On a trip with four cities and five people, luggage logistics make a difference. Here are the three details that took the most worries off our minds.
1. Checked-through luggage
Our bags were checked through to Tokyo: we dropped them off at Malpensa and picked them up at Narita, without having to collect them during the stopover in Taipei. With two flights and a connection, that detail alone was worth half the peace of mind of departure day. Ask for it at check-in and check the final destination on the tag.
2. eSIM or SIM: internet from the first minute
The SIM or eSIM cost about €25 per person, 1% of the budget. We needed it right away, already at Narita, to contact the shuttle driver and for maps: the story is here (in Italian).
- Check that your phone is eSIM-compatible and unlocked (not tied to a single carrier).
- Install the eSIM before you leave, with the provider's QR code, and activate it on arrival.
- Download offline maps of the four cities as a backup.
3. Takkyubin: the suitcase that travels by itself
Takkyubin is the Japanese door-to-door luggage delivery service, offered by companies such as Yamato and Sagawa. It is usually arranged by the hotel reception, who fill in the form and ship your suitcase to another hotel or to the airport. The cost depends on size and distance, and delivery times should be confirmed with the reception: usually allow a day or more.
Our plan for Kanazawa and Kyoto:
- on 20 September, in Tokyo, pack the suitcases and follow the hotel's instructions to send them to Kyoto;
- keep with us only what we need for the two nights in Kanazawa;
- on 23 September, in Kyoto, pick up the suitcases directly at the hotel.
What about storage?
With a morning check-out and an afternoon train, the hotel's luggage storage is handy. On the last day in Osaka the plan was: check-out at 10:00, bags stored at the hotel until 13:15, then the Rapi:t to the airport. At stations there are also coin lockers (in our budget, under the extras line).
A short list
- Luggage checked through to the final destination.
- eSIM installed before you leave.
- Takkyubin requested at the reception on check-in day.
- Comfortable shoes and suitcases with good wheels: stations are long.