First experience accommodation in Tokyo, Japan "Airbnb.Tsukiji"versus"Airbnb.Hamamatsucho》When staying in two rooms, in the case of the staying time limitation and the lack of luggage storage service in the hotel, this also truly realized the usefulness of the lockers.The lockers that can be seen everywhere in Japanese stations and department stores are completely ignored when traveling to Japan. In fact, lockers are really good helpers for free travel!
The magical use of Japanese station lockers
Coin Locker (Coin Locker) is called "コインロッカー" in Japanese. It is usually installed in stations, department stores, underground shopping malls and other places. If you can make good use of it, it can be true for backpackers and freelancers. It's so helpful!
- Change the slot in the place of accommodation: People who are used to go to the next hotel to put their luggage first. Since they can’t stay in the hotel, they may wish to use the lockers to store their luggage first, and then arrange other itineraries such as shopping nearby. Airbnb or homestays are less able to keep their luggage. Lockers can also be used to solve gaps in changing accommodations.
- Arrange the period of travel in the suburbs: if there are people planning mountain hiking, one park and two meals in the suburbs, if they cannot walk long distances with their luggage, they can store their luggage at the station first, and then return to the remote area after the small trip. Pick up your luggage at the station and move on to your next journey easily.
- Itinerary considerations: The necessary lockers in the station are designed to facilitate travellers to arrange the itinerary. According to the consideration of the itinerary, the luggage is directly placed in the station, and the luggage is picked up after the journey is completed. It is better to spend time and money on the rent of the lockers if the road is not going well.
How to check the location of the locker
After understanding the magical use of coin-operated lockers, everyone remember to make good use of this facility that can be seen everywhere in public places.Of course, for those who plan the itinerary very carefully, then you can use the Japanese locker to check the website, check the location of the locker in advance, and make full preparations in advance, and you will be more at ease.At present, there are mainly two websites that provide locker query services, which are introduced as follows:
コインロッカーサーチ:http://coinlockersearch.com/
Provides inquiries about the location and quantity of locker facilities across Japan. The data is quite detailed and rich, especially in the station areas of Hokkaido, Tokyo, Osaka, Okayama and other regions, suitable for people who simply want to inquire about the location and quantity of lockers.
▲ Enter the station and route on the homepage of the website to query. Those who are not familiar with Japanese input can directly click the menu on the right to query.
▲ The website will directly indicate the location of the lockers, and the types and quantities of lockers in various locations will be listed below.
コインロッカーなび:http://www.coinlocker-navi.com/
It also provides the location and quantity of locker facilities nationwide in Japan. The amount of information is relatively small. However, it has cooperated with JR East Japan to provide a good online query of the use of lockers.
▲ The map on the homepage indicates the locations that can be queried across Japan. You can query by clicking on the location and then selecting the station.
▲ Click on the name of the station you want to inquire, and you can inquire about the detailed settings in the station area.
▲ The map indicates the location of the locker and the location of the locker in the table below. After clicking on a specific location, you can query detailed data.
▲ The type and quantity of lockers are listed directly below the map, and the number of empty lockers is displayed in real time in some locations.
Types of coin lockers and suitable storage sizes
The common types of coin-operated lockers in Japan can be divided into five specifications and prices based on the size. The configuration of each location is different. The actual accurate size is still based on website information.If you are carrying a large suitcase, it is recommended that you first make an online inquiry when planning your itinerary in advance, so as not to drag the large suitcase with you and have nowhere to put it, it is impossible to move forward or retreat.
If you really need to use lockers for the itinerary, but you are worried that you will not be able to find a large locker temporarily, it is recommended to bring two medium-sized suitcases with a shoulder bag, and try to avoid the configuration of one large and one small suitcase.
- 特小(257×355×575mm)：200-300円租金/个，适合随身物品、购物袋等。
- Small size (310×355×575mm): 300 yen rent/piece, suitable for briefcases, shoulder bags, etc.
- 中型(550×355×575mm)：400円租金/个，适合20吋以下行李箱。
- 大型(840×355×575mm)：500円租金/个，适合29吋以下行李箱。
- Extra large (1200×355×575mm): 600 yen rent/piece, suitable for extra large suitcases and golf bags.
Practical experience of Tokyo coin lockers
This time I went to Tokyo to stay in two consecutive rooms in Hamamatsucho and Tsukiji. On the day of the change of accommodation, the itinerary was arranged to go to Odaiba for a day trip. In the case of not wanting to bother the owner, I did not ask if it is possible to check in early. Shimbashi Station was looking for lockers, but that day falls on a holiday, and the lockers business is booming. Fortunately, Shimbashi Station is a station with multiple railway lines. In addition, there are underground shopping malls and department stores in the area. I found the empty locker smoothly.
▲ Drag the suitcase and walk to Hamamatsucho Station.
▲ The 24-inch suitcase can only be put in a large locker, and the rent is 500 yen per time.
There are usually fewer large lockers, so you have to be mentally prepared to look around.
▲ Remember to prepare coins beforehand, and put them in according to the amount indicated on the locker. Some locations will provide a banknote-for-coin machine.
▲ After inserting the coin, you can turn the key to lock the locker, remember to keep the key!
▲ For small white cabins, you can choose medium-sized storage cabinets. Usually there are a large number of them, so it is easy to find a space.
▲ There is room for shopping bags or backpacks beside the cabin, so it’s easier to put things you don’t need in by the way.
▲ The usable time of each coin insertion is usually within one day, and it is usually set to be the next day after overnight. At this time, you must insert coins again to take out your luggage.
▲ The use of lockers is also risky. If you have valuables and important items, remember not to put them in.
▲Most lockers have a time limit, usually during store business hours or during the first/last shift of the train. You have to get it the next day if it is too late!
▲ After disposing of the large suitcases, walk to Shimbashi Station with ease and take the Yurikamome to Odaiba.
▲ No need to worry about luggage and check-in time, you can start the whole day's trip early in the morning. The lockers are easy to use!
Additional screening at the same scene: online query of the number of available vacant lockers
In this era when mobile devices are popular, even if you use coin lockers, you must have an APP to assist in information query!
JR East Japan Railway Company and Shinrokanako have cooperated to bring the real-time display function of the empty lockers on the website into the official JR West Japan APP. You can use your mobile phone to check where there are free lockers in real time.However, because the lockers that can report the status of use in real time are still being built, currently only four locations in Tokyo, Shinjuku, Shinagawa, and Ikebukuro can be inquired online, which is a good tool that can be expected in the future.
▲ After logging in to the main screen of the APP, you must first click on the toolbar from the bottom to add the locker query function by yourself.
▲ After the query function is added, you can click the toolbar below to quickly query the real-time overview of the lockers in a specific location.
▲ Select the size of the locker to be queried, and immediately list the three current statuses of full, remaining, and sufficient at each location. You can further query the detailed number.
