Luggage Forwarding in Japan: How to Use Takkyubin

Last Updated: July 20, 2026

Dragging a large suitcase through crowded stations is one of the easiest ways to make travelling in Japan more stressful than it needs to be.

Stations such as Shinjuku, Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka can involve long corridors, crowded platforms, stairs and transfers between different railway operators. Add a suitcase, a backpack and perhaps a stroller, and even a simple train journey can become exhausting.

Fortunately, Japan has an extremely convenient luggage-forwarding system commonly known as takkyubin or takuhaibin.

It allows you to send your suitcase from one hotel to another, from an airport to your accommodation or from your final hotel to the airport. You then travel with only a small overnight bag while your main luggage moves separately.

This guide explains exactly how luggage forwarding in Japan works, how much it costs, how long it takes and when it is worth using.

Takkyubin at a glance

Question	Practical answer
Where can I send luggage?	Hotels, airports, Yamato offices and participating convenience stores
How long does it take?	Usually 1–2 days, but longer for distant or remote destinations
How much does it cost?	Commonly around ¥2,000–¥4,000 for a suitcase
Maximum size with Yamato	200 cm total dimensions
Maximum weight	30 kg
Can I send it to an Airbnb?	Only when staff are available to receive it
Can I choose a later delivery date?	Yes, normally within seven days
Is same-day delivery available?	Only on selected routes and from specific counters

Yamato accepts standard TA-Q-BIN parcels up to a combined length, width and height of 200 cm and a maximum weight of 30 kg.

What is Takkyubin?

Takkyubin is a door-to-door parcel-delivery service widely used throughout Japan.

Although tourists primarily use it to forward suitcases, the same domestic delivery network is used by residents and businesses for parcels, sports equipment and many other items.

The company most visitors recognise is Yamato Transport, also called Kuroneko Yamato because of its black-cat logo. Sagawa Express and other companies provide similar services, but Yamato is especially easy to recognise and is widely available.

You will see several spellings online:

• takkyubin;
• takuhaibin;
• takuhai;
• TA-Q-BIN.

For a traveller, they generally describe the same practical idea: sending luggage ahead instead of carrying it personally.

Japan’s tourism authorities promote these delivery and temporary-storage options as part of the co

untry’s “Hands-Free Travel” initiative, particularly because Japanese transport hubs and trains can be crowded.

When should you use luggage forwarding?

Takkyubin is most useful when moving between cities or visiting a smaller destination between two major stops.

Example: Tokyo → Hakone → Kyoto

Instead of carrying a large suitcase into Hakone:

1. send the main suitcase from your Tokyo hotel directly to Kyoto;
2. carry a backpack with clothing for one night;
3. stay in Hakone without a large suitcase;
4. collect the suitcase when you check into your Kyoto hotel.

This works particularly well for:

• Hakone;
• Takayama;
• Koyasan;
• Miyajima;
• Shirakawa-go;
• Kamikochi;
• onsen towns;
• short ryokan stays.

You can choose a delivery date within seven days of handing the parcel to Yamato. This means that luggage forwarding can also function as a convenient form of temporary storage while you complete a short side trip.

Takkyubin is especially useful when:

• travelling with large suitcases;
• travelling with children;
• using a stroller;
• changing trains several times;
• staying in small ryokan rooms;
• visiting destinations with local buses;
• travelling during rush hour;
• using stations without convenient lifts;
• making a one- or two-night side trip.

You probably do not need it when you are travelling directly between two hotels beside major stations and have only a small carry-on suitcase.

How much does luggage forwarding cost in Japan?

The price depends on:

• distance;
• combined dimensions;
• weight;
• standard or airport delivery;
• same-day or normal delivery;
• additional services.

For most tourist itineraries, expect to pay approximately ¥2,000–¥4,000 per suitcase.

As a current official example, Yamato lists a charge of ¥3,160 for a size-160 item sent from Kyoto to Tokyo. Smaller luggage and shorter journeys can cost less, while airport delivery, same-day services and very large suitcases can cost more.

A large suitcase will usually fall into one of these size categories:

Yamato category	Combined dimensions	Maximum weight
Size 120	Up to 120 cm	15 kg
Size 140	Up to 140 cm	20 kg
Size 160	Up to 160 cm	25 kg
Size 180	Up to 180 cm	30 kg
Size 200	Up to 200 cm	30 kg

The applicable category is determined by whichever is greater: the parcel’s measurements or its weight category.

Because rates can change, avoid publishing a large permanent price table. Give readers an approximate range and direct them to the operator’s current calculator.

Is takkyubin worth the money?

In most cases, yes. Spending around ¥3,000 can remove a suitcase from an entire travel day, make transfers easier and allow you to visit a smaller destination without searching for luggage storage.

For families, travellers with reduced mobility or anyone carrying several bags, it can be one of the best-value services used during a Japan trip.

How long does luggage delivery take?

Normal delivery is frequently completed the next day between major cities on mainland Japan.

However, you should not build a tight itinerary around guaranteed next-day delivery.

Longer routes, remote destinations, islands, severe weather and seasonal delivery volumes can increase the delivery time. Yamato notes that some journeys involving destinations such as Hokkaido, Okinawa and distant prefectures may require around two days.

My practical recommendation is:

• allow one full night without the suitcase on straightforward major-city routes;
• allow two nights when travelling over a long distance;
• ask your hotel to confirm the estimated arrival before sending;
• keep essentials for at least one extra day in your carry-on.

A safe hotel-to-hotel schedule

Suppose you leave Tokyo on Tuesday and check into Kyoto on Wednesday:

• Monday morning: send the suitcase from Tokyo;
• Tuesday: travel with an overnight bag;
• Wednesday: collect the suitcase in Kyoto.

Sending it a day earlier gives you a buffer and avoids relying on a last-minute overnight delivery.

How long does luggage delivery take?

Normal delivery is frequently completed the next day between major cities on mainland Japan.

However, you should not build a tight itinerary around guaranteed next-day delivery.

Longer routes, remote destinations, islands, severe weather and seasonal delivery volumes can increase the delivery time. Yamato notes that some journeys involving destinations such as Hokkaido, Okinawa and distant prefectures may require around two days.

My practical recommendation is:

• allow one full night without the suitcase on straightforward major-city routes;
• allow two nights when travelling over a long distance;
• ask your hotel to confirm the estimated arrival before sending;
• keep essentials for at least one extra day in your carry-on.

A safe hotel-to-hotel schedule

Suppose you leave Tokyo on Tuesday and check into Kyoto on Wednesday:

• Monday morning: send the suitcase from Tokyo;
• Tuesday: travel with an overnight bag;
• Wednesday: collect the suitcase in Kyoto.

Sending it a day earlier gives you a buffer and avoids relying on a last-minute overnight delivery.

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How to send luggage from one hotel to another

This is the simplest way to use takkyubin.

1. Confirm that the destination hotel accepts luggage

Most staffed hotels and ryokan are familiar with luggage delivery, but you should still confirm before shipping.

Send the destination hotel a short message such as:

Hello, I have a reservation under the name Daniele Bellucci from October 12. Can you accept a suitcase delivered by Yamato Transport before my arrival?

Keep their reply or take a screenshot.

2. Ask your current hotel reception

The day before departure, ask:

Can you help me send my luggage to my next hotel by takkyubin?

You can also show:

荷物を次のホテルに送りたいです。
Nimotsu o tsugi no hoteru ni okuritai desu.

Many hotels will:

• provide the delivery form;
• help you complete it;
• check the delivery estimate;
• measure the suitcase;
• collect payment;
• arrange courier collection.

Do not wait until the final minute before checkout. Hotel collection deadlines vary, and luggage handed over too late may not leave until the following day.

3. Prepare your next hotel’s details

Have the following information ready:

• hotel name;
• full address;
• postal code;
• hotel telephone number;
• booking name;
• check-in date;
• booking confirmation.

Yamato permits waybills to be completed in English. For delivery to a hotel, its guidance asks for the hotel name, the guest’s name, the hotel address, contact details and reservation information.

It is important that the recipient name matches the name on the hotel reservation.

4. Complete the waybill

The hotel employee will often help, but the form normally requests:

• sender’s information;
• destination address;
• destination telephone number;
• recipient;
• suitcase contents;
• requested delivery date;
• requested delivery time, when available.

For the recipient, use a format such as:

Hotel Gracery Shinjuku
c/o Daniele Bellucci
Check-in: October 12

Describe the contents honestly but simply:

Clothes and personal belongings

5. Pay and keep the receipt

Payment options vary by hotel, counter and convenience store.

Some hotels accept payment at reception, while others may add the cost to the room bill. Cash remains the most dependable option when using a smaller hotel or convenience store.

Keep the customer copy of the waybill. It contains the tracking number needed to check the shipment or solve a delivery problem.

6. Prepare a small overnight bag

Do not send everything.

Keep these items with you:

• passport;
• wallet and bank cards;
• medication;
• phone and chargers;
• camera and valuable electronics;
• one or two changes of clothing;
• toiletries;
• travel documents;
• items needed for the next morning.

The safest rule is to pack as though your main suitcase could arrive one day later than expected.

7. Collect the suitcase at your next hotel

Tell reception that luggage was sent under your reservation name.

In many cases, it will already be waiting in the hotel’s luggage room before check-in.

Can you send luggage from a convenience store?

Yes. Participating convenience stores can accept Yamato shipments.

Chains listed by Yamato include:

• 7-Eleven;
• FamilyMart;
• NewDays;
• Daily Yamazaki;
• Poplar.

Waybills are available at participating stores, although not every location offers every service or payment method. Yamato also states that suitcases sent from convenience stores are limited to size 160.

Using a convenience store is useful when:

• your hotel does not offer luggage delivery;
• you are staying in an apartment;
• you are leaving an Airbnb;
• there is no Yamato office nearby.

It is less convenient than using a hotel because staff may have limited English and may not be able to confirm whether the receiving accommodation will accept the suitcase.

Prepare the destination details in advance and use a staffed Yamato office when the journey is complicated.

Can you send luggage to or from an Airbnb?

This is where many travellers encounter problems.

Yamato can deliver to private accommodation only when reception staff are available to accept the luggage on your behalf.

It generally cannot deliver to an unattended apartment, key-code property or Airbnb without a staffed front desk.

When staying in an unstaffed accommodation, your alternatives are:

• send the suitcase to a nearby Yamato sales office;
• collect it personally from that office;
• send it to your following staffed hotel;
• use an independently booked same-day luggage service;
• store the bag temporarily instead of forwarding it.

You can send luggage from an Airbnb by taking it to a participating convenience store or Yamato office.

Never use a convenience store’s address as the destination unless the service explicitly supports collection there. A Yamato sales office is the safer pickup point.

Sending luggage from the airport to your hotel

Major Japanese airports have luggage-delivery counters where you can send bags after landing.

The process is generally:

1. collect your luggage from baggage claim;
2. pass through customs;
3. find a luggage-delivery counter in the arrivals area;
4. provide your hotel details;
5. pay the delivery fee;
6. keep your tracking receipt;
7. travel into the city without the suitcase.

Standard airport-to-hotel TA-Q-BIN normally arrives the next day or within two days, depending on the destination. Same-day service is available only from selected counters and to limited destinations.

This means standard Yamato delivery may not be the right choice when you need clothes or equipment on your first evening.

When airport delivery makes sense

Use it when:

• you arrive early and want to explore immediately;
• you are travelling with children;
• your hotel is far from an airport train station;
• you have several bags;
• you can manage the first night with a carry-on;
• you are continuing to another city or resort.

Start sightseeing without carrying your luggage

Book a same-day luggage-delivery service between Haneda or Narita Airport and participating Tokyo hotels.

Hand over your suitcase at the airport and collect it from your hotel later that day.

Check Tokyo airport luggage delivery

Check the drop-off deadline, supported hotels and delivery area before booking.

Sending luggage from your hotel to the airport

Airport delivery is useful on the final day because it lets you check out, continue sightseeing and collect your suitcase at the airport before departure.

However, standard Airport TA-Q-BIN is not a last-minute same-day service.

Yamato advises sending the luggage at least two days before departure, or three days from some areas. The shipment must reach the airport by the day before the flight.

Yamato’s standard airport service also applies an airport handling fee in addition to the normal shipping charge. Its current FAQ lists the additional fee as ¥660.

When completing the airport form, you may need:

• airport name;
• departure terminal;
• airline;
• flight number;
• departure date;
• departure time;
• passenger name.

Always verify the terminal. Tokyo Haneda, Tokyo Narita and Kansai Airport all have multiple terminals, and delivering the bag to the wrong terminal could cause serious delays.

Standard delivery or same-day booked service?

Use standard Airport TA-Q-BIN when:

• you can send the bag two or more days early;
• you want a widely available service;
• you have another small bag for the final nights.

Use a bookable same-day service when:

• you need the suitcase until the morning of departure;
• you want the bag collected from your hotel;
• your flight leaves late enough for the service;
• your hotel and terminal are within the supported area.

Enjoy your final day without returning to the hotel

Send your luggage from a participating Tokyo hotel to Haneda or Narita Airport and collect it before your flight.

View same-day hotel-to-airport services

Can Takkyubin deliver luggage on the same day?

Standard luggage forwarding should normally be treated as a next-day or multi-day service.

Same-day delivery exists, but only:

• from selected service counters;
• within specific areas;
• before local cut-off times;
• when the receiving hotel has a staffed front desk.

Yamato provides limited same-day services between certain airport or station counters and hotels, while private operators sell pre-booked same-day services in Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto.

Do not promise same-day delivery in the article without specifying that availability depends on the exact location and service.

Maximum suitcase size and weight

For standard Yamato TA-Q-BIN, the normal maximum is:

• 200 cm combined dimensions;
• 30 kg maximum weight;
• no individual side longer than 170 cm.

If the suitcase cannot be safely turned upside down during transport, no individual side can exceed 100 cm.

To calculate the size:

Length + width + height

For example:

75 cm + 50 cm + 30 cm = size 155

This would normally fall into the size-160 category.

A special suitcase cover is not compulsory. The suitcase itself is treated as the external packaging, so minor marks or scratches may occur during transportation. Close every zipper completely and lock the suitcase when possible.

Maximum suitcase size and weight

For standard Yamato TA-Q-BIN, the normal maximum is:

• 200 cm combined dimensions;
• 30 kg maximum weight;
• no individual side longer than 170 cm.

If the suitcase cannot be safely turned upside down during transport, no individual side can exceed 100 cm.

To calculate the size:

Length + width + height

For example:

75 cm + 50 cm + 30 cm = size 155

This would normally fall into the size-160 category.

A special suitcase cover is not compulsory. The suitcase itself is treated as the external packaging, so minor marks or scratches may occur during transportation. Close every zipper completely and lock the suitcase when possible.

What should you never send?

Keep important and irreplaceable items with you.

Do not place the following inside forwarded luggage:

• passport;
• cash;
• credit or debit cards;
• medication needed during the journey;
• jewellery;
• irreplaceable documents;
• fragile original artwork or data;
• flammable products;
• dangerous goods;
• valuable electronics you immediately need.

Yamato prohibits cash, payment cards, passports, irreplaceable originals, dangerous substances and parcels whose contents exceed ¥300,000 in total value. Certain battery-powered products and liquids may also face restrictions, especially when the shipment travels by air.

Standard TA-Q-BIN parcels are covered up to a declared value of ¥300,000, but that does not make luggage forwarding suitable for passports, cash or irreplaceable possessions.

Maximum suitcase size and weight

For standard Yamato TA-Q-BIN, the normal maximum is:

• 200 cm combined dimensions;
• 30 kg maximum weight;
• no individual side longer than 170 cm.

If the suitcase cannot be safely turned upside down during transport, no individual side can exceed 100 cm.

To calculate the size:

Length + width + height

For example:

75 cm + 50 cm + 30 cm = size 155

This would normally fall into the size-160 category.

A special suitcase cover is not compulsory. The suitcase itself is treated as the external packaging, so minor marks or scratches may occur during transportation. Close every zipper completely and lock the suitcase when possible.

What should you never send?

Keep important and irreplaceable items with you.

Do not place the following inside forwarded luggage:

• passport;
• cash;
• credit or debit cards;
• medication needed during the journey;
• jewellery;
• irreplaceable documents;
• fragile original artwork or data;
• flammable products;
• dangerous goods;
• valuable electronics you immediately need.

Yamato prohibits cash, payment cards, passports, irreplaceable originals, dangerous substances and parcels whose contents exceed ¥300,000 in total value. Certain battery-powered products and liquids may also face restrictions, especially when the shipment travels by air.

Standard TA-Q-BIN parcels are covered up to a declared value of ¥300,000, but that does not make luggage forwarding suitable for passports, cash or irreplaceable possessions.

Takkyubin vs luggage lockers vs luggage storage

These services solve different problems.

Situation	Best solution
Moving from one city to another	Takkyubin
Leaving luggage for a few hours	Station locker
Large lockers are full	Bookable luggage storage
Spending one night in a small town	Send the main suitcase to the following hotel
Arriving early at an airport	Same-day airport delivery or storage
Leaving Japan in the evening	Hotel-to-airport delivery or hotel storage
Staying in an unstaffed Airbnb	Yamato office, storage service or private delivery

Takkyubin moves your luggage to another destination.

A locker or luggage-storage service keeps it in the same location until you return.

Only need to store your luggage for a few hours?

Learn how station lockers work, which sizes are available and what to do when the large lockers are full.

Read my guide to luggage lockers in Japan

Common luggage-forwarding mistakes

Sending the bag too late

Do not assume that every route is guaranteed to arrive the next morning.

Confirm the expected arrival date before paying.

Sending everything inside the suitcase

Always retain essentials for at least one or two nights.

Using a different name from the hotel booking

The receiving hotel may struggle to identify the owner.

Use the exact guest name shown on the reservation.

Forgetting to confirm that the hotel accepts deliveries

Most hotels do, but unstaffed properties and some small accommodation facilities may not.

Sending the suitcase directly to an unattended Airbnb

Without reception staff, delivery may fail.

Putting a passport or medication inside

These items should remain with you throughout the journey.

Losing the tracking receipt

Photograph the waybill immediately after paying.

Confusing luggage forwarding with same-day delivery

Normal takkyubin usually requires at least one night. Same-day delivery is a separate, more limited service.

Sending luggage to the airport at the last minute

Standard airport delivery normally needs to arrive one day before your flight.

Forgetting the correct airport terminal

Check the airline and terminal before completing the form.

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Frequently asked questions

Is luggage forwarding in Japan reliable?

Japan’s domestic luggage-delivery network is widely used, and shipments include a tracking number.

However, no delivery service is completely risk-free. Keep passports, medication, valuables and irreplaceable items with you.

Do I need to book Takkyubin in advance?

Usually not when arranging standard hotel-to-hotel delivery through reception.

You should book in advance when using a third-party same-day service, particularly between an airport and hotel.

Can the hotel fill out the form for me?

Hotel staff will often help complete or check the waybill.

Prepare the destination hotel’s address, telephone number, reservation name and check-in date to make the process easier.

Can I write the form in English?

Yes. Yamato states that its waybills may be completed in English.

Can I send luggage between Tokyo and Kyoto?

Yes. This is one of the most common uses of luggage forwarding.

Allow adequate time and carry at least one change of clothing with you.

Can I send luggage from Tokyo to Hakone?

Yes, provided that the accommodation accepts deliveries.

However, for a one-night Hakone stay, it is often smarter to send the suitcase directly from Tokyo to Kyoto or Osaka and carry a small bag into Hakone.

Can I send luggage to a ryokan?

Yes, when the ryokan agrees to receive it.

Confirm in advance because small family-run properties may have limited reception hours.

Can Takkyubin store my luggage for several days?

You can request a delivery date within seven days of the day Yamato accepts the suitcase.

For longer periods, use a dedicated luggage-storage service.

Can I track the suitcase?

Yes. Keep the waybill receipt and use its tracking number.

Take a photograph of the receipt in case the original is lost.

Is Takkyubin included in the Japan Rail Pass?

No. Luggage delivery is a separate service and is not included with rail passes or train tickets.

[INTERNAL LINK: How to Use Trains in Japan]

Is it cheaper to carry the suitcase on the train?

Usually yes in purely financial terms.

Takkyubin is valuable because it saves effort, transfer time and stress rather than because it reduces the train fare.

My recommended luggage strategy for Japan

For most two-week itineraries, you do not need to forward luggage after every hotel.

Use it strategically.

A practical plan might look like this:

• arrive in Tokyo with your full luggage;
• carry it normally to the Tokyo hotel;
• send it from Tokyo to Kyoto;
• visit Hakone with a small overnight bag;
• collect it in Kyoto;
• carry it directly from Kyoto to Osaka;
• send it from Osaka to the final Tokyo hotel;
• visit Hiroshima or Miyajima with a smaller bag;
• send it to the airport early or use same-day airport delivery.

This gives you the convenience of hands-free travel without paying for unnecessary shipments at every stage.

The best time to decide where to forward luggage is while building the itinerary—not on the morning of departure.

Need help planning luggage and transport across Japan?

A good Japan itinerary should account for more than attractions.

Hotel locations, station transfers, luggage delivery, check-in times and overnight stops can completely change how comfortable the trip feels.

I create personalised Japan travel plans with realistic routes, transport guidance and practical luggage recommendations for every stage of the journey.

Discover my custom Japan itinerary service

Continue planning your Japan trip

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Complete Guide to Station Lockers in Japan

Best Japan Travel Apps

What to Pack for Japan

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