Japan Packing Checklist 2026: Cash, IC Cards, Power Banks

Japan packing checklist

The rest of the list is the usual travel kit. Anything you forget, from toiletries to umbrellas, is sold at the nearest convenience store.

Money: cash versus card

Japan's reputation as a cash-only country is out of date in the big cities, but not gone.

• Convenience stores, train stations, chain restaurants and drugstores almost all accept cards or phone-based contactless payment. In major cities you rarely need a large amount of cash.
• Shrine amulet stalls, food stalls in traditional markets and some taxis still run on cash. Keep a modest amount of yen in small notes and coins for these.
• You can exchange money at the airport or at banks in the city. City rates are usually slightly better than airport rates, so exchange a small amount before departure or on arrival and top up later rather than carrying a lot at once.

Transit IC cards: Suica and ICOCA

An IC card saves the most time of anything on this list if you change trains often.

• Suica is sold at JR East stations in the Tokyo area and ICOCA at stations in the Kansai region. Both work nationwide on most subways, buses and convenience stores, so one card covers a Tokyo-Osaka trip.
• iPhone users can add a mobile Suica to Apple Wallet and skip the queue for a physical card. Set it up before you leave home.
• Physical cards are sold in limited numbers at some stations, which is another reason to go mobile if your phone supports it.
• You can still travel on paper tickets without an IC card, but with frequent transfers the card is clearly faster.

The rule for the rest of the trip is simple: tap in, tap out, and top up at any station machine or convenience store.

eSIM, power banks and plugs

• To be online the moment you land, install an eSIM before departure. If several people want to share one connection, a rented pocket WiFi router is the alternative.

New power bank rules (2026). After ICAO approved an emergency amendment on 27 March 2026, Taiwan's Civil Aeronautics Administration applied it to flights departing Taiwan from 2026-04-08, and Japan's Civil Aviation Bureau applied it from 2026-04-24 — so it covers your flight home from Japan too:

• Each passenger may carry no more than 2 power banks (up to 160Wh each).
• Power banks go in carry-on only, never checked baggage.
• No charging a power bank during the flight, and no using it to power other devices.
• A power bank with no Wh (watt-hour) capacity marking may be discarded at security.

On flights under Japanese rules, keep power banks with you (seat pocket or bag at your feet), not in the overhead bin. Recount your power banks and check the labels before you leave, and confirm your own airline's policy.

Plugs and voltage. Japan uses Type A sockets (two flat parallel pins) at 100V, 50/60Hz.

Phone, laptop and camera chargers are almost all rated INPUT 100-240V and work with just an adapter. A voltage converter is only worth packing for a single-voltage 220V hair dryer or styler, and a dual-voltage travel model is lighter.

As a next step, a Japan 5G/4G eSIM via KKday — check the live product page for current plans, prices and coupons.

General information only. Confirm details with official agencies and local notices.