A Case for Luggage Delivery in Japan

You may think that using luggage-delivery services in Japan is a little … #extra. But we’re here to make the case (ahem) that it’s very much worth it.

So let’s talk about some of the best luggage-forwarding services in Tokyo and the rest of Japan, because there are a few to choose from. To start with, there are services that ship your suitcases between Narita Airport or Haneda Airport and your accommodation in Tokyo, as well as between different cities in Japan.

Is luggage delivery in Japan worth it?

Still questioning whether to use a luggage-forwarding service in Japan? Then imagine this: you step off your flight, excited to start exploring, but first you have to get from the airport into the city. This isn’t a problem if you’re a light packer, but if you’ve got a big, heavy suitcase well … You could take a taxi, but that’s expensive. Buses are another option, but they might not stop near your hotel. And most trains don’t have dedicated luggage storage space. Plus, train stations don’t always have conveniently located escalators and elevators, and the Tokyo-rush-hour-crush is no joke.

Luggage-delivery services in Tokyo make traveling around so much easier, both mentally (you don’t have to constantly be on the lookout for elevators) and physically (you don’t have to carry 20+ kg up three flights of stairs because you can’t find the elevators). And if you’re worried about the cost, don’t be — Japan’s delivery services are affordable.

Pro tip: If you’re looking for places to just store your luggage in Tokyo, we recommend Radical Storage. They offer a fixed daily price of ¥850 and have locations across Tokyo and Japan. Tokyo Cheapo readers get a 5% discount.

Best luggage-forwarding services in Japan

How do you forward luggage in Japan?

Before you go booking anything, you’ll need to run through a few questions first.

Who will receive your luggage?

Check that your hotel or hostel is okay to take bags from delivery services. If it’s a vacation rental, find out whether the service allows for other people to receive your luggage on your behalf. And, of course, check that the host is okay with this! If it’s you that’s going to be receiving the bags at a vacation rental, note that you will likely need to provide the delivery service with a local phone number.

What phone number will you give?

All luggage-delivery services require a working phone number, and to avoid confusion or miscommunication it’s better to use a Japanese phone number. A travel SIM card with voice calling is good for this. For delivery to hotels, you should be able to use the hotel phone number.

When do you want it delivered?

You can often choose a specific time slot (generally from the next day onwards). Make sure to be around if you’re scheduled to receive your luggage in person. Rearranging deliveries is the exact kind of hassle you are trying to avoid. If you’re not getting same-day delivery, make sure to pack overnight essentials into a day pack.

How big is your bag?

The size of your suitcase is often used to help determine pricing. When measuring luggage, remember the sizes listed are a combination of height, width, and depth.

1. LuggAgent: The easiest to book luggage-delivery service

LuggAgent is an international company that offers services in various cities worldwide, including Tokyo. They offer same-day luggage delivery that can be fully booked in English (and a few other languages), via Klook.

How it works

The whole booking process can be completed quickly and easily online. You will need to provide your flight/hotel information, email address, telephone number, and instant messaging details (e.g. Line, WhatsApp, Skype, Kakao, Wiber, or WeChat).

Airport-to-hotel luggage services

For arrivals, a LuggAgent driver will be ready to collect your luggage in an appointed car drop-off zone. The pickup service is available until 3 p.m. Once you’ve handed off your bag, it will be delivered to your hotel by 9 p.m. that same day.

If you’re flying out, leave your baggage with the hotel concierge before 11 a.m. and the driver will pick it up from there. Then they’ll hand it off to you at the airport at an appointed time between 3 p.m. and 9 p.m.

In both cases, you’ll be sent detailed instructions along with your confirmation email. But make sure you keep to the pick-up/drop-off times — if you’re more than 30 minutes late, you’ll be charged $10 USD for every 15 minutes.

Prices

Prices start at ¥6,500 per suitcase from Narita or Haneda Airport.

Restrictions and insurance

• All bookings must be completed 72 hours in advance of collection.
• Bags cannot exceed 32 kg and must be smaller than 180 cm (combined height, width, and depth).
• Each bag is insured for up to $500 USD, which covers delay, loss, and damage. Additional insurance is also available.
• Your bag must meet all the legal requirements for your trip.

2. JAL/ABC: The cheapest luggage-delivery service in Japan

JAL (the airline) offers luggage delivery to and from the airport for all visitors (not just JAL customers). They have an English website and a straightforward booking process. However, same-day services are only available between Haneda Airport and select hotels in the Tokyo Bay area (Odaiba, Ariake, Shin-Urayasu, and Maihama) if you drop your luggage off before 2 p.m. For all other destinations in Tokyo (and Japan), plan on next-day shipping, or you can select a date in the near future.

How it works

All you need is your delivery address and phone number (a Japanese mobile number or the phone number for your accommodation), check-in date, and name of the person collecting the luggage (presumably yourself, but it doesn’t have to be). If you’re flying out, you’ll need to provide your flight details (including departure terminal), phone number, and the type of bag or bags.

Airport-to-hotel luggage services

You can head straight to any of the JAL desks in the airports to send your bags off to your hotel (or home). They will help you fill out the paperwork and even find your hotel’s address if you don’t have it handy.

Shipping counters are located at:

• Narita Terminal 1 (Arrivals North & South Wings, 1F / Departures South Wing, 4F / Departures North Wing, 4F)
• Narita Terminal 2 (Arrivals, 1F / Departures, 3F)
• Haneda Terminal 3 (Arrivals, 2F / Departures 3F)

Note: At the time of publication, the following counters were temporarily closed: Haneda Terminal 2 (Arrivals, 2F / Departures, 3F).

To send bags to the airport, you can book online or over the phone. A pick-up date will be suggested — it’s generally a couple of days before your flight (depending on your departure time). On your agreed-upon date, a driver will arrive to pick up your bags and hand you the receipt you’ll need for collection.

Hotel-to-hotel luggage services

There is city-to-city shipping, but information about this service and the booking form are only available on the company’s Japanese website. Online reservations are due by 5 p.m. at latest on the day before your desired pick-up date. Then your luggage will be picked up at your accommodation (or home) and delivered to your destination, usually within two or three days.

Prices

With some nice flat rates depending on your destination (Kantō or Kansai, for example) and luggage size (140 cm up to 240 cm of combined height, length, and depth), you can figure out your costs easily.

From Narita or Haneda Airport to any address in the Kantō area (which includes Tokyo), an average 160-cm piece will cost ¥2,410. From Narita Airport to destinations in Kansai, it’s ¥2,520 per 160 cm bag — well worth considering if you’re catching the bullet train to Osaka or Kyoto after a few days in Tokyo.

Note that prices do go up rather steeply if your bag is larger than 160 cm. From Narita or Haneda airport to Kantō, a 180-cm bag costs ¥3,850, while a 200-cm bag costs ¥4,640.

To send baggage to Narita or Haneda Airport from the Tokyo area, it costs ¥2,730 for a 160-cm piece.

Payments can be made in cash (JPY), credit card, or electronic payment at the airport counter. If you make an online booking, you have to pay via credit card, though.

Restrictions and insurance

• You must remove all fragile items, fresh produce, explosive materials, flammable materials, magnets, gas cannisters, liquids (including alcohol), computers, musical instruments, and works of art (maybe take out your valuables, too).
• Bags cannot exceed 50 kg and must be smaller than 240 cm (combined height, width, and depth). Note that there are additional size limits for items sent between cities.
• You can request insurance when making the booking.

3. Yamato Airport TA-Q-BIN: The most flexible luggage forwarding service in Japan

Yamato is one of Japan’s major courier services and is easy to spot with its black-cat logo. They have English-language support and are very responsive to online inquiries.

This service can be used to send items to and from airports all over Japan, with delivery and collection options for hotels, homes, and even convenience stores. You may be able to arrange same-day luggage delivery from the airport to your hotel, but that depends on where your hotel is and what time you drop your luggage off. For morning arrivals shipping to central Tokyo accommodations, same-day shipping is likely. Otherwise, plan on next-day shipping.

City-to-city shipping is also available, and in some cases same-day delivery can be arranged for this service.

How it works

When you’re filling out the paperwork, you need to provide a working phone number and your hotel information or flight details — depending on which way you’re sending things.

Airport to hotel luggage services

Arriving in Japan, the process is quite simple. After baggage claim, head to a shipping counter, fill out the paperwork, and pay. Shipping counters can be found in both Narita and Haneda Airport (as well as a number of other airports around the country). The baggage will be sent on to your hotel — and you’re free to head on your merry way.

Yamato Ta-Q-Bin shipping counters can be found under the name GPA Shipping Delivery Service at Narita Airport, at the following locations:

• Narita Terminal 1 (Arrivals North & South Wings, 1F / Departures North & South Wing, 4F)
• Narita Terminal 2 (Arrivals, 1F / Departures, 3F)
• Narita Terminal 3 (Arrivals, 1F)

At Haneda Airport, Yamato uses the Baggage Delivery Service Counters, which can be found at:

• Haneda Terminal 1 (Arrivals, 1F)
• Haneda Terminal 2 (Arrivals, 1F)
• Haneda Terminal 2 (Arrivals, 2F / Departures, 3F)
• Haneda Terminal 3 (Arrivals, 2F / Departures, 3F)

In general, you can only send luggage from counters located in Arrivals halls and pick up luggage from counters located in Departures. However, you can use the counters in Narita Terminal 3, Haneda Terminal 1, and Haneda Terminal 2 to do both.

If you’re sending luggage to the airport, the first thing you’ll need to work out is whether or not your hotel is registered with Yamato Transport. Yes? Then they’ll take care of you, providing the paperwork and all the info you’ll need.

If not, then you’ll need to find a nearby Yamato Transport sales office or convenience store that offers the service. Most of the major convenience store chains (except for Lawson) do offer Yamato Transport services; however it seems to be up to each individual store whether they do Airport Ta-Q-Bin, so make sure to check ahead of time. Also keep in mind that you may encounter a language barrier, especially if you’re using a convenience store.

Another option is to head to Yamato’s Baggage Service Counter at Tokyo Station (by the Marunouchi North exit). The deadline depends on where you’re dropping your luggage off, and what time you need to pick it up. It could be as early as two days prior to departure — so make sure not to leave it to the last minute.

Hotel-to-hotel luggage services

For city-to-city shipping, you should once again check whether the hotels you’ll be staying at are registered with Yamato Transport. If they are, then all arrangements can be made at your hotel. However if the hotel is not registered, you could try making arrangements as above.

Prices

If you’re shipping from Narita or Haneda airport to one of Tokyo’s 23 Wards, allow about ¥2,500 to ¥3,000 per bag. Prices depend on the size of your luggage and the final destination.

Hotel-to-hotel luggage services vary in price, but as an example sending a 160-cm suitcase from Tokyo to Kansai costs ¥2,630. Sending that same suitcase from Hokkaidō to Okinawa would cost ¥5,560.

Various discounts are available, for example Yamato Transport “Kuro-neko” members get up to 15% off. There are also discounts of ¥60 to ¥200, depending on where you drop your suitcase off or if you choose a round-trip service.

Restrictions and insurance

• All deliveries to the airport must be sent two days (sometimes three) before your flight.
• You must remove all passports, cash, credit cards, valuables, cremated remains, weapons, fragile items, batteries, animals, and flammable items from the bags before collection.
• Bags annot exceed 30 kg and must be smaller than 200 cm (combined height, width, and depth).
• Each bag is insured for up to ¥300,000.

Pro tip: Find out the easiest and cheapest ways of getting your good self from Narita to Tokyo, and from Haneda to Tokyo.

Frequently asked questions about luggage delivery in Japan

How much does it cost to send luggage in Japan?

It costs about ¥2,000 to ¥7,000 to send luggage in Japan. The price usually depends on the size/weight of your luggage and how far you’re sending it. Some services also have optional add-ons, like same-day delivery and insurance.

Can you send your luggage ahead in Japan?

Yes, you definitely can, and we’d highly recommend it!

Can I ship my luggage to a hotel in Japan?

Yes, in fact this is one of the easiest ways to ship your luggage in Japan.

How long do luggage-delivery services in Japan take?

This depends on how far you’re sending it and which service provider you’re using. Some providers offer same-day luggage delivery between major cities like Tokyo and Osaka, whereas other routes may require two or three days. Unless you’re shipping your luggage to Okinawa or somewhere else remote, it normally shouldn’t take any longer than that.

Is luggage delivery in Japan safe?

Yes, luggage-delivery services in Japan are safe and reliable. If you’re especially concerned or shipping valuable items, make sure to check the provider’s insurance details.

While we do our best to ensure it’s correct, information is subject to change. Post first published in October, 2019. Last updated in May, 2024 by Maria Danuco.