I’ve been to Japan 4 times. My 5th visit (4th for my husband) was supposed to be in 2020 and, well, we all know how that went. Plans for 2020 turned into plans for 2021, which turned into, “Let’s wait and see what happens.” Although we could conceivably go to Japan now, we’re currently holding off until 2026.
Meanwhile, travel to Japan is HOT, with over 33 million visitors this year (through November). The most visitors the country had ever seen before that was 2019, which totaled nearly 32 million, so they already broke that record, with December’s numbers yet to be tallied.
Besides the influx of visitors in popular cities, tourists also crowd the infrastructure. And when a place like Tokyo’s trains are already overcrowded, tourists and their luggage just make the problem worse.
I experienced Tokyo’s trains during rush hour once and that was enough. I’ve made it my business to ALWAYS avoid the trains during the busy times. My foray was when we were staying in Tokyo for a few days, so we didn’t have any luggage with us; I can only imagine how awful it’d be if I had, say, a checked and carry-on sized bag with me.
JAL’s answer to the problem
Hoping to, “address social issues such as congestion in public transportation and the shortage of storage lockers” at train stations and airports, Japan Airlines has come up with a viable solution – a luggage delivery service.
It stops you from having to drag your luggage to your final destination in 14 districts in Tokyo (including Shinjuku, Shibuya and Chuo, among others), and you don’t take up as much space on the train. Win-win!
The same-day service costs 4,500 yen ($29) per suitcase and is available at Haneda Airport’s Terminal 3 daily from 4am to 6pm.
How it works
The program is open to all travelers, including those not flying with JAL, as well as Japanese residents. However, deliveries can only be made to hotels in the city – so luggage can’t be sent to private homes or Airbnbs. You do need to apply in advance to use the service. According to JAL’s website, all passengers must “make a reservation and payment using the 2D barcode on the poster in front of the ‘JAL ABC counter’ located in the arrival lobby.”
Other services
JAL’s delivery system isn’t the only one out there. ANA offers a delivery service as well, which is also open to travelers besides their own passengers. Yamato Transport has been around for decades and we can vouch for them – we used their service in the early 2000s.
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