My 6 tips to travel to Japan in the summer

Visiting Japan is an unforgettable trip.

Everything is fantastic: the food, the culture, the architecture, etc.

However, if your traveling in the summer there are some challenges to overcome. 

I visited Japan in August and when I prepared the trip, I checked the temperatures forecast, as always. 

It was warm, but nothing that I haven't experienced. 

What I did not account for, was the humidity level...

The feel of the temperature completely changed the way I felt the heat, and I had some trouble in adapting to this.

So I would like to share what I've learned.

These are my 6 tips to anyone traveling to Japan in the Summer, particularly during August:

1) Travel Light

2) Wear breathable fabrics

3) Wear breathable shoes

4) Carry water

5) Eat regularly

6) Carry a hand fan

1. Travel Light

 

This may sound like a very generic tip, but I do believe it makes all the difference.

I am an lightweight travel advocate (click here to see how it all started), and I usually travel with just a 20 liter backpack. It is enough for my needs.

In Japan, the chances are you will be walking a lot and taking many public transports. 

So, carrying a small bag with you, instead of dragging a big wheeled bag makes all the difference.

Walking under the Japanese sun with the high level of humidity is a recipe for fainting.

With the heat you'll be sweating a lot, so the less physical effort you can make the better.

Also, go down the stairs of subway stations with big wheeled bags is not the best of ideas. 

Not only you risk losing the next train, but also you'll be very tired, and, If you're thinking you can rest while sitting on the train, forget it - you will not have a place to put your bag into so you'll probably need to stand.

Carrying a small bag makes you get to the places you want to faster and without much effort. 

This makes all the difference under the heat and in the middle of very crowded streets.

How can you travel with only a 20 liter backpack? 

To me, there are 5 steps you take to be able to only travel with a 20 liter backpack:

1) Plan outfits in advance (i.e., this is key - take interchangeable clothes in similar color pallets so that you can vary outfits; think ahead what you will wear).

2) create a packing checklist with all the items to pack (e.g., rethink if you're not over packing and use the checklist to ensure you won't forget anything).

3) Roll clothes to save space (i.e., rolling clothes not only saves space but also keeps your bag organized).

4) Do laundry (i.e., wash your clothes when you take your daily shower and hang them to try)

5) Take items that can have multiple functionalities (e.g., Smartphone for communication and photography; Tablet for books and entertainment).

 

I've written a post on this with more detail - click here to check it.

Traveling light will make all the difference and you'll be able to enjoy Japan a lot more, since you can move around more freely and not have your bag dictate that you need to go to your hotel first or that you need to take a shower because you're sweating from carrying your huge bag.

2. Wear breathable fabrics

 

Light fabrics are crucial to face the Japanese heat.

You can pick polyester fabrics, linen or merino wool, which are very breathable and eliminate sweat very well. 

My strategy usually comes down to polyester fabrics. I usually prefer polos because they tend to look better, but t-shirts will also work.

I like polyester clothes for traveling just because they are cheap, breathable, easy to wash and dry very quickly.

Just be careful not to pick clothes that make you look like you're running the marathon. Not that it has any problem, but you may feel under-dressed sometimes.

For tourism and walking around, I believe the most appropriate outfit is linen trousers and polos / button down shirts, or some shorts with t-shirts.

If you pick plain clothes and pair them with fancier, shorts, for example, you will still look good and eliminate your sweat a lot better.

Try to opt for bright colors, like white, which help reduce the body temperature. Seriously, this actually works! Dark colors make you sweat even more.

Also, if you wear loose fit clothes, the air will circulate and make you feel a lot cooler.

Opting for breathable fabrics will make you feel comfortable, and because they eliminate sweat very well, you will reduce the risk of catching a cold when you go into a store with air conditioning.

3. Wear breathable shoes

I like to walk around the places I visit and see street by street. So, I end up doing long walks with a lot of kilometers in a short period.

If I don't wear comfortable and breathable shoes, in no time I'll be suffering with feet blisters.

Finding shoes that are comfortable, breathable and look good is no easy task. 

I can't say I have found the perfect pair, but I tend to pick sneakers for their comfort. Usually, sneakers made for walking fall under this category, but not often they look good.

For Japan I took a pair of blue adidas walking shoes.

 

There are other options that you can chose depending on how much you want to spend. But these at least ticked the boxes for comfort and breathability.

Sandals could probably be a good option as well, specially if they are made of brown leather, which gives them a more premium look. 

It won't be rare to see some Japanese wearing leather sandals, but I wouldn't wear this is my primary option.

 

4. Carry water

This is probably my most important tip, and one of my biggest mistakes in Japan.

Carry water is crucial since we walk a lot in the heat, which makes us lose water and minerals through our sweating.

I should have drunk more regularly to keep my water levels and better deal with the heat.

It is not difficult to find a places that sell water or other drinks throughout Japan: coffee shops, street food corners, supermarkets, etc,.

One of the examples is the hello kitty cafe below :).

 So you can opt for 2 different strategies:

1) Buy water as you go and carry less stuff - There will almost always be places to buy water so you don't really need to be carrying a bottle with you. The downsides however, is that you spend more money and risk being in a place where it might not be that easy to buy it immediately.

2) bring a water bottle with you - this is an excellent option since you have it on you and can keep drinking regularly. It is important, however, to find a lightweight bottle (I prefer trail running flasks, these are perfect to squeeze into a small pouch). The downside is that you'll need to carry one extra item with you.

Either way, don't be afraid to drink regularly. You'll always find bathrooms available (and almost all of them are very clean!) and also, because you sweat a lot, you won't need to go into one every 15 minutes...

If you prefer, you can always taste other drinks, there is no shortage of interesting brands in Japan.

Here's my Hiroshima cola:

Very important! stay hydrated.

5. Eat regularly

Another one of my mistakes, was not to eat more regularly.

Eating regularly allows our body to replenish the energy spent with walking and with the heat. 

Because I lost a bit of my appetite with the heat, I ended up not eating as regularly as I should. 

The result? often times I felt really low on energy and grumpy.

Then I would eat a little bit and in a few minutes I was up and running again.

You can buy food in many places, and the 7-eleven stores are excellent places to find cheap snacks (including healthy ones too!).

There is a lot of street food to try and cafes where you can have a traditional sweat, or donuts, etc.

If you want to save some money, just buy a cookie package in a 7-eleven store and keep eating throughout the day.

Fruit is always an excellent option. Just be prepared to spend a little bit more on fruit. It isn't the cheapest food-type in Japan.

 

6. Carry a hand fan

This may sound ridiculous, but I was offered a plastic hand fan while walking around. My first reaction, was to reject it, but then I thought:

"I'm sweating so much, I'll just use it for a few minutes..."

The "few minutes" turned into "the remainder or the trip"...

I thought this was so handy that I kept using it throughout the days. Specially in closed spaces without air conditioning, like cable cars, this was life saving.

So, try to get something that you can make soft breezes with... A fan, a piece of paper, a small electric hand fan, etc.

Whatever is small and causes air to move is a good option to take to a trip to Japan in the Summer.

I prepared a video to summarize all these tips.

Please take a look:

Conclusion

I visited Japan in August and I was not expecting the heat I ended up facing.

I learned the hard way how to deal with this heat.

Based on what I experience, there are 6 tips I would give anyone that travels to Japan in the summer:

1) Travel with the smallest bag you can - buy the rest there.

2) Wear breathable fabrics - clothes that eliminate sweat (polyester, linen, etc.) or that allow air to circulate (loose linen, for example)

3) Wear breathable shoes - shoes that allow air to circulate reduce the probability of having blister. Opt for walking sneaker or fancy sandals.

4) Drink water regularly - Carry a trail running water flask and drink regularly to replenish lost liquids.

5) Eat regularly - eat many times per day. There are healthy options, but if you prefer, a cookie package is always a good travel option.

6) Carry a hand fan - get something that you can make air flow to reduce the effect of sweat. A fan is good option (either manual or electric)

Enjoy Japan!