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It’s a common question, so, here’s my advice on what to wear – and to take – to Tokyo Disney to ensure you have the perfect day.
I’m going to preface this with something. The most important thing to take away from this post is that you wear what you feel comfortable in. We are tourists. There’s no disguising that for many of us, so the Japanese aren’t going to expect you to dress as they do, but if you want to feel a bit like you fit in and have what you need to last the day without blisters, overheating or freezing, here’s my advice.
Article by Helen Foster. Disclosure: Some links in this post are affiliate links. See our Affiliate Disclosure.
Wear Your Most Comfy Shoes
I cannot emphasise this enough. I was covering 16km on my last two trips to the park, and I went home early or took a break in the middle of the day. If you’re there from park opening to close you could cover even more. DisneySea, particularly, is huge and your feet are going to feel it. This is not a time to break in new shoes, make sure you know they can handle the distance.
Don’t Forget Good Socks
If you’ve ever run a marathon, you’ll know that while your shoes might be good, if you wear the wrong socks, if there’s a seam that rubs, blisters will follow.
Seamless running socks reduce the risk of problems, but you can also wear normal socks inside out. Just check the seam to ensure it doesn’t cause any pressure points. Make sure you’ve walked a decent distance in the shoes and the socks.
Don’t Wear Anything Too Short
This isn’t a modesty thing – yes, the Japanese tend to be a bit more covered up, they particularly don’t really show cleavage or shoulders, but, this advice has nothing to do with that.
Getting in and out of theme park rides is not always a dainty proposition – wear a cute short skater skirt without tights underneath, and you’ll flash your undies at half the park!
Parades at Tokyo Disney are also watched sitting on the floor, and that’s also not so easy if you’re wearing something very short, especially something short and tight like a denim skirt, as it limits the positions you can sit in. If you’re not used to doing it, sitting on the floor can be pretty uncomfortable, so you don’t want to restrict yourself further!
You might see a lot of Japanese women in short, flippy skirts in the park – but often, they have thick, flesh-coloured tights on underneath.
Look Cute If You Want To
You’ll notice that the Japanese, particularly the women, dress up a bit more for the parks than you might be used to. So, if that’s your thing, go for it (remembering to wear comfy shoes).
I don’t own jeans, shorts or leggings, I wear dresses and trainers/plimsols everywhere. That can feel a bit overdressed in the US parks, but I fit right in in Japan.
This is my normal outfit. As you’ll see by the pictures in this post, I’ve worn it a few times – while the dress might be the same, the different ears give away the fact that these trips were a few months apart!
Embrace the Theme
Talking of ears…
The Japanese guests at Disney love a themed item – they wear ears, they wear giant character hats, they have shoulder pals, and fluffy Duffy’s hanging off everything. Some even come in outfits inspired by the characters (although not in costume, which is only allowed around Halloween).
Go with it. If you’ve always want to dress in an outfit inspired by Elsa, this is the park to do it in.
Oh, and if you do, we’ve got 20 ideas in our post on Disney bounding outfits.
Visiting at Halloween?
I’ll add a quick note about this here. For a few weeks before and a week after Halloween, Disney relaxes their rule on adults wearing proper Disney character costumes. And the outfits were next level.
People dressed up at USJ too, but many of the outfits there were more like the ‘sexy cat, sexy mouse’ outfits from Mean Girls. At Disney, they went all out with exact replicas of costumes.
Look at these two examples. I have to blur faces as you shouldn’t post identifiable pictures of people in Japan without permission, but I wish I didn’t have to, as they deserve all the credit for looking so amazing.
If you enjoy costuming, check the Disney website closer to the time to find the exact dates when costumes are allowed and to check the small number of rules you need to follow with your outfit. Halloween was busy, but I would go again just to see all the fabulous creations.
Feel Free to Match
If you’re a couple, family or a group of friends, going together and you want to wear the same T-shirt or theme your clothes in the same colour, go for it – wearing matching outfits is a thing in Tokyo Disney.
Bring Sunglasses
Most people in Japan don’t wear sunglasses (a tour guide in Osaka told me they are associated with hoodlums and the yakuza, but I don’t know if that’s true), but I hate squinting, so I put up with looking a bit out of place. However, I wouldn’t expect to need them in winter too – but, apparently, you do.
Some people in my Tokyo Disney Facebook group said they wished they’d had theirs while queuing for DisneySea as the sun was so bright.
I also wear mine because there’s something about the music in the parades and shows in Disney that always makes me cry, and I can hide the fact that I’m sobbing behind them!
I was a blubbery mess watching Reach for the Stars – with no protection as it’s an evening show. Thankfully, the girl in front of me was crying, too, so we both just laughed at how ridiculous we looked!
Carry a Jumper
Unless you’re visiting at the height of summer, you might want to bring something to cover up in the evening. The parks are located next to the water and it can get a bit chillier at night.
I normally have a cardigan and a scarf, so it’s easy to layer up when I get cold and light to carry or tie around my waist if I go inside or early in the evening.
Obviously, in winter, you’re going to want to layer up a little more. You might want to put a thicker coat in one of the many lockers around the park to use after dark. Note, the lockers don’t work on an all day system, You have to pay every time you take something out, or put something in the lockers so plan carefully.
Can You Show Tattoos?
Yes. The parks don’t ban them, but note that Disney does have a specific rule that states that if your tattoos have a design or words that could offend, they may restrict entry – so if there is anything you wouldn’t show your granny’s best friend (or the local vicar if your granny and her mates are particularly hip), maybe just pick an outfit that doesn’t show them off.
Are Jeans Okay?
Yes, and so are shorts and leggings. Again, you won’t see Japanese people wearing leggings like we do – with say, a cropped top with them, they’ll usually wear something long or loose over them, but I go back to the fact that you’re a tourist – wear what makes you comfortable.
What Else to Bring With You
You’re not going to want to bring a huge bag with you, as you’ll have to carry it, but there are a few things you might want to bring to the parks with you that I haven’t mentioned above.
A Portable Battery Charger
Between taking photos and using the app for the map, booking the skip-the-line passes, and mobile ordering, you might find that your battery is going through faster than normal.
You can rent chargers in the park, but it’s a lot easier just to carry one with you. I have this Anker one, and it charges four full charges.
Don’t forget, you’re also going to need some way of getting online in the park as there is no public wifi outside of the entrance. See our guide to finding the best option for you here.
Plasters
On my trip back in 2023, I actually had to cut my day at DisneySea short because I got a blister even in my comfy shoes, and because I wasn’t staying near the park, it was too far just to nip back and sort my foot out, so I make sure you have some plaster with you just in case.
Water Bottle
If you don’t like using plastic bottles, then bring your refillable bottle – there are water fountains in the park. You cannot bring in glass bottles or cans. Technically, the rules say you cannot bring in outside food – in reality, you can usually bring in a few snacks. You can bring food for anyone who needs a special diet for medical reasons.
Japan Tech
No, not the latest Sony gadget – I’m talking about products that can help you with the extremes of Japan temperatures if you’re here during the height of summer or winter.
In summer you’ll find cooling packs and portable fans, in winter, you’ll find hand and feet warmers or clothing that traps in your own body heat. Good places to look are Uniqlo for clothing and Daiso or Hands for cooling/warming products.
I think that’s all you need to know. If you’re wondering what to wear in the rest of Japan, you might also want to check out our packing list which can give you some extra advice.