Are you dragging a 30 kg suitcase through a packed Hankyu train in Kyoto? Locals shake their heads and sigh: "Why not just use takkyubin?" The single most overlooked tool for foreign travelers, 1,500 yen of takkyubin can save you half a day of suffering. Here is the full breakdown.
The bottom line: Yamato Black Cat takkyubin is the most widespread, and large bags arrive the next day
Japan has three major parcel carriers: Yamato (Kuroneko Yamato, the "black cat"), Sagawa Express, and Japan Post. Among them, Yamato is the most foreigner-friendly, with the most counters and the broadest English / Chinese service.
Yamato’s main service: "takkyubin"
Standard packages up to 100 cm in dimensions and 25 kg arrive nationwide the next day. Pricing depends on item count, distance, and size.
1. Within Tokyo (20 kg luggage): about 1,650 yen 2. Tokyo to Kyoto (20 kg): about 2,100 yen 3. Kyoto to Fukuoka (20 kg): about 2,400 yen 4. Tokyo to Sapporo (20 kg): about 2,900 yen
Yamato raised prices in 2024, and actual rates fluctuate with fuel costs. Confirm at the counter.
Airport to hotel: "kuko takkyubin" is the easiest option
Narita, Haneda, Kansai, and Chubu international airports all have Yamato, Sagawa, and Japan Post counters in the arrivals hall, where you can ship immediately.
A typical scenario: land at Narita, ship your large suitcase directly to your Kyoto hotel, and pick it up the day after you arrive in Kyoto. This lets you travel light through 2 days in Tokyo before continuing to Kyoto, never dragging luggage on the trains.
To pick up: fill in the form and pay at drop-off, and present your passport at the hotel to retrieve. Note: most hotels require you to have checked in before the luggage arrives (otherwise the hotel will not accept it). Contact the hotel in advance to confirm acceptable delivery dates.
Hotel to hotel: the biggest liberation mid-trip
Ship a large suitcase from your Tokyo hotel to your Kyoto hotel with a designated 2-hour arrival window (morning, midday, afternoon, or evening — 4 slots total), and it arrives on time. Costs run the same (around 2,000-2,400 yen), saving you the pain of hauling a big case on the shinkansen.
Most hotels host a "takkyubin counter"
Mid-size and larger hotels accept drop-off at reception. Pro tip: hand in the package before 11am, and most regions deliver the next day. Late afternoon drop-offs may push delivery to the day after that.
Pre-departure: hotel to airport
On your last day, ship the large suitcase to the airport the night before, then travel light for final shopping. Note: airport-bound shipments have airline restrictions, and some LCCs do not accept off-site delivery. Confirm in advance. Yamato airport storage and pickup runs about 2,000-2,500 yen.
Convenience stores accept shipments too!
7-Eleven, Family Mart, and Lawson all serve as Yamato drop-off points (Yamato partners with the konbini chains). Available 24 hours, so even late-night shipments are possible.
Workflow: grab a form in the store and fill it out (staff will help) → hand the box to the clerk → pay → collect the receipt. Konbini staff typically do not speak Chinese, so use a translation app or pre-fill the "okurijo" (shipping form) in advance.
How to write the recipient address?
Use Japanese (kanji, hiragana, katakana). Yamato accepts English addresses but with higher risk. Before departure, ask the hotel for the Japanese address, phone number, and recipient name (the hotel name). Example: 京都市下京区四条通烏丸通西入100 ホテル日航京都気付 田中太郎様.
What can you ship? What cannot you ship?
Prohibited: cash, securities, fragile items (high-value ceramics may be insured separately), live animals, hazardous materials (lighters, aerosol cans).
Skis, golf clubs, and suitcases have dedicated services (ski takkyubin, golf takkyubin). Example: Tokyo to a Hokkaido ski resort, ski-specific shipping at about 3,500 yen.
What size counts as takkyubin? Oversize uses "Yamato-bin"
Combined dimensions (length + width + height) over 200 cm, or weight over 25 kg, require the "Yamato-bin" freight service, tiered by size and weight (2,000-8,000 yen).
Pro tip: ship the large suitcase, carry only 24-hour essentials
Advanced strategy: pack a small backpack before departure (overnight change of clothes, passport, cash, charger), and ship everything else ahead to your next-city hotel. You can then move freely on trains and subways, without thrashing your IC card balance.
On your next trip, try shipping luggage directly from Narita to your Kyoto hotel and spend 2 days exploring Tokyo light. You will find the travel experience transformed.