10 Days in Japan With Only a Carry-On—22 Items That Made the Cut

One thing you need to know about me? I refuse to check a bag when traveling. The airport is stressful enough as it is, and I’d rather forgo the long check-in lines and heavy luggage to have my Away carry-on by my side through the whole journey. No AirTags here! So when I booked a 10-day vacation to Japan, I was already up for the travel wardrobe challenge. Summer always makes the task easier (no thick sweaters or chunky boots needed, of course), so I opted for lightweight T-shirts and tops that I could mix and match with various shorts and skirts.

Also, I had never been to Japan before and knew there would be miles of walking ahead of me to fully explore everything. Keeping that in mind, I almost entirely depended on my Adidas Sambas and Salomon sneakers to get me through all the steps. The first leg was spent staying at the Ritz-Carlton Tokyo in Roppongi, which is between the trendy, buzzy area of Shibuya and the upscale neighborhood of Ginza. Kyoto was the next destination thanks to the high-speed bullet trains, and it was even hotter there (like 95ºF) than in Tokyo. Below, I rounded up the 22 items that held up through the heat and endless walking. If you’re planning a similar trip soon, you have permission to steal my itinerary.