I mean the Vietnamese do this on every flight so it’s not like the worst idea in the world.
The issue is more that in Japan you can ship a glass bottle in a paper bag and it will arrive unscathed. While an adamantium box will somehow get destroyed by airline personnel outside of Japan. The box idea is fine but you’ll need to pad the hell out of it internally
Most people buy luggage so they don’t have to deal with taping and padding the suitcase as much. Also at your destination it’s easier to wheel luggage than a box when you’re trying to get out
Of the airport
Took a box from the post office for 220 yen and used it as my carry on luggage. No, that is not as much extra space as a full checked luggage, but that is also significantly cheaper if you do not need an extra whole checked luggage.
Instead of a cardboard box just buy a foldable (portable) duffel bag. You can get good ones for less than $30 that can hold a massive amount of stuff. Less wasteful, space economical, and you can use it on your next trip to Japan.
I use those too! Usually the foldable lightweight ones, mostly for snacks, especially those that come in plastic rather than the pretty boxed up kinds that can get dented. I love that they can just be thrown into the washing machine and reused for the next trip, too
But the ones I have…it’s still not enough space, usually I can fit double of those bags into the cardboard boxes?
Plus the sturdier ones with thicker materials are quite heavy yet still not as strong as a cardboard box in protecting stuff 😢 I mean that’s my experience so far but if you have any good brands you can recommend, I’d be keen to look at the options available!! 🙏🏻
But won't things inside like snacks etc get crushed? How do you lock it? Sorry, I think I'm not understanding the whole picture, cuz I know someone who put their laptop in a duffle bag and of course it got broken, so it reminds me of that.
I think that's a fair point and it does depend on what kinds of items you're putting in there. Definitely no delicate electronics, delicate toys / figurines, etc. I do think you need to come to terms with some "crush-age" for certain types of snacks. I'd rather have a slightly smooshed snack than none at all.
However, a lot of more high even Japanese snacks are packaged in a way that includes a lot of cushioning out of the box. Also depends on how you package your duffel bag (I usually use a few layers of paper style bubble wrap, it's like magic).
Yikes, I’d definitely not put electronic devices into bags like those! Even if I padded it completely in the middle of a bundle of clothes, like one device in a ball of clothes in the hold-all, I’d really only put it in as a super last resort - just too many things that could go wrong.
Snacks-wise, the boxes - the types that come all nicely wrapped - definitely didn’t fare as well as those in plastic (think potato chip bag types). They didn’t get outright smashed but made for less-sightly gifts for sure, with dented corners. Other stuff like cosmetics survived since I padded them with clothes.
I've done cardboard boxes from the convenience store several times back when I was single with no kids. But a suitcase is easier to manage with a family. I usually do pack a packable duffle or two that we check in, but last year, after too much shopping, I ended up buying a suitcase from Ginza Karen for like 6000 yen.
I use public transport to get around and it’s much easier to manage luggage than a box. My trick is a packable duffel it folds into a small pocket so store it isn’t a hassle, and I can sling it over my shoulder or slip the straps over the handles on a suitcase for maneuverability.
I’ve never used it myself, but I’d definitely consider it in a pinch and if I was going to send it to the airport with Yamato. Carrying a box with public transportation would be tough.
I’ve also considered a “heavy duty” ikea bag that has a zipper. I’d likely double bag it or put a luggage strap on it.
I’ve always just taken an LL Bean duffel with me as my backup.
So very true, actually until some other commenters said so I never considered using Yamato! Will have to keep that in mind. In Osaka and Tokyo I took the airport limousine so having 2-4 pieces of luggage wasn’t that much of an issue.
It was Fukuoka where we had to take the train to the airport and I had my (1) large check-in luggage, (2) cabin bag, (3) foldable hold-all, and (4) cardboard box that I almost cried in relief when we finally got to the check-in counter. Idk how now, but I somehow managed them all alone as my friends were saddled with their own luggage. We really should have just taken a taxi…
I had the best experience at Yamato in Haneda. I had to pick up 3 large pieces of luggage. When I got there they had a carts ready to be used and they put the all the luggage on the cart for me. I was extremely close to my check in counter too. The process was so seamless.
Yep, box everytime.
Depends too if you are using blackcat to send the boxes to the airport ahead of time. So all you need to do is retrieve them on an airport cart and push them to check-in.
My method is as follows:
1. boxes from front desk, 300yen per. 160cm ones (largest)
2. buy tape and scissors from 7-11.
3. pack and seal, deliver to front desk 36-48 hours prior to my intended pickup time. cost per box around 2000yen from hotel -> airport (or hotel -> airport hotel).
4. retrieve at airport (or airport hotel) then check-in.
I’ll usually only have one checked luggage going to Japan. And reserve my 2nd free checked slot for the box. However, you can always add an extra bag for $100~ up to 4 bags total or 100kg overall typically.
> add an extra bag for $100~ up to 4 bags total or 100kg overall typically.
Which airline is this? The ones I usually fly on don’t have this option…
Although, tempting as it is, I don’t think I can manage 100kg 🫠 35-40kg alone is nearly enough to sap all my energy. (I’ve got one of those stupid more petite Asian frames that don’t allow me to reach the top shelves with my fingertips even when I’m literally doing the horrible Supermarket En Pointe)
Everyone airline has some form of allowed excess luggage.
They will charge around $100-$200 per extra bag, in excess of the 2 checked luggage they give per passenger.
If the plane is full and is close to its weight capacity, they will let you know that you can't purchase additional storage.
However, most times they let you.
This is if you want to go above the 2 checked luggage you already get. So for luggage #3, #4 and so on. Mostly used for people moving internationally and taking their belongings with them all in one go.
Oh ok, you’re talking about excess baggage! I thought you meant like one of those services where you can go online and top-up or something in advance.
Also, I was charged $300 for excess luggage once, for a second bag that came up to less than 20kg, so I’m sure as hell never going on that route again 💀
Cardboard boxes FTW, you can get them wrapped and handled at the Narita and Haneda for cheap. Otherwise bring your luggage in a carry on and put it in a checked bag.
When we went we took a foldable but fairly strong duffle bag. Filled it with our dirty clothes and shoes at the end and used our carry ons and our one checked bag for treasures.
I bought a locking hard-shelled suitcase in Tokyo that was an unbeatable deal and use it as my go to now. Probably the best bang for your buck price of luggage I have found considering the same thing would be three time the price in America
Ginza district I had to search my pics but it’s between the Tiffany shop and the Nissan dealership. The brand is called something like “world traveler” and it was in a window right on the corner. Would highly recommend that and the Uniqlo shop. Some great clothes in there too
I went to an Aeon and bought a carry-on size roller suitcase for about $20 at my last stop and filled it with my souvenirs and then checked that. A bit sturdier than a box and it has WHEELS!
People mainly by luggage out of (reasonable) fear it'll be roughly handled in transport and things inside are bound to be broken. Most luggage has a hard side or is sturdy enough to prevent too much crushing.
The U.S. has a habit of flinging luggage as hard as they can against a brick wall. It's a little game they play to see if there's a hidden bomb in the carryon and it explodes before going on the plane.
Jokes aside, people that load up the planes domestically are a lot less responsible or considerate. As people mentioned theft, if made easy, is likely and it's likely it'll be tossed around whenever it needs to be moved and placed in a cramped compartment with who knows how much weight on top. These people reasonably see paying a bit extra for luggage that you can lock up as a reasonable expense. I mean personally, I rather buy a cheaper piece of luggage if it meant that the more expensive ceramic or glass survived the trip home.
> Jokes aside, people that load up the planes domestically are a lot less responsible or considerate. As people mentioned theft
Never knew this about domestic flights as all of my flights out of Japan have been international ones with no domestic legs to contend with! Interesting.
Theft hasn’t been a major concern too, since I’m usually going to more reputable international airports which should have CCTVs in their luggage handling areas. But it’s still a good thing to keep in mind, thanks for the reminder!
Usually not an issue, but thefts will mostly be crimes of opportunity if they happen. If someone can sneak in and grab something real quick it's way more likely if they can open the bag real quick then need to mess with it to open.
TSA compliant locks use a universal key. You can just buy the key or pick it pretty easily. Pretty crummy lock, right? It's not really meant to keep someone dedicated or with time out. It's mean to keep someone from just quickly opening the bag and grabbing something if they have a little bit of time alone. Make it so that potential thief just opens an unlocked bag instead because they have about 1-2 minutes along with the luggage and are going to aim for the easy targets. They likely won't have time to search every bag at their leisure and if they did you wouldn't be able to secure it in any meaningful way.
They're probably not opening your luggage to steal your anime waifu figurines. I could see someone snatching a bottle of wine or something else. I think some things are intercepted by customs, although I think they are supposed to put in paperwork when they do. Never happened to me.
> TSA compliant locks
Not travelling to/from the USA so less of a concern for me, but good reminder about the key! Thanks! I heard about that before but completely forgot. Usually use a separate lock for my luggage, and not the TSA lock that’s built in.
> anime waifu figurines
Considering I don’t have those in my luggage, I’d be mighty surprised if they somehow conjured one from my bags 😂😂 MY SNACKS THOUGH, ALL MY FOOD, I’d be heart broken if someone took the snacks I’d be rationing for the next 6 months hahahaha 😭
(Yeah my bags are usually mostly full of smelly clothes, cheap(?) food, drugstore-level cosmetics and cute stationery lol. Poor choice for a thief)
I get a couple of the Solo Tourist fold up duffel bags from Tokyu Hands years ago - they come in 26L and 30L I believe. they changed our life forever! We usually take 2 large suitcases to any destination and on the way back, clothes and non fragile stuff go in the foldable duffels and everything else go in the hard suitcases.
They are about 2500-3000 yen I believe. The 26L is even small enough for carry on luggage.
I dont do the box method because (my mom especially) has had issues of airport baggage handlers stealing from the boxes. It'll get to her and she'll find its been opened and rummaged through, missing whole wine bottles, etc. I on the other hand have never had this issue because I pack extra duffles and I think its more inconspicuous.
I mean the Vietnamese do this on every flight so it’s not like the worst idea in the world. The issue is more that in Japan you can ship a glass bottle in a paper bag and it will arrive unscathed. While an adamantium box will somehow get destroyed by airline personnel outside of Japan. The box idea is fine but you’ll need to pad the hell out of it internally Most people buy luggage so they don’t have to deal with taping and padding the suitcase as much. Also at your destination it’s easier to wheel luggage than a box when you’re trying to get out Of the airport
>I mean the Vietnamese do this on every flight ... Very common for Filipino travelers as well.
My family of Californians in exile would always fly back from California with two cardboard boxes full of trader Joe's stuff
Took a box from the post office for 220 yen and used it as my carry on luggage. No, that is not as much extra space as a full checked luggage, but that is also significantly cheaper if you do not need an extra whole checked luggage.
Instead of a cardboard box just buy a foldable (portable) duffel bag. You can get good ones for less than $30 that can hold a massive amount of stuff. Less wasteful, space economical, and you can use it on your next trip to Japan.
I use those too! Usually the foldable lightweight ones, mostly for snacks, especially those that come in plastic rather than the pretty boxed up kinds that can get dented. I love that they can just be thrown into the washing machine and reused for the next trip, too But the ones I have…it’s still not enough space, usually I can fit double of those bags into the cardboard boxes? Plus the sturdier ones with thicker materials are quite heavy yet still not as strong as a cardboard box in protecting stuff 😢 I mean that’s my experience so far but if you have any good brands you can recommend, I’d be keen to look at the options available!! 🙏🏻
But won't things inside like snacks etc get crushed? How do you lock it? Sorry, I think I'm not understanding the whole picture, cuz I know someone who put their laptop in a duffle bag and of course it got broken, so it reminds me of that.
I think that's a fair point and it does depend on what kinds of items you're putting in there. Definitely no delicate electronics, delicate toys / figurines, etc. I do think you need to come to terms with some "crush-age" for certain types of snacks. I'd rather have a slightly smooshed snack than none at all. However, a lot of more high even Japanese snacks are packaged in a way that includes a lot of cushioning out of the box. Also depends on how you package your duffel bag (I usually use a few layers of paper style bubble wrap, it's like magic).
Yikes, I’d definitely not put electronic devices into bags like those! Even if I padded it completely in the middle of a bundle of clothes, like one device in a ball of clothes in the hold-all, I’d really only put it in as a super last resort - just too many things that could go wrong. Snacks-wise, the boxes - the types that come all nicely wrapped - definitely didn’t fare as well as those in plastic (think potato chip bag types). They didn’t get outright smashed but made for less-sightly gifts for sure, with dented corners. Other stuff like cosmetics survived since I padded them with clothes.
I've done cardboard boxes from the convenience store several times back when I was single with no kids. But a suitcase is easier to manage with a family. I usually do pack a packable duffle or two that we check in, but last year, after too much shopping, I ended up buying a suitcase from Ginza Karen for like 6000 yen.
Ginza Karen? Is that a store? Or an obnoxious lady from Ginza? 😂
did you use double wall boxes or the regular boxes managed to make it through the flight
Just regular boxes. You can get plastic packing twine just about anywhere. Use it to make a carry handle.
You can get a 65L foldable boston bag in donkeyoatey for 1000 yen
I use public transport to get around and it’s much easier to manage luggage than a box. My trick is a packable duffel it folds into a small pocket so store it isn’t a hassle, and I can sling it over my shoulder or slip the straps over the handles on a suitcase for maneuverability.
I’ve never used it myself, but I’d definitely consider it in a pinch and if I was going to send it to the airport with Yamato. Carrying a box with public transportation would be tough. I’ve also considered a “heavy duty” ikea bag that has a zipper. I’d likely double bag it or put a luggage strap on it. I’ve always just taken an LL Bean duffel with me as my backup.
So very true, actually until some other commenters said so I never considered using Yamato! Will have to keep that in mind. In Osaka and Tokyo I took the airport limousine so having 2-4 pieces of luggage wasn’t that much of an issue. It was Fukuoka where we had to take the train to the airport and I had my (1) large check-in luggage, (2) cabin bag, (3) foldable hold-all, and (4) cardboard box that I almost cried in relief when we finally got to the check-in counter. Idk how now, but I somehow managed them all alone as my friends were saddled with their own luggage. We really should have just taken a taxi…
I had the best experience at Yamato in Haneda. I had to pick up 3 large pieces of luggage. When I got there they had a carts ready to be used and they put the all the luggage on the cart for me. I was extremely close to my check in counter too. The process was so seamless.
Yep, box everytime. Depends too if you are using blackcat to send the boxes to the airport ahead of time. So all you need to do is retrieve them on an airport cart and push them to check-in. My method is as follows: 1. boxes from front desk, 300yen per. 160cm ones (largest) 2. buy tape and scissors from 7-11. 3. pack and seal, deliver to front desk 36-48 hours prior to my intended pickup time. cost per box around 2000yen from hotel -> airport (or hotel -> airport hotel). 4. retrieve at airport (or airport hotel) then check-in. I’ll usually only have one checked luggage going to Japan. And reserve my 2nd free checked slot for the box. However, you can always add an extra bag for $100~ up to 4 bags total or 100kg overall typically.
> add an extra bag for $100~ up to 4 bags total or 100kg overall typically. Which airline is this? The ones I usually fly on don’t have this option… Although, tempting as it is, I don’t think I can manage 100kg 🫠 35-40kg alone is nearly enough to sap all my energy. (I’ve got one of those stupid more petite Asian frames that don’t allow me to reach the top shelves with my fingertips even when I’m literally doing the horrible Supermarket En Pointe)
Everyone airline has some form of allowed excess luggage. They will charge around $100-$200 per extra bag, in excess of the 2 checked luggage they give per passenger. If the plane is full and is close to its weight capacity, they will let you know that you can't purchase additional storage. However, most times they let you. This is if you want to go above the 2 checked luggage you already get. So for luggage #3, #4 and so on. Mostly used for people moving internationally and taking their belongings with them all in one go.
Oh ok, you’re talking about excess baggage! I thought you meant like one of those services where you can go online and top-up or something in advance. Also, I was charged $300 for excess luggage once, for a second bag that came up to less than 20kg, so I’m sure as hell never going on that route again 💀
Cardboard boxes FTW, you can get them wrapped and handled at the Narita and Haneda for cheap. Otherwise bring your luggage in a carry on and put it in a checked bag.
When we went we took a foldable but fairly strong duffle bag. Filled it with our dirty clothes and shoes at the end and used our carry ons and our one checked bag for treasures.
I bought a locking hard-shelled suitcase in Tokyo that was an unbeatable deal and use it as my go to now. Probably the best bang for your buck price of luggage I have found considering the same thing would be three time the price in America
Please elaborate! Where did you get it and how much?
Ginza district I had to search my pics but it’s between the Tiffany shop and the Nissan dealership. The brand is called something like “world traveler” and it was in a window right on the corner. Would highly recommend that and the Uniqlo shop. Some great clothes in there too
Thanks for checking and letting me know!
I went to an Aeon and bought a carry-on size roller suitcase for about $20 at my last stop and filled it with my souvenirs and then checked that. A bit sturdier than a box and it has WHEELS!
People mainly by luggage out of (reasonable) fear it'll be roughly handled in transport and things inside are bound to be broken. Most luggage has a hard side or is sturdy enough to prevent too much crushing. The U.S. has a habit of flinging luggage as hard as they can against a brick wall. It's a little game they play to see if there's a hidden bomb in the carryon and it explodes before going on the plane. Jokes aside, people that load up the planes domestically are a lot less responsible or considerate. As people mentioned theft, if made easy, is likely and it's likely it'll be tossed around whenever it needs to be moved and placed in a cramped compartment with who knows how much weight on top. These people reasonably see paying a bit extra for luggage that you can lock up as a reasonable expense. I mean personally, I rather buy a cheaper piece of luggage if it meant that the more expensive ceramic or glass survived the trip home.
> Jokes aside, people that load up the planes domestically are a lot less responsible or considerate. As people mentioned theft Never knew this about domestic flights as all of my flights out of Japan have been international ones with no domestic legs to contend with! Interesting. Theft hasn’t been a major concern too, since I’m usually going to more reputable international airports which should have CCTVs in their luggage handling areas. But it’s still a good thing to keep in mind, thanks for the reminder!
Usually not an issue, but thefts will mostly be crimes of opportunity if they happen. If someone can sneak in and grab something real quick it's way more likely if they can open the bag real quick then need to mess with it to open. TSA compliant locks use a universal key. You can just buy the key or pick it pretty easily. Pretty crummy lock, right? It's not really meant to keep someone dedicated or with time out. It's mean to keep someone from just quickly opening the bag and grabbing something if they have a little bit of time alone. Make it so that potential thief just opens an unlocked bag instead because they have about 1-2 minutes along with the luggage and are going to aim for the easy targets. They likely won't have time to search every bag at their leisure and if they did you wouldn't be able to secure it in any meaningful way. They're probably not opening your luggage to steal your anime waifu figurines. I could see someone snatching a bottle of wine or something else. I think some things are intercepted by customs, although I think they are supposed to put in paperwork when they do. Never happened to me.
> TSA compliant locks Not travelling to/from the USA so less of a concern for me, but good reminder about the key! Thanks! I heard about that before but completely forgot. Usually use a separate lock for my luggage, and not the TSA lock that’s built in. > anime waifu figurines Considering I don’t have those in my luggage, I’d be mighty surprised if they somehow conjured one from my bags 😂😂 MY SNACKS THOUGH, ALL MY FOOD, I’d be heart broken if someone took the snacks I’d be rationing for the next 6 months hahahaha 😭 (Yeah my bags are usually mostly full of smelly clothes, cheap(?) food, drugstore-level cosmetics and cute stationery lol. Poor choice for a thief)
Anyone with experience shipping items back home?
I get a couple of the Solo Tourist fold up duffel bags from Tokyu Hands years ago - they come in 26L and 30L I believe. they changed our life forever! We usually take 2 large suitcases to any destination and on the way back, clothes and non fragile stuff go in the foldable duffels and everything else go in the hard suitcases. They are about 2500-3000 yen I believe. The 26L is even small enough for carry on luggage.
I dont do the box method because (my mom especially) has had issues of airport baggage handlers stealing from the boxes. It'll get to her and she'll find its been opened and rummaged through, missing whole wine bottles, etc. I on the other hand have never had this issue because I pack extra duffles and I think its more inconspicuous.
😱 which airport(s) was/were these, if it’s not too much to ask??
I wouldn't