Luggage Forwarding in Japan (Takkyubin): The Complete Guide

Japan luggage forwarding (takkyubin) is one of the most underused travel services among international visitors, despite being reliable, affordable, and genuinely transformative for the Shinkansen experience. The service allows travelers to send suitcases directly from one hotel to another, or from their airport hotel to their first city hotel, for approximately 2,000-2,500 yen per bag. The bags arrive the next day (or same day if sent early enough). This means you can board the Shinkansen in Tokyo carrying only a daypack and find your luggage waiting at the Kyoto check-in desk—no struggling with suitcases on escalators, no searching for luggage racks, no stress. Yamato Transport (black cat logo), Sagawa Express (flying delivery man), and Japan Post all offer this service.

How to Send Luggage: Step by Step

Step 1: Ask your hotel front desk for a takkyubin form. Every hotel in Japan can arrange luggage forwarding. Step 2: Fill out the form with the destination hotel name, address, your name, and desired arrival date (always choose the next day or give two days if uncertain about timing). Step 3: Pay at the front desk or the courier pick-up point. Most hotels build in a small service fee; direct drop-off at a convenience store (any FamilyMart, 7-Eleven, or Lawson displays the Yamato logo) is slightly cheaper. Step 4: Receive a tracking number you can use on the Yamato website.

The most common forwarding sequence for a standard Japan trip: send bags from Tokyo hotel to Kyoto hotel on Day 4 evening, take the Shinkansen on Day 5 with just a daypack, check in to the Kyoto hotel and find your bags already waiting. Costs approximately 2,000-2,500 yen per standard suitcase (up to 25kg, within domestic restrictions).

Airport Forwarding: Arriving and Departing

Airport forwarding is the most dramatic use of the service: send your bags directly from Narita or Haneda to your first Tokyo hotel when you arrive, and walk out of the airport to the train carrying only a small bag. Yamato counters are present in the arrivals hall of all major Japanese airports. Narita to central Tokyo takes 2-3 hours by express delivery; book the service and your bags will arrive at your hotel before you do. At trip end, send bags from your last hotel to the airport the day before departure (give two days to be safe); find them at the check-in counter.

• Price guide: bags to 25kg cost approximately 1,500-2,500 yen depending on distance and size
• Transit time: next-day delivery within Honshu; 2-day transit to Hokkaido, Kyushu, and Okinawa
• Where to drop off: any convenience store with the Yamato (black cat) sign, which is nearly all of them
• Items not allowed: liquids over 1 liter, dangerous goods, fragile items (use standard luggage packaging)
• Language: Yamato counters at airports have English staff; convenience store drop-offs require basic Japanese (hotel will help)
• Tracking: Yamato tracking number works at kuronekoyamato.co.jp; English-language tracking page available
• Hotel storage: if bag arrives before check-in, any hotel will store it safely at the concierge desk
• Return gifts: shipping purchases home from Japan via EMS (Japan Post) is affordable; ask at any post office

Luggage forwarding is the single practical travel tip that most upgrades the quality of a Japan trip. The freedom of moving between cities with only a daypack changes the Shinkansen from a logistical challenge into a genuine pleasure. Budget 5,000-8,000 yen for 2-3 forwarding instances over a two-week trip—it is among the best money spent.