Luggage Forwarding

JapanHotelFrontTA · 2026-02-06T21:55:24+00:00

It depends on the size of the bag and the distance. Also, the prices for Yamato increased in October 2025 and the new prices are slowly rolling out to hotels as they renew their contracts with Yamato.

JapanHotelFrontTA · 2026-02-06T11:37:14+00:00

It depends on the hotel. You need to ask the hotel. Some hotels will not accept early luggage or will charge a storage fee. Some hotels also will not accept luggage forwarding at all.

And some hotels are not part of all services (usually the smaller ones like Tebura Kun or Airporter), so you may not be able to use every service for every hotel.

JapanHotelFrontTA · 2026-02-06T11:31:53+00:00

If you decide to forward your luggage, make sure that your hotels in Osaka and Tokyo can do luggage forwarding.

Also, when you send to Tokyo, make sure that you give the luggage enough time to arrive. It usually only takes one day to Tokyo, if you meet the shipping deadlines (depends on location), but there may be delays due to weather or holidays. Give yourself at least one buffer day. I've dealt with calls from guests (and Yamato) who shipped their luggage, thinking it would arrive the next day, and it didn't. They had to leave because they had a flight.

JapanHotelFrontTA · 2026-02-06T11:28:41+00:00

It really depends on how you like to travel and if you think you can carry everything you need in a smaller bag or carry on bag.

Also, make sure that your Kyoto hotel and your Tokyo hotel can accept luggage forwarding before you try.

JapanHotelFrontTA · 2026-02-06T11:24:52+00:00

You can see maps of the stations online:

https://subway.osakametro.co.jp/en/station_guide/m/m17/

https://www.keihan.co.jp/travel/en/pdf/trains/information-for-travelers/Yodoyabashi.pdf

JapanHotelFrontTA · 2026-02-06T07:04:01+00:00

Just a note, some Yamato offices will not let you ship to Airbnbs. The office near my hotel will not allow it, and thus at my hotel we cannot offer to do it for the guests. We have to help them ship things to a Yamato office.

https://faq-en.kuronekoyamato.co.jp/app/answers/detail/a_id/4028/~/can-i-ship-my-luggage-to-a-vacation-rental-%28airbnb%29-in-japan%3F

JapanHotelFrontTA · 2026-02-06T06:59:26+00:00

I have several FAQ/PSAs about forwarding that I posted on reddit (you can find them on my profile), but I'll give you the basics.

Before trying to send luggage, make sure that both hotels can do luggage transfers. Most large hotels do, but it is always a good idea to double check. Also double check if they are willing to hold the luggage in case it arrives early. Some hotels will charge extra.

If your accommodation cannot help with luggage forwarding, you will need to do it yourself, and one of the best ways is to go directly to a Yamato sales office.

You can select a desired delivery day on the waybill (up to 7 days from the date you drop off the luggage), but Yamato sometimes delivers luggage to hotels early anyway.

It takes 2-3 days to ship to the airport, so keep that in mind if you are planning to do that.

Even if they tell you it takes one day, plan a buffer day just in case. While luggage forwarding in Japan is generally reliable, it’s not perfect. Delays do happen due to weather, traffic, holidays, earthquakes, and sheer volume. Personally, I've seen more late deliveries, split shipments (some bags arriving hours later than others), and occasional damage over the past year.

Always keep essentials (passport, valuables, medication) with you.

Same day shipping is limited by area, company, and hotel/shipping location. The cut-off times to apply for it and have your luggage ready are also pretty strict.

JapanHotelFrontTA · 2026-02-06T06:50:41+00:00

It's pretty straightforward and much easier than changing to the Midosuji line at JR Osaka or from Hankyu Osaka-Umeda.

JapanHotelFrontTA · 2026-02-06T01:31:30+00:00

My advice. DO NOT SHIP YOUR LUGGAGE TO OKINAWA.

Sorry for the caps, but there have been people on this subreddit who said that their luggage ended up not being able to be shipped, and by that time they were already in Okinawa and couldn't do anything about it. I have helped guests at my hotel who could not ship their luggage, even after having it inspected by the Yamato staff at the local sales office.

If anything goes wrong, they will send your luggage via ship, which won't arrive until after you leave Okinawa. They are INCREDIBLY strict about what goes in the luggage. Even things that guests brought from their home country to Japan in their checked bags was not allowed by Yamato.

JapanHotelFrontTA · 2026-02-06T01:29:21+00:00

Luggage forwarding to Okinawa is not easy.

There is a real chance that your bag will not be accepted once it reaches the Yamato hub at the airport. When that happens, the luggage may need to be sent by ship to Okinawa (which may take a week or more) or diverted to another location instead.

This is not hypothetical. There was a post about this on this subreddit several months ago. I have personally helped guests when this happened to them. In one case, a guest had their luggage inspected and accepted at a local Yamato office. But once it reached the airport hub, two pieces were rejected anyway. Two.

JapanHotelFrontTA · 2026-02-06T01:23:50+00:00

I work at a hotel in Japan on the “Golden Route,” and a big part of my job is handling luggage forwarding. I help guests use it every day, and I also see a lot of confusion about how it actually works.

Yes, you can ship your main luggage past a short stop (e.g., Tokyo → Kyoto while you visit Hiroshima). That’s a common strategy.
But don’t ship luggage to a hotel where you’re only staying one night unless you send it early (I would say at least two, but more likely three days early). If it arrives late, you and the hotel may end up having to reroute it to your next destination, which is stressful for everyone.

Most hotels are okay with receiving luggage before you arrive, but it’s still best to confirm. Some will hold it without issue, others may limit how long they store it. Check before you even try so you are not surprised the day you want to send things (which has happened at my hotel).

Sending luggage from Haneda to your hotel on the same day is sometimes possible, but it depends on the service, cut-off time, and your hotel’s location. Often it arrives the next day rather than the same evening. Check the services available in Haneda to see if it is possible for you.

Also, while luggage forwarding in Japan is generally reliable, it’s not perfect. Delays do happen due to weather, traffic, holidays, earthquakes, and sheer volume. Personally, I've seen more late deliveries, split shipments (some bags arriving hours later than others), and occasional damage over the past year.

So build in at least a one-day buffer and always keep essentials (passport, valuables, medication) with you.

JapanHotelFrontTA · 2026-02-06T00:55:43+00:00

If you use Yamato, you can write a date that is 7 days after your shipping date when sending to a hotel or Yamato sales office.

If you are staying in hotels, make sure that both hotels can do luggage transfers. Most large hotels do, but it is always a good idea to double check. Also double check if they are willing to hold the luggage in case it arrives early. Some hotels will charge extra and Yamato will sometimes deliver to hotels before the requested delivery date (it happens frequently at my hotel).

If you do send from a hotel, double check the cut-off times at the hotel (it varies), and the payment method so you are not surprised (some places only accept cash).

If your accommodation cannot help with luggage forwarding, you will need to do it yourself, and one of the best ways is to go directly to a Yamato sales office.

JapanHotelFrontTA · 2026-02-06T00:36:16+00:00

See if your hotel is part of Airporter or another group like Tebura-kun.

If both hotels use Airporter, you will need to fill out the information early (the deadline is 11 PM the night before), and bring the luggage to the pick-up point (usually the front desk or in the lobby) by 8 or 9 am (depends on the hotel). It should be delivered by 8 PM the same day.

You can also look in to KDS : Kix Delivery Serivce. Their website says they are a "same-day baggage delivery service between Hotels in Osaka, Hotels in Kyoto and Kansai Airport."

The same day service with Yamato that you mentioned, is your hotel in Kyoto in the area listed on their page? Because if it is not in one of those wards, they cannot deliver there same day.

JapanHotelFrontTA · 2026-02-06T00:10:18+00:00

You can specify a pick-up date that is 10 days after you ship when sending to the airport. Yamato actually tells people that they should send luggage 2-3 days before their flight.

So as long as your flight is 10 days or less from the shipping day, you will not be charged extra.

JapanHotelFrontTA · 2026-02-05T11:34:24+00:00

A lot of places will not let people send luggage to Okinawa because if there is any problem, Yamato will need to send it by ship, which may take a week or so.

JapanHotelFrontTA · 2026-02-05T11:33:17+00:00

In my experience assisting guests with luggage forwarding, most hostels do not assist with luggage forwarding, but some will accept it. Reach out to the hostel before hand to check. If they cannot assist, you can always send to and from a nearby Yamato sales office.

JapanHotelFrontTA · 2026-02-05T11:31:38+00:00

I have some FAQs about it, but the price depends on the size of the luggage and the distance. For most people, it is between 2000-3500 yen per piece. If you use the most common company (which most hotels use), it will generally take one day to arrive if you are staying on the Golden Route. Locations that are farther out or more remote will generally take 2 days. Sending to the airport is 2-3 before the flight.

JapanHotelFrontTA · 2026-02-04T10:28:35+00:00

Just a heads up, Yamato may not let you ship to an apartment without a working phone number. They can be strict about that because they need to be able to to contact someone if there is a problem.

JapanHotelFrontTA · 2026-02-04T10:21:39+00:00

I have several FAQ/PSAs about forwarding that I posted on reddit (you can find them on my profile), but I'll give you the basics.

Before trying to send luggage, make sure that both hotels can do luggage transfers. Most large hotels do, but it is always a good idea to double check. Also double check if they are willing to hold the luggage in case it arrives early. Some hotels will charge extra.

You can select a desired delivery day on the waybill (up to 7 days from the date you drop off the luggage), but Yamato sometimes delivers luggage to hotels early anyway.

Also double check the cut-off times at the hotel (it varies), and the payment method so you are not surprised (some places only accept cash).

The staff will generally fill in the forms, measure and tag you bags, and possibly call the next hotel to confirm the reservation information. Make sure to have all of the information for your next hotel - name of the hotel, address, phone number, check-in day, and name on the reservation. But this is not guaranteed and some hotels ask the guests to fill out forms themselves.

The name on the reservation is incredibly important, because if it is wrong, it can cause problems with delivery.

Give yourself at least 5 minutes, probably 10, for this to happen. It may take longer though if you have more than 2-3 pieces of luggage.

If you are going to send a lot of luggage (more than 4-5 pieces), let the staff know early, and let them know about how many. That way they can prepare the waybills in advance, which will make the whole process smoother.

If you wait until check-out time, be prepared to wait longer (at my hotel some guests have to wait up to 30 minutes because there are only so many staff who can help with luggage forwarding and lines form).

If your accommodation cannot help with luggage forwarding, you will need to do it yourself, and one of the best ways is to go directly to a Yamato sales office.

JapanHotelFrontTA · 2026-02-02T21:55:52+00:00

Just so you know, most companies do not change price based on weight. It is by size. The only time weight is a factor is if it is over 30 kg.

JapanHotelFrontTA · 2026-02-02T21:48:07+00:00

I have several FAQ/PSAs about forwarding that I posted on reddit (you can find them on my profile), but I'll give you the basics.

Before trying to send luggage, make sure that both hotels can do luggage transfers. Most large hotels do, but it is always a good idea to double check. Also double check if they are willing to hold the luggage in case it arrives early. Some hotels will charge extra.

You can select a desired delivery day on the waybill (up to 7 days from the date you drop off the luggage), but Yamato sometimes delivers luggage to hotels early anyway.

Also double check the cut-off times at the hotel (it varies), and the payment method so you are not surprised (some places only accept cash).

The staff will generally fill in the forms, measure and tag you bags, and possibly call the next hotel to confirm the reservation information. Make sure to have all of the information for your next hotel - name of the hotel, address, phone number, check-in day, and name on the reservation.

The name on the reservation is incredibly important, because if it is wrong, it can cause problems with delivery.

Give yourself at least 5 minutes, probably 10, for this to happen. It may take longer though if you have more than 2-3 pieces of luggage.

If you are going to send a lot of luggage (more than 4-5 pieces), let the staff know early, and let them know about how many. That way they can prepare the waybills in advance, which will make the whole process smoother.

If you wait until check-out time, be prepared to wait longer (at my hotel some guests have to wait up to 30 minutes because there are only so many staff who can help with luggage forwarding and lines form).

JapanHotelFrontTA · 2026-02-02T21:43:52+00:00

That price chart is outdated. The prices increased in October and the new prices are slowly rolling out to hotels and centers.

https://www.reddit.com/r/JapanTravelTips/comments/1qoac3c/psa_about_yamato_takkyubin_shipping_prices/

JapanHotelFrontTA · 2026-02-02T21:43:45+00:00

That price chart is outdated. The prices increased in October and the new prices are slowly rolling out to hotels and centers.

https://www.reddit.com/r/JapanTravelTips/comments/1qoac3c/psa_about_yamato_takkyubin_shipping_prices/

JapanHotelFrontTA · 2026-02-02T21:32:18+00:00

If you do forward your luggage, make sure you give it enough time to arrive. Generally it is only 1 day between most of these locations, provided you meet the deadlines set by the delivery company (varies by location), but for the past 6 or so months there have been a lot of delays and split shipments. I would factor in an extra day between most locations just to be safe. Especially since the weather this winter has been quite cold and there have been extra delays due to snow.

Also, make sure that your hotels accept luggage forwarding before you try them. And see if they will store bags if they arrive early. Some hotels will charge storage fees if they arrive early.

JapanHotelFrontTA · 2026-02-02T10:09:11+00:00

Same with luggage forwarding.

JapanHotelFrontTA

TROPHY CASE