Tokyo to Kyoto or Osaka: 4 Ways to Send Your Luggage Hotel to Hotel the Same Day

When you move hotels from Tokyo to Kyoto or Osaka, you have four options for your luggage: take it on the Shinkansen yourself (bags of 161–250 cm need an oversized-baggage seat, or you pay ¥1,000), send it by takkyubin (usually arrives the next day), use JTB and JR Central's LUGGAGE EXPRESS (drop off at a partner hotel by 10:00, from ¥13,200 per bag), or have a luggage delivery service take it from your Tokyo hotel to your Kyoto or Osaka hotel the same day. To ride the Shinkansen empty-handed, choose one of the last two.

Key takeaways

• On the Tokaido Shinkansen, bags measuring 161–250 cm in total dimensions need a reserved "seat with an oversized baggage area" at no extra cost; without one you pay ¥1,000, and bags over 250 cm aren't allowed.
• Takkyubin from Tokyo to Kyoto or Osaka usually arrives the next day, so you normally won't have your bags on the night you switch hotels.
• LUGGAGE EXPRESS links partner hotels in Tokyo with partner hotels in Kyoto city and Osaka city: drop off by 10:00, collect after 18:00 or 20:00, ¥13,200–16,500 per bag, guests of those hotels only.
• A luggage delivery service can take your bags from your Tokyo hotel straight to your Kyoto or Osaka hotel: hand them over at checkout and collect them at your new hotel that evening.
• Whatever you choose, keep your passport, laptop, camera and power banks with you.

Sending luggage from Tokyo to Kyoto or Osaka: 4 options compared

The four options differ in whether your bags arrive the same day, whether you carry them yourself, and whether your hotel has to be on a list.

Option	When bags arrive	How you hand them over	Main limits	Cost
Take them on the Shinkansen	With you	No handover	161–250 cm needs a seat reservation; you carry them through stations and onto the train	No extra charge (¥1,000 without reservation)
Takkyubin (Yamato, etc.)	Usually next day	Hotel front desk or convenience store	Up to 200 cm and 30 kg	Priced by size and region
LUGGAGE EXPRESS	Same day, after 18:00 or 20:00	At a partner hotel's front desk by 10:00 (12:00 on one plan)	Partner hotel guests only; delivery to Kyoto city and Osaka city only	¥13,200–16,500 per bag
Luggage delivery service (e.g. LuggAgent)	Same day by 21:00 (depends on provider)	Hotel front desk in the morning	Book 24–72 hours ahead (cutoff on booking page)	Priced by route; live prices on the route cards

Option 1: Taking luggage on the Shinkansen — do you need a reservation?

It depends on size: bags up to 160 cm in total dimensions need no reservation, bags of 161–250 cm require a reserved "seat with an oversized baggage area", and bags over 250 cm can't be taken on board. The rule covers the Tokaido, Sanyo, Kyushu and Nishi-Kyushu Shinkansen, so Tokyo to Kyoto and Shin-Osaka is included.

Total dimensions	Reservation needed?	Cost
Up to 160 cm	No; use the overhead rack or the space in front of your seat	Free
161–250 cm	Yes, a seat with an oversized baggage area	No extra charge; ¥1,000 if not reserved
Over 250 cm	Not allowed on board	—

Each passenger can bring two pieces free, each up to 30 kg. Oversized-baggage seats are limited — about 57 per 16-car Nozomi — and sell out first during holidays and peak season (JR Central). The Nozomi takes about 2 hours 15 minutes to Kyoto and about 2 hours 30 minutes to Shin-Osaka, so the ride itself is short; the hard part is hauling big bags through Tokyo and Kyoto stations and onto subways or buses.

A Tokaido Shinkansen N700S at Tokyo Station. Bags of 161 cm or more need an oversized-baggage seat. Photo: Wikimizuki / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0

Option 2: How long does takkyubin take from Tokyo to Kyoto or Osaka?

Takkyubin from Tokyo to Kyoto or Osaka usually arrives the next day, not the same day. Yamato Transport's TA-Q-BIN takes bags up to 200 cm in total dimensions and 30 kg, lets you choose the delivery date and time slot, and is priced by size and region (Yamato).

If you want takkyubin but still need your bags on the day you arrive in Kyoto or Osaka, the usual trick is to send them a day early:

1. On the day before your last night in Tokyo, hand your big suitcase to the front desk for shipping, addressed to your next hotel with your name and check-in date.
2. Spend your last Tokyo night with just a day bag or a small carry-on.
3. When you arrive in Kyoto or Osaka the next day, your suitcase is already waiting at the new hotel.

It's the cheapest way, but you go without your big bag for the last night in Tokyo, and you need to confirm that the next hotel will accept it early.

Option 3: How LUGGAGE EXPRESS works — prices and limits

LUGGAGE EXPRESS is a same-day luggage service from JTB and JR Central that carries bags on the Tokaido Shinkansen. It launched between Tokyo and Kyoto in November 2025, and its website now lists routes between hotels in Tokyo and hotels in Kyoto city and Osaka city. You drop your bags at the front desk of a partner hotel, and you must be a guest there.

Plan	Drop-off deadline	Collect from	Price per bag (tax incl.)
Express	10:00 on the day	18:00	¥16,500
Regular	10:00 on the day	20:00	¥13,200
Late Check Out	12:00 on the day	20:00	¥16,500

Other rules (from the official website, checked October 2026):

• Suitcases or bags that zip shut only, up to 200 cm in total dimensions and under 30 kg.
• No computers, tablets, cameras or other precision devices, fragile items or power banks.
• You can book up to the drop-off deadline; cancelling within 1 hour of the deadline costs the full fee.
• You can also drop off at designated station counters such as Tokyo Station, but station counters are drop-off only, not delivery points.

Option 4: Send luggage from your Tokyo hotel to your Kyoto or Osaka hotel the same day

If your hotel isn't a LUGGAGE EXPRESS partner, or you're travelling with two or three big suitcases and don't want to compete for oversized-baggage seats, consider LuggAgent's (行李特工) same-day hotel-to-hotel delivery: hand your bags to the front desk at your Tokyo hotel when you check out, and we deliver them to your next hotel in Kyoto or Osaka the same day, with photos at pickup and delivery.

According to the official site, in Japan you choose a pickup time between 09:00 and 11:00 when booking, leave your bags at the hotel front desk before then and send a photo to customer support (no need to wait for the driver); they are delivered by 21:00 the same day (by 18:00 with the priority add-on). Most services need to be booked at least 24–72 hours in advance; the exact cutoff is shown on the booking page. If you're picked up at an Airbnb or guesthouse, meet the driver in person at the pickup time you chose (09:00–11:00) with your bags; if your bags are delivered to one, send the full address and entry details (door code, key box or building access) by 13:00 local time on the service day, and you don't need to be there. See the Tokyo ⇄ Osaka & Kyoto luggage delivery page for more.

Moving from Tokyo to Kyoto, hand over your bags at checkout, ride the Shinkansen empty-handed, and pick them up at your Kyoto hotel in the evening:

Moving to a hotel in Osaka (Umeda, Namba, Shinsaibashi and so on) works the same way, with same-day delivery:

If your next hotel is near Universal Studios Japan, your bags can go straight to the USJ area:

Book luggage delivery

How to plan the day you move from Tokyo to Kyoto or Osaka

With same-day delivery, your hotel-change day can look like this:

1. At least 24–72 hours ahead: book the delivery (the exact cutoff is shown on the booking page), pick a 09:00–11:00 pickup time and double-check your next hotel's name and address.
2. Morning checkout (before your 09:00–11:00 pickup time): leave your bags at the front desk, say they're for delivery and send a photo to customer support; put your passport, medication and power banks in your day bag.
3. During the day: spend another half day in Tokyo, or take the Shinkansen straight away — about 2 hours 15 minutes to Kyoto, about 2 hours 30 minutes to Shin-Osaka.
4. Afternoon to evening: sightsee and have dinner in Kyoto or Osaka, then collect your bags at the front desk when you check in.

Sannenzaka in Higashiyama, Kyoto. Sloping stone lanes and steps make rolling a suitcase hard work. Photo: Andrea Schaffer / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 2.0

FAQ

Can I send luggage from Tokyo to Kyoto on the same day?

Yes, but standard takkyubin usually arrives the next day, so you need a same-day service. With LUGGAGE EXPRESS you drop off at a partner hotel by 10:00 and collect after 18:00 or 20:00; luggage delivery services typically collect in the morning and deliver to your next hotel that evening.

What happens if I take oversized luggage on the Shinkansen without a reservation?

If you board with a 161–250 cm bag without reserving an oversized-baggage seat, you'll be charged ¥1,000 and the conductor will tell you where to put it; if those seats are full, you may be asked to take a later train. Bags over 250 cm can't be taken on board at all.

Does LUGGAGE EXPRESS deliver to Osaka?

Yes. As of October 2026, its website lists routes between hotels in Tokyo and hotels in Kyoto city and Osaka city, plus Osaka ⇄ Kyoto. Both the drop-off and delivery hotels must be partners, and you must be a guest at them; areas outside Kyoto city and Osaka city aren't covered.

How much does takkyubin cost from Tokyo to Kyoto?

Takkyubin is priced by bag size (total dimensions, up to 200 cm) and region; for the exact Kanto-to-Kinki fare, check Yamato's official rate table or ask at the counter. It usually arrives the next day and costs less than same-day services, but you may not have your bags on the night you switch hotels.

What should I keep with me when I send my luggage?

Keep your passport, cash, medication, laptop, camera and other valuable or delicate items, plus power banks and anything with a lithium battery, in your day bag. LUGGAGE EXPRESS explicitly bans precision devices and power banks, and other providers have similar rules, so check each provider's prohibited-items list before you send.

Cover photo: 電車(新幹線)でゴー！ / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0