🧳 Packing & Travel Insurance

From 30 Days Out to D-1 (The Big Picture)

When two families travel together, there's twice as much to take care of. Set dates and cross items off one by one, and you'll feel at ease. Paste the timeline below straight into your group chat.

Three things matter most. Tackle the big items in the order passports & documents → insurance → packing, and the rest will naturally fall into place. Make it a habit to double-check details like fares, opening hours, and event schedules on official sites one more time right before you leave.

Essential Documents Checklist

Save everything on your phone (screenshots/PDFs) and also carry one paper copy. If your phone dies out in the cold, the paper copy becomes your insurance.

• Passports: For everyone (including both babies). At least 6 months of validity recommended; check for remaining pages
• Visit Japan Web QR: The QR for immigration and customs declaration (it may appear combined or split depending on the timing). Register the family together, then have each person screenshot their QR
• Flight e-tickets / seat info: Fares are based on the child's age as of the departure date. Children under 2 (e.g., 16 months) typically travel on an infant fare on a guardian's lap, while children 2 and over (e.g., 33 months) typically travel on a child fare with their own seat — confirm the exact application with the airline using the date of birth
• Accommodation vouchers / booking confirmations: All reservation numbers for hotels, ryokan, and the rental car
• Travel insurance policy (PDF): Note the policy number and the overseas claims contact separately
• International Driving Permit + Korean driver's license: Carry both if renting a car (Japan requires a Geneva Convention international permit, and you must also have the original Korean license)
• Emergency contacts: Korean Consulate-General in Sapporo, the Consular Call Center, Japan's emergency numbers (119/110), the insurer's claims line, card-loss reporting numbers, and your accommodation's phone numbers
• Payment methods: A travel debit/overseas-payment card + a small amount of emergency yen cash. Carry two types of cards, kept in separate places

Combined Winter + Baby Packing Checklist

December in Sapporo is the dead of winter. Based on official climate normals, daytime highs hover around 0°C and overnight lows around -7°C, getting colder as the month goes on (with frequent wind and snow, it feels even colder). For adults the principle is 'thin layers, lots of them'; for babies it's 'easy to take off and put back on.' Indoors (underground malls, restaurants) the heating is strong, so you'll be opening and closing your outerwear often.

Cold-weather clothing (everyone) - Thermal underwear (Heattech-style), top and bottom - Mid-layer: fleece-lined sweatshirt/fleece/knit - Outer layer: a waterproof long padded coat or a heavy overcoat - Bottoms: fleece-lined pants or ski pants (jeans get wet in the snow and aren't recommended) - Anti-slip winter boots, plus spare thick socks - Hat, gloves, neck warmer/mask - Plenty of stick-on hand warmers (also available at local convenience stores and drugstores)

Baby gear - Diapers and wet wipes (available locally, but bring the first 1-2 days' worth) - A baby snowsuit/padded suit, foot covers, a warm hat and mittens - A weatherproof stroller cover/blanket (or a baby carrier — a carrier is safer on snowy paths) - Formula, baby food, snacks, a thermos, portable dishes/bibs - Spare changes of clothes (they get wet in the snow easily), plastic bags (for wet clothes) - The usual sleep items (a comfort toy, a night light) — to help them settle in an unfamiliar bed

Medications (separate ones for the kids) - Baby fever/pain reliever (the one you usually use), a thermometer - Cold/runny-nose medicine, anti-diarrheal/digestive aids, ointment (for cuts and diaper rash) - Adult meds: fever/pain reliever, digestive aids, motion-sickness medicine, bandages, moisturizer/lip balm (it gets very dry) - ※ Watch out for ingredients banned in Japan (see the warning below)

Electronics - Plug adapter (Japanese Type-A) + 1-2 Korean-style power strips - Power bank (to guard against cold-weather drain; must be in your carry-on — not allowed in checked bags) - Several charging cables, an eSIM/SIM card, a camera

Other - Moisturizing cream, lip balm, hand cream (the indoor-outdoor temperature swing causes extreme dryness) - Anti-slip shoe grips (crampons) — also available at local convenience stores - Compression bags (to pack down bulky padded coats and diapers), a foldable shopping bag, a small umbrella

Travel Insurance — The Crux of a Winter Trip with Babies

Medical care in Japan is expensive. Foreigners aren't covered by Japanese health insurance, so a single ER visit or hospital stay can run a large sum (in the tens of thousands of yen). With two babies and dead-of-winter ice underfoot, insurance isn't optional — it's essential.

What you should be covered for - Overseas medical expenses (illness/injury): The most important. A sufficient limit per person is recommended (for reference, many expert guides suggest USD 100,000+, with USD 250,000+ for emergency evacuation — compare products yourself) - Personal belongings damage: Theft or damage to cameras, laptops, strollers, etc. - Flight delays / baggage delays: Winter snowstorms cause frequent cancellations and delays - Personal liability: For when a child damages someone else's property or a facility - Also check whether emergency medical evacuation and death/permanent disability are included

Enrolling infants and toddlers - The 16-month-old and 33-month-old can be enrolled too, but eligible ages and coverage limits vary by insurer. Enrolling everyone as a family at once makes it easier to manage. - Save the claims contact from the policy you receive after enrolling.

When to enroll - Recommended at least one week before departure. Comparing and enrolling takes time, and coverage starts the moment you enroll. - You can also enroll at the airport or online on the day of departure, but Korean insurers do not allow sign-up after departure (boarding) (only some products allow limited sign-up right after departure). Online is generally cheaper. - Premiums for a short family trip are typically in the range of a few thousand to around 10,000 KRW per person (varies by product and coverage).

Electricity & Connectivity (Outlets / eSIM / Battery)

Voltage & outlets - Japan uses 100V (110V devices work too), and the plug is Type-A (two flat pins). - Chargers for phones, laptops, and cameras are mostly free-voltage (100-240V), so you just need a plug adapter. - Korean 220V-only products (curling irons, some appliances) risk breaking if used as-is — you'll need a transformer, or bring a local/dual-voltage version. - Hotels are short on outlets. Bringing 1-2 plug adapters + a Korean-style power strip lets you charge several devices at once from a single adapter.

Internet (for a family of four) - eSIM: The most convenient. Activate instantly by scanning a QR code, and since you don't remove your existing Korean SIM, you still receive texts and calls on your Korean number (on dual-SIM devices). Pricing varies by timing and data allowance, but a few days at roughly 1-2GB/day runs around 5,000-8,000 KRW. (Note: older phones don't support eSIM — check device compatibility.) - Physical SIM: Slightly pricier than eSIM, can't receive your Korean number, and requires physical delivery. - Pocket Wi-Fi: One device can be shared among several people (handy for a family with babies). But once you add charging, carrying it around, delivery fees, and loss insurance, the cost goes up. Roughly 3,000-5,000 KRW per day. - Roaming: The simplest but expensive. Worth considering if you don't use much data. - Recommendation: an eSIM each for the adults, or one shared family Pocket Wi-Fi + one backup eSIM.

Power banks - Batteries drain fast in the cold. One per person is recommended, fully charged before departure. - Must be carried on board (not allowed in checked baggage). As a rule, you can freely carry capacities up to 100Wh (about 27,000mAh); 100-160Wh requires airline approval and is limited in quantity. - Starting in 2026, Korean flag carriers and others have tightened rules to prohibit charging power banks or connecting them to in-seat power during the flight and require them to be kept within reach (not in the overhead bins) — check your airline's latest rules before boarding.

Loss & Emergency Preparedness

In winter your hands are clumsy and you're carrying a lot, so the risk of losing things or losing track of a child goes up. Set things up in advance so that 'even if you lose it, you can recover.'

• Photo backups: Photograph your passports, flight tickets, insurance policies, and booking confirmations and save them to the cloud. Spread them across the phones of at least 2 adults
• In case of passport loss: Keep a passport copy + one passport photo separately (for reissuance)
• Note down the card-loss reporting numbers, and split the payment cards among the family
• In case a child gets lost: Put a card/name tag with 'parents' names + contact info' in the inner pocket of the child's clothes. The active 33-month-old will often let go of your hand in a crowd
• Save emergency contacts: Korean Consulate-General in Sapporo (+81-11-218-0288), Ministry of Foreign Affairs Consular Call Center (+82-2-3210-0404), Japan's emergency numbers 119 (ambulance/fire)/110 (police), insurance claims line, accommodation phone
• Spread out your cash: In case cards don't work or a shop only takes cash, distribute small amounts of emergency yen among the adults

At a Glance

Timeline

Useful Words

Good to Know