A traveler hands a ski bag to a hotel front desk in Japan, then walks a city street with only a small rolling bag.

Ways to Send and Store Ski Gear in Japan

Published Last updated

Reviewed by Max

There are several ways to move and store ski gear in Japan, and the best one depends on your trip.

Silk Crane, a luggage storage service for travelers in Japan, collects ski bags and suitcases from your hotel front desk, keeps them in storage, and delivers them to a later hotel. This guide follows your gear from getting to the mountain to the flight home.

A traveler hands a ski bag to a hotel front desk in Japan, then walks a city street with only a small rolling bag.
Hand the ski bag over at the front desk, then walk the city with a small bag.

Your ski gear, from landing to the flight home

  1. Step 1 of 4

    Getting your gear to the mountain

    Three routes get you equipped at the resort.

    • Carry it yourself. Some trains and buses take ski bags, and each company sets its own rules. The Hakuba guide covers the shinkansen and the bus.
    • Send it ahead. Yamato's Ski TA-Q-BIN sends skis and snowboards from your home or a Yamato sales office to a ski resort, and Ski Yu-Pack from the postal service Japan Post sends gear to the resort hotel where you stay. Neither service's official page describes keeping gear for you between trips.
    • Rent. Some shops deliver to your hotel and some do not, so ask when you book.

  2. Step 2 of 4

    On the ski days: does your hotel keep gear?

    It depends on the hotel. A few ski hotels and resort centers keep gear for guests, and some rental shops keep their own rental gear between ski days.

    Ask your hotel whether it keeps ski gear for guests. For gear you want kept between stays, Silk Crane keeps it and delivers it to your next hotel.

  3. Step 3 of 4

    After the last ski day: send your gear from the front desk

    Silk Crane collects ski gear and a suitcase from your hotel front desk and keeps them for a short stay or a longer one. Ski gear goes from your hotel front desk or a Yamato counter, and a suitcase goes from your hotel front desk or a 7-Eleven.

    Picture a week in Hakuba followed by a few days in Tokyo: you send the ski bag and the winter suitcase from your hotel front desk and carry one small bag to the city. Choose your storage for the sending steps, or read the ski and suitcase trip guide.

  4. Step 4 of 4

    On to the next hotel or the flight home

    Silk Crane delivers to a later hotel in Japan, including a ski hotel in resort areas such as Niseko, Furano, Tomamu, Hakuba and Myoko.

    For the flight home, Silk Crane delivers to a Yamato pickup counter confirmed for your departure airport and terminal.

Which route fits which trip?

Route Suits Check first
Carry it yourself One resort, a simple route The railway or bus company about long bags
Courier to the resort One trip from home or a Yamato office to one resort, with no keeping in between The courier's own page for your route
Hotel or resort storage Gear kept at your hotel while you ski Whether your hotel offers it
Rental with delivery A short trip without your own gear Delivery and collection at your hotel
Silk Crane Ski gear and suitcases kept between stops or stays. Silk Crane has no storefront and no same-day pickup Your hotel front desk for sending
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