What this solves / who it's for
Japan's takkyubin (宅急便) door-to-door luggage forwarding is one of the country's most underrated travel tools — and almost every foreign visitor discovers it too late. Three carriers compete: Yamato Transport (Kuroneko, the biggest), Sagawa Express, and Japan Post (Yu-Pack). They have slightly different price tiers, pickup windows, and same-day cutoffs. This calculator gives you a live cost comparison based on route type (hotel→hotel, hotel→airport, airport→hotel), bag count, size class, and urgency, then tells you the latest pickup time for same-day delivery. It also surfaces the airport counter locations — a feature most guides skip. Best for: anyone doing multi-city trips or trying to avoid dragging a 23kg bag through a packed Tokyo rush-hour train.
Same-day vs next-day cutoff times
Same-day takkyubin exists in major corridors (Tokyo↔Osaka, Tokyo↔Kyoto, Tokyo↔Yokohama) but the cutoff is 09:00–10:00 pickup for evening delivery (typically 18:00–21:00). If you miss the cutoff, it's next-day by default. Yamato's "TA-Q-BIN Time Service" guarantees delivery by 10:00, 12:00, or 14:00 next day for an extra fee (~¥500–1,500). For hotel→airport, book same-day at least one day before your flight to allow weather delays.
Quote your shipment
Airport counter locations
| Airport | Yamato | Sagawa | JP Post |
|---|---|---|---|
| Haneda (HND) | T3 1F, T2 1F, T1 1F | T3 1F, T2 1F | T3 1F Post Office |
| Narita (NRT) | T1 4F, T2 1F | T1 4F, T2 1F | T1 1F Post Office |
| Kansai (KIX) | T1 1F | T1 1F | T1 1F |
| Chubu Centrair (NGO) | T1 1F | T1 1F | T1 1F |
All counters open by 06:30 and accept both Japanese-language forms and basic English. Bring your passport for airport-side pickup; the carrier will ID-match.
How to interpret the result
Three carriers are quoted. Yamato (Kuroneko) has the largest network and is usually the cheapest in same-city routes. Sagawa is competitive on weight and time-spec services. JP Post Yu-Pack is the budget option but slower (2–3 days, sometimes a day longer). Same-day service costs roughly 50–100% more than next-day. For multi-city trips, build the cheapest forwarding chain into your itinerary rather than hauling bags on trains. For airport delivery, allow buffer time — at peak season, same-day isn't always guaranteed.
Pro tips & common pitfalls
- • Have your hotel front desk call Yamato for you — they handle 90% of hotel→hotel forwarding and the desk staff speak the carrier's dispatch language. Forms are in Japanese but the clerk helps.
- • Pack valuables (passport, electronics, medicines) in your carry-on — takkyubin is reliable but not designed for valuables.
- • Yamato's same-day cutoff in Tokyo↔Osaka is 10:00. If you want delivery to your Kyoto ryokan by evening, the bag must be at a Yamato counter by 10:00 AM.
- • Use a luggage tracking app (Yamato has its own, Sagawa has "Sagawa Express" app) — you'll get real-time delivery updates.
- • For ski trips, oversized ski bags qualify as "large" (¥2,500+ one-way). It's still cheaper than airline oversize fees if you can spare a day.
- • JP Post Yu-Pack is great for shipping items back home (shopping, souvenirs) — accepts boxes up to 25kg for ¥1,500–2,500 to most countries.
Frequently asked questions
Can I ship luggage from the airport on arrival?
Is takkyubin covered by credit card or insurance?
What if my hotel doesn't accept deliveries?
Can I track my bag online?
Are there restrictions on what I can ship?
Known limitations
Prices are 2024–2026 published rates and exclude rural surcharges (some Hokkaido and Okinawa routes cost more). Same-day availability depends on the exact route — major corridors (Tokyo↔Osaka, Tokyo↔Kyoto) support it; remote routes take 2 days minimum. The pickup-cutoff times assume no holiday or typhoon day — major holidays (Obon, New Year) can add a full day. Airport counter wait times can hit 30+ minutes during 07:00–10:00 morning rush; build buffer into your schedule.