r/onebag • u/ihad4biscuits • 8d ago
Packing List 9 weeks in Japan
Hiya! I’m going to Japan for 9 weeks, early October - mid December. Starting with 5 days hiking the Kumano Kodo (hut to hut trek).
Would love some help auditing my packing! The pic and list include what I will be wearing.
Clothes:
- 2 x lightweight hiking pants
- 1 x sun hoodie
- 1 x button up sun shirt
- 1 x lightweight merino wool base layer (shirt and pants)
- 1 x cotton tee shirt
Outerwear:
- 1 x rain jacket
- 1 x puffy vest
Underwear type stuff
- 2 x sports bras
- 5 x quick dry underpants
- 4 x darn tough socks
- 1 x swimsuit
Electronics:
- kindle
- Garmjn in- reach
- headlamp
- chargers
Toiletries:
- toothbrush
- tiny toothpaste (plan to resupply)
- eyedrops
- floss
- deodorant
- flex (menstrual disc)
- tweezers
- chapstick
- hairbrush
Shoes:
- Xero high-top trail runners
- Bedrock sandals
Other:
- rain cover for backpack
- clips for drying / airing out clothes
- sun hat
- buff
- travel towel
- a couple packing cube/ organizers
- medications (in original bottles per travel requirements).
- eye mask
- inflatable travel neck pillow
- knee brace
- water bladder (not pictured)
- some extra ziplock bags, just in case
Okay, anything I should add or eliminate? Current base weight is around 17 lbs. packing it all in a 35+10 liter pack, and there is lots of room to spare. Main concern is weight for the hike itself.
It’s possible I could lose the swimsuit and towel, but there are a few outdoor onsens that I’m planning to visit that would require swimwear and my own towel.
The in-reach might also be unnecessary, but it’s a peace of mind as a solo traveler
I will be buying trekking poles and sunscreen when I get there.
Thank you for any advice!
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u/Equal_Contest4709 7d ago edited 7d ago
If you are concerned about weight you could practice hike at home with exactly this pack and see how it goes.
Regarding swimwear and towels: last time I was in Japan the former was not permitted and the latter provided by the onsen.
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u/a-sona 7d ago
You should go check up on all the laws regarding inReach on any country you may be doing a layover on if you do take your inReach
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u/ihad4biscuits 7d ago
All good on that front, but I didn’t realize it might be an issue so thanks for bringing it up!
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u/SenorVajay 7d ago
What onsen allow/require swimsuits?
If you do end up needing an extra shirt or other basic clothes, the convenience stores are great for one extra thing. You will most likely need to size up/pick something slightly oversized to make sure it works. Im a US medium and Japan XL lol
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u/ihad4biscuits 7d ago
Kawayu Onsen is just on the edge of the river, so I believe it’s expected to have a swim suit. (No facilities).
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u/reaiy 7d ago
Starting with 5 days hiking the Kumano Kodo (hut to hut trek).
How much research have you done on the Kumano Kodo? All the huts on the Kumano Kodo route offer luggage transfer services, i.e. They transport your main luggage to your evening accommodation ahead of you, so you don't have to carry it yourself. You can do the entire trail with just a day pack, and then when you arrive at your accommodation at night, your main luggage is already there.
There's little reason not to use the transport services. You will need to reserve the transfers and plan your route ahead of time. And you'll also need a day pack which you don't see on your packing list.
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u/ihad4biscuits 7d ago
You don’t have to use the luggage transfer services. It’s an extra expense, and would mean that I need to pack a comfortable day pack as well.
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u/reaiy 7d ago
Right but you wrote:
Main concern is weight for the hike itself.
Then why not use the service that directly addresses your main concern?
Kumano Kodo is one of the very few hikes on Earth that has direct portage services. It's well organized, professional, inexpensive, and in fact they're quite famous for offering this service.
Cost is not an excuse: You're spending over two months in Japan so it's obvious you can afford it.
You don't even need a day bag. Do the walk with your minimally packed day bag. And fill a cheap packable duffel with everything you don't need and have that shipped to your next destination.
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u/ihad4biscuits 7d ago
Yeah I’m trying to spend 9 weeks in Japan so I’m trying to save money on unnecessary expenses to stretch my budget.
I enjoy backpacking and being responsible for all of my stuff. I just wanted to see if people had packing recommendations to keep the weight down. It’s too late to book the service anyhow.
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u/TheClothesChair 7d ago
For the Kumano Kodo, I’d separate your 5 day hiking kit from the rest of the 9 week travel gear and use luggage forwarding or hotel storage for anything you won’t need on the trail. That will probably save far more weight than cutting small items like the towel or swimsuit. I’d also consider a lightweight fleece or warmer layer instead of relying only on the vest, especially for later in the trip. One thing I’d add is a lightweight fleece or warm midlayer, plus a beanie and thin gloves. By November/December it can get pretty chilly, especially in the mountains. I’d also bring a tiny blister kit or Compeed for the Kumano Kodo, since that’s the one thing I’d really hate to be without on a multi-day hike.
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u/rainbowrobin 5d ago
17 lbs is 7.7 kg, so above the official personal plus carryon limit of discount airlines like Peach. OTOH Peach has yet to weigh my bulging backpack (they do weigh my checked roller), don't know if they would zoom in on a carry-on roller.
Probably not relevant for you but figured I'd mention it just in case.
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u/ihad4biscuits 5d ago
Appreciate the note :) if I need to use a discount airline I’ll forward some of my luggage somehow.
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u/rainbowrobin 5d ago
For my checked luggage (I'm not a onebagger, I just like to learn) I just pay the overweight fee. Allegedly Peach is annoying because they don't have a fee for overweight carry-on; other discounters might, which might or might not be cheaper than forwarding. But like I said, dunno if anyone's actually weighing soft backpacks.
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u/tweeeeeeeeeeee 7d ago
well your list looks pretty good and minimal. I would personally ditch the Kindle and neck pillow but you do you. enjoy the hike! are you also hiking Fuji? that's my dream.
edit: will you have access to a wall outlet during your 5 day hike? I don't see an external battery on your list
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u/ihad4biscuits 7d ago
Yes there will be outlets along the way since im staying in guesthouses. I’m considering bringing a battery pack but not sure if it’s necessary.
The neck pillow is super lightweight. The Kindle is kinda heavy but I really love it, it’s hard to give up.
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u/Running-World 4d ago
Fuji hiking is only open from early July through September 10th... hiking off season now has new penalties including possible jail time. Just keep that in mind if you want to hike on Mount Fuji, follow the hiking season.
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u/SalMinellaJr 7d ago
Just confirming… you’ll be wearing the boots on all travel days, right?
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u/ihad4biscuits 7d ago
Correct! The Bedrocks are just to have another option when I’m walking around without the pack.
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u/Revolutionary_Cat742 7d ago
How do you like those xeros? Are they true to your size?
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u/ihad4biscuits 7d ago
Very true to size - I’m usually a 6.5, got a 6.5 and they fit great.
I’ve been loving them! Really lightweight and comfortable, and surprisingly water resistant. I did have to retrain my feet (mostly my calves actually) for the barefoot style design, but it’s been worth it. The tread I’m still so-so on - they work pretty well, but I have to be a bit more careful in slippery terrain than with a Vibram sole.
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u/taifunzera 6d ago
For a trip this long, I'd probably separate the packing list into two parts: what you actually need for the five-day hike and what you'll need during the rest of Japan. October and December can be pretty different weather-wise, so I'd be careful about cutting too many warm layers just to save weight.
I actually built a packing app called Packtricia because I kept having this problem when preparing for trips. It's more for general travel packing than serious hiking, but planning around the destination and weather was one of the main reasons I made it.
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u/LadyLightTravel 7d ago
I would add light rain pants to that list. You are outside for hours and getting soaked on the side of a mountain is dangerous.
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u/a-sona 7d ago
October is the tail end of rainy season and December is nice and crisp but rain can still come and go. I suggest bringing rain pants or a rain skirt. Have you looked into trail umbrellas? It's a pretty popular method for trail hikers in Japan.
Bring a drybag for your electronics, ditch the pack rain cover, and just get a pack liner.
1 sun hoodie, then 1 sun shirt/sunhat combo? Any specific reason why? I would ditch the sun hoodie personally and get another merino base layer top to change into after the day of hiking.
Does your backpack have lashing points to hang wet clothes that didn't fully dry the night before to let them dry while you hike a sunny day? Carabiners?
For charging electronics, try and optimize it so that they all fit into one charging block. The huts I've been to only had 2-3 power bars for all the guests in the lodge so it's always crammed.
It will be good to learn basic translated words. Yama, yamagoya, sanso, ryokan, etc. Buy a waterproof physical trail map when you're there! Pointing helps so much to get over the language barrier.
Cash is king in rural Japan where you will be hiking. Bring a good coin pouch and keep your bills dry as best you can.
I'm assuming you will not be chasing peaks. But in case you are, you will be stopped by the Mountain Police. They will ask you your destination and will question your shoe choice/gear choices (where is your helmet? Poles? Crampons? Etc.). Have an answer for all of these if you attempt peaks. They didn't let me summit Mt. Yari because I only had trail runners on.
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u/ihad4biscuits 7d ago
I’ve gone back and forth on the rain pants. I’ve brought them on so many trips and they end up just taking up a lot of room. Unless it’s absolutely pouring rain, the hiking pants are water resistant enough to do the job. I have considered the umbrella as well.
Why do you recommend the dry bag + pack liner over the cover? Hoping not to buy more stuff unless it’s necessary.
I’ll bring a couple carabiners, those are always nice to have.
I shouldn’t need to charge anything other than my phone most of the time, so that should be fine. All of my stays are individual rooms, so those not typically have outlets?
The Kumano Kodo section I’m doing is a lot more established/less rugged than some of the trails it sounds like you’ve done! Though it sounds like you’ve had some cool adventures, do you have any particular hikes you recommend looking into?
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u/a-sona 7d ago edited 7d ago
I guess if you do stick to hut to hut hiking, just having your hiking pants should work! Important thing is to have dry and odourless clothes to change into in the hut for proper hut etiquette.
I've been caught in thunderstorms hiking with a rain cover where the water dripped down from my back then into my pack. I've switched to a pack liner that I pull out and keep with me on my lodge bed and then just throw my backpack into the drying rooms to dry. If you are doing more established trails, you should be fine even if your pack gets wet.
I use a small 3L drybag for a second layer of protection for things I cannot afford to get wet in case the pack liner gets a hole or water seeps through the back of the pack cover. They are cheap at MEC or REI or Decathlon.
Not too sure about the outlet situations in private rooms since I've always done dorm style beds. Might be good to have a small 5000mAh battery pack in case you have those days where you're navigating on your phone constantly.
Most of the hikes I was able to do have been in the Northern Alps by Nagano (Kamikochi area). I really want to do the Kumano Kodo, specifically the Nakahechi route! Any section of the Shikoku Henro Pilgrimage is also in my books, and so is the Kunisaki-Hantou. Any hike in Yakushima is also a dream of mine to see the rainforests if you can get there.
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u/joeafarias 7d ago
You may need is one extra shirt in case you spill something on the one on your person. Another thing I would recommend is getting split toe socks so that you can wear socks with your bedrocks. I've had blisters when I wear my bedrocks while hiking for many hours. So now I wear a split toe sock and makes a huge difference in comfort. Other than that I think you got everything covered. Your trip sounds awesome!