CLOTHING to bring

As I have yet to finish a full year in Japan, I have not been here in the January and February months.

They are some of the dryer months, I'm told, and very cold. It's the wind chill-factor that gets you.

On my list would be a warm winter coat. One that sheds water. When it rains here, it pours. The systems tend to blow in and out, but they usually are drenchers.

Being a native Western Washingtonian, I had to learn how to use an umbrella. Seriously! I grew up with the: RUN to the car, go wherever you were going, wait a bit for a break in the rain, RUN inside the store, and keep going. A good rain coat was all you needed. Sometimes the wind here makes using an umbrella costly and foolish. The trash bins are filled with inside out, broken 100 Yen store hulks.

Since the mud puddles get big like this one on base (it's flat-land, sea level here), boots for the kids. The NEX only had girl ones when looking. Our son loves the Japanese ones. They aren't necessarily cheap, but really cute ones can be had. The Japanese children's shoes tend to be a bit wider than American ones, so they are easier to pull on. The ones I bought William weren't too tall, so for a long time this summer (rainy season here) they were his favorite pair of shoes to quickly pull on!

Layered sweater/fleece light jacket. Some older places here aren't well insulated. While you won't be staying in places like this, you may visit some. It's nice to have a warm option if you're a cold type, like me. Some eateries are so small, that every time the door opens, it's completely new outside air.

Slippers. Yes, I know... you can buy a pair at a 100 yen store. But, it's hard finding what I like here, for my size of foot. I am a woman's size 9 W. For length, that is LL here, and they don't stock those heavily. Same goes for big footed man shoes. The floors are usually uncarpeted (the humidity causes huge mold problems here) so you might have to deal with those cold floors. And a day of walking around barefoot on those floors just makes you tired. In most houses and apartments (here they call apartments mansions) there is a place just inside the door to take off your outside shoes (and cabinets for storing your shoes). Usually the floor is tile or stone. You then step-up to wood or laminate. Wood floors here are easily scratched. My son just runs around in socks.

Confused why they put slippers in the bathrooms? Your place (or restaurant you visit) might have special slippers for the bathroom. After living in a Japanese house, with Japanese toilets, I now understand. Sometimes when they flush, they spit out a bit of liquid. Ewww. I am continually anti-bacterial cleaning my bathroom floors. Traditionally, the Japanese wear slippers into the bathroom as a way of keeping those germs there, and not tracking them elsewhere.