How to Dress in Japan: What to Wear and What Not to Wear

It’s pretty easy to dress for Japan: neat, casual and comfortable clothes are the way to go. Of course, if you come in the hot summer or cold winter, you’ll have to make some changes to the basic kit. Here are all the details on what clothes and shoes to bring to Japan.

Summer in Shibuya – image © Candida.Performa / CC BY 2.0 DEED

The Takeaway

• The Japanese tend to dress slightly more formally and neatly than most Westerners.
• Neat casual is great for daily sightseeing in Japan.
• Smart casual is fine for special events like tea ceremonies, geisha entertainment and fancy restaurants.
• Most Japanese men don’t wear shorts unless they’re playing a sport. Travelers can wear shorts in hot weather, but don’t wear cut-offs, board shorts, etc.
• Most Japanese women don’t show their shoulders, belly or cleavage. And most don’t wear leggings (yoga pants etc) unless they’re doing yoga or sports.
• Wear shoes or sneakers that are comfortable for walking and easy to slip on and off.
• If you’ve forgotten something, you can easily buy clothes at Uniclo and shoes at ABC Mart in Japan.

People in Shibuya Crossing – image © Dick Thomas Johnson / CC BY 2.0 DEED

Here’s the General Rule

First, you should know that the Japanese tend to dress a little more formally than Westerners, particularly in the big cities, and especially in Tokyo. Not only do they dress more formally, they tend to be better turned out overall. For women, that often means full makeup and neatly coiffed hair, and an outfit that goes with that. For men, that means neatly coiffed hair and a clean-shaven face (or well-tended-beard) and an outfit that goes with that. We aren’t saying you should try to copy this, but keep it in mind.

Shibuya Crossing – image © Dick Thomas Johnson / CC BY 2.0 DEED

And when we talk about comfortable clothes, we don’t just mean that the clothes allow easy movement. We’re talking about the whole picture: clothes that are not only physically comfortable, but clothes that don’t make you feel like you’re sticking out or ridiculously underdressed. Fortunately, it’s remarkably easy to achieve this.

For everyday exploring in Japan, “neat casual” is the way to go. This basically just means clean clothes in good condition, with no holes. And no plastic sandals! For nicer occasions, like a tea ceremony or dinner at a good restaurant, “smart casual” is the way to go. What follows are the details for men and women, plus tips for special situations.

What to Wear for Men in Japan

As we wrote above, Japanese men almost never wear shorts unless they’re actively engaged in a sport. You can certainly wear shorts when sightseeing on hot days, but they should be neat and clean (ie, not cut-off jeans or board shorts). And just be warned, you’re going to feel very out of place walking into a smart Tokyo restaurant wearing shorts. A better option is a clean pair of slacks or khakis. Jeans are also good, but they should be on the new side.

Neat casual male. AI image by Paige Smith-Saunders

On top, new-ish T-shirts are okay, but you may be happier with a collar on your shirt. Polo shirts, and casual short- or long-sleeve button-down shirts are good choices. Casual pullovers are also good.

On your feet, new-ish running shoes are probably the best choice. New-ish sneakers are also great. Other kinds of casual slip-on shoes are also good. The two main points are these: your shoes should be comfortable for walking, because you’re going to be doing a lot of that, and they should slip on and off easily, because you’re going to be doing a lot of that too (especially in Kyoto).

What to Wear for Women in Japan

As noted above: Japanese women tend to dress neatly and be well turned out. They rarely show much skin, which means shoulders, belly and cleavage are usually covered. Young Japanese women and girls sometimes wear short skirts, but older Japanese women definitely don’t.

Neat casual female. AI image by Paige Smith-Saunders

For daily sightseeing, clean and neat tops of any kind are fine, but keep in mind what we said earlier about showing skin. Clean and neat pants of any kind or new-ish jeans are also good. Japanese women do not usually wear tights, yoga pants or other leggings unless they’re doing yoga or sports. In colder seasons, you’ll want to have a layer or two to put on top, and in the summer, you might also want a light top layer for air-conditioned buildings and trains.

On your feet, it’s basically the same as for men: New-ish running shoes/sneakers, or other kinds of casual slip-on shoes are all fine. Just make sure they’re comfortable for walking and easy to slip on and off.

Some Special Situations

Of course, there times when you need to modify the above advice. Here are the main ones:

Summer at Senso-ji Temple in Tokyo – image © A S / CC BY 2.0 DEED

What to Wear in Summer in Japan

Japan’s summer (June to mid-September) is notoriously hot and humid. The above advice still applies, but you want to go for light, quick-drying and breathable fabrics. You might also consider some kind of hat to keep the sun off. And no matter what you do, you’re going to sweat through your clothes, so make sure you stay in a place with laundry facilities every few days. And, you’ll appreciate having extra changes of underwear.

Winter at Shimogamo-jinja Shrine in Kyoto – image © eiji ienaga / CC BY 2.0 DEED

What to Wear in Winter in Japan

In most of the places you’re likely to visit (Tokyo, Kyoto etc), Japan’s winter is similar to that of Washington DC or Paris. It’s cold but not that cold, and rain is more likely than snow. So, just dress like you’d dress for winter in DC or Paris. Avoid clunky boots, especially in Kyoto where you’re going to be taking off and putting on your shoes a lot. If you want a heavier shoe, then trail runners or light hikers are good. But, for the most part, we just we wear new-ish running shoes, perhaps with warmer socks.

Tea ceremony in Kyoto – image © InsideKyoto

What to Wear to a Tea Ceremony, Geisha Entertainment or Fancy Restaurant in Japan

If you’re going to participate in a tea ceremony, geisha entertainment or eat dinner in a fancy restaurant, then smart casual is the way to go. You don’t need formal wear, so men don’t need suits, jackets or neckties, and women don’t need dresses. But T-shirts, shorts, sloppy clothes and unkempt hair should be avoided. And keep in mind that for tea ceremonies, geisha entertainment and traditional restaurants, you’re probably going to have to take off your shoes, so decent socks without holes are a good idea. And as for shoes, avoid high lace-up boots, as you’ll be sitting in the genkan (foyer) wrestling with your laces both coming and going. And as for plastic sandals, just don’t.

Tsukiji Hongan-ji Temple interior – image © Kent Wang / CC BY-SA 2.0 DEED

What to Wear to a Shrine or Temple in Japan

The rules for visiting a Japanese temple or shrine are not as strict as those in, say, Thailand, but keep in mind that temples and shrines are religious places and you should dress and act accordingly. Neat casual clothes are fine, but sloppy or revealing clothes are not.

Tank top and cut-offs. AI image by Chris Rowthorn

What NOT to Wear in Japan

The basic rule is this: don’t wear anything sloppy, torn or revealing. For men, that means no cut-off shorts, no board shorts, no tank tops and no old T-shirts.

A bit too revealing for Japan. AI image by Chris Rowthorn

For women, that means no skimpy tops or bare midriffs, no tiny shorts and no leggings.

Beach dude in Japan. AI image by Chris Rowthorn

And for both sexes: no plastic sandals. Remember: You’re not at the beach!

Safari in Japan. AI image by Chris Rowthorn

Another thing we see, particularly on men, is what we call “safari wear.” This includes convertible pants that zip off at the knee, photographer’s vests and “bush hats.” Remember: You’re in Japan, not exploring the outback.

What If You Need to Buy Clothes or Shoes in Japan?

If you arrive in Japan and you find you’ve forgotten something, or just need some spare clothes, you’ll find a great selection of suitable clothes at Uniclo, which are everywhere. You may be pleasantly surprised to find out that prices are lower than back home. And if you need shoes, sneakers or running shoes, you’ll find that ABC Mart has a great selection and branches in almost every Japanese city. The only problem is finding shoes for larger feet (above American size 11 or 29 cms).

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