Looking for a coin locker in Tokyo? Store your suitcase and explore the city hands-free. This guide answers common questions: What size locker do I need? Can I unlock it with Suica? What should I do if every locker is full?
You’ll find tips on locating lockers, typical sizes and prices, using a transport IC card, and choosing alternatives when you cannot find an available locker. Prices and rules vary by location and machine, so always check the information displayed on the locker before using it.
This guide is based on official tourism and railway information. It is not a first-hand review of a specific locker. Prices, locations, opening hours, and storage limits may change.
Where can you find coin lockers in Tokyo?
Coin lockers are available at many train stations and tourist facilities. Major stations in Tokyo often have several locker areas, but popular locations can fill up quickly. Rather than searching after you arrive, check the station map or railway operator’s station information in advance.
Also check whether a locker is inside or outside the ticket gates. If it is inside the gates, confirm whether you can reach it without boarding a train or buying an entrance ticket. At large stations, locker areas may be far apart depending on the exit or railway line.
If you are planning a day around Tokyo’s food markets, see our guide to spending a day around Toyosu Market and Tsukiji. If you plan to leave your bags before visiting the markets, check the locker location along with your route.
Typical locker sizes and prices
Locker size labels and internal dimensions differ by station and operator. The official Tokyo travel guide GO TOKYO lists these approximate prices for station lockers:
| Approximate size | Typical price | Example luggage |
|---|---|---|
| Small | ¥400–¥500 | Small bags |
| Medium | ¥500–¥600 | Small carry-on cases and A4-size bags |
| Large | ¥700–¥800 | Large suitcases |
| Extra large | Around ¥1,200 | Extra-large suitcases |
These are only estimates. Prices, dimensions, and billing periods vary by station and operator. Even lockers with the same size label may not fit the same suitcase. Check the internal dimensions, fee, and operating hours shown on the locker door or payment screen. Measuring your bag—including its wheels and handles—can help you choose the right size.
For reference, see GO TOKYO: Luggage & Storage.
How to use a transport IC card such as Suica
Some lockers accept a transport IC card for payment and use the same card as the locker key. Not every locker accepts IC cards, so look for a Suica or PASMO logo on the screen or card reader.
When storing your luggage
- Put your luggage inside an available locker and close the door.
- Select a transport IC card as your payment method on the screen.
- Tap your card on the reader to pay.
- Keep the receipt if one is issued. It may show the locker location and contact details.
When collecting your luggage
- Return to the locker and select the option to collect your luggage.
- Tap the same IC card you used when storing your bag.
- When the locker opens, take your luggage and close the door.
The exact steps depend on the locker model. JR East’s Welcome Suica guide explains how to use the card for both payment and unlocking, and recommends keeping the receipt. Some machines do not allow you to combine an IC card payment with cash, so check your balance before using one.
JR East: Using Welcome Suica with coin lockers
Some lockers accept cash only
Some lockers accept only ¥100 or ¥500 coins. Do not assume that every locker supports an IC card or another cashless payment method. Keeping a few coins with you gives you more options. Also check whether the locker uses a physical key or a PIN code.
What to do when lockers are full: luggage storage you can reserve
Lockers at major Tokyo stations can fill up quickly. You can look for another locker area in the same station or at a nearby station. Online luggage storage services that let you reserve a spot are another option.
Unlike unattended station lockers, these services generally store bags at partner businesses. Check that the location fits your itinerary and that you can drop off and collect your luggage during its staffed hours. The summaries below are based on each service’s official information; they are not personal reviews or rankings.
ecbo cloak
Use the ecbo cloak website or app to choose a location and date, reserve a partner shop, and leave your luggage there. The service’s help center gives general daily rates of ¥500 for bags with a longest side under 45 cm and ¥800 for suitcases with a longest side of 45 cm or more. Some locations, including certain station locations, may use different prices, so check the amount shown when you book.
The service describes taking a photo of your luggage at check-in as part of the storage process. Charges are based on calendar days rather than hours, so a reservation that crosses midnight may incur another day’s fee.
- What to expect when checking in your luggage (Japanese)
- How ecbo cloak pricing works (Japanese)
Bounce
Bounce lets you search for a location and reserve online or in the app. You then show your booking confirmation at the partner location when you drop off your luggage. Availability, hours, prices, and booking conditions vary by location, so enter your date and time to check the current details.
Radical Storage
Use Radical Storage’s Tokyo page to find partner locations on a map and book online. Prices, opening hours, drop-off and collection times, and the terms of any protection vary by location and reservation. Check the selected location’s details and terms before booking.
For any service, consider the actual route from the station exit or your destination—not just the distance shown on a map. A staffed partner location may not let you collect a bag at any hour like a locker might. Check the booking window and collection deadline; late collection may involve extra fees or other procedures.
Other places to store or send luggage
- Look for another locker area in the same station. Use the station map or ask station staff about lockers near a different exit or gate.
- Check nearby stations and tourist facilities. Include the time it will take to reach your destination and return for your bag.
- Consider a luggage counter at a station or airport. Check its opening hours and baggage requirements.
- Ask your hotel or a delivery service. In some cases, you can send luggage from an airport to a hotel, or from one hotel to another. Delivery often takes until the next day, so keep anything you need that day with you.
For an overview of delivery options, see GO TOKYO’s luggage and storage guide and the Japan National Tourism Organization’s luggage storage information. Check the current operator information for service counters, delivery times, prices, and size limits.
What to check before using a locker
When does the station or facility close?
Locker access may depend on the station or facility’s opening hours. You may not be able to reach a locker after the station closes. Check the locker’s location and your planned collection time before leaving your luggage.
Can you leave your bag overnight?
Maximum storage periods, extra charges for crossing into another day, and the handling of bags left past the deadline vary by operator and locker. If you need to store luggage throughout an overnight stay, check the locker’s rules or consider your hotel’s luggage service.
Bringing oversized baggage on the Shinkansen
If your luggage is too large for a locker and you plan to take it on the Shinkansen, check the train rules. On the Tokaido, Sanyo, Kyushu, and Nishi-Kyushu Shinkansen, baggage with total dimensions (length + width + height) over 160 cm and up to 250 cm requires an advance reservation for a seat with an oversized baggage area. Rules may differ by route or train, so check the railway operator’s official information before travelling.
JR Central: Oversized baggage on the Shinkansen
Before-you-go checklist
- I measured my luggage, including wheels and handles.
- I checked the station map for the locker location.
- I checked the locker’s size, price, and accepted payment methods.
- I know that an IC-card locker may require the same card to retrieve my luggage.
- I kept the receipt or noted the locker number and location.
- I checked the operating hours, overnight rules, and collection deadline.
- I have an alternative storage or delivery option in mind in case lockers are full.
Final thoughts
Tokyo coin lockers are a convenient way to explore the city without carrying your bags. Before you travel, check your luggage dimensions and the station map. At the locker, confirm the price, payment method, and operating hours. If you use an IC-card locker, keep the same card and the receipt safe.
If lockers are full, another locker area, a luggage storage service, or delivery may help you adjust your plans. Checking these alternatives in advance can make it easier to keep your day moving.
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