Seasonal route: the best of Japan, season by season
Itineraries that follow the seasons. In winter, head for the snow of Hokkaido or Nagano before reaching Kyoto and Osaka; in summer, make for the beaches of Okinawa and Fukuoka. We carry your luggage across 4 trips so you can enjoy Japan through the seasons.
- from
- 225 €
- trips
- 4
- Cities served
- 7
Why this route
A trip built around a season does not follow the classic line. In winter you climb towards the snow — Hokkaido, or the Japanese Alps around Nagano — before coming back down to the Kansai. In summer you head south, Fukuoka then the beaches of Okinawa.
These itineraries share one trait: they call for bulkier luggage than average. Ski gear, warm clothing, beach equipment. That is precisely the kind of suitcase you do not want to haul onto a night train or through a domestic airport connection.
The route covers four trips, in the winter variant as in the summer one. The stops are entered at booking according to the season of your trip.
Itinerary
- 1Two days
Tokyo → Hokkaido / Nagano
Up towards the snow: Tokyo to Hokkaido or Nagano. Allow two days of delivery to Hokkaido.
- 2Next day
Hokkaido / Nagano → Osaka
Back down west, from the mountains to Osaka.
- 3Next day
Osaka → Kyoto
An internal Kansai leg, Osaka to Kyoto.
- 4Next day
Kyoto → Tokyo
Return to Tokyo for the end of the stay.
Which cities does this route serve?
Tokyo
Hokkaido
Nagano
Osaka
Kyoto
Okinawa
Fukuoka
Hotels, ryokan, rental apartments and private homes are all served. At a hotel, reception takes delivery for you; in an apartment, you must be there during the chosen slot.
What the price covers
from 225 €
Starting price for one bag across the whole route, VAT included. Each additional bag is priced within the same booking, with no handling fee.
Shipments travel on the Japanese takuhaibin network — the takkyubin service run by Yamato Transport is its best known form. Everything is settled online in euros at booking: not a single yen changes hands at the drop-off counter.
- Collection at the drop-off point indicated for each leg of the route.
- Carriage to the next delivery address, at every change of city.
- Your choice of delivery date and time slot for each shipment.
- A tracking link sent as soon as the luggage is collected.
- Customer service reachable in English, French and Japanese.
When should you drop your luggage off at each stop?
The rule holds at every leg: a bag dropped off one day is delivered the next. So it has to go out the day before you change city, or on the morning itself for next-day arrival.
| Itinerary | Delivery time | Drop off no later than |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Tokyo → Hokkaido / Nagano | Two days | Two days before you arrive |
| 2. Hokkaido / Nagano → Osaka | Next day | The day before you arrive |
| 3. Osaka → Kyoto | Next day | The day before you arrive |
| 4. Kyoto → Tokyo | Next day | The day before you arrive |
Who this route suits
- A winter stay centred on the snow, in Hokkaido or around Nagano.
- A summer stay heading south, Fukuoka and the Okinawa islands.
- Travellers with bulky luggage: ski gear, beach equipment, seasonal clothing.
Tips for this route
- 1
Hokkaido and Okinawa need two days of delivery instead of one. Drop your luggage off two days before you arrive, not the day before.
- 2
The two-day gap applies on the way back too: plan it before leaving Sapporo or Naha, especially if a domestic flight follows.
- 3
Bulky ski gear and sports equipment may be subject to restrictions. Ask before booking rather than at the counter on drop-off day.
Frequently asked questions about this route
What is the difference between the winter and summer variants?
Why is the lead time two days to Hokkaido and Okinawa?
Can I send ski equipment?
Why is this route more expensive than the others?
The other routes
If this itinerary is not quite yours, the two other routes cover different lines.
Book this route
Compare the three circuits, or get a quote for a single trip if your itinerary leaves the beaten track.