Packing 101
Moving abroad is always daunting. Even after you’ve organised your phone contract, memorised your jikoshoukai (self-introduction), and converted your money into yen, you’re left staring at your suitcase. How can you fit your entire life in there? Some lucky people might be allowed two suitcases, but even that is hard.
So here’s some advice.
The Essentials
Documents: passport, IDs, and anything else you might need such as an international driver’s license and tax documents.
Money: bring yen in cash. If you’re not sure how much, ask your BOE. You will need to pay a lot of upfront fees to get you started (health, car, and home insurance, hanko stamp fee etc.) so come prepared. Don’t rely on a foreign card, because most ATMs will reject it or you’ll be charged a fee.
Formal wear: bring at least one set of professional business wear for women (blazer, white shirt, trousers/long skirt), and suit and tie for men. These will be for formal ceremonies at school, and for the Tokyo Orientation (when it’s back up and running.)
Clothes: schools differ, but err on the side of caution and wear business casual on your first few days. Low-cut tops, short skirts, and shoulderless shirts are generally a no-no for work. I recommend prioritising work clothes if you’re struggling to fit everything in. Unless you live on a tiny island in the middle of nowhere, there should be shops like Uniqlo nearby where you can buy cheap casual clothes and lots of thermal layers for winter. Amazon and ASOS are also an option. I arrived in the heat of summer with one suitcase, so I arranged for a second suitcase of winter things to be sent in October. It worked out well!
Comfortable shoes: shoe sizes run small in Japan, so if you have large feet in your home country, definitely bring your own shoes. A pair of dress shoes and comfortable shoes would be a good idea. I also brought two plimsolls to wear as indoor shoes at both my schools, but teachers go around in crocs, trainers, slippers, and all sorts. Shoes that easily slip on and off are a bonus!
Medicine: If bringing a large supply of medical prescriptions, you’ll need an approved yunyuu kakuninsho (formerly the yakkan shoumei). Make sure to give yourself at least four weeks to do this.
However, you may also want to bring a few over-the-counter medicines as well. The reasons for this are two-fold. One, it’s a pain in the neck to get to a drugstore in Japan, and even more of a pain to find what you are looking for. Second, the general consensus is that Japan’s drugs are weaker than their western counterparts. Many people say the over-the-counter medicine in Japan doesn’t work well for them. Japan also uses a lot of kanpou, or Chinese herbal medicine.
Warning! Many over-the-counter drugs in your country might be illegal in Japan. Always check the Ministry of Health’s official website.
Contraceptives: In addition to any prescription contraceptives it might be a good idea to bring things like condoms as well.
Vitamins and Supplements: There are lots of vitamin and weight loss, bodybuilding, and protein supplements in Japan. But they might not be as good as the brand you’re used to.
Toiletries:
Antiperspirant and deodorant — they’re pretty weak in Japan
Brand name shampoos, conditioners, and lotions – if you need specific brands for your hair, then bring it. I use Japanese brands with no problem, and I know people who order from iHerb as well.
Contact lens solution — if you are really picky about contact lens solutions bring it. But there’s a pretty good selection in Japan.
Make-up – Japan has a lot of places where you can buy make-up. But you may want to bring a supply of your trusted brand just in case you can’t find anything good in Japan. There also isn’t a large range of skin colours.
Toothpaste – many brands in Japan don’t contain fluoride, so you might want to bring a few. I personally use Japanese brands.
Omiyage (gifts from your country): gifts are very important here. You should definitely bring gifts unique to your home country or town. Make sure to bring some for your supervisor, BOE office, school staffroom, landlord/lady, and anyone else who will be close to you. I brought packets of Werther’s Originals sweets for the offices, and tins of shortbread as an individual gift to my supervisor. Even though these things are available at foreign food stores here in Japan, they were happy to receive them. When giving gifts for an entire office, make sure food is individually wrapped and easy to pass around. Don’t stress too much about this. Anything is better than nothing!
Electric Plug Adapters: Electrical outlets in Japan are 2-prong. If your electronic equipment doesn’t have 2-prong plug (The USA uses 3-prong plugs), you’ll need an adapter. You can buy these at electronic stores in Japan, but if you need them right away (laptops, cell phones, etc.), you might want to bring one or two of them with you just in case. You can either get an International power and AC adapter (amazing for electronics, but doesn’t work with high-power devices like hair dryers or curling irons) or a simple universal travel adapter to just change the shape of the outlet plugs (doesn’t convert the electrical charge). I also recommend bringing an extension cord with your home country’s plugs, so you can use one Japanese plug to get a row of plugs you can use.
Non-Essentials (but recommended)
Pictures: To decorate your room and to use in your introduction lessons. Pictures also say a thousand words, so it’s a great way to communicate with the people you meet in Japan. Pictures will definitely spice up your introduction in class.
Laptop or computer: Of course you can buy a computer in Japan, but it will be a Japanese system. That means the hardware and software will be in Japanese. If you can read Japanese, then no problem. But if you want a computer with English software, you should bring one from home. If you are near a big city, there are places that will sell English systems, but they are usually not built with the latest technology.
A Camera: If you plan to travel around Japan or just want to keep a log of your JET life, a good camera will help you capture all of your memories. If you don’t need to have super professional pictures, a good smartphone will be fine.
Not Really Needed
Food from home: Food that is heavy is better left at home…unless you really, really need it. If you are close to a city, or living in a pretty big town in Japan, chances are that you’ll find everything you need to keep you satisfied. Many supermarkets in Japan carry things like peanut butter, Nutella, gourmet cheeses, and even chia seeds. But if you have things you need to eat from home, you might want to bring it. I brought tea bags (I’m English) and lots of spices, only to find that the spices section in the supermarket had everything I needed!
Fancy shoes and clothes: this depends on the person and your placement, but if you have a rural placement (and also because COVID is still ongoing) you probably don’t need those high heels and crop tops. People do dress more conservatively here, so you’ll have less occasions to wear them. That being said, this advice depends on your lifestyle. If you have room, bring them!
Do Not Bring
Lots of Books: something that I was guilty of doing… I recommend getting a Kindle, or just ordering books online (Amazon etc.) Some big bookstores will also have an English corner. Books are heavy, so try to hold back
The Bottomline (if you’re struggling for space)
Weigh everything up. Do you use it daily? Can you buy a replacement in Japan? Can you live without it?
Prioritise work clothes, as they’re what you’ll be wearing the most.
Double-check that food item you want to bring. Can you find it in Japan? Will you live near a foreign foods store?
Who needs personal gifts, and who can have a shared gift? If you have many schools, you can bring a food item etc. for the staffroom to share.
What’s important to you? For me, it was books, and pictures and postcards to decorate my apartment. For you, it might be your running gear or hiking boots. Decide what you really need.
Prioritise liquids, creams, and electrical devices, as those can’t be shipped from home (ordering products online is OK). Everything else can usually be posted from home.