I wanted outfits that looked good in Tokyo’s cool cafés, stayed comfortable wandering Kyoto’s gardens and handled the unpredictable weather of Mount Fuji’s lakes. My goal? Travel light, feel comfortable and spend less time fussing over what to wear, more time soaking up every moment for the couple of weeks I planned to be there.
Building My Autumn Capsule Wardrobe for Japan
Good packing always starts with a bit of homework. For Japan's unpredictable autumn, I wanted to be ready to handle anything. I checked the forecast for each stop, but also kept in mind that these predictions may not hold true when I am actually there.
In October and November, days range from cool to mild (think 10 to 21°C), but mornings get brisk and rain sometimes pops up without warning. I knew I’d need layers, mix-and-match basics and weather-ready fabrics.
Some important questions to ask before I packed were:
Could I walk for hours in my shoes?
Would these colours work with temple visits, tea houses and city lights?
Are these clothes modest enough for the various places I intend to visit?
I finally decided to work with these answers.
Layers to keep me prepared for chilly spells. Simple, classic pieces made it easy to put together outfits and repeat them without feeling similar.
Shoes had to stand up to rain, trekking and metro rides. A simple colour palette let me mix and match effortlessly.
Choosing the Right Fabrics and Layers
Autumn in Japan brings dramatic swings in temperature from sun to shade. Mornings can chill you to the bone, while afternoons might feel much warmer. Thin knits, shirts, heavy bottom wear, and lightweight sweaters were the answers. Here’s what worked for me
Colour Palette and Versatile Pieces
Muted and subtle is what I wanted to work with, and have some trending colours in this mix too.I selected most neutrals, blue, black, beige and white and mostly classic solid or striped pieces. Went with brown and matcha green to add some trending colours.
My core items were 2 denim flared jeans, 2 light knit sweaters, a denim jacket, about 5 - 6 Collared shirts and a couple of T-shirts. I purchased a long skirt there to work with the existing pieces I had.
Everything went with everything else, so getting dressed in the morning was basically automatic. And since I was mostly dressing for the entire day each time, I had to make sure I was comfortable in whatever I wore.
What I Actually Wore: Outfits and Essentials
Once I hit the streets, my capsule wardrobe proved itself. Cool in the morning, sunny at midday, maybe a rainshower at three, I felt ready for anything, as I should in Japan, especially during fall.
As long as I was wearing a layer light enough to be carried in my backpack, I was set!
Footwear deserved its own applause here. My sneakers took me all over Tokyo, and it finally gave up on a hike on Mount Kurama in Kyoto. From then on, I got myself a Converse, which worked on saving my feet for the rest of the trip.
A little tip: shop for your shoes from Japan! They are of amazing quality and very reasonable prices! I personally loved shopping from ABC mart, Jimbocho location and also in Kyoto.
I was delighted with how comfortable I was the entire trip and how easy it was to go through all the temperature changes!
I did end up caught in a thunderstorm, in my jeans and sweater and ended up all soaked! But I had enough options for the next days.
Here are the Packing Tips for you if you are going on a long trip :
1. Polka dots, denim and stripes are trending this fall of 2025. A perfect way to capitalise on these classics would be to carry tops in these that go with everything, maybe a denim jacket with T-shirts with these prints.
2. Keep light thermals with you just in case, to layer under, and wear just a T-shirt, so that you're comfortable throughout. Or get Uniqlo thermals, they saved me the first time I was in Japan for spring! They are AMAZING.
3. Avoid wearing dresses if you are not used to the sudden temperature dips, like me!
4. Take basics, and buy some weather-appropriate tops and bottoms from Uniqulo and GU or any other brand that catches your fancy.
Let me know if you found these useful, or you can always reach out to me for some ideas specific to your requirements! Insta - @priyanjana
If you are looking for Souvenir Ideas or Gift ideas for Family and friends, check out my suggestions here on what to bring back from Japan.
If you are looking for Souvenir Ideas or Gift ideas for Family and friends, check out my suggestions here on what to bring back from Japan.