been thinking about your kyoto trip and honestly, skip the cage. it adds weight you dont want when youre walking 20k steps a day. the battery life is definitely a bit weak, but charging via usb is a decent workaround if you dont want to buy five spares. the a6400 can top off while youre grabbing lunch or sitting on the train, which helps a lot. here are a few things i think actually matter for a budget traveler:

• Anker 313 Power Bank 10000mAh works well for topping off the camera during breaks.
• PCTC Tempered Glass Screen Protector for Sony a6400 is cheap insurance against scratches while its in your bag.
• Giottos Rocket Air Blaster Small helps keep your shots clean since mirrorless sensors are basically dust magnets. basically, if you have one spare battery and a power bank, you should be fine for a full day of shooting. dont spend money on gear you dont absolutely need until youve used the camera for a bit. have fun in japan tho, its gonna be incredible.

Stumbled on this today. Since youre hitting crowded temples in Kyoto, you might want to consider some physical protection for your lens. Be careful with bumps in those tight spaces. I would suggest checking out the Sony Alpha Shooters website for more budget-friendly safety tips.

• Hoya 40.5mm UX II UV Filter
• Vello LCH-A6000 LCD Screen Hood Just make sure you dont overspend on items that dont actually protect your glass.

^ This. Also, i'd actually disagree with the panic over batteries. Had a moment to think about this more and i'm perfectly happy just using a basic dual charger kit to save some cash.

• Just go with a generic kit from Neewer Camera Battery Charger Set, it works well and is cheap.
• Consider a simple wrist strap from any brand instead of a bulky neck strap. Honestly, those budget kits have never let me down. You'll be glad you saved the money for more sushi in Kyoto.

look, ignore the youtube gear heads telling you that you need a cage for travel photography. its totally useless if you arent rigging it up for video. in my experience, the absolute bare minimum is a fast card and one extra battery. the battery life isnt amazing but its not five batteries bad either. i usually carry one spare and just charge the camera via a power bank when im grabbing lunch. grab the Wasabi Power Battery for Sony NP-FW50 2-Pack because they are way cheaper than sony originals and work fine. you also need a solid card like the SanDisk Extreme Pro 128GB SDXC UHS-I V30 so you arent waiting for the buffer to clear while shooting. maybe get a Peak Design Slide Lite Camera Strap Black if you hate the itchy one that comes in the box. keep it simple and enjoy kyoto... its gorgeous that time of year.

@Reply #4 - good point! Totally agree about protecting the gear. Unfortunately, im in the exact same boat as you and its honestly super frustrating...

• compared sony lens costs to fuji values and the discrepancy is disappointing
• analyzed technical specs for hours but real-world battery data is so inconsistent Glad to see im not the only one struggling tho. Been stuck in this research loop for a month and still dont know what to buy.