November is one of Tokyo's loveliest months: mild days, cool evenings and autumn colour in the parks. It's also a layering month, since early November can feel like late summer and the end of the month feels like winter is coming.
Japan is a long-haul trip for most readers, so check your long-haul airline's own cabin allowance. We still plan this capsule to the 40 × 30 × 20 cm box, so it also works on any budget hop to your departure hub and leaves room for shopping.
The weather in Tokyo in November
Shoulder months for comparison
| Station | October | November | December |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tokyo | 22.0 °C / 14.8 °C72 °F / 59 °F · 235 mm | 16.7 °C / 8.8 °C62 °F / 48 °F · 96 mm | 12.0 °C / 3.8 °C54 °F / 39 °F · 58 mm |
Source: WMO 1991–2020 climate normals, published by NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI accession 0253808). Stations: Tokyo (WMO 47662). Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Sunrise, sunset and daylight are calculated for the 15th of the month in 2026 (local time). °F and inches are converted from the metric figures. “n/a” means the station doesn’t report sunshine in this dataset.
- Mild days, cool nights. Average highs are mid-teens and lows are high single figures, so you'll need layers rather than winter kit.
- Usually around 7 days with at least 1 mm of rain, but those days can be heavy. Pack a compact umbrella.
- Plenty of autumn sunshine, though sunset is around 16:30 in mid-November.
This week in Tokyo
The outfit plan in this guide is built from 30-year averages for November. This panel is the real forecast for the next 7 days, turned into packing tips for a cabin bag.
The live forecast needs JavaScript. Everything else in this guide works without it, and the climate-based plan above covers any November trip.
Weather data from MET Norway (CC BY 4.0), adapted into packing tips.
What locals actually wear
Everything below is a summary of, or a quote from, the linked source. We don’t make up “local” style tips.
- Tokyo's official guide says early November can still feel like T-shirt weather, but you'll probably want a sweater and a jacket. The leaves start turning from late October.Source [1]: GO TOKYO (official Tokyo travel guide)
- A Tokyo-based contributor to LIVE JAPAN recommends layers instead of one heavy coat, topped with a packable light down or wind-resistant jacket like those from UNIQLO or MUJI.Source [2]: LIVE JAPAN (contributor Ms. Mentaiko, Tokyo-based)
- The same guide suggests natural autumn tones (green, off-white, beige) and says you can always buy extra layers in Tokyo if you get cold.Source [2]: LIVE JAPAN (contributor Ms. Mentaiko, Tokyo-based)
- Ginkgo colour peaks from mid- to late November. Hibiya Park, Meiji Jingu Gaien and Showa Kinen Park are recommended viewing spots.Source [2]: LIVE JAPAN (contributor Ms. Mentaiko, Tokyo-based)
3 outfit formulas
Ginkgo walk
- Packable light down jacket
- Long-sleeve tee plus a cardigan or fine knit
- Wide-leg trousers or jeans
- Comfortable trainers you can slip off
Tip: You may take your shoes off at some temples, traditional inns and restaurants, so wear easy slip-ons with neat socks.
City explorer
- Light wind-resistant jacket
- Merino half-zip
- Dark jeans
- Clean trainers
- Small crossbody bag
Tip: Trains and shops are warm, so take off your outer layer and carry it rather than overheating.
Izakaya evening
- Beige or off-white fine knit
- Midi skirt or tailored trousers
- Ankle boots or loafers
- Light down jacket and scarf for later in the month
Tip: Natural tones (beige, off-white, green) match the autumn look the LIVE JAPAN guide describes.
Swatches are a colour guide for each formula, not product photos.
Day to night in Tokyo
Same capsule, evening version: keep the base, swap one or two pieces. Every swap below stays cabin-bag friendly. How day-to-night swaps work →
01Ginkgo walk → izakaya evening
- Base (stays the same)
- Wide-leg trousers
- Light down jacket
- ☀ Day add-ons
- Long-sleeve tee and cardigan
- Trainers you can slip off
- ☾ Evening swaps
- Off-white fine knit instead of the tee and cardigan
- Flat loafers instead of trainers
- Small crossbody and a light scarf
Pieces added to your bag: 2, flat loafers (still easy to slip off) and a small crossbody.
02City explorer → rooftop bar
- Base (stays the same)
- Dark jeans
- Light wind-resistant jacket
- ☀ Day add-ons
- Merino half-zip
- Clean trainers
- ☾ Evening swaps
- Fine knit instead of the half-zip
- Statement earrings
- Light scarf
Pieces added to your bag: 1, statement earrings.
Preview note: placeholder links to each shop’s normal pages, with no affiliate tracking yet.
The free-baggage packing list
Your bag: 40 × 30 × 20 cm
Planned for 5–6 nights, using a soft backpack of about 20–24 litres made to the 40 × 30 × 20 cm size. The rule that makes it work: wear your bulkiest items on the plane. The dotted outline is easyJet’s bigger free bag.
Wear on the plane worn
In the bag 11 items
- A heavy winter coat
- Lace-up boots (annoying when shoes come off)
- Too many tops (leave room for shopping)
Liquids: going vs coming home
UK airports vary. Heathrow, Gatwick, Birmingham, Bristol, Edinburgh, Belfast International, Belfast City, Bournemouth, Southend allow containers up to 2 litres; most others, including Manchester, Stansted and Luton, are still 100 ml.
- 100 mlTokyo Haneda (HND), in a 1 L clear bagto re-check
- 100 mlTokyo Narita (NRT), in a 1 L clear bag
Pack your liquids to 100 ml for the whole trip.
Check your room first
Read the hotel, Airbnb or hostel listing, or message the host, and ask whether they provide:
- Iron or steamer
- Hairdryer
- Toiletries: shampoo, shower gel (conditioner often isn’t supplied)
- Towels, plus beach or pool towels
- Washing machine or laundry service
- Plug adapters or USB sockets
- Kettle, tea and coffee
- Slippers and a robe
- A safe
Hostels often don’t provide towels or padlocks.
Every item they provide is one you don’t carry.
No-iron packing
Pick fabrics that don’t crease. Woven cotton and linen crease; knits, merino, jersey and most polyester blends barely do.
- Hang creased clothes in the bathroom while you shower.
- Pack a small crease-release spray under 100 ml (it counts as a liquid).
- Roll clothes, and keep crease-prone pieces in a packing cube on top, not in a vacuum bag.
- Check whether your hotel or Airbnb has an iron.
Buy it there?
Adding a checked bag typically costs around £60–80 return on a budget airline. So if your bag is full, buying bulky or liquid items when you arrive is often cheaper.
Think sun cream, full-size shampoo, insect repellent, a beach towel or flip-flops.
Yes in this destination: Convenience stores and drugstores are everywhere, and travel-size toiletries are easy to find.
Tick items off as you pack (your ticks aren’t saved). Liquids rules depend on your departure airport and change from time to time. Check your airport’s current security rules before you decant your toiletries (see liquids rules by airport).
Flying there on Ryanair, easyJet or Wizz?
- On a long-haul flight, check your airline's own cabin allowance. It's usually bigger than a budget carrier's free bag, but basic fares vary.
- Starting with a budget hop on Ryanair or Wizz Air to your long-haul hub? This capsule fits their 40 × 30 × 20 cm free under-seat bag.
- Leave space: Tokyo is a shopping city, and the foldable tote is your souvenir bag on the way home.
Duty-free bag: Ryanair: extra bag allowed · easyJet: extra bag allowed · Wizz Air: extra bag allowed. It still has to fit under the seat or in a locker, and gate staff decide. Duty free and your free baggage →
Sizes come from each airline’s official page (see our free baggage reference for links). Rules change, so check your booking before you fly.
Baggage picks
The ticks compare each bag’s stated outer dimensions with each airline’s free-bag size. A struck-through name means the bag is too big for that airline. Soft bags squash a little; hard cases don’t. We haven’t tested these bags ourselves yet.
Want to fit more in? Compression cubes and packing cubes that store more in a free bag →
Pieces that fit the formulas
- QuinceLightweight down packable hooded jacket
- QuinceAustralian merino wool half-zip sweater
- QuinceCotton modal relaxed long-sleeve tee
- QuinceStretch high-rise wide-leg jeans
- QuinceCashmere scarf
- Amazon · searchCompact windproof umbrellas (Amazon UK search)
- Amazon · searchCompression packing cubes (Amazon UK search)
Preview note: these are placeholder links to each brand’s normal product or search page. They carry no affiliate tracking yet, and we don’t show prices because they change.
Sources
- Tokyo weather, GO TOKYO (official Tokyo travel guide)
- Visiting Tokyo in Autumn: Travel, Clothing & Weather Guide, LIVE JAPAN (contributor Ms. Mentaiko, Tokyo-based)
Airline free-bag sizes: see the free baggage reference. Climate: WMO 1991–2020 normals (NOAA NCEI). Live forecast: weather data from MET Norway (CC BY 4.0), adapted into packing tips. Photos: Unsplash, credited on each image and on the photo credits page. Last checked October 2026.
