How to Halve Your Overseas Travel Luggage | Why Buying Clothes Locally Is Surprisingly the Best Strategy
Many travelers struggle with the problem of their suitcases always being packed to the brim.
I also pack my bags to fit everything into carry-on luggage to avoid airport baggage claim wait times and the risk of lost luggage, but clothes take up quite a bit of space. The solution I arrived at from that experience is the approach of buying clothes locally at your destination.
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What are the benefits of buying clothes locally?
Your luggage becomes dramatically lighter
A classic concern for overseas travel is the weight of your luggage. Airline checked baggage limits are often around 20kg to 23kg, and for long-term trips, clothes alone take up a significant portion of that weight.
If you pack with the premise of "buying a few items locally," you can make your suitcase significantly lighter at departure. If you can travel with only carry-on luggage, you won't have to pay extra fees for checked baggage.
There are designs you can only find at your destination
Local fashion has a uniqueness that reflects the climate and culture of that country. You can often find items with color palettes and materials not seen in Japan at local shopping malls and markets for affordable prices.
By creating the context of "clothes I bought on that trip," memories of your travels are added to your everyday outfits. This is a way to enjoy shopping that is unique to local sourcing, different from buying brand-name goods at duty-free shops.
It solves the problem of "running out of clean clothes" in the latter half of your trip
On long-term trips, there are times when it is difficult to find the right time to do laundry. Especially when staying for multiple nights at a hotel without a coin laundry, there is a risk of running out of clean clothes.
By leaving room to purchase one or two extra items locally, that anxiety is resolved.
It becomes an opportunity to discard old clothes
Some people might continue to use old clothes just because they are still functional, like a T-shirt with a stretched-out neckline from years of wear or pants with loose elastic.
By wearing these worn-out clothes, throwing them in a local trash bin, and replacing them with new ones, you can create an opportunity to get rid of shabby clothing.
Recommended travel destinations for local sourcing
Southeast Asia (Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, etc.)
The cost of living is low, and the quality of fashion has improved in recent years. In shopping malls in Bangkok and Ho Chi Minh City, you can find high-quality linen shirts and T-shirts for a few hundred to a few thousand yen. Since many areas have a hot and humid climate, local sourcing is very practical for things to wear during your trip.
Many apparel items sold in Japan are also made in Southeast Asia, so you will likely be able to wear them without any resistance.
South Korea (Seoul)
The Dongdaemun area in Seoul is known as one of the largest fashion markets in Asia. You can get trendy K-fashion items at lower prices than in Japan, allowing you to enjoy sightseeing and shopping at the same time. Since the climate difference from Japan is minimal, these items are easy to incorporate into your daily wardrobe after returning home.
Europe (Spain, Poland, etc.)
In countries near the origins of brands like ZARA and H&M, you may find items not yet released in Japan. Depending on the exchange rate, they can sometimes be cheaper than purchasing them in Japan.
Egypt
Egypt is known as one of the world's three major cotton producers. Led by representative brands like Cottonil, cotton products are organic, soft on the skin, and affordable, so buying plenty is highly recommended.
While the sewing or elastic may sometimes be weak, you can think of it as a souvenir from a country where the industry is still developing.
3 Tips for Successful Local Shopping
1. Understand Sizing in Advance
In Asia, a Japanese size M may correspond to an L or XL. It is safer to choose stores where you can try things on or to know your size according to local standards beforehand. There are cases where the length is fine, but the chest area does not fit.
2. Always Check the Material
Since the premise is to wear them during your trip, it is important to check if the material is comfortable even when you sweat. Some materials may look good but feel uncomfortable in hot climates, so choosing natural materials like linen or cotton will reduce the risk of failure.
Also, be sure to check the laundry instructions. If you want to keep wearing the items after you return, you won't wear them if they are difficult to wash.
3. Calculate Space for the Return Trip Before Buying
There is no point in reducing your luggage at departure only to end up overweight because you bought too much locally. You can shop strategically if you decide on a limit, such as "a maximum of X number of clothes to buy during the trip," before you leave.
The Right Way to Start Is by Comparing Multiple Travel Plans
To fully enjoy local shopping, it is important to design your entire travel plan carefully. Especially for overseas travel, prices and content vary greatly depending on the travel agency, even for the same destination.
What I recommend is using Town Life Travel Search to your advantage.
You can inquire with multiple companies for free and have them accommodate specific requests, such as "I want to stay at a hotel near a shopping mall in this area," "I want a schedule that allows for a relaxed time locally," or "I want to have my luggage delivered."By comparing two or more companies, it becomes easier to get a sense of the costs.
▼ Request a bulk quote from multiple companies for free
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. Is there customs duty when bringing clothes bought locally back to Japan?
Clothing intended for personal use is generally duty-free as long as the total value of items purchased abroad is within 200,000 yen. If you are purchasing in large quantities, be sure to check customs regulations in advance.
Q2. Won't Asian clothing sizes not fit me?
Many brands in the Asian region offer size ranges tailored to Asian body types, so you may find that they fit better than you imagine. If you are in an environment where you can try things on, be sure to do so. Checking the size charts of local brands online beforehand is also effective.
Q3. What is a good budget estimate for buying clothes locally?
In Southeast Asia, a good estimate is around 500 to 3,000 yen per item. In South Korea and Taiwan, the market price is between 1,000 and 5,000 yen. It is easier to plan if you set aside about 5-10% of your total travel budget for local shopping.
Q4. Is there a risk of accidentally buying counterfeit brands?
Some countries have products that imitate branded goods in circulation. Since bringing these into Japan is prohibited by law, please be sure to purchase branded items only at authorized stores or reliable malls. This risk is almost irrelevant if you are just enjoying local, non-branded fashion.
Q5. How can I check the cost of living at my travel destination in advance?
Consulting directly with a travel agency is the most reliable method. Using a service like Town Life Tabi Sagashi, which allows you to get quotes from multiple companies, makes it easier to grasp the cost and plan your local budget. It is free to use, so I recommend trying it out casually first.
Q6. Won't I have no opportunity to wear the clothes I bought locally after returning home?
The risk is not zero, but you can resolve this by choosing items with the perspective of 'whether I can use this in my daily life in Japan.' If you consciously choose items with high versatility, such as simple designs or linen materials, you will find pieces that you can continue to use after you return.
As an aside, for some reason in Egypt and Dubai, I was given a 'keffiyeh'—the head covering often worn by Muslim men—so I still have a few of them.
Although there are few opportunities to use them in daily life, Japan has been surprisingly hot over the last few years, and I have seen people wearing them in the city as sun protection. Perhaps a trend might even emerge in Japan in the next few years.
Conclusion
Sourcing clothes locally while traveling offers both the practical benefit of reducing luggage and the experience of broadening the enjoyment of your trip. Try incorporating the goal of 'going to buy clothes' as one of the contents of your trip.
If you are currently planning your travel itinerary, I recommend first trying Town Life Tabi Sagashi, which allows you to request free quotes from multiple travel agencies.
▼ Request a bulk quote from multiple companies for free
