Hi there!
My most recent long flights to Japan from the US were in 2022.
In July, the direct flight to Japan was from Chicago to Tokyo on Japan Airlines (JAL). This was a 13 hour flight to Japan. (See JAL food.)
In October, the flight to Japan was from Hawaii to Osaka on Hawaiian Airlines. This was an 8 hour flight to Japan. (See Hawaiian Airlines food.)
Growing up, I went to Japan every summer.
Flying from the United States, this meant two 13 hour flights every year. (One flight going to Japan, and another flight going back to the US.)
I remember when I was a teen, for at least a few of those flights, I read up on tips for long flights and fighting jet leg and made a plan!
This included being sure that I’d request water and orange juice.
The water to make sure I’m getting plenty of liquids while flying, and the orange juice for added nutrients!
I even remember for one flight, I wore a sports watch with a timer, and I’d time it to go off every hour (when I wasn’t sleeping!) so that I could get up to go and walk around the plane and move my legs! I would also time that stretching/moving time to be sure that I would be up for at least 5 minutes.
So, 5 minutes of movement for every hour sitting on the plane!
Nowadays on long flights to Japan, I still do try to stay well hydrated on the plane so I’ll request a water or tea with every opportunity. (Although they do say to limit your caffeine intake when you’re flying. 😜)
But I’m not as “strict” about getting movement. Although I totally encourage you to be. 😜
The back of the plane can be one of the best spots to “hang out” during the flight and stretch out your legs, hips, and generally just move the rest of your body. (But only if the seatbelt sign is off! And even if it is off, you should still keep your seatbelt on when seated just in case there’s unexpected turbulence!)
Going to the back of the plane on my JAL flight was how I discovered that there were free snacks for the taking!
👆 Japan Airlines food I discovered while walking around on the plane!
If you don’t want to get up, alternatively you can be sure to stretch out your upper body while still in your seat, lift your knees up and down (like you’re marching in place), twist your torso back and forth, etc etc!!
This is better than just staying still for the whole flight!
So you can set the timer on your phone to do this once an hour! 😄
Your plane to Japan will probably be cold.
Well, this may depend on your tolerance for cold.
But I find that planes are cold, and this is one thing that I will definitely try to plan for accordingly!
What is the best thing to wear on a long flight?
The best things you can wear on a long flight to Japan are LAYERS!
Instead of packing your long clothes in your luggage, bring them onto the plane with you!
On a recent flight to Japan, I checked in luggage, and I also had carry-on luggage for the flight.
Half my carry-on luggage was basically clothes. 😆
No regrets!
I also brought a packable bag with me. This is a bag that can also get pretty small when you’re not using it so it makes for a nice travel bag.
When I got to the gate, I transferred the clothes in my carry-on suitcase into the packable bag.
Then, that became an easy way to access my warm clothes when I wanted them!
I actually also like to bring a small blanket on the plane with me too.
👇 What to bring on a plane to Japan: I brought a packable bag with clothes… and a blanket!
Depending on the airline you’re flying, you may be provided a blanket for free.
On my recent JAL flight to Japan, they did provide free blankets, but I was also happy to have the extra blanket that I brought along!
What should you not wear on a long flight?
Even if you’re going to Japan in the summer when it’s very hot, you still really shouldn’t wear short shorts.
I wouldn’t even wear any sort of shorts at all.
That thing about the plane to Japan being cold!
Or, if you do wear shorts, you can bring along warmer pants to change into.
That is what I did on a recent flight to Japan.
I was wearing light capris, but I changed into pajama pants on the plane! 😆
You also shouldn’t wear flip flops for the same reason.
Since the plane is cold, wearing flip flops can mean your feet can get cold!
I like to take my shoes off when I’m in the seat, so I also like to bring warm socks with me on a long flight.
Other random things you might want to pack for a long flight to Japan
Different people have different ways of getting comfortable on the plane! This is all about increasing the comfort level of your flight to Japan!
This will also depend on whether you plan on sleeping on the plane!
1. Neck pillow
It wasn’t until a few years ago I tried using a neck pillow to sleep on the plane.
And WOWWWW what a difference it made!!!
It was an inflatable neck pillow, and it really helped me to get way more comfortable to be able to sleep!
I did still put an extra cushion to keep my head propped up further.
And since it’s inflatable, it doesn’t take up much space to bring along!
2. Eye mask
If you’re crossing the Pacific, at least coming from the US, the lights will likely be turned off for much of the flight, so most of the plane will be relatively dark.
Still, maybe you don’t find the plane to be dark enough, or maybe the person sitting next to turns on their reading light right above you.
An eye mask is an easy way to make your sleeping conditions DARK!
You want to make sure it’s a black eye mask. Any lighter colors may not block enough light.
Some airlines give out eye masks for free, but it’s best to bring along your own just in case if sleep is important to you.
Delta Airlines has given out black eye masks, and I have kept Delta’s eye mask and used it a number of times.
Qatar Airways has given out dark grey eye masks, and I find those to be effective too, so had held onto that eye mask for some time too.
Hawaiian Airlines gave out free eye masks, but they are light grey and they might as well be white. I find them to be pretty useless and don’t even save them.
Another way to give yourself dark sleeping conditions is to wear sunglasses. A hat with a brim like a baseball cap can also block light.
3. Empty water bottles
You can’t bring full water bottles past the security checkpoint when flying to Japan.
And buying water within the secure area of an airport tends to be expensive.
But you should be able to find drinking fountains to fill up a water bottle once you get past security.
Even if you get free drinks on the plane, I like to have extra water to be able to stay well-hydrated!
I really like my tea though, so for a recent flight to Japan I also did bring along green tea powder that I could mix with water!
HAPPY LONG FLIGHT TO JAPAN!
SEE NEXT: Hawaiian Airlines food on a flight to Japan
Check the homepage on the blog if you’re still looking for where to go in Japan!