Packing lists

What to pack for Kyoto in November

November is autumn-leaf season in Kyoto, and the temple gardens turn red and gold, usually peaking in the last two weeks of the month. Days are crisp, clear and mild, but mornings and evenings are cold, and it gets dark before 5pm.

So the list is built for cool weather and a lot of walking, often up long flights of temple steps. Layers that come off at midday and go back on at dusk work best. You will take your shoes off at temples, restaurants and traditional inns many times a day, so pack shoes you can slip on and good socks.

Checked

The weather

Daytime high
63°F
17°C, cooling through the month.
Overnight low
45°F
7°C. Early mornings are cold.
Wet days
~7
Mostly clear, with occasional rain.
Daylight
10 h
Sunset around 4:50pm. Many temples close by 5pm.

The capsule

A week, one traveler, Toffee palette. Chocolate, camel and ivory, the colors of the autumn gardens. A capsule is a few clothes in one palette (a base color, a neutral and an accent) that all go together. The full list below adds what sits outside it.

Toffee palette · 10 pieces · 18 outfits

Layers

  • Wool coatWool coat
  • Long cardiganLong cardigan

Tops

  • Merino turtleneckMerino turtleneck
  • Cashmere crewneckCashmere crewneck
  • Cotton shirtCotton shirt

Bottoms

  • Drawstring crepe pantsDrawstring crepe pants
  • Dark jeansDark jeans
  • Pleated midi skirtPleated midi skirt

Shoes

  • Easy slip-on sneakersEasy slip-on sneakers
  • LoafersLoafers

Three days from this capsule

Fushimi Inari at dawn
Temples and autumn leaves
Kaiseki dinner in Gion

Shown for one traveler. Packlier packs a capsule like this for each person on the trip.

The full list

Clothes

  • Warm coat or padded jacket
  • Cardigan or light sweater
  • Four or five tops for layering
  • Two pairs of pants or jeans
  • A skirt or dress, if you wear them
  • Clothes that are comfortable sitting on the floor
  • Good socks without holes, since your shoes will come off

Shoes

  • Comfortable shoes you can slip on and off
  • A second pair for rainy days

Day bag

  • Scarf
  • Small towel or handkerchief
  • Coin purse
  • Small bag for your own trash
  • Compact umbrella
  • Tote bag for layers and shopping

Documents and tech

  • Passport; hotels are required to copy it
  • Travel insurance details
  • Transit card loaded on your phone, or bought on arrival
  • Yen in cash for temples, shrines and small restaurants
  • Type A plug adapter if not from North America (100V)
  • Power bank

Toiletries

  • Hand cream and lip balm
  • Blister bandages
  • Any prescriptions, in their original packaging

Gear worth the space

  • Slip-on sneakers

    Comfortable for a long day and easy on and off at the temple door. Look for a sturdy heel you will not crush.

  • A warm, packable coat

    Enough for the cold mornings and evenings, and easy to carry once the midday sun comes out.

  • A coin purse

    Japan runs on coins up to ¥500. A small purse keeps them organized for temple fees and vending machines.

  • A tote bag

    For your layers, water and shopping. It also holds your shoes when you visit a temple with a long walk inside.

Sunset around 4:50pm, and shoes off at every door. Packlier packs your days for the cold and the steps.

Tell it where, when, why, which bag and which palette, and it packs the capsule, checks it against the bag and adds everything that is not clothing. Launching this year on Android, with iOS to follow.

One email at launch, nothing else.