While most tourists flock to the Land of the Rising Sun during spring for their famous sakuras, visiting Japan in winter is another must-experience. For those living in the tropics, you will not only visit one of the world’s best destinations, but to experience the coldness of winter without deeply freezing yourself.
After you planned your Japan winter itinerary and booked your hotels in Japan, there is another thing you have to prepare – clothes. Oh yes, winter wardrobe is another thing that excites you to travel. It seems dressing for cold weather will instantly make us chic and stylish, but mind you, wearing improper winter clothes will not only make you cold, but will leave you uncomfortable, affecting your overall travel experience in Japan .
Japan Winter in a Nutshell
According to Matcha, a Japan Travel Web Magazine,
In Tokyo, December temperatures tend to be around 12ºC (54°F) in the afternoon and drop to about 5ºC (41°F) in the morning and at night.
By January, afternoon temperatures drop to 10ºC (50°F) and morning temperatures tend to hover between 2ºC~3ºC (35°F~37°F). In February, afternoon temperatures are about 10ºC~11ºC (42°F~50°F) while morning and evening temperatures fall to about 3ºC (37°F).
Tokyo winters are sunny with little rain or snow. The air is dry, with the humidity around this time generally staying at a constant 30%.
Packing Checklist for Winter in Japan
- Winter Jacket
- Knitted Sweaters
- Long sleeve blouses/shirts
- Cardigan
- Jeans/Pants
- Leggings
- Scarves
- Gloves
- Tights
- Boots
- Socks
- Winter Jacket
- Sweaters
- Pants/Jeans/Jogging Pants
- Long Sleeve Polo Shirts
- Knitted Long Sleeve Shirts
- Long Johns (optional for Japan winter)
- Scarves
- Gloves
- Beenies
- Socks
The Art of Layering
Do you have to wear the thickest coat looking like a Michelin mascot? Absolutely not. Keep warm while still looking Instagram-ready with layering.
Why do you dress in layer?
With layering, you are protected from the harsh cold when outside and when you get inside a building with heaters on, you just have to take them off your coat.
Layering is also economical as you can use off-season clothes from fall or even your usual clothes (for Filipinos) as part of your winter wardrobe. If there is the “mix and match”, when it starts to get cold, its ” layering it up”!
Layering also let you buy clothes that you can even wear back in the Philippines. Here we are, wearing our long sleeves in Bukidnon. Kid2 is wearing the same thick leggings he also wore in Taiwan.
How to dress in layer for winter
Here’s how you layer your clothes ( after your underwear) to keep yourself toasty during winter:
- Inner Wear
The clothing closest to your skin, this is where most Uniqlo Heattech inner wear comes in. They are “thin” long sleeve shirts for top and your leggings and tights for bottom. Men can wear their Long Johns as their inner wear. Since Japan’s winter is mild, you don’t need to ear extra later under your pants/jeans. Ladies, you like to wear a sweater dress, then you need to wear tights.
2. First Layer
I call this “first layer” because sometimes, I don’t wear any inner wear for my tops. Again, it depends on how cold – that’s the rationale behind layering!
Women –
Top: Long sleeve tops, knitted sweater, button-down shirt
Bottom: Jeans/pants
Men
Top: Long sleeve polo shirts (Hubby’s usual “checked/ or plaid long sleeve office wear)
Bottom: Jeans
Hubby and the kids wore jogger pants. Kid2, because he is a “baby”, wore leggings for boys ( thick ones)
Mid Layer
Hubby tends to get cold. Here, he is wearing his Heattech long sleeve underneath his knitted sweater.
Outer Layer
The layer that protects you from chilly winter days. We all wore puffer jackets (sometimes called down jacket or a parka). I like puffer jackets because they can be worn not just in winters. I can layer them up in winter and put them over a shirt during mild weathers like when we went to Taiwan. It is also waterproof.
Puffer jackets protected me from the cold wind while enjoying Mt. Fuji.
The kids with their jackets.
If you are going to a ski resort, you might need to rent for snow pants. My nieces are wearing this jumper-type. They are waterproof. Gloves must be waterproof too. Just rent them from your hotel or resort.
Layering depends on which part of Japan or the temperature. For me, Japan only needs 2-3 layers. If you are wearing thicker inner layer over your winter jacket like a fleece sweater, you only need 2 layers. Most of the time, we wore sweater and jackets.
There is no specific type of clothing per layer either. You have a sweater as your first layer and then a puffer jacket. Or a knitted sweater as first layer, a cardigan as second layer, and then a wool coat as outer wear. It depends on you if you are the type who gets cold.
Sometimes, my kids take off their winter coats even outdoors and settle for sweaters. It happened when they got used to the cold already. Still, never leave your hotel without your winter coat.
Final Touches
Gloves, Scarves, winter boots and shoes. Only my husband wore his beanie/bonnet, I find it troublesome for the kids (except when it was snowing in Hakuba) but for mild winters like Japan, you can skip a beenie.
Let’s talk about shoes
Now shoes in important. I wore an ankle boots when on city tour. My husband wore his usual sneakers ( just make sure you have thick socks).
My sister-in law sent these high-cut Converse sneakers with thick lining. They are designed for cold temperature.
Kid1 wore this Converse high-cut leather boots, alternating with this usual sneakers.
As long as you are not going to a snowy area, sneakers are ok as long as you don’t use the canvas fabrics. You gym shoes are fine too.
But my sister and I want to be fancy when we were in Tokyo. haha
Snow boots
When you are from the tropics, you simply don’t know what these snow boots are for. I was surprised when my sister said, we have to rent snow boots. Usual boots will slip and slide in the snow. True enough, just one step wearing my usual boots, I was about to glide and fall.
You don’t have to buy a new pair. Most ski resorts have rentals for their guests like our resort, Sierra Hakuba Resort.
Where to shop for winter clothes in the Philippines?
Shopping for winter clothes even in humid Philippines is never a challenge. We always see different wardrobes fit for four-season destinations like Japan. I love shopping for winter clothes in preparation for our trip to Japan.
SM Surplus
SM Surplus carries affordable clothing as well as accessories. Puffer Jackets, sweaters with fur lining, leggings – there are plenty of choices for you.
SM Surplus is the place to go when looking for pocket-friendly accessories like gloves, bonnets, scarves, and even ear muffs.
Uniqlo
Though a little bit higher compared to other stores (or when compared to ukay-ukay), it is nice to have 1-2 pieces from Uniqlo. I got knitted sweaters from Uniqlo. You can also buy HEATTECH products if you like. We got our kids their jogger pants for Uniqlo.
Terranova
I shopped a few pieces from Terranova in Ayala Cebu. It didn’t hurt that they were on sale. Their collection is not as basic as what you can find from Uniqlo. My husband got his knitted sweater while I bought one sweater dress from TerraNova.
Ukay-ukay
Last but not the least, ukay-ukay! Even with winter collections from popular fashion lines, we Filipinos will always scout for ukay-ukay. I noticed that winter clothing starts to appear on July.
If you want to buy in ukay-ukay especially for winter coats, make sure they are thick enough and their insulation are still good.
Tips for winter wardrobe for Filipinos
You ONLY need ONE coat
If you have read (or scrolled this far), you have noticed that we only wore one coat. You really don’t need more than one – unless you have a big luggage allowance and you want to always have your winter wardrobe on point.
Seriously, save room and settle with one coat. You can have more winter OOTDS poses with your sweaters.
Start Early
We started completing our winter wardrobe as early as July. We will be in Japan for 21 days and that’s for 4 pax. Whenever I see something, I buy them and didn’t rush at all.
Watch out for sale
Winter wardrobe can be costly and we spent a lot for our clothes. Look for bargains and sales and if you are find with vintage and ukay ukay – go for it!
Prioritize fabric
Winter clothing is not just about long sleeves. Make sure they are thick enough for winter, I have some friends who bought coats that are fit for late spring and when they traveled, it was too light. They ended up buying winter jackets in their destination.
Look for double breasted jackets and fur lining even in leggings. This is another reason why I like down/puffer jackets – you can never go wrong.
Fabrics for winter includes wool, fleece, cordoruy. Cotton is ok as long as you layer them up. Never polyester or rayon.
Comfort over style
When we are not used to winter clothing, we get too excited to take photos of our winter OOTDs. Instant glam from the scarves to your winter boots. Still, you never look chic if you are shivering from the cold.
Don’t lose your gloves!
Gloves can be annoying to keep, since you take them off whenever you go indoors. Moms, tell your kids to put their gloves inside their coat’s pockets whenever you take them off. They can easily get lost.
Renting vs Buying
I only have few pieces that were not used in tropical Philippines like our jackets, tights, and gloves. For snow boots and snow pants, check out for rentals.
Don’t Forget Your Skin!
Cold weather not only leaves our skin cold but dry. Have lip balm and winter lotion in handy. If you have boys, it can be a fight for them to put on lip balm but you have to insist unless you want your child’s lips to bleed.
For lotion, our usual lotion won’t make it. Purchase in your nearest drugstore for formulation fit for cold winter. If you see your kids or you scratching especially your legs, it only means your skin are now about to crack.
Options for winter clothes is no longer a problem. The only thing you have to make sure is if you are buying the right kind since you might end up buying something for spring. If there is a label in the clothing tag ” winter coat”, then you are good to go.
Check temperatures the night before to know if it will be raining or snowing. When in doubt, you can also check out Instagram for more ideas.
Have questions, feel free to leave a comment below!
Thanks for reading!
Complete your Japan travel plan today!
Book your hotels in Japan via Agoda or Booking. com
Buy tickets in various Tokyo and Japan attractions and trains via Klook
