elegantlion Posted March 13, 2016 Share Posted March 13, 2016 Ds is going to Japan for two weeks this summer. It's a school trip so airline ticket and insurance are covered. He just got his passport (2 week turnaround time!) and is going to take one carry-on bag with a personal item - all within carry-on limits. He's very minimal and would take one change of clothes and his camera if he could get away with it. I'm trying to gather some things as I shop, so there won't be a last minute rush. We used to travel a lot, not internationally, so we're used to some aspects. I know he can buy most things there if needed, but I know he'd rather be having fun rather than shopping for medicine. Passport - make copies to put in luggage and leave at home. Clothing - how chilly is Japan in late spring? He'll be around the Osaka area. They'll have a chance to do laundry and he'll wear items for multiple days if necessary or wash in the sink. He wears one pair of tennis shoes, so no extra shoes. glasses - he wants to get a new pair and can do well without them, so maybe travel with the prescription or his old pair as a backup. phone - this is the one I'm not sure about. I don't think he can use his phone internationally. Can he buy one there or is it better to take an unlocked phone? Is there anyway to unlock an older iPhone (his previous phone)? toiletries - I know about the liquid and baggie rule. I'm sending him with benadryl, immodium, ibuprofen, he's not on any medication and does not get motion sickness (thank goodness!). camera - he has a new one and just needs to find a nice travel bag for it. What about SD cards? He wants to buy 3 larger ones. Are there any precautions he needs to take with SD cards going through security? He is not taking a computer. Are there things he should consider taking? He's not a take it just in case kind of guy, he'll pack it only if he knows he'll use it. Thanks. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HomeAgain Posted March 13, 2016 Share Posted March 13, 2016 If he takes an older iphone he can use it as an ipod and Facetime instead of call. Internationally, phones get frustrating. We ended up buying one and then SIM cards to pop in with prepaid minutes. I'm not sure how Japan is. We never had any problems taking SD cards through security. I would probably encourage throwing in a small umbrella and a cinch sack backpack. My DS carries the latter with him when he travels because it folds up to go in his pocket but available whenever he needs it. When he goes through security he avoids the bag checks early in the day this way. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justasque Posted March 13, 2016 Share Posted March 13, 2016 When my kids and/or I travel, I like to make a one-page paper "cheat sheet" of contact phone numbers (family + other key people), itinerary info, any basic health info, and so on. I also make a simple zippered bag to wear under clothing. Into the bag goes the cheat sheet, and any valuables (passport, extra cash, spare credit card, return tickets). It's a secure way to carry these things, and would come in handy in case the person, their wallet, or their luggage gets lost. Also, put a bit of thought into food for the trip. If the flight(s) are uneventful, he may not need it, but if there are delays, he may be glad he has it. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Governess Posted March 13, 2016 Share Posted March 13, 2016 When we travel internationally we buy a prepaid phone when we get there if we'll be needing to make calls while we are out. Otherwise, we just use FaceTime or Skype over wireless at the hotel to call home our iPhones, and turn off cell service completely. Toiletries can be purchased when he gets there, but it's good to have him bring his own meds. Trying to figure out how foreign versions of medicines match up to what he's used to taking may be a challenge. I also bring emergen-c packets to drink on the plane and if I start to feel fatigued during the trip. I'd have him pack a windbreaker that can be stuffed in a backpack in case of rain rather than a bulkier jacket. Then bring a fleece/sweatshirt or two. Clothes that can be layered and un-layered depending on the weather are best. If he'll be washing clothes in the sink a lot, I would stick to fabrics that are quick-drying rather than cotton, especially for shirts and socks. Thin wool or performance athletic material should both dry overnight. Be sure he has the right kind of adapter for plugging in his electronics. And of course don't forget chargers for phones and camera batteries. I haven't been to Japan, but I've been to China and Taiwan, and Asian people are small! I tried to clothes shop there and had to buy the largest size shirt (I wear a small here) and they didn't sell shoes big enough to fit my average American feet. Ha! Maybe I just didn't find the right stores.... but something to keep in mind when shopping out there, for himself or for gifts. Also, if he's planning on buying souvenirs to bring home, he might want to pack a thin, packable duffle bag that he can put his laundry in and check for the return trip, and keep his purchases in his carry-on. A jet lag tip: if he arrives at the hotel during daylight hours, tell him *not* to take a nap, or rest at the hotel. He should stay up and out of his hotel room if possible until after dinner even if he feels tired or spacey. Drink a lot of fluids. If he can make it through that first day he will be adjusted for the rest of the trip. Hope he has an amazing trip!! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melinda in VT Posted March 13, 2016 Share Posted March 13, 2016 I always, always pack a second pair of shoes for everyone. Usually we do one pair of walking shoes and one pair of waterproof sandals (preferably with closed toes). We've had shoes break on trips, or get soaking wet and take forever to dry, or suddenly cause hot spots even if they never had before. A second pair of shoes has saved many a trip. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted March 13, 2016 Share Posted March 13, 2016 If he is intending to mail post cards to friends and family, I suggest making a sheet with the recipients' addresses on label paper. Regards, Kareni 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arcadia Posted March 13, 2016 Share Posted March 13, 2016 (edited) An older iphone can be unlocked and he can use it in Japan. My hubby rather video skype using hotel wifi there though but for two weeks buying a prepaid sim card in Japan might be worth it depending on need. Hubby stayed in the city and it was hard to get lost. He packs two sets of spare clothes. Uniqlo is there too if he needs to grab something. http://www.uniqlo.com/osaka/en/sp/ Most important is camera and chargers and travel adaptors. A crossbody bag for local maps, train maps and tickets would be convenient. My kids have been watching Japanology on YouTube and planning a food trip there :lol: Tokyo Narita airport is where we normally transit to go back to our home country though. ETA: We are asian city folks size so no problems grabbing clothes, socks and shoes in Asia. Edited March 13, 2016 by Arcadia 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YaelAldrich Posted March 13, 2016 Share Posted March 13, 2016 Exactly when is he going to Osaka? Tokyo (further north and east) is in monsoon season (meaning hot and rainy) by late May- early June. He will sweat a lot more in that weather and will need to bring clothes that dry quickly so they don't get mildewy (very common in Japan that time of year). I would bring another pair of shoes if he will be doing a lot of walking - finding big shoes is not fun or easy (ABC Shoe stores have bigger sizes). Phones - he can rent a compatible phone at the airport or get a SIM card if his phone is unlocked. Send him with all the medication he might need. Much more difficult to get meds in a foreign country - bring lots of pain meds (Tylenol, Ibuprofen) as they don't really have them in great quantities there. ALso bring enough deodorant - Japanese deodorant does NOT work as well. Glasses - there are glasses stores all over the place (me-ga-ne in Japanese) and he can get the prescription and glasses in one day if needed for a relatively reasonable price. My son has a really cool pair from Japan and have never seen anything like it here in the US. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrixieB Posted March 13, 2016 Share Posted March 13, 2016 When my dd went on a 10 day international trip, we got some foreign currency beforehand so dd didn't have to hunt for an ATM first thing. A friend who travels internationally told me that it is best to take a minimum of TWO debit or credit cards for different accounts. If one gets cancelled by your bank, you'll have a second card to use. Also, be SURE that your son's bank knows that he will be using the cards in another country. Although we notified the bank where we have a joint credit card with dd, they didn't update the international use part correctly, and dd ended up having a credit card that didn't work. Fortunately, the bank where she has a checking account did their job, and her ATM card worked just fine. I wonder if it's because we went into the checking account bank IN PERSON and watched them put in the notification, as opposed to the credit card bank, where we filled out the form online. I put some Lara bars in her checked bag and some in her carry-on. She ended up eating most of them. She's not a picky eater, but there were times that she got hungry when it wasn't meal service time on the plane, while she was on the bus, at the hotel in the evening, etc. She took an adapter to plug in her iPod to charge, plus a separate charger for extra battery life while flying. All the hotels had free wifi so it was easy to stay in touch with her. She used a couple of small/mini locking carabiners to clip her water bottle loop to her backpack so it wouldn't fall out of its pocket, plus she clipped the zipper pulls together for security. This was advised due to where she was traveling, so it may not apply to Japan (not sure how much theft/pickpocketing where your ds will be). The kids on dd's tour were required to have crossbody passport pouches to wear under their clothes, again due to pickpocket issues. We got an RFID blocker sleeve for dd's passport too. Also, she packed light (overweight fees are $$$$) so she was easily able to bring home souvenirs and still stay under the luggage weight limit. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annie G Posted March 13, 2016 Share Posted March 13, 2016 Dd studied in Kobe for 6 months last spring/summer and she never bought cell service. She used Line to communicate with us and with her buddies in Japan, and iMessage for those of us who have iPhones. Line worked really well! If he's there during the rainy season definitely bring a lightweight windbreaker or something to keep dry. Are they going to the beach? Does he have a small backpack or bag to use during the day? Girls have purses but it's so handy for a guy to have a small bag or backpack to hold things. He might want to consider a second pair of shoes- but that's old person me talking. He's going to do a lot of walking and if shoes are wet they can be annoying to walk in. Dd brought one of those travel bags that you can push all the air out of and it compacts your clothes so you can pack more. It came in handy because she bought some clothes. And she bought some books so she needed to make space. How awesome for him! Hope he has a great time!!! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeachyDoodle Posted March 13, 2016 Share Posted March 13, 2016 A power strip if he has room -- that way he can charge multiple electronics with one adapter. For jet lag, have him set his phone or watch to local time when he leaves and stay on that schedule on the trip (i.e., try to sleep when it's time to sleep/stay awake when it's time to be awake). This makes the transition much easier. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elegantlion Posted March 13, 2016 Author Share Posted March 13, 2016 Thank you all, I'll comment more when I have time. Ironically, his natural sleep pattern aligns with Tokyo time already, he falls back to that almost every day he doesn't have school. I tease him that he's been preparing for this trip for years already. :lol: 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lmrich Posted March 13, 2016 Share Posted March 13, 2016 I would pack an extra pair of shoes as well. If his shoes get soaked, he will need a dry pair. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YaelAldrich Posted March 13, 2016 Share Posted March 13, 2016 A power strip if he has room -- that way he can charge multiple electronics with one adapter. He could bring one, but he will need to bring an adapter (3-prong to two prong) to use it in Japan http://www.homedepot.com/p/GE-Polarized-Grounding-Adapter-2-Pack-14404/203684998?cm_mmc=Shopping%7cTHD%7cG%7c0%7cG-BASE-PLA-D27E-Electrical%7c&gclid=CJaNkY_mvssCFdgSgQod0tkLKQ&gclsrc=aw.ds. I could use my appliances in Tokyo, but the other side of the country has a different wattage (50 vs 60 I think) but is 100V, close enough to US electricity to fudge it (except for our hair clippers, but I'm guessing he won't need that! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mabelen Posted March 13, 2016 Share Posted March 13, 2016 If it is going to be hot while he is there, I would bring a pair of flip flops. They are light and practical and dry quickly. I don't know about Japan specifically but I have seen a lot of flip flops worn by locals in other places in Asia. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seasider Posted March 14, 2016 Share Posted March 14, 2016 When my kids and/or I travel, I like to make a one-page paper "cheat sheet" of contact phone numbers (family + other key people), itinerary info, any basic health info, and so on. I also make a simple zippered bag to wear under clothing. Into the bag goes the cheat sheet, and any valuables (passport, extra cash, spare credit card, return tickets). It's a secure way to carry these things, and would come in handy in case the person, their wallet, or their luggage gets lost. Also, put a bit of thought into food for the trip. If the flight(s) are uneventful, he may not need it, but if there are delays, he may be glad he has it. This, plus a copy of insurance cards and any other pertinent info to keep with passport. Exciting! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparklyUnicorn Posted March 14, 2016 Share Posted March 14, 2016 No advice, but hey that sounds like such a cool opportunity. One of my kids is obsessed with the idea of visiting Japan. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TCB Posted March 14, 2016 Share Posted March 14, 2016 No advice, but hey that sounds like such a cool opportunity. One of my kids is obsessed with the idea of visiting Japan. One of my dds wants to move there! Her reason is that apparently they have many different and unusual Kit Kat flavors! 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyingaway Posted March 14, 2016 Share Posted March 14, 2016 Currently, I have sake KitKats, raspberry KitKats, maple pancake KitKats, and purple sweet potato KitKats in my house. Jetlag isn't bad going to Japan. It just means you wake up at 4am and are ready for bed at 6 pm for a few days. It's going back to the States that stinks. Personally, I would skip the flip-flops here if he's going to be going through busy train stations and on crowded trains. They have SIM card vending machines at Kansai airport. You might read up on that as an option. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nd293 Posted March 14, 2016 Share Posted March 14, 2016 I think your son has the right idea - keep it simple! I think 4 tops and 2 pairs of pants are plenty (incl the ones worn on the airplane) - that's what we're taking travelling for 4-5 weeks. Whether I packed medication beyond the very basics would depend on where I was staying - a hotel will have someone on hand to advise you so it's less important to carry meds "just in case". Unless he's prone to allergies or stomach upsets I wouldn't worry about the Imodium or Benadryl. I never go anywhere without headache tablets and throat lozenges as those are my particular weaknesses. I'd use Google Drive or similar to store copies of passport or glasses prescription rather than take paper copies. He's sure to find places with free wifi to log onto his cloud drive or use Skype etc to stay in touch with you. I think a local SIM card is only necessary if he's planning his own trip at all and will need to phone locally. I'm sure he'll have a great time! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elegantlion Posted March 14, 2016 Author Share Posted March 14, 2016 No advice, but hey that sounds like such a cool opportunity. One of my kids is obsessed with the idea of visiting Japan. Ds has been obsessed with the idea for about 5 years. He was set to talk to the study abroad office about doing a trip this summer when the class trip came up. One of my dds wants to move there! Her reason is that apparently they have many different and unusual Kit Kat flavors! Ds would like to do this too. I told him he has to come home, at least from this trip. It will be a good test to see if he really wants to consider. He may end up doing the Skype instead of the phone, but he may want some capabilities of communicating with the group. I know he'd like the idea of getting new glasses over there, just not sure if they'll have time. I need to call today and get an appointment for a check up. He does have a day backpack to bring too. I know he'll fight me on the second pair of shoes, he doesn't even own a second pair of decent shoes. He wears a men's size 9, those seem to be the largest available in Japan when I did a quick google search, so he could buy a pair over there. If he has his way, he'd ditch everything but his camera and come home with a suitcase full of manga. We'll see what he really does. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YaelAldrich Posted March 14, 2016 Share Posted March 14, 2016 Outside of hotels, (free) WiFi in Japan is not super developed. You can now get free wifi in some subway stations in Tokyo; you should check in the Kansai region (Osaka-Kobe). Of course there are Starbucks, but they are not ubiquitous. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane in NC Posted March 14, 2016 Share Posted March 14, 2016 Huge grin, EL. This WTM auntie is thrilled for him!! Weather is the key factor in determining that minimal travel wardrobe. A fleece is probably a good choice--dries faster than a cotton hoodie, compresses well when packing. My kiddo is a minimalist so I might be able to recommend some brands or items once you have determined a list of necessary items. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YaelAldrich Posted March 14, 2016 Share Posted March 14, 2016 Ds has been obsessed with the idea for about 5 years. He was set to talk to the study abroad office about doing a trip this summer when the class trip came up. Ds would like to do this too. I told him he has to come home, at least from this trip. It will be a good test to see if he really wants to consider. He may end up doing the Skype instead of the phone, but he may want some capabilities of communicating with the group. I know he'd like the idea of getting new glasses over there, just not sure if they'll have time. I need to call today and get an appointment for a check up. He does have a day backpack to bring too. I know he'll fight me on the second pair of shoes, he doesn't even own a second pair of decent shoes. He wears a men's size 9, those seem to be the largest available in Japan when I did a quick google search, so he could buy a pair over there. If he has his way, he'd ditch everything but his camera and come home with a suitcase full of manga. We'll see what he really does. My son's glasses took four days but he can get the prescription in Japan even without Japanese, although I would suggest finding a place with some English speakers. Zoff http://www.zoff.co.jp/?gclid=COyt0pTDwMsCFdgNgQodixoBKg is a country wide brand that will do glasses in an hour for regular prescriptions. There may be others. Zoff is in many train stations. Shoes (and most everything) is expensive in Japan. He's better off taking shoes with him. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arcadia Posted March 14, 2016 Share Posted March 14, 2016 If he has his way, he'd ditch everything but his camera and come home with a suitcase full of manga. We'll see what he really does. Size 9 track shoes won't be hard to get but cheaper to bring a spare than buy there. Manga weigh a lot so he has to watch out for luggage weight limits per luggage. There is always Kinokuniya in US. My girlfriend bought lots of Hello Kitty back. I get my glasses from Paris Miki which is a Japan chain but they are more costly. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lanny Posted March 14, 2016 Share Posted March 14, 2016 (edited) Assuming that: (1) The information on this web page is correct and (2) His GSM phone is unlocked and has some of these GSM bands he can buy a SIM card from a provider after he arrives in Japan. This information is on this URL: http://www.gsmarena.com/network-bands.php3?sCountry=JAPAN JAPAN 2G capabilities 3G capabilities UMTS 800, UMTS 900, UMTS 1500, UMTS 1700, UMTS 2100 4G capabilities LTE 850, LTE 1500, LTE 1800, LTE 2100, LTE 2500 My guess is that if you are in the USA his phone probably includes the 850 and 1900 GSM bands, which are commonly used here in the Americas. Possibly it also has other bands. NOTE: The above lists 850 and 1900 for 4G. That's Data. Whether or not the operators also run Voice traffic on those bands you would need to verify with the operator. Edited March 14, 2016 by Lanny 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heartlikealion Posted March 14, 2016 Share Posted March 14, 2016 It would never occur to me to pack medicine. But I can see why you'd want to. I'd probably tell my kid they could skimp on outerwear but pack plenty of socks and underwear. I'd make sure to keep one outfit in the carry on in case there is any issue with luggage/delays due to weather. Good advice in the thread. Hope he has fun! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elegantlion Posted March 16, 2016 Author Share Posted March 16, 2016 We did some looking yesterday. He found cargo shorts that will work and a jacket that might work (only if it goes on sale). He still scoffs at the second pair of shoes and will need a camera bag that fits inside his personal item sized backpack. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YaelAldrich Posted March 16, 2016 Share Posted March 16, 2016 It would never occur to me to pack medicine. But I can see why you'd want to. I'd probably tell my kid they could skimp on outerwear but pack plenty of socks and underwear. I'd make sure to keep one outfit in the carry on in case there is any issue with luggage/delays due to weather. Good advice in the thread. Hope he has fun! And I wouldn't skimp on outerwear in favor of socks and underwear in Japan. :) In every bigger train station, there will be a 100 Yen store (Daiso, Cando, and others) and you can get socks (once again not large American size socks although with socks you can fudge it a bit) and t-shirts/underwear (up to about size M American). You can't get L or larger clothing easily. I wear a M or L in America and wear an LL(XL) in Japanese sizes. I wouldn't even try to fit my 6ft tall son anymore in Japan. Maybe in Gap but honestly I don't think they carry the biggest sizes. BTW, the nicer 100 Yen stores have great souvenirs - Japanese fans, handcloths, Hello Kitty, dishes, bento stuff, etc. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heartlikealion Posted March 16, 2016 Share Posted March 16, 2016 And I wouldn't skimp on outerwear in favor of socks and underwear in Japan. :) In every bigger train station, there will be a 100 Yen store (Daiso, Cando, and others) and you can get socks (once again not large American size socks although with socks you can fudge it a bit) and t-shirts/underwear (up to about size M American). You can't get L or larger clothing easily. I wear a M or L in America and wear an LL(XL) in Japanese sizes. I wouldn't even try to fit my 6ft tall son anymore in Japan. Maybe in Gap but honestly I don't think they carry the biggest sizes. BTW, the nicer 100 Yen stores have great souvenirs - Japanese fans, handcloths, Hello Kitty, dishes, bento stuff, etc. I was only suggesting it assuming he was going to skip on outerwear, anyway. It didn't occur to me about sizing and such! Plus, I thought the alternative was the poor boy was going to wash his underwear in a sink all the time lol. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
helena Posted March 16, 2016 Share Posted March 16, 2016 I like to travel light, but I'll always make room for a hot water bottle. I took one to England and Ireland last summer and I'm so glad I did. I slept much better being able to wrap around something warm at night. Also, everyone got sick and it was passed around on car trips to take the edge off body aches. Unless your son gets cold a lot, I'm not sure a young guy would take that advice. :tongue_smilie: 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YaelAldrich Posted March 16, 2016 Share Posted March 16, 2016 I was only suggesting it assuming he was going to skip on outerwear, anyway. It didn't occur to me about sizing and such! Plus, I thought the alternative was the poor boy was going to wash his underwear in a sink all the time lol. He could skip packing underwear completely and buy new stuff every day for 3 bucks and change, but don't tell your son that! :leaving: 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colleen in NS Posted March 17, 2016 Share Posted March 17, 2016 Huge grin, EL. This WTM auntie is thrilled for him!! This one, too!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FaithManor Posted March 17, 2016 Share Posted March 17, 2016 Good walking shoes with lots of support, band-aids, high quality socks. If your feet go, so does the quality of the trip. Think layering with the clothes. Nothing fancy, no need to deal with that unless one is staying somewhere or eating somewhere with a dress code. Short sleeve and long sleeve t shirts, hoodies, a sweater, comfortable pants for walking, all interchangeable mix and match. We avoided shirts with American sayings or overtly patriotic, etc. in order to try to blend in just a little more, and kept lightweight rain coats in our small backpacks. We carried identification, credit cards, and cash in scan blocking pouches slung across our shoulder under our jacket/hoodie/sweater/ or t-shirt to prevent pickpocketing or scanning of our credit cards by high tech thieves. We did not carry expensive cameras as those are more of a target to thieves. Many US cell phone plans do not work overseas even if your cell phone provider claims they do. Ask me how I know...my friends, my family. We've all been burned by that so Skype and email is better, or buy a cheap phone with minutes when you arrive at your destination and leave your expensive cell phone home. Also, over the counter meds are generally more expensive overseas - though in some locations like Egypt they are DIRT cheap. For European travel, I recommend you take your own advil/Tylenol, allergy med, upset stomach/indigestion meds, antibiotic cream, contact lens solution, etc. You have to keep the liquids to 3 oz. in your carry on, but can carry full size in your checked bag. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mumto2 Posted March 17, 2016 Share Posted March 17, 2016 We always pack an assortment of bandaids(especially the nice waterproof ones) and a cheap tube of antibiotic cream. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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