Packing the right clothes for March

Hi all,

We're off to Japan (Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Kanazawa, Takayama, Hakone, Tsumago) from 20th March to end 1st week in April.

The weather websites seem to suggest to expect temperatures from about 5C minimum to between 13-16C maximum in Tokyo / Osaka and Kyoto.

For the Alps it suggests cooler (-2C up to about 10/11C).

Being British and weather obsessed I want to make sure I'm taking the right stuff as I always over-pack and I hate it :(

It's winter here in the UK at the moment (0-2C here today in London!) and I'm planning on taking similar sort of gear:

An assortment of normal clothes, mostly skirts / tops and dresses for me and jeans / slacks and shirts for the other half.

Assorted vests, thermal tights, cardigans, jumpers (layers basically) that can be thrown over the top of other clothes if it gets cold.

1 pair gloves, hat, scarf for Alps.

A tweed wool coat for everyday for me (too much? It's the one I'm wearing at the moment in London in full winter (although it's not really warm enough for less than 5C). My 'shoulder-season' coat won't be much good if it's under 10C and it's also scruffy so I don't want to bring it... I don't want to look untidy.) Other half has a smart leather jacket.

One or two smarter/dressy outfits as we plan on visiting a couple of the very upmarket restaurants. No really short skirts (and matching smart shoes (not heels))

Hiking gear... walking trousers and jumpers, fleecy, and 3-in-1 waterproof jacket

Walking shoes (Merrill type brand) for walking both city and country

Leather boots (ladies boots) for the towns on the days we're not walking far or just doing museums etc.

Sound about right?

Thank you very much.

We often travel to Japan around that time, and will be this year as well. We are from Melbourne, Australia, but I�fve lived in London, so understand the temperature stuff.
The trick, you got it, is layers..LAYERS....
I doubt you will need any major thermals, so the 1 pair tights is fine..Forget the tweed coat: it will be a heavy and annoying encumbrance.
Everywhere in Japan is super-heated: trains/hotels/buildings (shops etc ) are strip-off territory. And sweatboxes.
I always wear a singlet, (?vest?) polo or T-shirt, medium weight zipped hoody, comfortable walking pants (Skirts and I have a poor relationship for walking, due to the shoes needed...) good socks (because you take your shoes off all the time and people see the socks..) and comfy walking shoes: need to be VERY comfy: preferably easily removed, as laced up shoes are a pain to take on and off all the time (which, as i said, you do, all the time, in Japan: temples, some smaller museums, restaurants etc ): so if your Merrills are the zip ones they will be perfect (its actually what I�fm taking this time)
We carry day packs, complete with cap (we are sun conscious here, so tend to put on a cap at the slightest hint of sun....lol) beanie (if cold) scarf, and mittens, if we go somewhere we know will be colder, like Mt Koya. And we shed layers into the day pack at regular intervals.
And finally, a good RAINproof, not SHOWERproof, rain jacket, that folds up easily, and also can be a windbreaker if needs be.: so your 3: 1 should be fine.
Also, remember, in Japan, you walk: a lot: so unless you are standing still for any length of time for whatever reason, you will be comfortable.
Leather boots for walking around cities could be a bit hard on the feet: you really will walk a huge amount....even if you think you are �gjust doing museums�h, you will walk an age to get to them: trains don�ft stop right at the museum entrances, believe me.
Dont forget websites have maximum and minimum temps, and average temps: minumum will be overnight,
Maximum will be well during the day, when you will be out and about more active.
http://www.data.jma.go.jp/obd/stats/etrn/view/monthly_s3_en.php?block_...
is a good site: you can alter locations and data parameter.
You aren�ft really going high into Alps: you probably won�ft even see snow on the ground : the only snow-on-ground we have seen at that time was early April, in Sendai, which is way north of your itinerary, and it was just a small flurry, and more like slush.
We are planning on weather being cool in the mornings when we set out, and warmer in the day when we are active, then cooler in the evening.
If you are taking dressy outfits, remember, you only need one: the other half can cope with you wearing the same thing more than once, and no one else will know......
Collapsible layers that compress easily and are not a pain to lug around will be your friend. Comfort is essential: fashion less so, but I do agree with liking to look nice, not untidy.
Good luck!!!

Thanks AusTF,

Sounds like about right then with the exception of the tweed coat. Hmm. Wonder what I can take instead? Maybe I'll just wear the 3-in-1 all the time, with / without the fleecy lining.

Re shoes: I walk a lot in London (I know what you mean about things not necessarily being that handy for the tube / metro) and those boots are very capable of taking me through a 3-4 mile walking day. They'll be fine. Any day I plan on doing some serious walking I'll be wearing the walking shoes.... which are laces. I know, it's going to be a pain... I tried on some draw-string ones in the shop but I didn't like them. Oh well - I'm just going to have to lump it.

I'll remember the tip about the socks! It's a good one - some of ours have seen better days :|

Well, it doesn't sound "wrong", but if you're hoping to step into the world of light travelers, perhaps I can offer some suggestions. I'm a middle-aged Japanese woman, and I do walk a lot wheneve I travel to London while riding the tube and bus just as I would in Greater Tokyo. Now, here's what I brought to London last December (when all the long-distance trains were out of operation due to snow!)

1. One Eddie Bauer down jacket with a hood that has a fur rim.

2. One pair of walkable swede half-boots.

3. One pair of gloves that don't cover my nails.

4. One pair of Uniqlo straight-legged cords.

5. One Uniqlo zip-up fleece.

6. One pair of tracksuit trousers.

One pair of soft and light sneakers.

One dressy polyester shirt.

One pair of dressy polyester trousers.

One collar.

A good-looking short-sleave T-shirt per day.

A tank top per day.

A pair of Socks and underwear per day.

Set of disposable warmers per day (you can buy lots in Japan).

I wore 1 to 5 to the airport, and changed to 6 as I got on-board. I packed all the other things in one carry-on.

I did pack a couple of pairs of leggings, but (as always) ended up not using them. I managed to change between cords and track suit to avoid laundry (the longer you relax in one clothes the dirtier it gets). I sometimes bring old underwear along, so that I can dispose them at the end of each day without having to wash them or bring dirty laundry home.

The "collar" is what I happened to find at a shop just before leaving Japan, and it's a cotton white collar with pearl-like beads attached to it. You can make your own out of an old button-down shirt. By wearing this on top of T-shirts, and then wearing my fleece on top of that, I was able to go to relatively fancy places without having to carry extra shirts.

Tank tops are useful. Wear it under your trousers' belt and you can keep your waist warm while showing your good shirt on top of your trousers.

An assortment of normal clothes, mostly skirts / tops and dresses for me and jeans / slacks and shirts for the other half.

Why do these have to be all plural, is what I'd say. Skirts and jeans don't get dirty as long as you wear something between them and your skin, and no one will care if a traveler wears the same thing twice within a week. I would bring only one or two warm/thick bottoms. As for dressy stuff, it would be all thin synthetics so that they won't get wrinkled and can be squeezed in my luggage. I would also go back to my hotel to change into them so that I can go straight to the classy venue. Then I won't have to walk around in cold weather in thin shirts. Yet, note that synthetics can be warmer while being thin.

1 pair gloves, hat, scarf for Alps.

This is a really good idea. Basically, all you need to do is to cover your ears, neck and hands to keep yourself warm. These are also tiny and smart-looking items that you can put in your handbag and wear in the city when neccessary. Actually though, if you're hiking on the Alps, it's going to be cold, so you should wear a down jacket. Downs are light and warm: Great for travelers. Otherwise, focus on the sightseeing and don't do much walking in the mountains.

A tweed wool coat for everyday for me (too much?

It would be rather out-of-season in the cities, unless it's a short one. But if it's a short one, it's not worth bringing along for the purpose of keeping you warm. Plus, tweeds are heavy. I don't see the point.

I don't want to look untidy.

You can find smart-looking downs everywhere. If you can't, go to the Uniqlo in Piccadilly.

and matching smart shoes

It's up to you to bring all your favorite stuff, but if you want to travel light, the first thing you want to sacrifice are shoes. Nowadays, you can find walkable leather shoes that have enough heels to make you look classy. Wear them when you move around, and just bring one more cute-looking pair for relaxing. If you really want to hike the mountains, that would be your third pair. You don't need four or five.

When packing, the trick is to spread everything on your bed, and to delete from that. There's a bunch of things you can give up, especially things you never used in your last trip. Also, know what makes you look good. For example, the straight-legged cords really make me look handsome and yet they're comfortable since they're made of stretchy fabric. This one single pair makes all my old T-shirts look sophisticated.

Another thing is that I carry a foldable zipped bag to my trips. I put all my souveniors in it on my way home. I also buy a shirt or two while traveling, so I can save my going-flight luggage on that part too.

Thanks Uno.

The tweed coat is a difficult one. It's knee length, but very light. Not a thick tweed at all.

I plan on bringing just 3 pairs of shoes - the walking shoes, my boots (wear on plane) and the more suitable 'going out shoes' - they're flat and I can walk in them so they don't take up much room. That's it.

Don't worry - I plan on wearing every outfit at least twice! I'm not going to pack something different for every day :)

I am a massive fan of Uniqlo and indeed am currently wearing one of their zip-up fleeces. :D Down jackets just aren't my thing though. It's not something that I would ever wear ever again if I bought one so I'll probably just stick with the 3-in-1 as that's water / wind proof and warm.

Good to know I'm on the right track though :)

A t-shirt and underwear for every day, Uco! What a luxury ;0)

(Only joking, of course. I'm a fairly large man, so even underwear and t-shirts take up space. I suspect that this isn't the case for you. I know that my wife can do as you do, and it only takes up a tiny amount of space. Can you sense my jealousy?)

Personally, I do pretty much as Uco does, apart from the underwear and t-shirts. For these, I pack two or three changes, wear them once, and then give them a quick wash by hand whenever we're staying in the same place for more than a night. If all else fails, buy some at a combini/Uniqlo.

One pair of shoes only. One extra pair of trousers (I'm wearing a pair on the plane - best not to frighten the other passengers!) Deodorant and toothpaste (I don't get on with the Japanese ones), but no other washing stuff (all available at combinis or provided in hotel rooms). Only take anything that creases easily/needs ironing if there's an absolutely compelling need to (can't think of one off-hand). Smart jumpers are as smart as I need to get on holiday (yet again, the Uniqlo cashmere is well-priced).

Any spare space will be taken up by my daughter's stuff, and it's more important that she feels happy than that I look "smart". Plus, the quality of my holiday is improved so much more by having very little to carry than it is by having a choice of clothes to wear.

Kitty,

If being cold is the problem about your tweed, how about a trench coat? In Japan, trench coats are the trend (no pun intended), and they look more suitable for the spring season than tweeds. They also shut air, which will keep you warmer than it looks.

I did have a tweed like that though, and it did keep me warm as long as I wore the right over-shirt underneath, which was typically fleece-like synthetics or cashmere, along with scarf, gloves and ear protection.

An assortment of normal clothes, mostly skirts / tops and dresses for me and jeans / slacks and shirts for the other half.

Well, assuming you're here for less than 20 days, if I were you, bottoms would be 1 dress, 1 pair of slacks and no skirts or jeans, but 1 more compact room-wear. Anyway, it's up to you.


Winter Visitor,

I did used to bring only 3 sets of underwear per trip and wash them, but I realised that underwear today can be folded so tiny that I was wasting time on my laundry. The other great thing about me is that I don't need huge cups on my bra.

Uco: you ROCK!!!!!
Absolutely: under stuff by LOTS: (I take 8 days worth for 2+ weeks) of knickers, bras,singlets, polos and socks...sorry everyone...just how I am) can roll them up, shove into a vacuum bag, take up no room, and stuff the washing every night: do a whole lots after a few days....would so much rather have an Asahi!!!
LOL
Sorry..had to vent.....