since my departure for tokyo is about a month away, i'm slowly starting to scramble to get things ready for a year away from home, studying my rear off.

on my checklist, to buy before i leave, are:

-2 pair of shoes, size snowplow
-new sets of clothes - pants, shirts, socks etc. i'm worried i'll have a hard time finding clothes that will fit a 2 meter tall man. But then again i don't realy feel a need to bring my entire wardrobe to a tiny dorm room.
-contact lenses for a year

so, since i've never been to japan...or asia for that matter, is there anything else i would do myself a favour in bringing?? are there some things that are hard to come by as a FG?

thank you

deodorant

*couldn't help myself, needed to correct the spelling. Thanks FG Lurker *

a roundtrip ticket. the yakuza love to beat the shit out of scandinavians.

Helpful, Jim.

Bring some gifts that represent your home for the people you'll be meeting. Bring a good travel guide like Lonely Planet Japan and any other non-Japanese language books that you want to read. Bring plenty of travellers checks to cash at Japanese post offices. Bring any food that you'll miss from home as you likely can't get it in Japan.

kuru wrote:since my departure for tokyo is about a month away, i'm slowly starting to scramble to get things ready for a year away from home, studying my rear off.

on my checklist, to buy before i leave, are:

-2 pair of shoes, size snowplow
-new sets of clothes - pants, shirts, socks etc. i'm worried i'll have a hard time finding clothes that will fit a 2 meter tall man. But then again i don't realy feel a need to bring my entire wardrobe to a tiny dorm room.
-contact lenses for a year

As Mels wrote, deodorant. You can't get it here. Japanese toothpaste is pretty bad too, so you might want to bring that along (I always stock up when I go home.) If you use any skin cream for dry skin or something you might want to bring a supply. It is available here but expensive.

Clothes... Well, it depends on just how big you are. I'm 186cm tall and generally get my clothes here without too much trouble. I get my suits and shirts for work done at a taylor though. It isn't any more expensive than buying off the rack (especially for suits, less so for shirts), and I get a perfect fit every time. For casual clothes I also don't have problems getting things like t-shirts and jeans here. I do tend to go on a bit of a shopping spree every time I'm home though -- cheaper that way.

In the 10 years I've been here things "from home" have become easier and easier to get though. Costco is awesome! And the Foreign Buyer's Club prices seem to have improved with time too. Or maybe things at home have just become more expensive so the difference doesn't seem as big.

Oh, how could I forget! Medicine!!! Bring a good supply of the cold medicine and pain medicine that you use at home. I bring big bulk bottles of the stuff. OTC meds are expensive here and the doses small. Vitamins too -- if you take multivitamins you should bring them as you won't find any decent ones here.

Where in Japan are you headed?

The classic rule for travelers:

Estimate what you need for your trip. Then take half as many clothes, and twice as much money.

Charles wrote:Estimate what you need for your trip. Then take half as many clothes, and twice as much money.

Amen to that.

A bottle of tylenol, or some other painkiller.

And if you are prone to heartburn, bring tums.

If you are living in a big city (hiroshima, osaka, nagoya, tokyo, sapporo) clothes probably wont be a problem, but if you are anywhere else, it will probably be difficult.

What all the above posters said plus:

Condoms etc if you plan to get lucky.

Hiking stuff - shoes daypack etc. I am not really an avid hiker but I am so glad I brought my own stuff as I have used it more than I thought I would.

Remember that the weather has huge extremes between summer and winter.

GomiGirl wrote:Condoms etc if you plan to get lucky.

Very good point GG!

The freebie condoms provided in hotels here are not, um, "gaijin sized".

Damn things are so tight they hurt to put on (or don't fit at all).

I'd bring some toothpaste... Japanese toothpaste sucks.

If you are teaching in a school or other traditional Japanese workplace, you may want to bring your own pair of indoor slippers that fit you and are comfortable enough to wear all day long. I used a new pair of Birkenstock sandals at my school when I was on JET, and it saved my life. The school slippers they provide are barely big enough for your big toe.

I have also found that the only painkiller/aspirin frrom the West is Bufferin. I have never been able to find Advil or Aleve which are much better for headaches. And Pepto-Bismol is hard to find. You should also bring good anti-constipation medicine, although that stuff is easy to get in Japan (if you don't mind Chinese herbal medicine shaped like little green balls).

Finally, if you take multivitamins or drink protein shakes, bring that stuff with you. Multivitamins in Japan are expensive and it is hard to find a good selection of whey protein that dissolves well.

X100000000000000000000 on the toothpaste thing
if u have like powdered meal mix things to make ur meals thats good to bring - ie like packet mix to make chinese stir fry or something like that.
if u have big feet bring shoes for all occasions. make sure they are as easy as possible to slip on and off - cause if they are'nt all your shoe backs will get ruined

Charles wrote:The classic rule for travelers:

Estimate what you need for your trip. Then take half as many clothes, and twice as much money.

Yepper, I did that.

Brought one back-pack worth of equipment for my stay here, and $8500 Canadian.... was down to $1200 by the end of the first month (sigh)

so bring LOTS of money.

i'm most grateful for all these helpful answers - helped a lot.

i find it a bit odd that a place like Japan would not have some of the common everyday products i am used to here, afterall i acctualy live in the smallest country in the world.

if anyone here is in the tokyo area, i'd be happy to take some things with me in case anyone needs something, i guess i'll have no trouble in bringing a few extra tubes of toothpaste through costums

Deodourant, toothpaste, shaving lather (if you're a guy with a course beard), shoes (if you have big feet), shirts (if you have long arms),pasta sauce, Region free DVD player (or buy one at theflyingpig.com) WeetBix or you favourite cereal in the biggest box you can fit in your suitcase, rubber bands (the Japanese ones break down real quick for some reason), vitamins, tsk, tsk!, can't thinkof anything else. Books, DVDs of course.

aquamarine wrote:

Charles wrote:The classic rule for travelers:

Estimate what you need for your trip. Then take half as many clothes, and twice as much money.

Yepper, I did that.

Brought one back-pack worth of equipment for my stay here, and $8500 Canadian.... was down to $1200 by the end of the first month (sigh)

so bring LOTS of money.

Jeez, what did you blow all that money on? I made a trip over in April, stayed more than a month, and I still managed to keep expenses down to about $1000US including the hotel. And I like to shop.

I should admit, I don't follow the 1/2 clothes 2x money rule. I do it in reverse, I take half as much money and twice as much clothes. I always pack all the clothes I could ever need for any circumstance, and withdraw cash from an ATM when I need it. The whole theory of the 1/2 clothes 2x money rule is that you can always buy more clothing, but I'm 6ft2 and wear 13EEE shoes so it's hard to find stuff my size in Japan. And I always bring way too many shoes. On my last trip, I managed to destroy my favorite pair of shoes and wished I'd brought more. I wore out my favorite indestructible Rockport shoes, and even damaged my foot from so much walking, I had to have foot surgery when I got back. So don't skimp on shoes. I take a whole separate bag just for shoes, they never seem to fit in my luggage, and who wants to have their packed clothing smell like old shoes anyway?

Having recently arrived about 4 months ago I`d reinforce the "don`t bring too much crap with you" sentiment because you`ll probably accumulate more than enough junk over here anyway. Just some smart clothes, favourite music, and basic essentials. Its all you need. Travel light! :P

Books, yes. I remember Kinokuniya charging an arm and a leg for books. On average,I would pay over 5000sen for a book that would cost me $15 or $25 in the US. Not sure if they are still charging that much today.

I use to have friends send videos from US....they would tape shows for me. Then I would circulate these tapes among the other gaijins that I knew. So, if you are interested in that, I would set up some family and friends to tape some shows for you and send them on a regular base. Or, maybe you can have them save it on a DVD. Anyway, just be aware, if you are from a country other then the US, then you will need to purchase a player that is international...Japan and the US are on the same (dont know what it is called) pixel??so we can easily watch what is taped.....but other countries run on a different pixels?? and your tapes wont work on a regular player. AHHH has that changed anyone???

Have fun and dont stress too much about what you bring. Someone can always ship it to you...

Mels wrote:Books, yes. I remember Kinokuniya charging an arm and a leg for books. On average,I would pay over 5000sen for a book that would cost me $15 or $25 in the US. Not sure if they are still charging that much today.

They have lowered their prices considerably in books (not textbooks) over the last couple of years so it is not worth bringing over too many books. Book in Danish are however, damn near impossible to find in Japan.

amazon.co.jp is your friend.

Charles wrote:Jeez, what did you blow all that money on? I made a trip over in April, stayed more than a month, and I still managed to keep expenses down to about $1000US including the hotel. And I like to shop.

Well, I had a VERY good time. I enjoyed fine dining, expensive wines, cigars & went partying every night. I also bought a few new lenses for my camera. Otherwise, as I mentioned, I partied it up with my buddies from Shibuya just about every night for the first month. Hrmm... bought some parts for my computer, bought some new bedding, some (ok, lots) liquor and treated myself quite well. I don't think there's anything wrong with that

FG Lurker wrote:

GomiGirl wrote:Condoms etc if you plan to get lucky.

Very good point GG!

The freebie condoms provided in hotels here are not, um, "gaijin sized".

Damn things are so tight they hurt to put on (or don't fit at all).

Hehe, happy days - here I was thinking it was just me then!

aquamarine wrote:

Charles wrote:Jeez, what did you blow all that money on? I made a trip over in April, stayed more than a month, and I still managed to keep expenses down to about $1000US including the hotel. And I like to shop.

Well, I had a VERY good time. I enjoyed fine dining, expensive wines, cigars & went partying every night. I also bought a few new lenses for my camera...

Ah, well the lenses alone would do it. I used to bump into a guy from Singapore in the hotel computer lounge, he was always scanning Japanese auction sites for lenses. We chatted and he said that this is his business, he comes over periodically to buy used camera equipment. I asked him if used equipment was cheaper in Japan, and he said it was usually a bit more expensive in Japan than elsewhere due to the large amount of equipment collectors driving up the prices (which included himself). But there are some rare items you just can't get anywhere else.

TOOTHPASTE

After my first nine months in Japan using J-toothpaste I went to the dentist and had 12 or 13 cavities. I "brushed" twice a day with the J stuff, but the dentist said it looked like I hadn't brushed at all.

Naniwan Kid wrote:TOOTHPASTE

After my first nine months in Japan using J-toothpaste I went to the dentist and had 12 or 13 cavities. I "brushed" twice a day with the J stuff, but the dentist said it looked like I hadn't brushed at all.

Yeah, there's no fluoride in the water, or regular toothpaste. Apparently there is some paranoia about the foreign communist plot to use fluorides to contaminate Japanese pure bodily fluids, destroying their Purity Of Essence.
It's worth contacting your dentist before you leave, and stocking up on prescription fluoride toothpaste. You don't have to use it every day, you can use it like every other day, to make it last a little longer. My dentist says that prescription fluoride toothpaste is way better than having the dentist do fluoride treatments, and cheaper too.

Yeah, there's no fluoride in the water, or regular toothpaste. Apparently there is some paranoia about the foreign communist plot to use fluorides to contaminate Japanese pure bodily fluids, destroying their Purity Of Essence.

Great minds think alike

I can no longer sit back and allow Communist infiltration, Communist indoctrination, Communist subversion and the international Communist conspiracy to sap and impurify all of our precious bodily fluids.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0057012/quotes

okay, so after you've got your round trip ticket, and sneakers for running away from scandinavian hating yakuza...


I would say, if you are an avid reader, you should bring BOOKS. As many as possible. I have found english language books to be really expensive in Japan (I'm an avid reader, need my books!)

jim katta wrote:I would say, if you are an avid reader, you should bring BOOKS. As many as possible. I have found english language books to be really expensive in Japan (I'm an avid reader, need my books!)

As an avid reader myself, I say don't bring books - too heavy and no place to store them in a small apartment. Go to one of the many many second hand book shops and buy and sell your books.