Japan luggage tips

Clear answers on Shinkansen sizes, Japan Rail Pass baggage seats, ticket machines and sending bags ahead.

Size and rules

Measuring a suitcase with a tape measure

Shinkansen luggage size limits

Three numbers decide everything on the Shinkansen: 160, 250 and the total of height, width and depth.

Traveller with two suitcases waiting for a Shinkansen

How many bags can you bring on the Shinkansen?

Most travellers can bring two pieces of luggage plus a small personal item. Here is how the allowance works.

Measuring the height of a soft suitcase in a hotel room

How to measure your suitcase for the Shinkansen

A two minute measurement at home saves you a lot of stress at the station.

Four suitcases of different sizes side by side

Suitcase sizes in inches and cm

Suitcases are sold in inches, Shinkansen rules use centimetres. This table bridges the two.

Large 28 inch suitcase inside a Shinkansen car

Is a 28 inch suitcase allowed on the Shinkansen?

The 28 inch suitcase is the most common borderline bag on the Shinkansen.

Shinkansen conductor walking past a large suitcase

Oversized luggage without a reservation

Forgot to book? Here is what to expect and what to do.

Booking

Large suitcases stored behind the last row of seats on a Shinkansen

Seat with oversized baggage area explained

This is the seat type you need when your bag is between 161 and 250 cm.

Luggage compartment near the doors of a bullet train

Extra large luggage area on the Shinkansen

Big bags have a few places to go on board. Knowing them makes boarding calm.

Traveller booking a seat at a JR ticket machine

Book an oversized baggage seat at a ticket machine

The ticket machines have an English menu, and booking takes about two minutes.

Traveller booking train seats on a laptop

Book Shinkansen luggage space online

Booking ahead is the best way to secure a baggage seat in busy periods.

Japan Rail Pass

Travellers with suitcases in a Japanese station

Can you bring luggage with a Japan Rail Pass?

Good news: your luggage is covered by the pass.

Suitcase behind a last row seat on the Shinkansen

Japan Rail Pass and oversized baggage reservations

The pass covers seat reservations, and that includes the seats with space for big bags.

Scanning a QR code at a station machine

Reserve seats with a JR Pass at a ticket machine

Your pass has a QR code. That code is your key to the ticket machines.

Traveller tapping an IC card at a subway gate with a suitcase

Luggage on local trains, subways and metro

The oversized baggage rule is a Shinkansen rule. Local trains work differently.

Sending luggage

Suitcases tagged for luggage delivery at a Japanese hotel desk

How to send luggage ahead in Japan

Japan has one of the best luggage delivery networks in the world. Use it and travel light.

Delivery driver loading suitcases into a van in Tokyo

Takkyubin luggage delivery explained

Takkyubin is the Japanese door to door delivery service travellers love.

Travellers collecting suitcases at an airport counter

Sending luggage to the airport in Japan

Spend your last day sightseeing, not dragging bags. Send them to the airport.

Travelling in Japan

Coin lockers with a suitcase at a Japanese station

Coin lockers and luggage storage in Japan

Lockers let you explore a city before check in or after check out.

Traveller with two suitcases heading to a station elevator

Travelling around Japan with two suitcases

Two big bags are doable, but a little planning goes a long way.

Travellers with suitcases next to a Shinkansen on the platform

Luggage during busy travel periods in Japan

Japan travels at the same time three times a year. Big bags make it harder.