What to pack for Kyoto in December

Lows around 34°F. Goes under the shell when the wind picks up.

Wear one, dry one. Cotton stays wet all week here.

The layer you'll wear more than any other.

Lows drop to 34°F and wind runs at 15 km/h, so ears get cold fast.

Fingers lose heat in single-digit temperatures and December wind.

Humidity sits at 77 percent even in winter, and insects don't fully vanish.

Check ankles and, if there's a dog, paws and ears every night.

Temples and crowds mean minor cuts and scrapes happen on crowded days.

Nine hours of daylight means your phone dies before evening returns.

Set it up before you land. Signal drops for long stretches outside cities.

Dark by 4:45pm. Every campsite chore after that is a two-hands job.

Urban terrain and temple visits mean you walk all day with gear.

Fits the overhead on every airline that matters. Skip the checked-bag line entirely.

For the mornings and the nights.

Wind at 15 km/h hits exposed skin between hat and jacket.

Wet feet and 34°F lows mean cold toes become a problem by midday.

Treat the clothes once and it lasts weeks.

Tap water is safe, so you refill instead of buying bottles.

One brick charges the laptop, phone, and camera.

Hotel and cafe wifi is shared with everyone else in the building. A VPN keeps your banking and email to yourself.

Urban crowds and train stations attract pickpockets year-round.

Luggage moves through multiple hotels and train transfers in one week.

Multiple hotels in one trip demand fast packing and unpacking.

Seven rain days soak clothes, and laundry cycles are slow.

Lows around 34°F. One blanket that packs small covers the car, the campsite and the beach at sunset.

Trains run constantly and temples have loudspeaker announcements.

52°F highs don't warm you much, especially with wind chill.

High humidity breeds bacteria on hands between washings in transit.

Bites itch worse in humidity, and sun exposure makes them redder.

One outlet per room charges three devices if you bring short cables.

A few phrases go a long way. Ten minutes a day before you leave is plenty.

Kyoto is international, and some temples require ID checks.

Bags pass through checked systems at the airport and train stations.

One shower outlet and high humidity make a hanging bag necessary.

Train rides between cities are long and seats don't recline.