Travel light: luggage alternatives
Many travelers skip carrying big suitcases altogether. These options keep your hands free and your train ride relaxed.
Luggage forwarding (Takkyubin)
Send suitcases from your hotel, airport or convenience store to your next hotel. Yamato Transport and Sagawa usually deliver next day.
- About ¥2,000 to ¥3,500 per bag
- Next day delivery on most routes
- Hand over the day before you travel
Station coin lockers
Major Shinkansen stations have lockers in several sizes. Large lockers fill up fast, so find coin lockers in Japan with JapanLockers.com before you head to the station.
- Small about ¥400, large about ¥700 to ¥1,000
- Most accept IC cards like Suica (check your balance with our IC card balance checker app)
- Usually up to 3 days
Staffed baggage storage
Counters at Tokyo, Shin-Osaka and Kyoto stations hold items too big for lockers, including ski bags.
- Around ¥600 to ¥1,000 per item per day
- Handles oversized items
- Limited opening hours
Which option should you choose
Moving between hotels? Forward your bag with Takkyubin and ride with a daypack. Doing a day trip? Find a coin locker at your departure station. Carrying something over 250 cm? Forwarding is the only way. Prices are approximate.