Big suitcases on the Tokaido, Sanyo and Kyushu Shinkansen (Tokyo to Shin-Osaka, Hakata and Kagoshima-Chuo) follow a size rule. The size is the length, width and height added together. The rules below are from the JR Central luggage page.
Size and where it goes
| Total size (L + W + H) | Where it goes | Reservation |
|---|---|---|
| Up to 160 cm (63 in) | Overhead rack, at your feet, or the baggage area on the deck | Not needed |
| 161 to 250 cm (64 to 98 in) | The space behind a "seat with an oversized baggage area" | Needed, no extra charge |
| Over 250 cm (98 in) | Cannot be taken on board | - |
JR Central notes that 160 cm is about the size airlines take as free checked baggage (it varies by airline), so a large checked suitcase is worth measuring before the trip. Strollers, musical instruments and sports equipment up to 250 cm can go in the racks or deck areas without a reservation.
Reserving with a Japan Rail Pass
- The seat costs the same as any reserved seat, so with the pass it is still free on the trains the pass covers (Hikari, Kodama, Sakura and others).
- At a JR ticket office, tell the staff you want a seat with an oversized baggage area.
- Online, choose it on JAPAN RAIL PASS Reservation when booking seats. See buying and picking up the pass for how the booked seats are issued.
- These are the last-row seats in some reserved cars. Non-reserved cars do not have them, so a pass holder with a big suitcase should not plan on a non-reserved seat.
- Five back-row seats share one baggage space, and the seats are limited, so book early on busy days.
Without a reservation
A passenger who boards with oversized baggage and no such reservation is charged a baggage fee of 1,000 yen including tax.
Sending the suitcase instead
Baggage up to 200 cm total can be left at a hotel or station and delivered to the next hotel on the same day with LUGGAGE EXPRESS, a paid service listed by JR Central.
Updated: November 5, 2026