What should polite tourists, who do not want to stand out, wear in Japan (Tokyo, Kyoto) in the spring?

You are going to stand out in Japan whatever you wear. Especially if you get off the beaten path and there are not many westerners around. I actually had a man at a shrine want to take a picture of me and a couple of my travel mates just because westerners do stand out there.
Wear whatever you would wear anywhere in the world. I went in April and the temps were in the 70's.

If you are going to a lot of temples/shrines in Kyoto, it is good to have shoes that you can get in and out of easily as you will be constantly taking them off ;-)

Good idea, Mara, about the slip-on/off shoes!
MarthaT, thank you for the info about the temperature.

When I was in Osaka about 5 years ago, I noticed that people tended to dress pretty well - stylish, well put-together. Even the kids with ripped jeans looked like they put some thought into their outfits. There was a wide variety of clothing though.

We are planning a trip to Tokyo next June and I will probably take clothing similar to what I would to NYC or Boston - basically dress up a little bit more than I would at home (I live in San Jose, CA and we are pretty casual here), wear basic pieces that can mix and match and be worn more than once between washing while still trying to be reasonably stylish So long pants, cropped pants, longish skirts, blouses, tees, shoes I can slip on and off. If we were going when it wasn't going to be hot, I might take some jeans.

I saw some westerners who stood out, in Takayama. They were wearing sweat pants and sweatshirts or t-shirts, dirty sneakers. I wouldn't have noticed them in L.A. but after 10 days in Japan they really stood out.

If you have jeans or other clothing with <u>real</u> holes in them (not store bought stylin' holes) then leave that clothing at home.

Tokyo is a cosmopolitan city. Everyone is chic. So no running shoes. It might still be chilly in the spring - so nice pants, walking shoes and a light jacket will be appropiate.

Tattoos are an issue.

I am curious as to why tattoos are an issue in Japan? I have a very large Japanese style&quot;turtle shell&quot; tattoo suit, which covers from the back om my shoulders to the back of my knees. It was done by one of the premier tattoo artists in the US, who also happens to be my best friend. As a present for doing the 150 hours worth of work for free, I decided to give him and his wife a trip to Japan. Of course the main reason for the trip is so he can get tattooed there by some of the big name guys. Is he going to have problems walking around town? Unlike mine, his are not covered up, he has both sleeves done. Please let me know if this was a bad idea to send them there? It was all my idea and now I am second guessing myself?????????

Jeffrey

Tattoos have long been associated with criminals and yakuza. People with tattoos are not allowed in public baths or swimming pools. Visible tattoos instantly eliminate the majority of job possibilities.

As a foreigner with visible tattoos, he may encounter some problems, anything ranging from strange looks to outright refusal of service...depends on the place.

Getting a tattoo by a top artist in Japan is something you can't just do...you have to be properly introduced.

http://www.artelino.com/articles/jap...tattoo_art.asp is a very good explanation about tattoos.

Kim, I was hoping to hear from you about this! Thanks for the link! I left it up to Blake(my friend) to find the people to actually do the tattoos while in japan. I know he has many contacts around the world for all the shows he does. I have not asked how that part of the trip was coming.
Thanks again for the insight and I will be sure to pass it along. I know you dont remember but you really helped us back in December when we came to Tokyo Disney, you helped us get from the airport right to our hotel at the park. You also gave us comfort in knowing that we could take our 7 year old with us the next time we go back to bkk next year, and he wont starve!
Jeffrey

Glad to hear that!

Adding to Mara's excellent comment on slip-on/-off shoes, you may want to make sure your socks don't have holes to avoid embarassment.
Not relevant for spring, but I didn't see that many local people (aside from some youngsters) wearing shorts even in the middle of the summer.

Thanks for all the suggestions.
Whew, glad we have no tatoos to worry about! (I had heard about the tatoo/yakuza connection on Law and Order!)