Creating The Perfect Japan Cruise Capsule Wardrobe

Do you have a cruise coming up to Japan? We do. I’ve been stressing over what to wear, which means it’s time to put together a Japan cruise capsule wardrobe.

Although I will pack my own clothing, pulling together this capsule wardrobe helps me focus on selecting similar versatile pieces to mix and match, and to create outfits with them.

The trip we’re taking begins in Vancouver, stopping in Ketchikan, Alaska, for a day before crossing the Pacific to Japan. There are two stops in Japan (Aomori and Sapporo) before the cruise ends in Tokyo.

Length of Trip: 15 Days

Type of Cruise: Transpacific (Vancouver, BC; Ketchikan, AK; Southern Japan)

Season: Early October, autumn

Temperatures Expected in Japan: High 50s to low 70s, possible rain

Check The Weather

The first step for creating a Japan cruise capsule wardrobe is to check the weather. Early October is when fall begins in southern Japan, which means the stifling heat and humidity of summer is replaced by cooler temperatures and some rain, as it is typhoon season. From what I’ve read, a raincoat isn’t necessary, just a small travel umbrella, and quick-dry clothing (think synthetic blends) is a good idea.

Fashion in Japan

Wanting to fit in as much as possible while touring Japan, I learned that the Japanese (especially the younger generation) are very fashion-forward. Older people like me dress conservatively for the most part, however, so low-cut tops and leggings are not a good idea. Looser-fitting clothing is popular there, so I decided to look for conservative boyfriend-cut pieces and think about layers for unpredictable fall weather.

Plus, since we might have to take our shoes off from time to time, it is recommended to wear slip-on shoes with socks (never go sockless with shoes in Japan). Loafers would be good for fall, and booties, but booties take up a good bit of room in a suitcase.

Cruise Ship Fashion

I’ll also need to consider that the majority of the trip will be spent on the cruise ship. There, people dress casually during the day but will dress up a bit for dinner. Only three days on this cruise will be spent touring Japan.

I decided to look for boxy, loose-fitting clothing in travel-friendly black and light neutrals with pops of color.

Choosing Versatile Pieces

Lightweight items that can be layered will be a must, taking you from cool weather to warm (or the other way around). Simple pieces that can be dressed up or down will be best. So I’ll look for:

Tops: Simple short-sleeve and long-sleeve tees and blouses and lightweight sweaters in lighter neutral colors. A boyfriend button-down, either white or a pattern. A lightweight long-sleeved sweater or two.

Bottoms: Dark trousers, slim or flared leg, plus a lighter pair or two. A pair of jeans.

Dresses: Two dresses for more formal evenings.

Outerwear: A lightweight cardigan or waterfall sweater. A blazer.

Shoes: Loafers. Slip-ons. Sneakers.

Accessories

Since I will be choosing simple garments without a lot of patterns, accessories will be vital for adding pops of interest. I’ll look for a scarf, two handbags, and sunglasses. You will also want to bring simple jewelry.

Creating a Japan Cruise Capsule Wardrobe

For this wardrobe, I will try to stick to 20 pieces of clothing that I can wear multiple times, because washing clothing in my bathroom sink is one of my least favorite things to do on a cruise. I’ll need about 30 outfits for a fifteen-day trip, one for the daytime and one for the evening of each day.

The clothing I chose is from Banana Republic, Banana Republic Factory, and Athleta.

Tops

For fall in Japan, I chose short-sleeve tops that can be layered with long-sleeve blouses, as well as a short-sleeve cashmere sweater and one long-sleeve cashmere sweater. Both are lightweight and will be perfect for this time of year. I also chose three casual tees that can be layered.

Bottoms

For pants, I chose one pair of jeans, a casual pair of knit pants, a more structured pair of pants, and three pairs of lightweight wool trousers.

Dresses

On those very dressy nights, you will want to look your best, so I chose two very different black dresses that can be worn with the same pair of heels.

Outerwear

With layering in mind, I chose a loose cardigan and a knit blazer, one in a light neutral and the other in black.

Shoes

Wanting to keep the number of shoes to a minimum, I chose one heeled pair of pumps, one pair of sneakers, a pair of mules, and a pair of nice loafers. All but one pair are black for maximum versatility. The choices range from ultra-casual to very dressy.

Accessories

Accessories can make or break an outfit. You will want to bring nice classic jewelry, a belt or two for the trousers, a scarf, sunglasses, a tote for travel and excursions, a small purse with a long strap for onboard the ship, and some fun trouser socks.

Outfits You Can Make

With twenty versatile pieces of clothing like these, I can make dozens of outfits. Of course, you will be wearing individual pieces more than once, but the weather will be temperate and you will only be wearing some pieces for a few hours at a time.

Let’s see what we can come up with.

Sea Days

On sea days, you will be dressing casually during the day, wanting to be comfortable. The ship will be climate-controlled, so you probably won’t need long sleeves or layering. Some areas of the ship are colder than others, like restaurants or the casino, so a sweater is a good idea to have.

Here are some of the outfits I came up with for sea days:

Excursions

For excursions in southern Japan in the fall, you will probably want to layer, as the morning may be chilly but the afternoon will be warmer. You’ll want to carry a tote bag for purchases you might make (Tokyo has fabulous shopping!), and will want to wear comfortable shoes for walking long distances.

These outfits should be ideal for excursions where you won’t need to slip your shoes on and off frequently:

Casual Dinners

Most dinners onboard will be casual, but you may want to change clothes and dress nicer than you do during the day. I usually plan for cool temperatures in restaurants, so I created these outfits for several casual dinners with that in mind.

Dressy Dinners

On a two-week cruise, you will probably have four dress-up evenings, and you may have dinners at specialty restaurants that you will want to dress nicely for. These outfits will be perfect for those evenings, with two of them where you might want to dress your absolute best, especially on the night the officers are available for photographs with the guests.

Travel

You will have two travel days, one to your embarkation port and the other for your trip home, and you will want to be comfortable.

Other Clothing Needs

In addition to outfits, you will want to pack a swimsuit (or two) and a coverup, pajamas, underwear, and socks.

Other Packing Needs for a Japan Cruise

International Power Adapter: You will probably spend a night at a hotel pre-cruise or post-cruise and may need an international travel adapter and power converter. I purchased this one for this trip since we’ll also spend a few days in Tokyo post-cruise. If you cruise often, this is a must.

Small Travel Umbrella: Fall in Japan is typhoon season, and showers can pop up at any time. Being prepared with a compact travel umbrella is smart.

Compact Binoculars: Crossing the Pacific for over a week, you will have abundant opportunities to see whales and other sea life. Bringing along a pair of compact binoculars will enhance your sea days, and there will be a lot of them on this trip.

Face Masks: With its high, dense population, Japan has a pollution problem. To protect themselves, many residents wear face masks outside.

Travel Towel: Many public restrooms in Japan don’t provide hand towels to dry your hands after washing. Pop a travel towel in your purse and you will be prepared. These actually do double duty as cooling towels for hot weather or after exercising.

Airalo eSIM card for Japan: Streets in Tokyo aren’t marked like they are in the US, so GPS is a must if you’re exploring on your own. Purchasing an eSIM card for Japan and using it ensures that you will have cell service so you can use your phone’s GPS. I’m purchasing this one for my trip since we’ll be in Tokyo for a few days.

FREE!

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Final Thoughts On Creating A Japan Cruise Capsule Wardrobe

Be sure to bring some local currency, small denominations of yen, for places that might not accept credit cards, such as public transportation. You can order foreign currency from your bank branch, which will be available for pickup within a few days.

Happy cruising!