How to Travel with Luggage in Japan
All our tips for traveling with luggage around Japan!
⬇️Helpful links below⬇️
Delivery services:
・Yamato Transport: https://www.kuronekoyamato.co.jp/ytc/en/
・Sagawa Express: https://www.sagawa-exp.co.jp/english/
Our pages on:
・Luggage in general: https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2274.html
・Delivery services: https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2278.html
・Domestic flights: https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2364.html
・Taxis: https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2021.html
・Highway buses: https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2366.html
・Shinkansen: https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2018.html
_____________________________
*Video Credits*
Host: Cassandra Lord
Videographer: Aimee Gardner
Animations: Charles Sabas
Produced by: Stefan Schauwecker
*Chapters*
00:00 Intro
00:48 Leaving the airport
02:30 On the bullet train
03:18 Station to hotel
05:52 More distant destinations
08:21 Outro
10 Comments
Highly recommend courier services when traveling to multiple cities – you can send your bigger luggage ahead, and travel light. Not being weighed down with bulky/heavy bags also makes it easier to make spontaneous side quests along your journey. ✨
A fellow Brit! Thanks for the video. 😊
After going to Japan 3 times, I figured out not to bring a large suitcase after the first trip. I always bring one larger backpack and keep a foldable one inside for walking around. I also found that getting the air seal bags for clothes is huge for space. I usually buy stuff while I'm there, so I just buy luggage from Ginza Karen, so then on my way back home, I can throw all my things in and not worry about anything. Thanks for the awesome video, like always!
All the times i went solo, i found travelling with backpack or suitcase is easy. The last two times travelling with partner and kid, i still thought the same. We had two suitcases for the three of us (more than enough for 4 weeks with coin laundry everywhere).
Diddy taxi. Heh.
Pack light. Neither the infrastructure nor hotel rooms/accomadations are designed for large or lots of luggage. Subway and intercity trains aren't either. This isn't the Victorian era and you don't need the modern day equivalent of trunks. Last time I went I just took a 42L backpack. I'd never take more than one medium size suitcase and a small day backpack. Unless you fit Japanese sizes you are not going to bring back a clothing haul.
Don't bring a bunch of stuff, you wont need it. Don't bring a bunch of stuff, you wont need it. Don't bring a bunch of stuff, you wont need it. Don't bring a bunch of stuff, you wont need it. Don't bring a bunch of stuff, you wont need it. Don't bring a bunch of stuff, you wont need it. Don't bring a bunch of stuff, you wont need it. Don't bring a bunch of stuff, you wont need it. Don't bring a bunch of stuff, you wont need it. Don't bring a bunch of stuff, you wont need it. Don't bring a bunch of stuff, you wont need it.
Courrier service is the best way, but as it mostly arrive the next day, having a second small bag is a must. I didn't have it on my first trip, but as British Airways took 15 days to deliver my luggage, I don't travel anymore without a cabine bag!
A missing point in the video is that it is also possible to avoid some issues by having an hotel in Ueno (direct access to Narita) and just around Kyoto station (also convenient when doing day trips from Kyoto).
These are pretty basic, yet good advice for people that travel to Japan with luggage. But there are couple of pointers I would like to point out/add on (as someone who travel to Japan multiple times):
1) If you are sending luggage from one city to another, make sure your hotel does have the luggage delivery service offered, because the delivery service (Yamato, Sagara, etc) does require Japanese phone number for delivery (not necessary enforced everytime, but they might enforce it at times), and it can get complicated for tourist to get Japanese phone number. Hotel cut that middle ground out by using their own phone number to fill out the form, as well as potentially help check ahead with your next destination hotel to ensure reservation/luggage transfer is seamless.
2) (VERY rare situation, but it can happen): when you are doing luggage delivery, check ahead to see if there will be delay (extra time needed for delivery). The most common situation is people forgot luggage delivery between Kansai (Osaka/Kyoto) and Tokyo takes at least 2 days, if not longer (esp if you are further south like Fukuoka). Also check for any potential delay that might impact delivery time, and adjust accordingly (example there were construction once in 2023 on the expressway between Osaka and Tokyo, so delivery need at least a total of 3 days between the location, also my friend's luggage got stuck in Tokyo while she was at Aomori because of the snow storm at Northern Japan impacted delivery, causing a major headache for her to get the luggage back in the end)).
3) Lastly, throw an Airtag or luggage tracker in your delivery luggage, so you have some ideas as to what happen to your delivery (if the rare chance it got lost)
Look for the elevator. Hahahahha . Common for new tourist in japan.