I am writing this from South Korea, just after leaving Japan, where the PASSIA sample has had its first proper test.
We started in Tokyo and took the bullet train to Osaka, Kyoto and Nagoya, where we happened to be for the Asian Games. Then we picked up a campervan in Tokyo and drove to Hiroshima and back. The whole way, the first sample was on my back.
I am travelling for three months, so I packed for three months. That meant the PASSIA, a small backpack and a handbag. Nothing checked in. Here is how it went, including the parts I would change.
Trains were largely fine. They are always on time, which is wonderful until you realise it also means you do not get long to board. On the Shinkansen you have about three minutes to get your bag into its spot.
We booked seats with baggage storage, so there was somewhere for the bag to go. Having a plan mattered just as much. Know where you are heading before the doors open, get the bag stowed, then move out of the way so the people behind you can get on. With that plan, it was easy.
If you are going to Japan, expect to walk. The stairs were no problem, but they add up, and some days the walk with a full bag is long. Taxis were very reasonable while we were there, so when we had our luggage and a long way to go, we sometimes just took one.
For everything else, the straps earned their keep. The padded shoulder straps made a real difference, and the chest strap was a lifesaver.
Hotels were a breeze, and many had luggage storage. The coin lockers in Japan are something else. At the station in Kyoto we left our bags in a locker, wandered around the city, then collected them on our way to the train.
There are also services that deliver your bags to your hotel, or send them on to your next one, where you collect them from the bag storage downstairs. If you have more than a bag or two to carry, I would recommend them. With the PASSIA I was travelling light enough that it was not really a problem.
Humidity was the one thing I did not see coming. It was properly hot, and on the worst afternoons I was very glad taxis were cheap.
The other lesson was the rain. A raincoat is not enough, so when you get to Japan, buy an umbrella.
Laundry was easy. Most of the time we stayed in Airbnbs, and some had the most impressive drying rooms I have ever seen. Otherwise there are laundry services and coin laundries. During the campervan stretch, the coin laundries were excellent. A full 8kg load was washed and dried in about 50 minutes in an industrial machine, for roughly 6 AUD. It cut our admin time right down, and it is a big part of why packing for three months works.
I want to be honest about this part, because it is the reason for the test.
The shoulder straps on the first sample have no adjusters at the top, so I could not pull the bag in close to my shoulders. You notice that on a long day. The waist strap was not quite right either. I could not tighten it small enough, which I know is a funny problem to have, but I want this bag to work for every body size, big and small.
Both fixes are on the second sample, which I am collecting in China: adjusters at the top of the shoulder straps, and a waist strap that adjusts further. I will tell you honestly whether they do the job.
The sample is in South Korea with me now, and China is next. If you are planning your own trip, my Japan packing list pairs well with this post.
I am sharing the daily, unfiltered version on Instagram and TikTok. And if you would like to hear first when presale opens, you can join the first access list. (https://passia.co/pages/waitlist)
Tiffany
Founder, PASSIA
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