I have purchased the JR pass via [https://www.japanrailpass-reservation.net/](https://www.japanrailpass-reservation.net/) and have already made a few train reservation for our upcoming trip via this website.
I am reading that you need to make a separate reservation for luggage bigger than 160cm (H+W+L) but don’t see how I can do this? [https://www.japanrailpass-reservation.net/NOTICE/PDF/20200601/luggage\_information\_EN.pdf](https://www.japanrailpass-reservation.net/NOTICE/PDF/20200601/luggage_information_EN.pdf)
Is it sufficient to just reserve seats in the back rows as these normally have an area for luggage behind them?
Thanks for any advice!
2 comments
The luggage seats is only applicable on Tokaido/Sanyo/Kyushu shinkansen (Tokyo-Osaka-Hakata-Kagoshima). You don’t need it on Tohoku/Niigata/Hokuriku Shinkansen.
If you are able to select the frontmost/rearmost seats then you probably aren’t on the Shinkansen that require you to reserve luggage space.
You select the rear most seats in the train car. Each reserved seat train car number usually has 4 seats at the rear that large luggage can be stored behind. You can then have room to store your suitcase behind you since large luggage won’t fit in the overhead rack. If you’re just traveling with a smaller carry on size or small to medium backpack you don’t need a luggage seat as you can store these smaller items in the overhead racks. Most people in Japan just travel with carry-on size luggage and use the baggage delivery service to ship large suitcases/items as it’s easier overall to have smaller luggage when navigating the train stations in Japan.
– [JR Central: Reserving a luggage seat on the Shinkansen.](https://global.jr-central.co.jp/en/info/oversized-baggage/)
– [Luggage Shipping: The Smart Way to Travel in Japan](https://trulytokyo.com/luggage-shipping-the-smart-way-to-travel-in-japan/)