The Intern's Dress Guide

The Intern's Dress Guide
6/9
Thought I'd write a short piece for my wide readership who wants to do what I'm doing -- intern as a foreigner in a Japanese business organization (in my case, a university).  I wasn't able to find a guide like this before I set out, so maybe this will help someone.

Introduction
As I'm sure many readers are aware, Japanese professionals dress more formally than their American counterparts.  For all genders, this means a suit, although as an intern, I don't feel the need to maintain the same standard as my much more senior supervisors.  I'm trying to hit a sweet spot where I won't be mistaken for a student, without overdressing in a suit or blazer because it's really hot.  I'm aiming for something slightly higher than business casual.

Men
As a male, this sweet spot means dress slacks (no one in Japan wears khakis to work), a nice button-down dress shirt, a belt and a pair of dress shoes.  No tie so far, although I brought a few.   I'm no expert on shoes, but I'm pretty sure they're navy suede oxfords, which are a little unusual in both color and material, but work fine.  (If you want something orthodox, stick to black or dark brown leather).
My biggest problem so far has been avoiding looking like a student.  There is no dress code for Japanese college students, and they wear what you might see on the street or on the weekend.  However, high schools in Japan are private and always have a uniform, which consists of dress shirt, dark slacks, black leather shoes and a belt, and is alarmingly close to the clothes I brought to Japan.
I'm in no danger of looking like a college student, but I may be mistaken for a high schooler...

My tips for avoiding this unfortunate comparison:

• I like my suede shoes.  They're different from the typical uniform and pair well with all of my pants.  Students wear sneakers or lace-less loafers, so avoid these.
•  Shirts: avoid white and short sleeves, which are both common elements of student uniforms.  I like patterned shirts such as plaid, which make me look like a gaikokujin (foreigner), but not a student.
• As I mentioned earlier, avoid khaki and shorts.  Make sure your clothes are machine-washable.
• If you have one, bring a briefcase instead of a backpack.

Not men
Here I can only write down my observations, as I don't have any experience building a non-male wardrobe.  Women won't run into the same student problem as I have, as the girls' school uniform is very distinctive with a skirt, knee socks, and cloth things around the collar which I can't find a name for.  Japanese businesswomen prefer skirts over pants, and frequently wear heels.  However, not everyone dresses so formally to work, and many of the professors at my university dress as one might to walk to Sunday service.  
I think Japan seems pretty accepting of the LGBTQ community, as I've seen trans women hosting different talk shows on TV.  I'm afraid I can offer little more advice than dress nice, as though you were going to work.

Getting your feet wet
Pacific Northwesterners can leave their rain jackets at home.  The Japanese seem to dress more or less the same whether it's raining or not, and carry umbrellas if the forecast indicates rain.  Some wear wellingtons, though not with professional wear.