Japan with a Baby: Packing List (What to Bring and What to Buy There)
"Kid's Holiday Packing List" by Familydestinationsguide.com Images, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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- Diapers, wipes, formula and baby food are sold in Japan, for example at the baby store chain Akachan Honpo, so you can pack just enough for the flight and the first day or two.
- Bring from home: your baby's usual formula (talk to your pediatrician before switching), any regular medicines (Japan has quantity limits), a carrier, and plug adapters. Japan uses 100 V and Type A plugs.
- At the end there's a printable checklist split into the flight, the first 48 hours, the whole trip, and things to buy in Japan.
Packing for a baby can feel like packing for a small expedition. The bag fills up with “just in case” items, and you still lie awake wondering what you’ve forgotten.
Here’s some good news: the bulky everyday stuff, like diapers, wipes, formula and baby food, is sold in Japan. So we went through Japanese maker pages, store pages and government guidance to sort the list into two piles: what’s worth carrying from home, and what you can pick up after you land.
What can you easily buy in Japan?
Diapers, wipes, formula (powdered and liquid) and baby food are all sold in Japan. For example, the baby specialty chain Akachan Honpo (アカチャンホンポ) lists all of them as product categories on its official site [14].
To find a store near your hotel:
- Akachan Honpo has an official store search where you can type an address, place name or nearby landmark [15]. The page is in Japanese; your browser’s translate function helps.
- Nishimatsuya (西松屋), another baby and kids’ chain, has an official store list you can search by prefecture, in Japanese only [16]. It notes that hours can change at New Year or in emergencies, so ask the store [16].
Because these things are on store shelves in Japan, you don’t need to fill a suitcase with them. If we were packing for a week in Japan with a baby, we’d bring diapers and wipes for the flight, the first night and a buffer for delays, then plan a shopping stop on day one or two. Food is more personal: if your baby is picky or eats something specific, bring more of what they know.
How do Japanese diaper sizes work?
Japanese diapers are sized by your baby’s weight in kilograms. The makers stress that the weight is only a guide: the fit also depends on your baby’s height, waist and legs and how much they pee, and they ask you to check the range printed on the pack [3] [4].
Two styles are sold:
- Tape (テープ, tēpu): the open style with side tabs, used for younger babies [4].
- Pants (パンツ, pantsu): pull-ups, often used once babies start moving [4].
The size names are similar across the three big Japanese brands: newborn (新生児, shinseiji), S, M, L, Big (ビッグ, biggu) and “Bigger than Big” (ビッグより大きい, biggu yori ōkii). The weight ranges are similar, but not identical [1] [2] [3] [4].
| Size | Pampers (P&G Japan) | Merries (Kao) | Moony (Unicharm) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Newborn | Up to 5 kg [1] | Two sizes: up to 3 kg and up to 5 kg [3] | Two sizes: up to 3 kg and up to 5 kg [4] |
| S | 4–8 kg [1] | Up to 8 kg [3] | 4–8 kg [4] |
| M | 6–11 kg [1] | 6–11 kg [3] | 6–11 kg [4] |
| L | 9–14 kg [1] | Not stated | 9–14 kg [4] |
| Size | Pampers (P&G Japan) | Merries (Kao) |
|---|---|---|
| S | Not stated | 4–8 kg [3] |
| M | Two types: "crawling" (はいはい, *hai-hai*) 5–10 kg and "standing" (たっち, *tatchi*) 6–12 kg [2] | 6–12 kg [3] |
| L | 9–14 kg [2] | 9–14 kg [3] |
| Big (XL) | 12–22 kg [2] | 12–22 kg [3] |
| Bigger than Big (XXL) | 15–28 kg [2] | 15–28 kg [3] |
Moony’s pull-ups come in several product lines with different weight ranges, so read the pack [4]. Moony suggests moving up from newborn size at around 5 kg and from S at around 8 kg [4].
We didn’t find an official comparison between Japanese sizes and sizes in the US, UK, Australia or Canada, so we won’t guess. Before you fly, write your baby’s current weight in kilograms on your phone and choose by that.
Formula and baby food: which age is each product for?
In a Japanese store, powdered formula is 粉ミルク (kona miruku), liquid formula is 液体ミルク (ekitai miruku), and baby food is ベビーフード or 離乳食 (rinyūshoku, food for babies starting solids). Follow-on milk for older babies is フォローアップミルク (forō appu miruku).
Here’s what Japanese makers say on their official pages:
| Product | Type | Age (maker's guide) | Formats on the maker's page | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Meiji Hohoemi (明治ほほえみ) | Infant formula | Up to around the first birthday | Powder in 780 g cans; Raku Raku Cube (27 g per cube); Raku Raku Milk liquid (240 ml) | [6] [5] |
| Meiji Step (明治ステップ) | Follow-on milk | From age 1 to about 3 | Not stated | [6] |
| Morinaga Hagukumi (森永はぐくみ) | Infant formula | 0 months to about 1 year | Cans (800 g, 300 g); refill pouches (400 g x 2); sticks (13 g x 10) | [8] |
| Wakodo Lebens Milk Hai Hai (はいはい) | Infant formula | 0 months to about 1 year | Not stated | [9] |
| Wakodo Gun Gun (ぐんぐん) | Follow-on milk | About 9 months to 3 years, once on three meals of solids a day | Not stated | [9] |
| Glico Icreo Akachan Milk (アイクレオ赤ちゃんミルク) | Liquid infant formula | 0 months to about 1 year | 125 ml carton | [10] [11] |
| Wakodo baby food (和光堂) | Baby food | From about 5 months | Powders and freeze-dried first foods | [13] |
| Wakodo GooGoo Kitchen and Eiyo Marche | Baby food | From about 7 months | Retort pouches (GooGoo Kitchen); cup meal sets (Eiyo Marche) | [13] |
| Wakodo furikake and cereal | Baby food | From about 9 months | Not stated | [13] |
Liquid formula (ready-to-feed) is also sold in Japan. Japan set official standards for liquid infant formula in August 2018 [12]. Meiji says its Raku Raku Milk can be given at room temperature or warmed, should be used within 2 hours of opening, and any milk your baby has drunk from should be thrown away [7]. Glico’s Icreo Akachan Milk needs no mixing, can be given at room temperature, and leftovers should be discarded [10]. It keeps for 10 months from manufacture, stored at or below room temperature [11].
For brands, formats and how to read a Japanese formula label, see our guide to buying baby formula in Japan. For allergen words on Japanese packaging, see reading allergen labels in Japan.
Phrases for the store. Show these to a staff member:
〇kgの赤ちゃん用のおむつはどこですか。〇-kiro no akachan-yō no omutsu wa doko desu ka? (“Where are the diapers for a baby of 〇 kg?”) Replace 〇 with your baby’s weight.
粉ミルクと液体ミルクはどこですか。Kona miruku to ekitai miruku wa doko desu ka? (“Where are the powdered and liquid formula?”)
What should you bring from home?
Some things are worth carrying even though they take up space, because they’re hard to replace quickly or they’re specific to your child.
| Item | Bring from home | Buy in Japan |
|---|---|---|
| Diapers and wipes | Enough for the flight and the first day or two | Yes, at baby stores such as Akachan Honpo |
| Formula | Your baby's usual formula, enough for the trip if you can | Possible, but talk to your pediatrician before switching |
| Baby food | The first day or two, and any favorites | Yes; check the age on the pack |
| Regular medicines | Yes, within Japan's quantity limits (see below) | Talk to your pediatrician or pharmacist first |
| Health records and insurance papers | Yes (vaccination record, travel insurance policy) | No |
| Baby carrier | Yes | Not needed if you bring one |
| Bottle teats your baby is used to | Yes | Not needed if you bring them |
| Plug adapters | Yes, if you have them | Yes, at large electronics stores |
| Clothes | A few days' worth plus spares | Yes (see our clothes guide) |
A few small items are easy to forget: a carrier even if you bring a stroller, zip-top bags, bags for used diapers, a full change of clothes in the day bag, a portable phone battery, and a light blanket or cape for chilly trains and shops. None of these are hard to buy in Japan.
Can you bring your child’s medicine into Japan?
Usually yes, within limits. Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) sets how much medicine you can carry in for your own use without any paperwork [17] [18]:
| Type of medicine | Limit without paperwork | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Prescription medicines | Up to a 1-month supply | [17] [18] |
| Other medicines (over-the-counter) | Up to a 2-month supply | [17] [18] |
| External-use medicines (excluding prescription medicines) | Up to 24 items per product, standard size | [17] [18] |
| Injectables | Only pre-filled syringes or self-injection kits, up to a 1-month supply | [18] |
The 1- and 2-month limits are judged by the dosage directions (how many days the medicine lasts) [17]. If you need more than these limits, you need an Import Confirmation, which you get before you leave home and show to customs [18]. MHLW’s English page links to the online application [18].
Some ingredients need permission in advance. Medicines containing narcotics or “stimulant raw materials” need permission from a Regional Bureau of Health and Welfare before you travel [20]. MHLW’s Narcotics Control Department lists pseudoephedrine as one example of a stimulant raw material, so check the ingredient list of any cold or allergy medicine you pack [19]. Apply at least 14 days before you travel [19] [20]. These medicines must be carried by the traveler and can’t be mailed or handed to someone else to bring in (one bureau allows a caregiver traveling with the patient) [19] [20], and some stimulants can’t be brought in at all, even with a prescription [19]. If the medicine is for your child, ask the Narcotics Control Department how to apply before you travel. The bureau recommends carrying a doctor’s letter in English that lists the generic (ingredient) names [20].
Official pages:
- MHLW: bringing medicines for personal use into Japan (English)
- Narcotics Control Department: application guidance (English)
Can you bring formula and baby food?
Japan’s Animal Quarantine Service says milk products carried in your luggage (carry-on or checked) or sent separately are outside animal quarantine [21] [22]. For milk products for sale or business use, over 10 kg, or for animal feed, it recommends getting an inspection certificate [21]. These pages talk about milk products in general and don’t name infant formula, so if you have a question about a specific product, ask the Animal Quarantine Service before you fly.
Meat products follow different rules, and whether an item can come in depends on the product [22]. If baby food you plan to pack contains meat, check with the Animal Quarantine Service first, or plan to buy that kind of food in Japan.
Will your baby electronics work in Japan?
Japan’s electricity is 100 V everywhere. The frequency is 50 Hz in eastern Japan and 60 Hz in western Japan, including Nagoya, Kyoto and Osaka [23] [24]. Wall outlets (コンセント, konsento) take Type A plugs, the two flat pins, and JNTO says visitors from overseas may need a plug adapter [24].
Devices that work on a range of voltages generally work in Japan; others need a voltage transformer [23]. Adapters and transformers are sold in Akihabara and at large electronics stores such as Yodobashi Camera and Bic Camera [23].
Before you pack them, check the voltage label on:
- bottle sterilizers and bottle warmers
- breast pumps and their chargers
- baby monitors and white noise machines
- phone and camera chargers
If a device’s label doesn’t include 100 V, ask the manufacturer whether and how it can be used in Japan. For bottle sterilizing options that don’t need power at all, see our guide to hot water, microwaves and bottle sterilizing in Japanese hotels.
What clothes should you pack for each season?
Tokyo’s temperatures swing a lot over the year. Here are the official monthly averages from the Japan Meteorological Agency (1991–2020) [25]:
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5.4 | 6.1 | 9.4 | 14.3 | 18.8 | 21.9 | 25.7 | 26.9 | 23.3 | 18.0 | 12.5 | 7.7 |
Those are averages of the whole day. In August, the average daily high is 31.3°C, and in January the average daily low is 1.2°C [25]. Other regions differ; our Japan weather by month guide covers Osaka, Sapporo and Naha too.
Summer heat. Japan’s Ministry of the Environment publishes heat index (WBGT) forecasts and Heatstroke Alerts, with an English version of the site [26]. It names children among the people more at risk of heatstroke [26]. The service runs from about late April to late October, and the dates change each year [26]. If you’re traveling in the warm months, bookmark the English heatstroke site, and talk to your pediatrician about keeping your baby cool and hydrated.
Winter. With January lows close to freezing in Tokyo [25], we’d pack layers that go on and come off easily, so you can adjust between the street and indoors.
You don’t have to pack for every possible day. Clothes for babies, kids and adults are easy to pick up in Japan, and some families plan to buy part of their wardrobe there. See Pack light, buy in Japan for prices and tax-free shopping.
Kids’ sleepwear is a different story. Some hotels lend kids’ yukata, but the smallest sizes we found on official pages were for children about 100 cm tall [28] [29], so pack your baby’s own sleepwear.
The checklist (printable)
Print this page or screenshot this section. Cross out what doesn’t apply to your baby.
On the plane
- Diapers for the flight plus a few extra for delays
- Wipes and a few bags for used diapers
- Formula or milk for the flight, and bottles with familiar teats
- Snacks or baby food for the flight
- A full change of clothes for the baby, and a top for each adult
- Light blanket or cape
- Baby carrier
- Medicines you need on the way, plus the doctor’s letter if you have one
- Passports, vaccination record, travel insurance policy
The first 48 hours in Japan
- Diapers and wipes for two days
- Formula and baby food for two days
- Plug adapter (Type A) for the first night’s charging
- Your baby’s weight in kg, saved on your phone (for buying diapers)
- Nearest baby store found on the official store search
- Hotel confirmed for crib and hot water (see our hotel guides)
For the whole trip
- Regular medicines, within Japan’s limits, checked against the official pages
- Permission from a Regional Bureau, if any medicine needs it (apply 14+ days ahead)
- Your baby’s usual formula, if your pediatrician advised against switching
- Bottle-sterilizing plan (and a sterilizer only if its label includes 100 V)
- Clothes in layers for the season, plus sleepwear for the baby
- Zip-top bags, a portable phone battery
- Heatstroke site bookmarked (late April to late October)
Buy in Japan
- Diapers in the right size for your baby’s weight (check the pack)
- Wipes
- Baby food for your baby’s age (check the pack)
- Extra clothes, if you packed light
- A voltage transformer or more adapters, if you need them
Questions parents ask
- Can I bring baby formula into Japan?
- Japan's Animal Quarantine Service says milk products carried in your luggage are outside animal quarantine. For milk products for sale or business use, over 10 kg, or for animal feed, it recommends getting an inspection certificate. Its pages don't name infant formula specifically, so if you're unsure about a product, ask the Animal Quarantine Service before you travel.
- Are Japanese diaper sizes the same as at home?
- We couldn't find an official comparison with overseas sizes, so we don't compare them. Japanese packs show a weight range in kilograms. Use your baby's weight in kg, and read the range printed on the pack, because it differs a little by brand and product.
- Can I bring my child's medicine into Japan?
- Japan's health ministry sets quantity limits for medicines you carry in without paperwork: up to a 1-month supply of prescription drugs and up to a 2-month supply of other medicines, among others. Some ingredients need permission before travel. Check the official pages, and talk to your pediatrician or pharmacist about what to bring.
- Do I need a plug adapter in Japan?
- Possibly, depending on your country. JNTO says Japan's outlets take Type A plugs and visitors from overseas may need a plug adapter. The electricity is 100 V, so also check the voltage label on each device.
- パンパース さらさらケアテープ新生児~L | パンパース — P&G Japan (Pampers Japan)
- パンパース さらさらケアパンツMはいはい~XXL | パンパース — P&G Japan (Pampers Japan)
- 【花王 メリーズ】赤ちゃんのおむつ選びマップ — Kao (Merries)
- 赤ちゃんのおむつの選び方は?交換回数やサイズ選びのコツを紹介(ムーニー公式) — Unicharm (Moony)
- 商品情報|株式会社 明治 — Meiji
- 粉ミルクはいつまで飲ませるの?(明治 ほほえみクラブ) — Meiji
- らくらくミルクの特徴|株式会社 明治 — Meiji
- はぐくみ｜商品情報｜妊娠・育児情報サイト「はぐくみ」｜森永乳業株式会社 — Morinaga Milk
- ミルクの選び方(和光堂) — Asahi Group Foods (Wakodo)
- アイクレオ 赤ちゃんミルク|商品情報|ICREO/アイクレオ — Ezaki Glico
- アイクレオ赤ちゃんミルク — Ezaki Glico
- 乳及び乳製品の成分規格等に関する省令及び食品、添加物等の規格基準の一部改正について(平成30年8月8日) — Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Japan
- ベビーフードの選び方(和光堂) — Asahi Group Foods (Wakodo)
- アカチャンホンポ|赤ちゃん本舗 — Akachan Honpo
- 店舗検索 赤ちゃん用品・マタニティ用品のアカチャンホンポ — Akachan Honpo
- 店舗のご案内 | 西松屋 — Nishimatsuya Chain
- 医薬品等の個人輸入について — Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Japan
- Information for those who are bringing medicines for personal use into Japan — Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Japan
- Application Guidance (Narcotics Control Department) — Narcotics Control Department, Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Japan
- 麻薬、向精神薬及び医薬品である覚醒剤原料の携帯輸出入許可申請について — Kanto-Shinetsu Regional Bureau of Health and Welfare, Narcotics Control Department
- 乳製品の検疫について:動物検疫所 — Animal Quarantine Service, MAFF
- 輸入動物検疫に係るよくあるお問合せ(FAQ):農林水産省 — Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Japan
- Japan Electrical Outlet | Travel Japan | JNTO — Japan National Tourism Organization
- FAQ | Travel Japan | JNTO — Japan National Tourism Organization
- 東京(東京都)平年値(年・月ごとの値) — Japan Meteorological Agency
- 環境省熱中症予防情報サイト — Ministry of the Environment, Japan
- Japanese Ryokan Guide | Travel Japan — Japan National Tourism Organization
- 客室貸し出し備品のご案内|池袋 サンシャインシティプリンスホテル — Sunshine City Prince Hotel
- お子さま連れに関するよくあるご質問|ホテルニューオータニ(東京) — Hotel New Otani Tokyo