What to pack for Tokyo in August

14 rain days a month finds every seam. A real shell, not a windbreaker.

UV index of 8.7 burns exposed skin in under an hour.

Water and concrete reflect sun into your eyes.

August humidity brings mosquitoes to the city.

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

Heat rash and jellyfish stings happen here.

Thirteen hours of daylight drains phone batteries fast.

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

Overhead bins fill up on long flights.

Day trips to temples need a separate bag.

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

For the passport, the chargers, and the one dry pair of socks.

Anything heavier than linen is a mistake at 90°F.

Sweat clings to skin in 78% humidity and 90°F heat.

UV hits 8.7 here. Long sleeves beat reapplying sunscreen every hour.

The bay is warm enough to swim in all month.

Wet pavement and high humidity make regular shoes slip.

Direct sun at 90°F causes heat exhaustion fast.

Constant sweating drains electrolytes in this heat.

Cold water at 3pm is worth the weight.

Treat the clothes once and it lasts weeks.

Tap water is safe, but carrying water beats dehydration.

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.

Pickpockets work busy trains and markets.

Fourteen rain days mean wet bags on trains and in crowds where pickpockets work.

Humidity wrinkles clothes unless they stay compressed.

Rain and canal water splash onto phones.

Sweat soaks through clothes every few hours.

Train noise runs past 80 decibels all day.

Legs need to breathe in these temperatures.

Fourteen rain days soak through leather and canvas.

Lips peel and crack in salt air and strong sun.

Crowded trains and humid air spread germs.

Sunburn and insect bites both itch, but need different relief.

Charging ports are scarce in crowded transit.

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

Immigration requires your passport at the airport.

Luggage disappears in international terminals.

Humidity makes toiletries sticky and hard to find.

Plane cabins are cold and seats are narrow.