When it comes to moving around bag free, Japan has very convenient solutions – train station lockers. And thanks to the vast network of trains the country has, train lockers are plentiful.
Where are train lockers found
Depending on the size and layout of the station, they can either be close to the ticket gates, or in a separate area or room. Sometimes this involves walking along corridors, or going up or down an escalator to get there.
Japan train station locker sizes
There are three main sizes, Small, Medium and Large. But in some bigger stations, you might be able to find an Extra Large one; It really depends.
Sizes | Small | Medium | Large | Extra Large |
---|---|---|---|---|
Dimensions (cm) | 30H x 40W x 57D | 55H x 35W x 57D | 84H x 40W x 57D | 103H x 34W x 57D |
Price (¥) | 300 | 400 | 500 | 600 |
These are all average sizes and prices, so if you think your bag or suitcase might be a tight fit, you can check for the exact size using search terms like:
Example 1 (Train line): JR東日本 コインロッカー サイズ
Example 2 (Train station): 新大阪駅 コインロッカー サイズ
Outlet mall locker sizes
Shopping at an Outlet mall can be a lot of fun, and unless you are there with a suitcase, you will most likely find your arms getting more and more tired as the hours go by. Luckily, Outlet malls in Japan also have coin lockers where you can store your shopping bags until you are ready to jump on the bus back to the station at the end of the day!
Sizes | Small | Medium | Large |
---|---|---|---|
Dimensions (cm) | 29H x 34W x 42D | 51H x 36W x 58D | 102H x 36W x 58D |
Price (¥) | 200 | 300 | 400 |
These are also average sizes and prices, so do check the Outlet mall website for the actual size.
How to use the lockers
There are 2 main types of coin lockers in Japan, a coin-type one that only accepts 100yen coins, and a transport IC card-type one (Eg. SUICA)that has a digital menu screen.
Storing your things in the train lockers
Coin-type lockers
- Find a locker with a key in the keyhole (empty)
- Put your things in the locker
- Put in the coins (100yen coins only)
- Close the door and turn the key to lock the locker
Transport IC card-type lockers
- Check to see which locker is available by looking for a door that has a light, or checking the digital screen
- Select the locker you will be using on the screen
- Put your things in the locker and close the door
- Select mode of payment (IC card or Cash) on the screen and pay
- Take the receipt that comes out and keep it with you
When to use the train lockers
Whether you are thinking about train station lockers or just coin lockers in general, both the local residents and tourists find them convenient.
Business trips or Holidays
If you are on a business trip, or a holiday, these coin lockers are great!
Say you need to check out of your hotel at 10:00 and your shinkansen departs at 13:08. You would have a few hours to kill.
You could get the hotel front desk staff to keep your bags for a couple of hours while you sit down for your last meeting, or do some last minute shopping or sightseeing. But this would mean that you have to run back to the hotel to pick your stuff up before heading to the shinkansen station.
If you want to save time and go directly to the shinkansen station from your appointment or the sightseeing spot, being able to just grab them from the train locker before you get on the shinkansen is a stress-free option.
Working out
Gyms have rental lockers that you can use, but if your work out or dance session is somewhere else, like a small studio that does not have rental lockers, you can just pop your stuff in the locker while you go about your day, and then grab them before the session.
And doing it this way can be great for the weekend in particular. I mean, you can meet a friend for lunch, run a few errands, grab your workout stuff from the train locker, then go for your exercise session. Convenient, no?
Time limit for coin lockers
As a general rule, if you take your stuff out of the locker by around midnight, you won’t need to pay anything extra. So it doesn’t really matter if you put your things in at 10:00 in the morning or 18:00 in the evening.
But if you leave your things there overnight and pick them up the next day at 07:00 for example, you might need to pay for an additional ‘day’. So like if it is a 300yen locker, you would need to pay 600yen.
Max number of days
We can extend the use of the train locker for a maximum of 3 days. But after that, the train staff will open up the locker to remove the items and store them in the company’s storage room.
And when you try to claim your items, you will need to pay additional fees before the items are released back to you.
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