If you packed lightly or efficiently (meaning there is little space left), you may find yourself without a place to put purchases made during the trip. We found that this is best solved by following these steps:

• At each location where you stay and purchase items that you cannot fit, use the luggage forwarding service to send these to your final hotel on the trip. Otherwise, carry them with you to your next destination and do the process from there.
• At your final stay, or not long before, purchase a small bag (≤ ¥2,000), or a small hard shell suitcase (± ¥6,500 and up) so that you can (re)pack and have room for the accumulated purchases you have forwarded. At this point, you will have a good understanding of the additional space you need and what to purchase.
• An alternative is to bring a folded-up Ikea bag or a duffel bag with you from home. This, however, does take up space, so keep that in mind.

Luggage forwarding service

This service allows you to send luggage from one hotel to another, thereby eliminating the need to carry a lot of luggage on trains between destinations. The service is relatively cheap and often expeditious. We were strongly advised to use it because some trains have limited luggage space. We traveled with one backpack and one standard carry-on (roller) each, and it was never a problem. Subway rides to Shinkansen transfer stations were short, and stacking the backpack (with a strap) on top of the carry-on made things relatively compact, easy to handle on escalators, and never a problem. All these items also fit in the Shinkansen’s overhead storage space.

We did see people travelling with suitcases the size of a closet. Even though these have wheels, they are challenging to handle on streets and sidewalks (to and from hotels) and in train stations. They are unwieldy, but not impossible, on the subways. They do NOT fit in the overhead spaces on Shinkansen. The Shinkansen has space for large luggage in some cars. It seemed you needed to reserve space in these, though I also read that this may no longer be the case as of July 1, 2025. Still, I suggest avoiding large luggage.

You don’t need as many clothes as you might think, although it can depend on the season you are travelling in. We traveled in the summer season, and I found that one pair of long pants and two pairs of shorts, along with about five or six t-shirts, were sufficient (including socks and underwear). We did not bring, but bought small umbrellas, which are helpful for both rain and sun protection (they are commonly used this way in Japan). Many, but not all, hotels offer a laundry facility where you can either operate machines yourself (sometimes waiting for others; requires coins) or use their service (which is expensive). This helps minimize clothing needs and luggage space.

While it is called luggage forwarding, you can forward almost anything that is packaged. In one case, we packaged our items in a paper shopping bag (provided by the hotel), double-bagged and sealed, and forwarded them without issue. In another case, we had a small cardboard box.

Often, the hotel will assist you by providing the necessary paperwork, helping you complete it, and making the payments. If the hotel does not, you can do this at many convenience stores, such as 7-Eleven and Lawson’s (we only ever did it at the hotel). Generally, you will need to provide your passport and the details of your destination hotel. They will call the destination hotel to confirm that you have a confirmed reservation for the future. Once you arrive, the hotel will typically hand over any items they have received on your behalf. We forwarded items more than 10 days in advance without issues.