As exciting as it is to move to Japan and try all the new Japanese products, there are some things that we recommend you bring from home, based on our experiences along with those of other expats.
- Deodorant
It seems to be quite difficult to find nice smelling, antiperspirant deodorant like we use at home in Japan. It’s not impossible, but it’s a good idea to bring your favourites with you. - Toothbrushes
The toothbrush heads in Japan are very small; if you prefer a bigger size then bring your own. - Medications
Bring various fever, flu and painkiller medications as you may find the medicine in Japan to be weaker than what you’re used to. - Female sanitary products
The range available in Japan is much less than back home. - Vitamins
The vitamins available in Japan are smaller than what you can buy in your home country and a lot more expensive. - Baking ingredients
These can be bought here from speciality shop Tomiz, but for a price. It’s a good idea to bring some more unusual ingredients with you. Supermarkets sell basic cocoa, sugar, flour etc. - Sunscreen
The sunscreen in Japan is more watery to those in other countries so you might want to bring your own, personally I bring Australian sunscreen with me. - Female working clothes
If you are tall, I recommend bringing office clothes with you because the office clothes here are not designed for ladies with long torsos. - Shoes for women
If your shoe size is over 25 (Japan size), bring shoes for women as it’s hard to find larger sizes.
There are some places that you can buy items that you forgot such as The National Azabu or Nissin. Many expats also turn to iHerb or Amazon, or the Book Depository for English books. If you need help locating anything in particular, send us an email, we are happy to help. And if you need assistance when moving to Japan with translation or interpretation, contact us!
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