Luggage in Japan: the Shinkansen big-suitcase rule, coin lockers and delivery

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Moving between cities with a big suitcase is where many trips in Japan get stressful. The good news: the rules are written down, and there are services built to take the bags off your hands. This guide covers the rule that surprises people most, then the two ways to avoid carrying bags at all.

The Shinkansen rule: measure your suitcase

On the Tokaido, Sanyo and Kyushu Shinkansen (Tokyo - Shin-Osaka - Hakata - Kagoshima-Chuo), JR Central's official page sorts baggage by the total of its three sides: length + width + height.

If you board with baggage over 160 cm and no reservation, JR Central says you will be charged a baggage fee of 1,000 yen (tax included).

JR Central notes that the 160-250 cm range is almost the same as the size for which airlines charge an oversized baggage fee on international flights. So if your suitcase needed special handling on your flight, assume it needs a reservation on the Shinkansen too.

Also from the same page:

• Strollers, musical instruments and sports equipment can go in the racks, baggage compartments or oversized spaces.
• Some decks have an "oversized baggage compartment" that, on a trial basis, can be used without a reservation.
• Managing your baggage is your own responsibility.

How to check your bag: measure length, width and height and add them up. If you are close to 160 cm, measure the outermost points, and ask at the ticket office if you are unsure.

Other Shinkansen lines run by other JR companies may have different rules. We have only checked JR Central's page for this article.

Coin lockers

JNTO (Japan National Tourism Organization) says coin lockers in several sizes are available at most stations and tourist facilities. Its page gives a rough cost of 300 to 600 yen depending on size, and says many newer lockers accept IC transit cards. It also warns that lockers fill up quickly in very busy places.

We have not measured locker prices or availability ourselves. Treat the JNTO range as a guide, and have a backup plan for busy stations on weekends and holidays.

Luggage delivery ("Hands-Free Travel")

This is the option that removes the problem. You drop your bag at a counter, and it is delivered to your next hotel or to the airport.

From JNTO's luggage page:

• Counters certified as "Hands-Free Travel" display a logo. You drop off the bag and fill in a delivery form.
• Services include multilingual help, same-day delivery or delivery on a chosen date and time, and compensation for damage or loss.
• Most major hotels can arrange delivery between hotels; ask at the front desk.
• If you are not in a large hotel, you can drop bags at a designated convenience store to be sent on.
• There are limits, for example on size (160 cm total) and weight (JNTO mentions 25 to 30 kg).

JR Central's baggage page also says that by leaving baggage at a hotel or station, you can have it delivered to your destination hotel on the same day.

Plan for timing. Check the delivery date and time when you send the bag, and keep one small bag with what you need for the night.

A simple plan

1. Measure your suitcase before you leave home.
2. If it is over 160 cm, either reserve a seat with an oversized baggage area when you buy your Shinkansen ticket, or send the suitcase ahead.
3. For day trips, use a coin locker, or leave the bag at your hotel.

Sources

• Central Japan Railway Company (JR Central), "Luggage information": https://global.jr-central.co.jp/en/info/oversized-baggage/ (checked 2026-09-29)
• JNTO, "Luggage & Storage": https://www.japan.travel/en/plan/getting-around/luggage-storage/ (checked 2026-09-29)