Travelling to the other side of the world is so scary, especially if you are like me who has never travelled abroad before. However, fear not, as I will be providing you with tips about what you need to pack for Japan. The most absolute important thing to bring is adapters, since Japan uses a different plug type from the UK. These are especially easy to find in shops, or online – I bought mine from Amazon for cheap. A power bank is also necessary since the flight from the U.K. to Japan is roughly 14+ hours, and for this reason, bring a power bank. Also, try to bring some travel sized amenities which you can use either during the flight, or on the layover if you have one, especially deodorant since it is rarely sold in Japan. If you can, bring something from home for comfort. For me, I brought photos of my dogs and cat because having something familiar to you in a foreign environment can make you feel so much more at ease.

I made two big mistakes before travelling which cost me so much inconvenience in my first few months in Japan. Buy an international sim card or buy one at the airport when you land. The sim cards in the airport can be bought from a vending machine or at an airport counter, however, these are only temporary but good enough until you can purchase a proper sim card. My process in obtaining a sim card was much more difficult because I never prepared beforehand. The second mistake I made was not buying an international credit card, and instead just bringing yen with me. I highly recommend bringing some yen with you since Japan is mainly a cash-based society however, I do urge you to buy an international card which is compatible for use in Japan, preferably a Visa or MasterCard.

This is so important, so please do not skip over this part. Prepare a little folder for all of your documents which is easily accessible to you when travelling. This folder should contain your passport, flight tickets and a copy of your Certificate of Eligibility (CoE) which is needed for the immigration office.

With this information, I hope it makes you feel less stressed and more prepared for traveling to Japan. Safe travels!