Shinkansen luggage size checker
Enter your bag's length, width and height, and see whether it needs a reservation on the Shinkansen, and whether it can come on board at all. The numbers are the ones JR Central, JR West and JR East publish.
The rules in one table
The Shinkansen has no baggage check. You carry your bags on board, and the only rule is the size. Japan's railway companies add up the length, width and height of each piece. That total decides whether you need to reserve a special seat. There are two sets of rules, depending on the line.
| Size of one piece | Tokaido, Sanyo, Kyushu and Nishi-Kyushu lines | Tohoku, Hokkaido, Akita, Yamagata, Joetsu and Hokuriku lines |
|---|---|---|
| 160 cm or less | No reservation needed. Keep it at your feet or on the overhead rack. | Allowed. No reservation and no fee. |
| 161 to 250 cm | Reserve a seat with an oversized baggage area. Without it, you pay a ¥1,000 baggage fee (tax included). | Allowed. No reservation and no fee. Luggage areas are first come, first served. |
| More than 250 cm, a side over 200 cm, or over 30 kg | Not allowed on board. | Not allowed on board. |
Each person may bring up to two pieces, and each piece may weigh up to 30 kg. These limits come from the English pages of JR Central and JR West for the first set of lines, and JR East for the second.
How to use the checker
Enter the length, width and height of your bag. The page works in centimeters and kilograms, or in inches and pounds. If you switch units, the numbers you have typed are converted for you. The weight is optional. If you leave it out, the page checks the size only.
The result has three lines. The first is for the Tokaido, Sanyo, Kyushu and Nishi-Kyushu lines, which are the ones that need a reservation for a large bag. The second is for the lines run by JR East. The third is the size class of the bag if you decide to send it ahead with Yamato TA-Q-BIN, a luggage forwarding service. Each piece is judged on its own.
How to measure your suitcase
The railway companies use the total of the three dimensions: length plus width plus height. Measure the outside of the bag at its largest points. Wheels and handles stick out, and a bag that looks like a 150 cm bag on the label can be over 160 cm in real life. For example, a suitcase that measures 68 by 45 by 28 cm adds up to 141 cm, while one that measures 75 by 50 by 32 cm adds up to 157 cm, which is close to the limit. Sizes on the labels are only a guide, so measure your own bag.
If the total is only a little over 160 cm, it is worth checking before you buy a ticket. The same bag can be fine on one line and need a reservation on another.
The Tokaido, Sanyo and Kyushu lines
On the Tokaido, Sanyo, Kyushu and Nishi-Kyushu Shinkansen, a bag whose three sides add up to more than 160 cm and up to 250 cm needs a seat with an oversized baggage area. JR Central says these seats are in the last row of some cars. The tickets cost the same as a normal reserved seat in an ordinary car or a Green Car, and you can reserve them at a JR ticket office, at a reserved-seat ticket machine, or online by choosing the oversized baggage seat. Reservations open one month before the travel date.
If you carry an oversized bag without the reservation, you pay a baggage fee of ¥1,000, tax included. A bag with a total over 250 cm cannot be brought on board at all. The rules do not apply to strollers, bicycles and other sports equipment, or musical instruments. But if you want to use an oversized baggage area, you still need to reserve.
The JR East lines
JR East runs the Tohoku, Hokkaido, Akita, Yamagata, Joetsu and Hokuriku Shinkansen lines. Its English page sets the limit at 250 cm in total, up to 2 meters long, 30 kg per piece and two pieces. There is no extra fee, and you do not reserve anything. Some trains have luggage areas, and they are used on a first come, first served basis. Other trains do not have them. If there is no space, bags go on the overhead rack or at your feet, and small items can stay on your lap. JR East asks passengers not to put heavy or oddly shaped bags on the overhead rack.
The western part of the Hokuriku Shinkansen is run by JR West, but the Hokuriku line is not on JR West's list of lines that need the reservation.
This is the main difference. If you travel from Tokyo to Kyoto, Osaka or Hiroshima with a large bag, you may need the reservation. If you travel from Tokyo to Sendai, you do not.
Sending your bags ahead
Many travelers send their suitcases from the hotel to the next hotel or to the airport, so they can travel with a light bag. This is called takkyūbin, or luggage forwarding. Yamato calls its service TA-Q-BIN. The size of a parcel is worked out the same way: add the three sides, and compare the total and the weight. The bigger size class is the one that applies.
| Size | Length + width + height | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| 60 | 60 cm or less | 2 kg or less |
| 80 | 80 cm or less | 5 kg or less |
| 100 | 100 cm or less | 10 kg or less |
| 120 | 120 cm or less | 15 kg or less |
| 140 | 140 cm or less | 20 kg or less |
| 160 | 160 cm or less | 25 kg or less |
| 180 | 180 cm or less | 30 kg or less |
| 200 | 200 cm or less | 30 kg or less |
For example, a 68 by 45 by 28 cm suitcase has a total of 141 cm. By size it is class 160. If it weighs 12 kg, the weight puts it in class 120, so the larger class, 160, applies. One side may be up to 170 cm and the total up to 200 cm. Yamato lists suitcases as parcels that are priced by their measured size, up to 200 cm and 30 kg. Some convenience stores do not accept parcels of class 180 or larger. The price depends on the class and the distance, and it changes, so check Yamato's price table or the shop at your hotel.
Trains other than the Shinkansen
JR East's page says that items over the limit may not be brought on board, and it lists items that are not allowed at all, such as flammable liquids and blades that are not packed safely. Limited express trains, local trains and private railways have their own rules. Airport rail links often have a luggage area, but they may be crowded. When you have a big bag and a tight connection, a forwarding service is often easier than carrying it through the station.
What this page leaves out
- The rules come from the railway companies' English pages, checked in October 2026. Companies change them, so check the page of the company you will ride.
- Airline cabin and checked baggage limits are different. This page does not cover them.
- Prices are not shown, because they change. Look at the Yamato price table for forwarding.
- A bag is judged as it stands. A bag that you can expand with a zipper should be measured expanded.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to reserve a seat for a normal suitcase on the Shinkansen?
Not if the three sides add up to 160 cm or less. A typical 24-inch suitcase, about 68 by 45 by 28 cm, adds up to 141 cm, so it goes on the overhead rack or at your feet.
What is the largest bag allowed on the Shinkansen?
The three sides may add up to 250 cm, the longest side may be 200 cm, each piece may weigh up to 30 kg, and you may bring two pieces. On the Tokaido, Sanyo and Kyushu lines, a bag over 160 cm needs a seat with an oversized baggage area.
What happens if I bring an oversized bag without a reservation?
On the Tokaido, Sanyo, Kyushu and Nishi-Kyushu lines, you pay a baggage fee of ¥1,000, tax included. A bag over 250 cm in total cannot be brought on board.
Do I need the reservation on the Tohoku or Hokuriku Shinkansen?
No. JR East does not require a reservation or an extra fee for bags up to 250 cm in total. The luggage areas are used on a first come, first served basis.
How do I measure the size of my bag?
Add the length, width and height of the bag in centimeters. Measure the outside at its largest points, with the wheels and the handle.
Sources
- JR Central: Oversized baggage on the Tokaido, Sanyo and Kyushu Shinkansen (English)
- JR West: Oversized luggage (English)
- JR East: Oversized Luggage Guide (English)
- Yamato Transport: About TA-Q-BIN sizes, with the size classes from 60 to 200 (in Japanese)
- The rules and the size classes can change. Check the company's page before you travel.
Related pages
Last updated: 2026-10-04