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Every year we make a trip home to Japan during the winter to spend time with family and friends during the holidays. Our family lives about an hour away from Tokyo and it's pretty chilly when we visit during the months of December and January. We both live in fairly warm states (Florida & Southern California), so we aren't used to the lower temperatures.

Japan is a very walkable country and we rarely hop in the car. Most of our time is spent on trains and buses and walking around the big city of Tokyo.

One of the things that are great about this is the amount of exercise you get. The downside is the constant fluctuation in temperatures from hopping on and off trains and walking around all day. 

We've become a lot wiser over the years on how to dress properly and comfortably. These are our must-haves for staying warm, comfortable, and cute. 

1. Insulated Jacket

Wearing a heavy coat is a must for us since there is a ton of walking outdoors. Layering is definitely key in any cold city, but you don't have to layer as much if you invest in a down jacket.

The temperatures from outdoors to indoors are quite extreme so it can be a pain if you have to remove more than one layer of clothing each time you step indoors.

We recommend an insulated jacket that can either be made from down or synthetic insulation. There are a ton of options out there and if you are looking for something that is stylish, with a reasonable price point, we like the selections UNIQLO offers.

The coats we wore (from Point Zero) are sold out, but we found a similar one on Amazon that is 90% down and has over 7,500 reviews with four stars. It’s also very reasonably priced at $99.00 with plenty of color and size options.

2. Heat-Tech Inner-Wear

To keep your layering minimal, we highly recommend Uniqlo's heat-tech innerwear. It truly makes a difference and it's very affordable.

The fabric is revolutionary as it works with your body to generate and retain body heat and it also features anti-odor properties. The anti-odor really works too! I wore my top for 2-3 days before changing into another one since they didn't smell at all.

There are different levels of inner-wear from extra warm to ultra-warm and they also come in tops and bottoms. I was worried that the heat-tech bottoms wouldn't fit under my skinny-fit jeans, but they worked out great and gave me that much needed extra layer of warmth. 

RELATED: 10 Simple Steps to Prepare for Your Trip to Japan

3. Footwear That Slip On and Off Easily

Many establishments in Japan require you to take off your footwear. Establishments with tatami rooms, a ryokan, and fitting rooms (when shopping) often require you to remove shoes. And you will always have to remove your shoes when entering someone's home, so wearing shoes that slip on and off easily is a huge plus. 

4. Wool, Merino Wool & Cashmere Sweaters

Wool and cashmere cost more than acrylic sweaters, but they make a world of difference. Spending a little extra money can give you a whole lot of warmth.

I used to wear tank tops under two long sleeve shirts and then on top of that, an acrylic sweater or hoodie. It was a ton of layering before putting on my coat and it also looked bulky.

With some smart fabric choices, I have cut down my layering significantly. Now I only need to wear a heat-tech top under a wool or cashmere sweater. With just these two layers, it was plenty of warmth under my down coat.

Quince, a hidden gem in the world of fashion, boasts a marvelous collection of wool and cashmere sweaters. With their incredibly affordable prices, one might question the quality and fit, but let me assure you, it surpasses expectations. Quince has meticulously crafted these cozy garments with fabrics that are indulgently soft and a fit that is nothing short of perfection.

5. Fingerless Gloves

Avoid mittens. I can't remember how many times I took my mittens off to grab my train ticket or to zip my coat.

The mittens were cute, but it's more practical to wear gloves. I've also tried the high-tech gloves since I am constantly using my phone, but they didn't work that well and I often found myself removing my gloves. The fingerless gloves have been my go-to gloves for Japan.

RELATED: 5 Things to Expect When You Visit Japan

6. Warm & Cozy Socks

Since you will be taking off your shoes often in Japan, you will want to wear your nice and warm socks, especially for the wooden floors. If you have a pair of fun printed socks you've been wanting to show off, this is the time to wear them.

I wore my socks from Bearpaw and when it comes to winter styles, I trust their warmth. They also design a variety of styles from knee-high to bootie socks.

7. Fleece Lined Leggings

We love wearing leggings, but our normal leggings definitely can't withstand the cold weather. This is where the fleece-lined leggings come in handy for the cooler months. We wore our favorite cozy fleece-lined leggings from Anatomie Style and they were super comfy. 

Miscellaneous

Hokkairo (Disposable Personal Heating Pad)

Hokkairo isn’t necessarily a fashion essential, but these little heat patches do a great job of keeping you warm all day. Our mother has boxes of these around the house during the winter and we just grab one or two when we are on our way out the door.

You can buy a heating pad that has an adhesive so that you can stick these things anywhere you want. I usually stick one on my lower back on my heat-tech innerwear so that I don’t have the adhesive directly on my skin.

They pretty much last all day and really are a handy little inexpensive thing to have. They are sold everywhere in Japan from convenience stores to drug stores. You can even buy them in the US on Amazon.

Have any Winter essential suggestions that we missed? We'd love to hear from you! If you are making plans to visit Japan, check out our 10 Simple Steps to Prepare for Your Trip to Japan.