Coin lockers or staffed luggage storage
You have a big suitcase, a few free hours before check-in and no idea where to leave it.
Food, etiquette and daily basics
Packing light for a multi-city Japan trip
You are moving between cities, and every extra kilo has to be carried up a station staircase.
Pack for about a week, carry on if you can, and forward anything bigger between hotels. Every extra kilo is carried up station stairs, so a light bag matters more in a multi-city trip than in a one-base stay. This guide gives a rule and a checklist.
How light is light enough?
Aim for one carry-on and a day bag per person. Choose clothes that layer and mix, shoes you can walk in all day, and one outfit for a nicer dinner. Use a hotel laundry or coin laundry once or twice a week instead of packing for ten days.
What about budget airline allowances?
Allowances from Malaysia differ by airline and fare, and they change. Check the current cabin and checked allowance on your airline’s own page before you pack, and buy extra checked weight at booking if you need it. See the domestic flight baggage guide if you also fly inside Japan, where allowances can be tighter.
When should you forward luggage?
Forward luggage when you move cities and your bag is heavy or large. Most major hotels can arrange delivery between hotels, with typical limits of 160 linear cm and 25 to 30 kg per piece 1. Read sending luggage between hotels and the luggage transfer complexity scale to see which moves need it.
Lockers are the other option. They cost about 300 to 600 yen depending on size, and fill up quickly in busy locations 2. See coin lockers versus station storage.
What is a short checklist?
- Documents: passport, Visit Japan Web QR code, insurance, flight details.
- Clothing: thermal layer, light jacket, rain layer, comfortable shoes.
- Electronics: phone, power bank, plug adapter.
- Medicine: your own prescriptions in their original packs.
- Small yen coins for lockers and vending machines.
What should tropical travellers add?
Winter trips need thermal wear, gloves and a hat, which take space. Wear the bulkiest layers on the plane and pack the rest. The cold weather packing guide explains how, and the Shinkansen oversized baggage guide covers large cases on bullet trains.
What if you buy gifts?
Leave room, or plan to forward a parcel home. Do not fill the bag on day one. Ship purchases to your next hotel or to the airport before your flight, as the luggage forwarding guide describes.
If you are moving through several cities, send us your route and the number of bags. We tell you where to forward luggage and where to carry on.
Keep planning
Sending luggage to the airport before your flight
You land back at the airport tired and want to walk in with one light bag.
Shinkansen oversized baggage rules
You are packing a big suitcase and worry it will not fit on the bullet train.
Sending luggage between hotels: what to check
You are tired of dragging suitcases across cities and want to know if sending them ahead is safe.
Cold-weather packing for tropical travellers
You have never needed a coat, and a Japanese winter is coming.
Bag allowance on domestic flights in Japan
Your suitcase was fine on the flight from Malaysia, but you worry about the next flight in Japan.
Questions travellers ask
Can I do a multi-city Japan trip with only a carry-on?
Yes, with a plan. Pack for about a week and use a hotel laundry or coin laundry for the rest. A carry-on keeps you free of lockers and taxis. If you need winter coats, forward a larger bag between hotels instead of carrying it.
What are the baggage rules on budget flights from Malaysia?
They differ by airline and fare, and they change. Check the current cabin and checked allowance on your airline's own page before you pack, and buy extra checked weight at booking if you need it. We check the allowance for your flight before we suggest a bag plan.
Is luggage delivery worth it?
For a multi-city trip, often yes. Most major hotels can arrange delivery between hotels, so you travel with a day bag. Check the limits first, such as 160 linear cm and 25 to 30 kg per piece, and send it a day ahead if you can.
Sources
Figures are checked against these sources and dated so you can see how current they are.
- Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO), Luggage and storageaccessed 2026-10-20
- JNTO, Luggage and storageaccessed 2026-10-20
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