Wanna be featured in my next article?―What to pack for Japan

[LittleGaijin]

Hey guys! I've been thinking about this for a while now, and I really want to start giving members a chance to contribute to our Gaiwa Homepage articles! For now, I'm asking for your help on my next article scheduled for next week. However, we also want to start offering members a chance to submit their own articles that we will publish on our homepage under their name! If you're interested in this, you can email us your article drafts via our Contact Us page, and if we really like your article ― we may even ask if you're interested in becoming an Intern at Gaiwa!

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July 18, I'm planning to release part two of my "Getting to Japan" series. This article will be a nice, detailed list of all the things one should consider bringing to Japan prior to moving there (or for those staying there for longer than a few weeks). As I am currently in this process of "getting to Japan" myself, this not only benefits my next article, but it would be a huge help to me as well! 

ANYONE can contribute to this article, even if you have never been, or lived in Japan before. All you have to do is reply to this thread, and share some useful things that one should take with them when moving to Japan. Those who include details on WHY someone should bring these items to Japan may get quoted directly, and will have their username mentioned in the article. So try to come up with some useful items that are often over-looked!

Detailed example: "Stick deodorant. Japan don't got 'em. In fact, you won't often find any kind of deodorant in Japan. If you're lucky enough to find some, it will be a kind of spray-on liquid that westerns aren't used to. These are also weaker than the stuff we're used to. So try to bring a month's worth of Stick Deodorant with you."  


This would mean so much to me, I'm looking forward to featuring some of you guys!

[chocopie]

When I was in Japan I used an anti-perspirant (制汗剤) called ソフトストーン that I bought at the local chemist. I got one which was literally a 'stone' (it seemed interesting, you add water and then roll it on and it did work!) but they have a stick version as well. I think a lot of the spray ones are deodorant only with no antiperspirant action.

If you get bitten, ムヒ is a brand that does a variety of insect bite creams, patches etc. that work really well. There's usually a section in the pharmacy for insect bites.

I can't think of anything else useful at the moment.

[Jembru]

For people of normal stature, I've heard shoes are a nightmare to find in Japan, although as I've already suggested, it's actually better to send boots and heavy coats via surface mail (if you have an address prior to arriving in Japan), as it's cheaper than paying for extra luggage space. They'll arrive just as the only 2 pairs you took with you are about ready to drop off your blistered feet ^^

I didn't mind Japanese deoderants, but it's true they have nothing like Dove. My mum used to post dove roll ons to me. If you have blindingly white skin like I do, you might also struggle to find foundation pale enough for your skin tone, so maybe pack a tube of Max Factor 100 (the only brand even in the sea of milk-bottles that is the British Isles that is pale enough for my Celtic colouring!!)

Also one for the Brits.. no matter where you go in the world, always pack a box or two of good old Tetley tea. No one does black tea like we do!

Honestly though, most things can be bought when you get to Japan. Not so much a tip for packing, but a tip for once you're there.. get used to eating and living like the locals, because trying to eat a diet closer to that of your home country will cost the Earth.

[waffles]

My neighbor lived in Japan for several years and said that it's best to get rain boots that go up to your knee before you go to Japan and take them with you for the rain and monsoon/typhoon seasons. She said if you live outside of the city you can get pretty wet and dirty from rain and everything.

[Jade]

Jembru I'm gonna have to bug you for a box of Tetley tea in that case. Just to test this claim of yours lol

LittleGaijin Make sure you know the size of your feet in centimetres if you think you'll be buying shoes at some point (and grab some shoe-stretching spray before you go to Japan just in case). In fact, make note of most of your measurements in centimetres as some shops don't display S, M, L sizes and only display hip/waist/etc measurements in centimetres (and, maybe, inches... but I didn't take too much note of that as I don't use them).

In America, I'm pretty sure most of your power points look just like: | | right? So you're not really likely to need an adaptor for Japanese power points, but for those who need adaptors do get them. You should also check the voltage of your devices and compare it with the voltage available in Japan before you plug them in because otherwise you may end up killing your device. 

Depending on what you're used to the dosages of Japanese medicine is a little weird. I'm not talking about effectiveness because I didn't notice much of a difference between medicine in Aus and Japan so meh. But the amount of pills to take differed from Aus: 3錠2回 instead of 2 pills, 3 times, and so on. A friend and I actually got into an argument about it because 'no, you're reading that wrong. 3 pills is way too much.' and 'I'm pretty sure this is the counter, and 回 is for times so it's three pills.' 'No it isn't.' So we accosted a poor pharmacy worker to ask him about it. I was right. Either way, a lot of people found it better to pack their own medicine/cold and flu tablets/etc. So if you have a preferred brand do pack some of those.

You'll probably be signed up for the National Health Insurance through your uni somewhere along the line. Do pay that. It's very good. Like, I was dumb and spent like $15 on medicine without going, my friend actually went to the doctor and got medicine and only had to pay like $6. It worked out so much better for her lol (and this went off topic from what to pack, I'm sorry!)

[LittleGaijin]

Choco, Jemma, Katie, Jade... thank you so much, everyone! This is such a huge help to me!  There are so many things here that I didn't even think to mention before starting this thread, and so much details too! I'll make sure to add something from everyone into the article! (And into my suitcases as well, haha.)

[chocopie]

For painkillers, I'd research which one is closest to the kind you usually take. This is a summary of brand painkillers in Japanese and here's one in English. Here's information on medication you can't take to Japan, and what to do if you need to take a large supply of prescription medication. Actually that website has a bunch of practical travel tips that may be useful.

[Bokusenou]

I second what Jade said about the wall sockets. Japan's only have the two straight line holes at the top, and not the circular hole at the bottom, so be sure to get an adapter for any device you take with a three pronged plug. Eastern Japan, including the Tokyo area's electricity is 10 hertz slower than the US (50 vs 60), while Western Japan (Osaka, etc) is 60 like the US. Most US devices should work, but things like clocks may go slower. I was in Nagoya, which is on the Western Japan power grid, and all my two pronged plug devices worked fine, while the three pronged ones worked with an adapter.

Jembru I'll have to see if I find Tetley tea next time I go to the supermarket now. As someone who prefers tea to coffee, you've gotten me curious.^^

[LittleGaijin]

Adapters and pain-killers, really great ideas chocopie and Bokusenou! Important stuff too! These are going into the article for sure. And thank you so much for all the links, Choco! These are incredibly helpful, I'll have to add them!

[LittleGaijin]

Hey guys! The new article will be going up later tonight, or (worst case scenario) tomorrow afternoon. Please stay tuned, and sorry about the wait! (˘◡˘)

[LittleGaijin]

Well, that took longer than I thought! The article is finally up now, please check it out! ٩(●˙▿˙●)۶ I'm going to lock this thread now, but please do leave a comment on the article!