the shinkansen i was on didnt have outlet power.
the qantas planes (from Melb) also run 110V with the parallel pins so take an adapter for the plane ride. you can USB charge off the inflight entertainment panel.
Isn't AC only in business? I spent ages looking for the power port in economy and couldn't find anything.
In that case, bring an extension cord to run from business to economy.
Might want to bring some cable management hooks and a nail gun too, lest the drinks cart yanks your cord when running up and down the aisle.
AC in economy also - there is one point shared between two seats on the 2-3-2 config aircraft. Not sure what the arrangement is for the 3 seats.
Hmm, not the 330-200 they're currently flying on the Melbourne-Tokyo route then. It's configured for 2-4-2. Worst thing about being bumped up from Jetstar to Qantas was carrying my laptop on board just to find out I'd have to sit through last year's movies.
@veetor:
yes sorry its 2-4-2
the power for the 2 seater is towards the base of the middle seat post on the seats in front. i was on the plane 2 weeks ago and didnt notice until half way through the flight.
I just got back from Japan flying Qantas, there are USB ports on the armrests, but none of them work.
Tried them on both my flights to & from Japan.
Bring a battery pack.
Air Con is available in all classes on all jet powered aircraft these days, its not just for the rich….. ba dum tss
For safety reasons power bank should always be in carry on, not checked in luggage.
I thought for safety reasons power banks should be depleted to 20% of their charged and stored in the checked in luggage.
Powerbanks must be in carry and must be presented separately for scanning/inspection.
different airlines probably do it different but for what its worth BA allow them in carry on only
Probably policies vary by airlines..
My last two flights (MAS and Qantas) told me that powerbanks (and any lithium batteries) should be in your carry on.
Reason being that it'd get detected earlier if anything were to happen (heating up/swelling/smouldering)
Isn't the 30kg allowance just for checked-in luggage? You still get 7kg for carry-on on top of that
Is checked in luggage the luggage that goes inside the plane as oppose to carry-on?
With Qantas you should get 30kg baggage allowance for checked in (yes that goes inside the plane cargo), and 7kg allowance (with size restrictions) for carry on.
Note that some carriers have restriction on how many bags you separate your checked baggage into. Most would allow 2 bags up to 30kg checked baggage.
I'm flying Qantas to Japan in one month's time too.
Just returned via Qantas - we had 2 bags each checked in. Not sure if there's a limit.
We were able to bring 2 small bags carry on under certain weight (probably 7Kg as above)
Bring nurofen, deodorant, power board, travel adapter, unlocked smartphone (get datasim there or online.. datasims can vary in speed, one from airport counter was fast whereas one from tech shop - picture of mt Fuji on pkg was real slow.
@jaybot:
I thought of one more thing.. Next time I will set up my own vpn at home so I could access aus netflix, catchup tv
Checked In baggage allowance - 30Kg
Carry on Luggage - 7Kg but they really won't check this unless it looks really big
Also you can carry a seperate "personal item" like a small laptop/camera bag with your carry on.
I did this all the time.
Depending on which airline, OP has to check the baggage policy to be sure. I have sat a budget airline before where by the "allowance" included the carry on (minus laptop bag) which was a surprised but luckily I wasnt over the amount.
Edit: I mis-read and saw that it is Qantas so allowance amount is referring to check in only. But as I mentioned, passengers should always check the baggage policy for the airlines to be sure.
Deodorant if you need it (theirs is not so strong), and toothpaste unless you are interested in trying new unusual flavours (although the salty one is pretty nice). Just got back from Japan and was surprised to find much more widespread free wifi in many places. I'm racking my brain to think of anything else, but I certainly didn't not have anything, and I took 7kg carry on for 18 nights. (Actually, I switched all my t-shirts to wool before I went to reduce the need for laundry.)
There are several "normal / mint type" toothpastes, I guess you might need to know what to look for. Kirindo and Cosmos etc have plenty of variety in dental.
Yep Aquafresh is one of the best tasting.
roll-on deodorants i assume, think spray ones would be quite dangerous in a plane, am i right?
Aerosols are allowed in checked baggage and have never had an issue.
depending where you are going (and what airline) the size of the aerosol will matter as will the lid type
probably, but you should still check the rules of where you're going (and the airline again) Britain (via British airways) has some pretty stringent rules on liquids and gels, which might include sticks still, i never looked as mine was under the size limit regardless
You dont see roll ons in japan.
Deodorant if you need it (theirs is not so strong),
I wonder if after consuming the local cuisine for long enough, one's microbiome and consequently body odour would match the locals'… 🤔
Nope…. your natural fauna in your gut has been nurtured throughout your lifetime, and doesn't change overnight.
The bacteria on your skin outnumber the amount of Human Cells you have collectively.
One can say a person is 90% bacteria, and 10% human : )
your natural fauna in your gut has been nurtured throughout your lifetime, and doesn't change overnight.
Unless you took a course of broad spectrum antibiotics followed by a fecal transplant from a local. 💡
Gatsby deodorant wipes are amazing. They are typically 400 Yen at the chemist stores and the icy versions are incredibly cooling. Imagine a giant KFC refresher towel for your body. They were so cool (lol) that I bought them as souvenirs for my friends.
that is so cool. pun intended. i want one.
Power bank
Power board so you can charge all your devices and only bring one adaptor
General medicine/antiseptic
Sandals/thongs for the bathroom
General medicine/antiseptic
Just remember, on the medicine front, that Japan is ultra-conservative when it comes to drugs. A single cold and flu tablet containing pseudoephedrine will be sufficient to have you arrested at the airport.
If taking medication with you, it can be worth a visit to your GP to get a letter stating that this is necessary for you.
Personally, I tend to take gastro meds with me when traveling in Asia as food poisoning can happen at the worst possible moment (e.g before long distance travel) and it's unpleasant to search for in a foreign country when you do.
Otherwise a small power board and a power adapter is essential.
Have fun! I've always wanted to go to Japan.
If taking medication with you, it can be worth a visit to your GP to get a letter stating that this is necessary for you.
Even with a prescription from your GP, Japan will not allow you to enter with psudo meds. It is completely illegal.
Oh wow did not know that! Cheers for the small piece of info :)
Cheers for the small piece of info :)
No probs. Some further (more official) reading on the topic:
Wow.
I bought a pack of Claratyne D from HK on my stopover (called Clarinase there), which contains pseudo.
7 day supply, 240mg of pseudo each… way stronger than the 60mg pseudo..
Did not know about pseudo being illegal O_O
And wow, only one ventolin inhaler or you need a medical certificate..
Goddamn I could have been arrested in Japan because I had two ventolins and Pseudo on me.
Great tips thanks guys!
On that note, is it common to take some injection shot before heading of to Japan? Is it necessary?
Also can anyone recommend a power adapter, i'm trying to find JPN to AUS but the ones i found are all 3 pronged not sure which one exactly to get
Some of their points won't have the third prong and you might not be able to fit it but the convenience stores have adaptors if you need!
Convenience stores are everywhere and open pretty much 24/7
Also, don't think it's necessary for the injections. People are generally very hygienic and it's also very clean.
I would also keep your plastic bags that you get there because there aren't bins everywhere so you may need to keep your rubbish in your plastic bag and backpack until you find a bin.
I found a lot of places didn't have 3 prongs- just the 2. As Unorthodox said- go to a convenience store or daiso when you get there and pick something suitable up.
Alternatively, if you are wanting a 2 prong, eBay is probably your best bet…
A bit pricier but I love https://www.bunnings.com.au/hpm-4-2a-usb-adaptor-with-charge…, charges Ipad as well.
Also has adapters for other countries which has been real handy.
Definitely only go 2 prong! 3, I found to be quite rare.
Carry cash on you - I just found it handy.
If you've got money, pack light. Plenty of cheap clothing and interesting/odd things to buy.
You can buy psuedoephidrine over the counter in Japan at any drugstore. Well it's di-methylephidrine and does the job. Paburon Gold A is your friend.
Not just any power board. OzB's favourite Xiaomi power strip :D
Remember to pack an open mind.
And a parachute!
Eneloops
power bank
For each of my trips to Japan, the first item I pack is an extra suitcase. So much awesome stuff to buy (especially if you're into gaming/gadgets). Oh yeah…and Japanese snackfood ;-)
I also buy a DoCoMo travel data SIM here in Sydney so I have data at my fingertips as soon as I land.
Oh wow that's awesome!
Bringing multiple suitcases like that is okay though if meets the weight requirement?
I hired a portable Wifi, I think it more convenient than getting data SIM.
what do you mean by portable wi-fi? USB Dongle?
@virhlpool: The name wasn't already enough of a hint? It's not a USB dongle, it's a device that gives you an internet connection outside that you connect to via WiFi …
Geez what's with the 19 month bump?
I think I'll need to bring an extra one next time. We ended up buying another bag while we were there to find all the things we bought (mostly figures).
I just checked out your instagram feed of your trip to Japan. Awesome photos, and it looked like you packed so much into your trip. I was in Kansai about a month ago, and going to the baseball at Koshien was one of the highlights of the trip. As you said, incredible atmosphere. More people should try when they visit, if they can get tickets organised.
Thanks for the feedback. If you want to see the winter excursion (six months earlier) see here https://www.instagram.com/explore/tags/djwinterinjapan/
wet weather gear else buy some when you land.
Least amount as possible. There's so much stuff to buy in Japan its crazy. I don't even like to buy things so that's saying something.
What things were there to buy, any must-haves? Planning to go in the near future :)
I can't really explain it but there's just heaps. Not many 'must haves' though. Just lots of things you wouldn't get in Australia.
Would recommend.
I'm going back at the start of next year and I'm stoked.
I think i'm planning on taking 1 carry on backpack with essentials and one smallish suitcase so i can bring over my haul.
How did you pack?
I was on a 2 and a half month trip around Asia and I used all of the remaining space I had in a large backpacking backpack in Japan.. (It was like week 2-4 of the trip so I had to really limit how many things I purchased).
Ah right!
I guess i have alot more room to play with only heading for Tokyo this time around
PogChamp
I returned from Tokyo last week and flew with Qantas. I would take some good earphones as the Qantas ones are rubbish. I would also take cash as generally you can only use 7/11 ATMs and then you pay more with the exchange rate and bank fees. Shop around for your cash exchange rate in Australia and bargain with them. It was very very safe in Tokyo and I felt fine carrying lots of cash. You can buy everything over there. Take a big suitcase and go shopping. go to Daiso and buy an umbrella when you get there. So much to see and buy. The must haves depends on what you like to buy
Thanks for the tips!
Doesn't the Citibank card provide an almost 1:1 exchange rate if withdrawing cash in Japan?
I also like that idea of just taking a suitcase for shopping, out of curiosity why the suggestion for the umbrella?
June is a pretty rainy month at least in Tokyo area, so you'd want a big umbrella, which you can buy cheaply maybe 200 yen from daiso or a better one for 500+ elsewhere, then dump anywhere at the end of your trip (a lot of unclaimed umbrellas as well)
Doesn't the Citibank card provide an almost 1:1 exchange rate if withdrawing cash in Japan?
No, it gives you the current exchange rate set by visa or master card if you are a new customer. They don't charge any fees or conversion charges if you get cash out at a citibank atm.
Japan is definitely safe enough to carry cash but I found the Visa conversion to be better than any forex converter I came across.
Where did you convert your AUD to Yen?
The Visa/Mastercard rate would be better than a money changer.
Your main problem in Japan is that most the ATMs won't work with a foreign card, so you're stuck with using 7/11 ATMs.
I even had problems using a Citibank ATM.
just a heads up as i just returned from japan a day ago. Citibank has now been taken over by SMBC, but only Prestia branches work with citibank cards. I have heard that 7/11 has an agreement with citibank for no fees but have not tried.
Pretia is common enough in Osaka and Tokyo (pretty sure they just replaced old citibank locations) but likely not in smaller cities.
I came back from a 3 week trip late March and used my Citibank Plus Visa at 7/11 mainly and sometimes Lawson etc
Never had any problems with 7/11's
Even took cash out for my mate who could not find a rate close to the Visa rate
I found Japan very cash usage heavy, at least at the places we eat and stuff when we try out the vending machine ordering places and what not. But we got our cash at a "reasonable" rate from a 7-Eleven ATM with Bankwest/28D card, even with a $4/4pc or whatever hit to the rate, at the time anyway.
Or any post office, be careful with MC, Japan and MC have a history of not playing nice, first time I went MC was accepted nowhere for cash withdrawls but the post office. Your card should work though as normal at most vendors.
As previously mentioned though cash is used for the most part.
Do plenty of research in to fees and rates, first time I was suckered in to a travel money card which was far from the best deal.
How about what not to pack? You won't need pajamas since every hotel provide modern kimonos in the room. They are so liberating :)
If you are planning on meeting and mingle with locals, bring some small Australian made gifts, they will love you.
Bring your Citibank card for cash at 7/11 ATM and 28degree credit card.
Also bring travel plugs and remember their mains supply is 110V not 240V.
Try Tokyu Hands department store, they are all over Japan. They are rather unique, as they sell tools, knives,craft/art goods and many other different items. Bit hard to describe, so look at their website, a facinating adventure into a world of products often not seen here in Australia. I just loved the place, along with Japan in general.
Just got back from Japan and less is best - you will no doubt be lugging your case to and from your hotel or other accommodation and I've just done that with a family of 4 (not fun) in the end we ended up forfeiting our 4 return NEX train tickets as I couldn't face lugging the cases and kids through the train station again. I am now a convert of the minimalist movement. If you are a solo traveler I would really recommend 1 case and 1 backpack, dragging 2 cases or more (I had mine + 2 other hard shell cases to manage) is a nightmare.
As many have noted above DO bring your phone or ipad and put a local data sim card in it - I used my ipad non stop while using the train system as google maps will tell you you are at any given moment (sometimes it is hard to work out if you have got on the right train travelling in the right direction and real time GPS will help you realise quickly if you need to get off and board another train) - Also key in where you want to go and it also provides a list of the various public transport options ie more than 1 route option (which train line to take, where to get off and change trains, which platform to use etc) - this is really useful as some train stations don't have maps in English.
One small tip I can offer is that if you bring all your old undies and socks with you, just chuck them out after you wear them - makes for more room and a lighter case on the way back.
I agree with the above post that the Qantas headsets are rubbish.
One small tip I can offer is that if you bring all your old undies and socks with you, just chuck them out after you wear them
Apparently there's a market for used undies in Japan. So you could sell them for a profit!
Carry on:
Change of underwear, socks, a shirt and maybe a extra pair of pants, roll on Deo, toothbrush and toothpaste + a power bank, tablet and /or laptop and chargers, noise cancelling headphones and adapters. Now unfortunately AUS - JPN doesn't exist because you can't safely convert 3 prog to 2 prong in a small adapter. Most hotels have 3 prong points, your phone and tablet charger should be 2 prong so grab a couple of the 2 prong ones.
Checked(goes under the plane. DO NOT check anything electronic unless explicitly told to do so by the airline): Clothes you'll need, toiletries.
I would highly recommend getting some cash out (say $200-300 AUD in JPY) as they are a very cash based society. Cabs only take cash so having cash is MUCH easier.
Agree they are cashed based, but the airport has ATMs. Just get it out when you land. The conversion rate is way better than anything locally and no fees if you have the right account.
Also a tip OP, if your chq/sav is accessed via your credit card (ie you can pick sav/chq/credit all from the same card), get a 'EFTPOS' only card, as when you go to the ATM, mine wouldn't let me select an account type, so defaulted to a credit card cash advance. YIKES. Lucky I had my eftpos card on me.
There's quite a few old homeless guys in Japan.
I've made it a habit of carrying donations(old clothes, blankets, Aussie souvenirs etc) with my unused luggage weight.
Donating it to someone in need in another country will probably the most rewarding thing you'll get out of your trip.
Really good point. While in Australia a percentage of homeless people don't really deserve any sympathy as our society is quite easy to survive in if you just try a little bit and quit your drinking and drugs. But in Japan and many other asian countries you know most of the homeless people really are doing everything they can.
Can't tell if sarcasm…
If you can't survive in Australia and its opportunities, Hmmm too bad.
*exceptions only for handicapped, etc
Yeah, those homeless really need Aussie souvenirs!!!
You have such a big heart, I totally agree with you :)
Power Bank (carry on).