Stop Carrying Your Suitcase on the Train! The “Magic Hack” for Hands-Free Travel in Japan
Picture this: You just finished amazing days in Tokyo. Now you’re heading to Kyoto. You arrive at Shinjuku Station during rush hour. You have two giant suitcases. The train is packed. People are staring at your bags. You have to lift them onto the Shinkansen overhead rack. You are sweaty, stressed, and miserable.
Stop. Rewind.
As your “Best Friend” in Japan, I cannot let you do this. There is a secret that locals know, and it changes everything: We rarely carry big suitcases on trains.
We use a magical service called “Takkyubin” (宅急便), or luggage forwarding. It’s cheap, it’s reliable, and it’s the single best travel hack in Japan.
Here is how to travel hands-free.
What is “Takkyubin”?
It is a nationwide delivery service. The most famous company is Yamato Transport, known by their yellow and black logo of a black mother cat carrying a kitten in her mouth. (Look for this logo! You will see their trucks everywhere).
- The Magic: You drop your suitcase off at your hotel in Tokyo today. Tomorrow, it magically appears in your hotel room in Kyoto.
- The Cost: It’s surprisingly cheap. Sending a large suitcase from Tokyo to Kyoto usually costs between 2,000 JPY to 3,000 JPY ($13 – $20) per bag.
- The Speed: Usually next-day delivery (if sent by a certain time, often noon).
How to Use It (The Easy “Hotel-to-Hotel” Method)
You don’t need to speak Japanese or go to a post office. Your hotel will do everything for you.
Step 1: Pack an Overnight Bag Since your big bag will arrive tomorrow, pack a small backpack with pajamas and essentials for one night.
Step 2: Go to Your Hotel Front Desk (in the Morning) Bring your big, locked suitcases down to the lobby. Show them the address of your next hotel (have the confirmation email ready on your phone).
Step 3: Say the Magic Phrase Say to the staff: “Takkyubin, please.” (tah-kkyu-bin). Or simply: “I want to send my bags to Kyoto.”
Step 4: They Do the Work The staff will give you a waybill (shipping label).
- The Best Part: Usually, the hotel staff will fill it out for you! They will measure your bag, tell you the price, and you pay the hotel directly.
- Get your receipt: Keep the tracking number.
Step 5: Walk Away Hands-Free That’s it. Go enjoy your last day in Tokyo. Get on the Shinkansen with just a coffee and a small bag. Feel the jealousy of other tourists hauling their luggage.
Step 6: Arrive in Kyoto Check into your new hotel. Open your door. Your suitcases will likely be waiting inside your room. It feels like teleportation.
Can I use it outside of hotels?
Yes!
- Convenience Stores: Most 7-Eleven or FamilyMart stores accept Takkyubin (look for the Black Cat logo outside). However, you will have to fill out the Japanese paper form yourself, which can be stressful. Friend’s advice: Just use your hotel desk. It’s way easier.
- Airports: You can send bags from the airport to your hotel, or to the airport for your flight home. (Note: Sending to the airport usually requires sending it 2 days before your flight).
Summary: The New Way to Travel
Don’t be a “pack mule.” Be a smart traveler. For the price of a couple of bowls of ramen, you can eliminate the single most stressful part of Japanese travel.
Once you try hands-free travel, you will never go back.
Want more insider tricks to make your trip smoother? Our tours are designed to be as stress-free as possible. We handle the logistics, the navigation, and the language, so you can just focus on enjoying Japan. Let us carry the mental load for you!
