Taking your luggage on the Shinkansen: the great suitcase dilemma

japansophy
Oct 2
10 min read

Traveling on Japan’s famous Shinkansen is one of the highlights of any trip, but if you’re carrying bulky suitcases or extra bags, it pays to know the rules before you board. While the bullet train is fast, efficient, and comfortable, luggage space is more limited than many travellers expect. In recent years, new regulations have been introduced for oversized bags, and there are specific places on each train where your luggage must be stored. Read on to find out what you need to book and how.

For more general information on using the Shinkansen, check out our other articles: How to Take the Bullet Train and Everything You Need to Know About the Kyoto-Tokyo Shinkansen.

Social media is full of posts about foreign visitors on the Shinkansen stealing the luggage space that has been reserved by others or blocking the aisles with their bags. Whether you’re carrying a standard suitcase, a backpack, or something a little larger, understanding these rules can save you both stress and extra fees as well as being named and shamed on TikTok! In this guide, we’ll walk you through the current luggage policies, including size limits, where to stow your bags on board, and tips for keeping your belongings safe and accessible during the journey. With a little preparation, your Shinkansen trip will be smooth, convenient, and worry-free.

So can I still bring luggage on to the Shinkansen?

Let’s get the most important piece of information out of the way immediately. A few years ago, Japan Rail (JR) introduced new rules to manage the growing volume of tourist luggage, especially on the busy Tokaido (Tokyo-Kyoto-Osaka), Sanyo, and Kyushu Shinkansen lines. Of course, you are still allowed to bring your luggage on the Shinkansen: the Shinkansen luggage allowance is a maximum of two pieces of luggage per passenger, neither of which may have combined dimension of more than 250 cm (98 inches). The Shinkansen luggage rules concern restrictions being placed on oversized baggage (or Tokudai Nimotsu in Japanese).

How do I know if my baggage is oversized?

JR is more concerned about the size of your luggage, rather than its weight, which is why the restrictions apply to the dimensions. To calculate the size of your suitcase for Shinkansen purposes, you're going to measure the height, the width and the depth of your case and add these together. The total has to be under 250 cm to meet the Shinkansen luggage size limit. While there are no weight restrictions per se, remember that you might have to lift your case up onto the overhead luggage racks. Read on to discover if this applies in your (suit)case.

I've measured my luggage. Is it oversized?

According to the dimensions of your luggage, it will fall into one of the following categories:

Standard carry-on: Any bag with combined dimensions under 160 cm (63 inches) is considered standard. This is usually the size of a typical carry-on suitcase, a large backpack, or a small duffel bag. You can carry this on board without any special reservation.
Oversized baggage: Any bag with combined dimensions over 160 cm (63 inches) but under 250 cm (98 inches) is considered oversized baggage. This is typically the size of a standard checked suitcase or larger. You have to include the wheels in the height and be careful about the depth of expandable suitcases, since they can be 10 cm or more deeper when expanded, easily pushing them into the oversized baggage danger zone.
Too big to board: Any luggage with combined dimensions over 250 cm (98 inches) is simply not allowed on the train at all.

My suitcase is over the standard Shinkansen luggage limit. What now?

If your luggage is over 250 cm, you'll have to find an alternative, such as a luggage delivery service. If your case is under 250 cm but more than 160 cm, you will have to book it in when you buy your ticket. Basically, what this means is that you are not allowed to put this case on the overhead luggage rack or keep it in the carriage with you. You MUST reserve a seat that has luggage space (at the end of the cars) if you have oversized baggage. If you don't do this, you can be fined 1000 yen per case.

Where do I put my luggage on the Shinkansen?

1. The overhead luggage racks (for standard-sized suitcases up to 160 cm)

Just like on an airplane, every car has overhead racks running the length of the seating area.

These racks are suitable for backpacks, briefcases, and small carry-on suitcases (usually up to 50 cm/20 inches in length). If you have a slightly larger carry-on that fits the standard carry-on size (under 160 cm total), it might fit, but you’ll be doing some serious heavy lifting and you'll want to make sure that it is pushed well on to the rack and won't fall off. You don’t want your large, heavy suitcase up there potentially shifting or causing a safety hazard. If it takes effort to lift it over your head, it probably doesn't belong up there.

2. Under the seat in front of you or in front of your knees

This space under the seat in front is surprisingly small and is really only suitable for a briefcase, a small backpack or a shopping bag. The legroom on a Shinkansen is quite generous and a full-sized personal item or a large backpack might fit in front of your knees but it will severely limit your legroom and make the journey uncomfortable. This is the last resort for larger bags, so aim for the overhead racks or dedicated space.

3. The dedicated oversized baggage areas

The space behind the last row of seats: In designated Shinkansen cars, the very last row of seats is slightly separated from the back wall, creating a spacious, dedicated zone for large suitcases. This space may only be used by the passengers sitting in the row in front, so you will have to reserve these seats if you want to use this space. JR kindly asks passengers to only reserve these seats if they have oversized baggage.
In non-reserved cars, these spaces can be used for standard-sized suitcases but are still tied to the seat in front, so they may not always be available.
Dedicated storage areas: On some newer or recently renovated trains (Tokaido and Sanyo lines), JR has installed dedicated, lockable storage spaces at the entrance of specific cars. You need an IC card like Icoca or Suica to use and lock these spaces. They were originally designed for oversized baggage but an amendment to the rule as of 1 July 2025 (subject to change) means that these spaces are available to passengers bringing standard-size luggage on board, on a first-come-first-served basis. This means, though, that passengers with oversize baggage can no longer reserve these spaces and MUST book a seat at the end of the carriage with a dedicated luggage space behind it.

Reserved, unreserved, or Green Car? (seating vs. storage)

If you purchase a regular reserved seat ticket, you cannot simply put your suitcase behind the last row of seats if you didn't specifically reserve that seat and its accompanying space. That space belongs to the passenger who reserved the last row, and the conductor will ask you to move your bag if you are using it illegally.

Passengers with unreserved-seat tickets are not allowed to bring oversized baggage with them and will be fined 1000 yen if they do so.

Green car passengers do not get any special luggage privileges: the same rules apply.

The booking process: how to reserve your space

The process of booking your luggage space is seamlessly integrated into your seat reservation process.

Book your seat online through Smart Ex / JR Sites: If you are booking your Shinkansen ticket through the Smart Ex app or a regional JR website, you will be prompted during the seat selection process.
- You will see a seat map where certain last-row seats are marked with a suitcase icon (indicating that reserving this seat reserves the space behind it).
- Simply select one of these seats. The cost of the oversized luggage space is included in your standard fare—there is no extra fee for the reservation itself.
Book at the station (Midori no Madoguchi / ticket machines):
- If using a ticket machine, look for the option for "Oversized Baggage" and the machine will guide you to select a seat in the designated row.
- If speaking to a staff member at the Midori no Madoguchi (Ticket Office), be sure to say, "Tokudai Nimotsu Ari" (I have oversized luggage). They will ensure you are assigned a correct seat.
Book online through third-party services such as Klook: Klook also offers reservation for oversized luggage seats (albeit for a fee). Just select your preferred train and click on the "oversized luggage space" under "seat options".

Let somebody else do the heavy lifting: Takuhaibin (luggage forwarding)

If the thought of wrestling your two huge Donki-haul-filled suitcases on to a crowded Shinkansen is keeping you up at night. there is an alternative.

Takuhaibin (often managed by companies like Kuroneko Yamato) is a Japanese luggage forwarding service that is both reliable and surprisingly inexpensive.

How it works: You drop your suitcase off at the front desk of your hotel (or a convenience store like 7-Eleven) one day, and it will be delivered to your next destination (hotel, airport, or even a different city), usually the very next day.
The benefit: You travel light! You only need to take a small bag with essentials for the day and your electronics. Your luggage will make its own merry way inside a little delivery van.
The cost: Shipping a large suitcase from Tokyo to Kyoto typically costs around ¥2,000–¥3,000, which is well worth the peace of mind and is just a few hundred yen more than Klook's oversized baggage seat booking service, for example.

Japansophy's pro-tip: Plan your itinerary so that you can survive with a small overnight bag for your first day in the new city, and ship the main luggage via Takuhaibin the day before.

Other rules, tips and Shinkansen etiquette

Especially with the current backlash against foreign travellers who cause chaos on Japanese public transport, keep a few rules in mind and make everyone's journey a whole lot more comfortable:

Limit: You are allowed to bring a maximum of two pieces of luggage onboard, plus small personal items (a purse or small laptop bag) but oversized baggage ALWAYS has to be booked by reserving a special seat.
The aisle is sacred: Never park your luggage in the aisle, near the train doors, or blocking the toilets or other seats. If your case is too heavy for you to lift up on to the luggage rack, you'll have to keep it in front of your knees for the entire journey.
Don't let your case wander: The Shinkansen ride is generally super smooth and speedy but the tracks do curve sometimes and your wheelie suitcases might not want to stay put. Always make sure that the cases you park in the luggage space behind your seat don't wander out into the aisle and block the door.
Use only the luggage space assigned to you: Remember that the luggage space behind the last row of seats in the car is ONLY for that last row of seats. You are not allowed to use this space for your bags if you are not sitting in that row.
VIT (very important tip!): The train doesn't stop for very long in the stations between terminals (so, in Kyoto, for example), and you won't have much time to grab your bags, make it to the door and exit, especially if you have to juggle several bags, have to get your cases down from the overhead racks or unlock them from the baggage compartment. Announcements will tell passengers in good time that the train is about to arrive at the next station. If it's your stop, let that be your signal to get yourself organised and make your way down to the door. Don't wait until the train pulls into the station.

FAQs: Taking bags on the Shinkansen in Japan

What is the Shinkansen luggage size limit?
Each passenger is allowed two pieces of luggage, neither of which may be more than 250 cm (when you add the length of the height, width and depth together). If your luggage is over 160 cm, it is classed as oversized baggage and you will have to reserve a special seat with luggage space behind it.
Where can I put my luggage on the Shinkansen?
Luggage smaller than 160 cm (height + width + depth) can be put on the overhead luggage racks, in the special luggage compartments (if your train has them) or in the luggage spaces at the end of the car, if you have booked a seat in the row in front of these. Otherwise, you will have to place it in front of your knees. Oversized baggage must be placed in the luggage spaces at the end of the car, meaning you are required to reserve a seat in the row in front of these.

My suitcase is oversized but there are no car-end seats left. What can I do?
Your only options are to check if there are maybe some car-end seats left in the Green Car (first class option), which will cost a little more, or take a different train.

I don't want to reserve a seat. Can I just take my luggage on anyway?
If your luggage is standard size (up to 160 cm height + width + depth), you can go ahead and take your luggage into the non-reserved car with you. If you are lucky, the last row in the car will have an empty seat and you can use the luggage space behind it. Otherwise, you'll have to put your luggage up on to the overhead luggage rack or keep it in front of you in your seat. If your luggage is oversized (i.e. more than 160 cm), you can't take it into a non-reserved car and will have to reserve a car-end seat.

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