So, we’ve just recently returned from a fabulous holiday in Japan! had the most wonderful relaxing time and have come back all rejuvenated and charged up ready to dive enthusiastically back into the wedding-related maelstrom that is currently my life…
My typically bloggy habit is to do a bit of reflection and analysis of my travel wardrobe and think about what was good and what… was not?
Time away:
17 days
Where to:
Japan… time spend in each of Tokyo, Kyoto, Kanazawa, Matsumoto, and up in the Kiso Valley area
Season:
early spring, expected daily temperatures of around 4C-ish up to 24C-ish
Expected activities:
as much viewing of cherry blossom as possible! with tonnes of hiking, some biking, visiting the studio Ghibli museum and a hedgehog cafe, shopping for fabric and wool – obviously! and hanging out with my lovely friend Yoshimi
Colour scheme:
mostly pink/red and whites/ivory, with splashes of blue and yellow/mustard….
What I packed:
all items are linked to their original construction post. I made everything here except for the shoes, handbag, and the apricot scarf was a gift from my Mum…
from L to R, top to bottom, the numbers in brackets after are the number of times each item got worn;
yellow/white sundress (2)
apricot scarf, a gift from my Mum (4)
cream infinity scarf (5)
striped sweater (4)
lt blue jacket/cardigan (9)
cream beanie (2)
pale pink raincoat (3)
lightweight ivory sweater (3)
white polar fleece turtleneck (8)
pale pink twist top (5)
pink mohair sweater (5)
jeans (7)
gold handbag (every day)
lime-green hand warmers (5)
3 x pairs of socks, plus 1xsockettes (11)
two lightweight white T-shirts plus lightweight striped T-shirt (every day as thermals)
red mini-skirt (4)
mustard skirt (4)
blue bathers (not even once)
pink thongs (none)
hiking boots (8)
2 x prs of black tights (10 days, sometimes doubled up)
little black walking shoes (3)
black ankle boots (5, plus most evenings for dinner)
(not pictured) my pyjamas, knitting bag, toiletries bag and a selection of (me-made) underwear
My daily outfits:
Thoughts:
After a few weeks of obsessively stalking the weather forecast in Japan, I packed both wintery things and a few warmer weather things too, since it all seemed quite variable. So, it seems like a lot of clothes… but I needed everything!! For most of our trip it was absolutely freeeeeeezing!! and by freezing I mean, yes it actually snowed several times! Those expected temps of 5C to up to 24ish? well, it plummeted to 1C and highs of 11C on a coupla days! brrrrrr… So even my warmer weather lightweight T-shirts got worn every day, underneath everything simply for thermal purposes, and my just-in-case jumpers got worn layered and oftentimes doubled up too, just to stay cosy enough. Several days that you see me wearing tights above, well I’m actually wearing BOTH pairs of tights, doubled up!!
My white fleece turtleneck that I made for our Alaska trip was a lifesaver; it’s funny, I never wear it at home but it’s got worn a tonne on two consecutive holidays now. I know lots of people loooathe fleece, and I’m not the biggest fan either; but for warmth and the fact that it weighs practically nothing, it’s so easily washable in a hotel sink and very fast drying… well it’s a traveller’s no-brainer really.
In retrospect, I should have taken a coat, but you know what? I survived! My old woolly blue cardigan was kind of a coat substitute and I carried it nearly everywhere. It was ok, and I enjoyed that I could get by with what I had brought, but I have to admit I was bored to tears with it by the end of our holiday.
The weather was just so cold I thought I wouldn’t get to wear my yellow/white sundress at all… and I hate it when I think I’ve brought something for naught! but fortunately on our last two days the bitterly cold winds abated, the sun blazed delightfully and I joyfully freed it from its cobwebby corner of the suitcase and wore it two days in a row… yes, I still needed the tights and the trusty blue cardi but still; hurrah!!!
I wore my hiking boots for hiking and biking, my little black walking shoes for city walking, and brought my heeled booties for the plane and for dinners every evening. I love having smart shoes, just in case! and these ones are both stylish and comfortable. I took my bathers and thongs, again just in case! and didn’t even wear them once. Oh well, at least they don’t take up much room… Each of the hotels we stayed in had Japanese style, segregated public baths and I did take my bathers down with me the first time as a precautionary measure, but embraced the Japanese bathing way when I saw I would be the literal only person in bathers. And I didn’t die of embarrassment!
The one thing I really wish I’d brought?? a pair of gloves. My arm warmers were great, but one day biking in Kyoto it was like 3C and sleeting rain and my hands got SO COLD. Craig kindly let me wear his gloves … btw; I think I did an excellent job choosing a husband who has perpetually warm hands and doesn’t need gloves. Very good planning on my part, if I say so myself; hehe.
So that’s that! Now please allow me to bombard you all with a million cherry blossom laden holiday snaps, ahem…
on the Kamo River, Kyoto
I think everyone gets bored to death with a suitcase wardrobe. Mine usually ends up being very red white and navy. I LOVE that layering jumper. Why haven’t I made one of those?? Your blossom pictures are beautiful. Jo x
Your pictures take me back to four years ago, when I was in most of the same spots more or less at the same time. Susanne and I had slightly warmer weather though. No snow! but some rain and chilly winds as well and cold temperatures especially at night. But the cherry blossom was beautiful and as we started in the South we sort of followed it all the way up to Tokyo, so had our fill of it. I also was bored with my suitcase wardrobe at the end of my Australian holidays. Anita from Basel
!!! This is so exciting, because we’re going to Japan at the end of May and I’ve been trying to figure out what to bring. Great pictures! I’m even more excited now 🙂
thanks Tracy! I think it will be a LOT warmer at the end of May for you… I hope you have a wonderful trip! 🙂
what a great trip and lovely photos, I especially like that image with the 3 women in shades of pink and purple walking past the shop. and I like to see everyone’s travel wardrobe. I’m amazed you only took one pair of pants! and yes to gloves – I learned long ago that any trip not at the height of summer means a pair of gloves is such a good thing to have. And white tops – you’re brave, I am always afraid that I would spill something and take it out of rotation 🙂
thank you Beth! yes, I’m such a white top afficionado… 🙂 but wouldn’t the same thing happen if you spill something on any-colour top? I reason you can always wash your things in the hotel sink if you have to 🙂
Oh lucky you . You did very well . I am amazed you weren’t tempted to do some shopping fro clothes . Such self restraint although maybe the budget went on Fabric ? The blossom is amazing . Are they all fruiting cherries or are they ornamental? So good to see Yoshimi , I miss her blog ..
thank you marianne! all cherry trees produce both flowers and fruit, though the fruit of the more ornamental varieties is small and mostly unpalatable 🙂
One can never get tired of cherry blossoms, thanks for the great pics. I also traveled a couple of weeks ago and it was freezing cold as well (in Amsterdam). I wish I had a fleece then, but made good use of my mittens, hat and cowl (hand knit of course). Kudos for a handmade suitcase.
DId you find great yarn/fabric in Japan? Maybe for another post.
thank you miss agnes! I did indeed find amazing fabric and yarn in Japan, it’s absolutely world class in that respect!
Wow! It sound like such a lovely time, despite the frigid weather. 17 days – do you feel like all those 10×10 challenges help when packing for things like this?
thank you Sixer! actually I would say the opposite; planning my travel wardrobes over the years has been good preparation for my 10×10 challenges! though of course you’re right, both follow the same principles 🙂
I love these sorts of posts. I had to laugh when you said you thought you had packed a lot. My first thought was, “that’s all she packed for three weeks?” And I thought I was a light packer!
thank you Masha! Haha, maybe you’re right, though I highly recommend if you’re going to Japan to pack VERY light, because you’re definitely going to want to fill your suitcase with fabric!
Beautiful! Looks like a nice trip. I will remember the tip about gloves – I would not have thought of that!
thank you Jen! 🙂
It is so god to see what you took and the wears and how you wore them as well. I think we all get sick of our holidays wardrobes but I have found it doesn’t take me long to like my clothes again.