“Hands-Free Travel” service counter at Kanazawa Station

Japanese government is trying to support tourist facilities to generalize “Hands-Free Travel”. According to JNTO (Japan National Tourism Organization) website, “Hands-Free Travel” means that “travel without the burden of large luggage.” You just drop off your heavy stuff at airports, stations or other service counters, and carry on your journey without carrying heavy suitcases.

This “Hands-Free” service provides luggage storage at its counter as well as carrier service that send your luggage to your hotel or even to the airport. You might have the case that you would like directly send it to your country. In that case, there are some companies that you can ship your stuff internationally. You can find their service counter at airports, main stations, or tourist information centers. Two biggest companies that have international delivery service are Yamato Transport Co., Ltd. Or Sagawa Express Co., Ltd.
Yamato: http://www.kuronekoyamato.co.jp/en/personal/international/
Sagawa: http://www.sagawa-exp.co.jp/english/service/standard/service05.html


You can tell Yamato Transport service center with the black cats logo.

Even though there are a lot of choices to deliver your luggage internationally, I would recommend you to Japan Post Office International’s service called EMS because you can find post offices all around Japan and also, I think EMS is the easiest way to send items internationally. I always use EMS to send gifts to my friends in foreign countries. You just fill out the required documents and drop off at any post office and pay or they provide free pickup service.


You can get an EMS label at any post offices in Japan or you can also make the label online.

Each country has its own importing policy and law, so you have to check your own before you ship the luggage – what you can ship and what not. Sometimes you need to pay custom duties depends on what you ship.

You can find more detailed information including where you can find a “Hands-Free Travel” counter at JNTO (Japan National Tourism Organization) website:
http://www.jnto.go.jp/hands-free-travel/.
If you would like to send your luggage to your country, here is Japan Post Office’s International mail service details:
http://www.post.japanpost.jp/int/ems/index_en.html.