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The Shinkansen is the easiest way to travel between Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka and Hiroshima, and most visitors take it at least once. The one rule that catches people out is about luggage. Since 2020, the Tokaido, Sanyo and Kyushu lines have required a reservation for large suitcases, and a standard international check-in bag is often just over the limit.
This guide explains the size rule, where each kind of bag goes on the train, how to book the right seat and what to do if those seats are gone. Every rule here comes from JR Central’s luggage page and the Smart EX boarding guide, checked on October 3, 2026.
The size rule in one table
Only the total of the three outside dimensions matters for the reservation rule; weight does not, as long as you stay within the general limit of two bags of up to 30 kg each.
For a first-timer, the practical test is simple: a cabin-size bag never needs a reservation, while a large check-in suitcase often does.
| Total size (L + W + H) | Typical bag | Where it goes | Reservation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Up to about 120 cm | Cabin bag, backpack | At your feet or in the overhead rack | Not needed |
| Up to 160 cm | Medium suitcase | Overhead rack (about 42 cm deep) or the deck baggage storage area | Not needed |
| 161 to 250 cm | Large check-in suitcase, many 30-inch and larger cases | The oversized baggage area behind the last row, or an oversized baggage compartment | Required, free of charge |
| Over 250 cm | Very large or bulky items | Not allowed on board | Use a courier |
How to measure your bag
Measure the outside of the case, including wheels and handles, and add the three numbers. Manufacturers often quote the body only, which can be a few centimetres smaller than the real total.
- Example under the limit: 75 cm high + 50 cm wide + 30 cm deep = 155 cm. No reservation needed.
- Example over the limit: 80 cm + 55 cm + 32 cm = 167 cm. Reserve the oversized-baggage seat.
- Measure each bag separately. Two medium bags do not add up to one oversized bag.
If your bag measures exactly 160 cm or very close, book the oversized-baggage seat anyway. Smart EX words the band slightly differently from JR Central (“160 cm or more”), and it costs nothing extra, so there is no reason to gamble on a borderline measurement.
Where each kind of bag goes on the train
There are four places for luggage, and only one of them, the area behind the last row, needs the special reservation.
- Overhead racks: run the length of the car and are about 42 cm deep, enough for most bags up to 160 cm.
- At your feet: ordinary-car seats generally fit bags up to about 120 cm. Green Car seats have footrests, so use the rack.
- Deck baggage storage area: some cars have lockable shelves in the vestibule for large bags up to 160 cm. No reservation; you lock the bag with an IC card.
- Oversized baggage area: the floor space behind the last row of some cars, shared by the five passengers who reserved those back-row seats. An oversized baggage compartment on some decks takes one bag up to 80 × 60 × 40 cm.
If lifting the bag overhead is hard for you, reserve the oversized-baggage seat even for a bag under 160 cm. JR Central recommends exactly that, and crew can only help with racks when their other duties allow.
How to reserve a seat with an oversized baggage area
Choose the option when you buy the ticket: at a ticket office, at a reserved-seat machine or online. The seat costs the same as any other reserved seat.
- Ticket office: tell the staff you need “a seat with an oversized baggage area”.
- Ticket machines: reserved-seat machines at JR stations offer it as a seat option.
- Online: the Tokaido-Sanyo-Kyushu Shinkansen online reservation service (Smart EX), JR-WEST ONLINE TRAIN RESERVATION and JR-KYUSHU Train Reservation all have the option.
- Japan Rail Pass: ask at the ticket office, or use the pass’s own online reservation service.
Book as soon as your plans are fixed. These seats go on sale with other reserved seats, one month ahead, and there are only a few per train. On a 16-car Nozomi, JR Central lists 57 such seats: 45 in ordinary cars 3 to 6 and 12 to 16 (five per car) and 12 in Green Cars 8 to 10.
If the oversized seats are sold out or you miss the train
Pick another train rather than a normal seat; a train can show free seats even when every oversized-baggage seat is taken. Smart EX warns about this specifically.
- Try a Green Car or a different departure on the same route.
- Missed your train? You may be allowed on a non-reserved seat on a later train with some tickets, but not with oversized baggage. Buy a new oversized-baggage reservation for the next train instead.
- Kodama trains that are all non-reserved in ordinary cars run at commuter times; use one with reservable seats or the Green Car.
- Change of plan: change the reservation before boarding.
Boarding without a reservation is not a real option. JR Central charges ¥1,000 and the conductor decides where the bag goes; if the train is full, you will be asked to take a later one.
Or send the big bag ahead: 4 options compared
Our pick for most travellers is a courier, because it removes the seat problem entirely and frees your hands for the station. Hand the suitcase over at your hotel front desk and it travels separately; keep a small bag with one night’s things.
| Option | Price | Conditions that matter | Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Yamato luggage delivery (not a partner) | Priced by size and distance at the counter | Works between most cities. Delivery takes at least one day depending on distance, so confirm the delivery date when you hand it over and keep an overnight bag | Yamato official page |
| 2. JR Central LUGGAGE EXPRESS (not a partner) | Paid service, reservation required | Same-day delivery between a hotel or station and your destination hotel, bags up to 200 cm total | JR Central details |
| 3. KKday same-day luggage delivery | Shown per bag on the live listing | Kyoto, Osaka and Nara only. Useful for moving between hotels in Kansai on the same day | Check KKday delivery |
| 4. Radical Storage (store, not send) | Tokyo listings from ¥850 per bag per day near Shinjuku, Shibuya and Tokyo Station (checked Oct 1, 2026) | Leave bags at a shop, café or hotel for the day when you will come back to the same city. Check the opening hours of the exact location | Find storage in Tokyo |
Other Shinkansen lines and trains
According to JR Central, the reservation rule applies only to the Tokaido, Sanyo, Kyushu and Nishi Kyushu Shinkansen. On other lines, and on ordinary JR trains, the general limit of two pieces up to 30 kg and 250 cm still applies, but there is no oversized-baggage reservation.
That does not mean space is easy to find on those lines. On the Tohoku, Hokuriku or Joetsu Shinkansen, check the operator’s page for luggage spaces and keep big bags close. If you are weighing a rail pass for a multi-city trip, compare it against single tickets first, and see our IC card guide for city travel.
FAQ
Does every suitcase need a Shinkansen luggage reservation?
No. Only bags with total dimensions of 161 to 250 cm need one, and only on the Tokaido, Sanyo, Kyushu and Nishi Kyushu Shinkansen.
Does the oversized-baggage seat cost more?
No. JR Central says the ticket costs the same as any reserved seat in the same class.
What happens if I board with a big suitcase and no reservation?
You pay a ¥1,000 fee and the conductor decides where the bag goes. If the train is full, you may be asked to take another one.
Can I book the seat with a Japan Rail Pass?
Yes. Ask at a JR ticket office, or use the Japan Rail Pass online reservation service.
What about strollers and sports equipment?
They are exempt from the oversized-baggage rule and can use racks and deck storage, but you need the reservation if you want the area behind the last row.
Sources
Checked on October 3, 2026. Prices and rules can change, so confirm on the official page before you pay.
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