Changing Hotels in Japan: How to Plan Your Luggage on a Multi-City Itinerary
When you are changing hotels in Japan, the easiest plan is to send your big luggage separately and travel with just a day bag. Yamato's Takkyubin usually arrives the next day or later, so ship it a day ahead; same-day luggage delivery picks your bags up from the hotel front desk in the morning and has them at your next hotel that evening. If you take your bags on the Shinkansen, anything 161–250 cm in total dimensions needs an oversized-baggage seat reservation, or you pay ¥1,000.
Key takeaways
- You have four options when changing hotels in Japan: carry your bags, ship them by Takkyubin, use same-day luggage delivery, or leave them in a coin locker or storage app.
- Yamato's Takkyubin takes bags up to 200 cm in total dimensions and 30 kg, and usually delivers the next day or later, so send it the day before you move and keep one night's clothes with you.
- On the Tokaido, Sanyo, Kyushu and Nishi-Kyushu Shinkansen, bags of 161–250 cm need a reserved seat with an oversized baggage area (no extra charge); without one you pay ¥1,000, and bags over 250 cm are not allowed.
- Station coin lockers can generally be used for up to 3 days and your bags stay where they are, so they only suit short stops where you come back to the same station.
- On a 7-day trip, basing yourself in 2–3 hotels instead of moving every night saves several rounds of packing and hauling.
What are your 4 luggage options when changing hotels in Japan?
When you change hotels in Japan you can carry your luggage, ship it ahead by Takkyubin, send it to the next hotel by same-day delivery, or park it in a locker. The difference is when your bags arrive and how much you carry on moving day.
| Option | When bags reach the next stop | What you carry on moving day | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carry it yourself | With you | Everything | One carry-on, few transfers |
| Takkyubin (Yamato and others) | Usually the next day or later | At least one night's clothes | Staying 2+ nights at the next stop and able to pack a day early |
| Same-day luggage delivery | That evening | Just a day bag | Sightseeing on moving day, families, older travellers |
| Coin locker / storage app | Bags don't move; you go back for them | Everything, once you collect it | Coming back to the same station the same day |
If you are weighing lockers, storage apps and delivery, see Coin lockers vs luggage storage apps vs luggage delivery.
Tokyo Station's Marunouchi building, where most Tokyo–Kyoto–Osaka trips begin. Photo: Basile Morin / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0
How to plan luggage on a multi-city Japan itinerary: a 7-day Tokyo–Kyoto–Osaka example
The rule of thumb for a Japan itinerary is simple: on days you stay put, leave your luggage in the room; on days you change hotels, send it ahead. Here is how that works for the classic 3 nights in Tokyo, 2 in Kyoto and 1 in Osaka:
| Day | Plan | What to do with your luggage |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Land at Narita or Haneda, check in to Tokyo | Hand bags to a delivery service at the airport, or take them on the train yourself |
| Days 2–3 | Tokyo sightseeing | Same hotel; bags stay in the room |
| Day 4 | Tokyo → Kyoto | Leave bags at the Tokyo front desk for same-day delivery to Kyoto, or ship by Takkyubin on the evening of Day 3 |
| Day 5 | Kyoto sightseeing | Same hotel |
| Day 6 | Kyoto → Osaka | About 30 minutes by JR Special Rapid; carry light bags, send heavy ones |
| Day 7 | Osaka → Kansai Airport, fly home | Send bags to the airport at check-out and spend the last day hands-free |
Why fewer hotel changes make life easier
Every hotel change means packing, checking out, hauling and checking in again. Move every night on a 7-day trip and you shift your bags 6 times; base yourself in 2–3 places and it's only 2 or 3. Kyoto and Osaka are close: the JR Special Rapid takes about 30 minutes, according to the Osaka Convention & Tourism Bureau, so you can stay in one city and day-trip to the other.
How close to the station should your hotel be?
With big suitcases, pick hotels within a 5–10 minute walk of the station or with a lift at a nearby subway exit. Kyoto's city buses are often packed and hard to board with a suitcase, so a hotel near Kyoto Station makes moving days much easier.
The torii tunnels of Fushimi Inari Taisha in Kyoto. Without a suitcase in tow, you can go straight from the station to the sights. Photo: Basile Morin / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0
What to do the night before you change hotels: 5 steps
If you sort and book everything the night before, check-out the next morning takes five minutes. Work through it in this order:
- Confirm your next hotel will hold luggage that arrives before you check in. Most will, but email them after booking to be sure; homestays without a front desk need a different arrangement.
- Pack a day bag: passport, wallet, medicine, chargers and valuables always stay with you, never in the bag you send.
- Book the transfer: for Takkyubin, fill in a waybill at the hotel desk or a convenience store; most same-day delivery services need booking the day before.
- Lock each bag and attach a name tag with your name and the next hotel's name.
- Hand the bags to the front desk at check-out and photograph them and the storage receipt.
Takkyubin vs same-day luggage delivery: which should you choose?
Choose Takkyubin if you are staying 2+ nights at the next stop and can pack a day early; choose same-day luggage delivery if you need your bags that evening or are only staying one night. The main differences:
| Item | Takkyubin | Same-day luggage delivery |
|---|---|---|
| Delivery time | Usually the next day or later; longer for distant areas and islands | That evening |
| Where you hand over bags | Hotel front desk, convenience store, Yamato service centre | Hotel front desk, airport (depends on the service) |
| Size limit | 200 cm total dimensions, 30 kg | Varies by company; check before booking |
| What you carry on moving day | One night's clothes | Just a day bag |
| Watch out for | No big bag the night you ship it | Most need booking the day before |
Takkyubin size and weight limits are on Yamato Transport's site, where you can also check delivery dates. Some Yamato counters at stations and airports offer a same-day delivery service, but only from certain locations and within set hours. For a full comparison, read Luggage delivery vs Yamato Takkyubin.
What to know if you carry your luggage on the Shinkansen
The key thing on the Shinkansen is size: on the Tokaido, Sanyo, Kyushu and Nishi-Kyushu lines, bags of 161–250 cm in total dimensions require a reserved "seat with an oversized baggage area". Under JR rules each passenger may bring 2 pieces, each up to 30 kg and 2 m long.
| Bag size (length + width + height) | Rule | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Up to 160 cm | No reservation; overhead rack or at your feet | Free |
| 161–250 cm | Reserve a seat with an oversized baggage area | Same as a normal reserved seat; ¥1,000 if not reserved |
| Over 250 cm | Not allowed on board | – |
Oversized baggage seats are the last row of each car and sell out fast in peak season; see JR Central's official rules and our guide to Shinkansen oversized luggage reservations. Transfers at big stations like Tokyo and Shin-Osaka involve long walks, and moving two large cases plus a stroller is often more tiring than the ride itself.
A Tokaido Shinkansen platform at Tokyo Station. Photo: Wikimedia Commons / Public domain
Japan luggage guides by route
When planning a multi-city trip, check the luggage guide for each leg you will travel:
| Leg | Guide |
|---|---|
| Narita or Haneda Airport → Tokyo hotel | Narita and Haneda Luggage Delivery to Your Tokyo Hotel: Same-Day Options vs N'EX and Limousine Bus |
| Tokyo → Kyoto or Osaka hotel change | Tokyo to Kyoto or Osaka: 4 Ways to Send Your Luggage Hotel to Hotel the Same Day |
| Kansai Airport → Kyoto hotel | Kansai Airport to Kyoto Hotel with Luggage: Haruka, Limousine Bus or Same-Day Delivery |
| Kansai Airport → Osaka hotel | Kansai Airport to Osaka Hotels with Luggage: Rapi:t, Haruka, Bus or Same-Day Delivery to Namba, Umeda and USJ |
| The gap between check-out and evening | Where to Leave Your Luggage After Hotel Checkout in Japan |
Same-day luggage delivery between Japanese hotels
Hauling your own bags on moving day costs you half a day: going back to the hotel to collect them, wheeling suitcases through stations and platforms at rush hour, and hoping you can still get a Shinkansen oversized baggage seat. Takkyubin is cheap and convenient but arrives the next day, which doesn't work well if you're only staying one night at the next stop.
LuggAgent offers same-day luggage delivery between Japanese cities. Leave your bags at the hotel front desk by your chosen pickup time between 09:00 and 11:00 and head out; there's no need to wait for the driver. They're delivered to your next hotel's front desk by 18:00 or 21:00 (depending on the option you book), and they're photographed at pickup and delivery. At the airport, you hand them to our agent in person at the meeting point in your confirmation. Most services need to be booked at least 24–72 hours in advance, and the exact cutoff is shown on the booking page; see Tokyo ⇄ Osaka and Kyoto luggage delivery and Tokyo luggage delivery for where we pick up and deliver.
On a Tokyo–Kyoto–Osaka trip, these three legs are the ones travellers book most. On arrival day, send your bags from Narita straight to your Tokyo hotel:
On the day you move from Tokyo to Kyoto, leave your bags at the Tokyo hotel in the morning and pick them up at your Kyoto hotel that evening:
On your flight home, send your bags from your Osaka hotel to Kansai Airport and enjoy your last half-day hands-free:
FAQ
Can I send luggage to a Japanese hotel before I check in?
Yes. Most hotels in Japan will hold luggage that arrives before you do, and you collect it at the front desk when you check in. Email the hotel after booking to confirm, and put your booking name and check-in date on the waybill or delivery booking; homestays without a front desk usually can't receive bags, so arrange something else.
How long does Takkyubin take from Tokyo to Kyoto?
Tokyo to Kyoto usually arrives the next day, though the exact date depends on when and where you ship; you can check it on Yamato Transport's site. Takkyubin takes bags up to 200 cm in total dimensions and 30 kg, so ship the day before you move and keep one night's clothes with you.
How many bags can I take on the Shinkansen?
Under JR rules each passenger may bring 2 pieces, each up to 30 kg and 2 m long. Bags of 161–250 cm in total dimensions need a reserved seat with an oversized baggage area (no extra charge), or you pay ¥1,000; bags over 250 cm are not allowed on board.
Do I need to send my luggage from Kyoto to Osaka?
Not necessarily. Kyoto to Osaka takes about 30 minutes on the JR Special Rapid, so with one medium suitcase and a hotel near the station you can carry it yourself. With several bags, children, or a hotel far from the station, same-day delivery is easier and lets you sightsee on moving day.
What should I do with my luggage on the last day if I have an evening flight?
At check-out, leave your bags at the front desk for a same-day delivery service to take to the airport, and collect them there in person; aim for a handover at least 2 hours before departure. You can also leave them at the hotel and come back in the evening, but allow time to get back there.
Cover photo: Basile Morin / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0
This article offers general travel tips for reference only. For actual services and conditions, please rely on the booking page and the latest official announcements.
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