Akihabara Station luggage storage

About Akihabara Station

For many Western travelers of a certain age, their introduction to Japanese culture will have been through video games, anime, and other pop culture exports from Japan. Some of the most ubiquitous cultural institutions have their roots in Japan, whether it’s Mario and the nebulous Nintendo brands or the Dragon Ball Anime series. While you can imagine these things being a niche in Japan as well, this subculture (called ‘otaku’) is more pervasive than you’d expect. In fact, it essentially has its own neighborhood in Tokyo dedicated to all things otaku. 

Akihabara, or Tokyo’s “Electric Town,” is a central district famous for its electronics shops, toy stores, comic book stores, and arcades. You’ll find specialty electronics and video game stores that make Akihabara a pilgrimage for tech enthusiasts and computer engineers. Anyone who’s into anime or manga could spend a week poring over the shelves of comic books (sorry, “graphic novels”) and other merchandise. Even the cafes, bars, and restaurants cater to these interests, with servers resembling Comic-Con attendees serving whimsical dishes inspired by Anime and video games. It’s a fascinating corner of Japan, and well worth a stop on any Tokyo itinerary if you’re a kid at heart or want to relive your childhood spent playing Pokemon cards during recess. 

It’s a central neighborhood, and fairly well-connected with the rest of the city. The main transportation hub is Akihabara Station, which is served by the JR Yamanote Line, the Chuo-Sobu Line, the Keihin-Tohoku Line, the Tsukuba Express Line, and the Tokyo Metro Hibiya Subway Line. The train station is well-situated for immediately immersing yourself in the neighborhood, as most attractions and retail will be within a few minutes from Akihabara Station. 

Does Akihabara Station have luggage lockers?

You'll be able to find coin lockers throughout Akihabara Station. The main locker area is situated near the ticket gate on the first floor. While there are other locker areas, this is the best one because you won't have to re-enter through the main gate to access your belongings. It only costs about three dollars to store smaller items per day, but there are size limitations for these station lockers. You'll still be able to fit a standard suitcase in the large lockers, but large duffel and specialty items are a no-go. 

Can you leave luggage at train stations in Japan?

The majority of larger Tokyo train stations will have at least limited luggage storage facilities. These are usually coin lockers. Subway stops and bus stations might not have these lockers so it's good to plan ahead. 

Are there coin lockers in Tokyo Station?

There are station coin lockers on both the ground floor and second floor near the ticket gates at the east exit. These can be useful for when you’re traveling in from the airport and need a quick place to stash a backpack, but the locker size is limited. If you have specialty items or a duffle bag, you're probably better served by using a proper luggage storage service. 

Where can I store luggage in Tokyo?

Like anywhere you'll be able to go to your hotel before check-in and drop your bags off at the concierge desk. It basically only costs a small tip to the bellhop, but it doesn't make it any more convenient if your hotel is out of the way from where you're trying to sightsee.

There will be storage lockers at both Haneda and Narita Airport if you need to leave luggage during a layover, but the airports are situated outside the city center, so your items will not be accessible during your trip. Most bus stations will even have a coin locker area, but there are size limitations to that option. The best way to store your bags in Tokyo has to be a luggage storage service like Bounce. With multiple locations near Akihabara, Bounce has to be your best option. Bounce offers radical storage features like 24/7 customer support and a handy mobile app that makes it easy to search for storage spots and even book on the go. 

Things to do near Akihabara Station

Namco Akihabara

If you want to celebrate all things otaku, there's no better place on the planet than Namco Akihabara’s six floors. Whether it's manga, toys, or other merchandise pertaining to anime or video games, you'll be able to find it on one of the shopping complex's six floors. There are multiple arcades for getting your game on. Highlights include highly addictive Taiko no Tatsujin drum machines, an entire (fourth) floor Bandai-branded capsule toy machine, and a basement level dedicated entirely to the iconic anime brand Gundam. Giant robots galore!

Kanda Shrine

If you're feeling overwhelmed by the intense brightness and volume that ‘electric town’ exudes, you’ll want to stop by this 1300-year-old shrine in the middle of Akihabara. It's a small and unassuming shrine, but it was actually visited by the legendary Shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu. The most notable feature is the two-story main gate and Tori gates made with Cypress wood painted a beautiful vermillion. Fittingly, it offers a tranquil respite from the neon-lit madness of the neighborhood. But the tech community has infiltrated even the shrine. The shrine offers good luck charms and blessings to protect electronics.

Yodobashi-Akiba

Many Americans and Western travelers will remember a time when you went to actual stores to buy electronics. While it's certainly a thing of the past elsewhere, it never really went away in Japan. One of the biggest reasons for its ‘electric town’ nickname is the nine-story Yodobashi-Akiba shopping complex that's dedicated entirely to niche gadgets and electronics.

Even if you're not in the market for a new gaming device, or nifty home appliance, window shopping through this outrageous store offers fascinating insight into daily Japanese life. The neon and signage are worth the stop. Food courts also have an elevated place in Japanese society, and you'll be able to find exceptional Ramen and sushi in case you get peckish. 

Airport travel from Akihabara Station

The vast majority of travelers coming from the US or Europe will land at Haneda International Airport, and the typically efficient Japanese transit network makes it easy to reach a neighborhood like Akihabara.

You have a few options, but the quickest and most cost-effective would be taking the Keikyu Line to Shinagawa Station and transferring to the JR Yamanote Line. With the transfer, you’ll reach Akihabara Station in as little as 45 minutes. Less efficient options (for getting to Akihabara, at least) would be the Airport Limousine Bus to Tokyo Station, then taking the metro to Akihabara. You can always hail a taxi, but with traffic, it would only save you a few minutes and will cost between $50 and $75 as opposed to the $10 you’d spend on trains. 

Although less commonly used by international travelers, Narita Airport is well-connected with the rest of Tokyo. It’s slightly further out and will take at least an hour no matter what transportation method you choose, but you’ll get to Akihabara Station pretty efficiently.

You can take the JR Narita Express train from Narita Airport to Tokyo Station, then transfer to the Yamanote Line. You’ll reach Akihabara Station in about 90 minutes, and the trip will cost less than $15. Taking a taxi from Narita Airport is extremely expensive due to its location, so it’s not recommended for getting to Akihabara. 

Getting around the city from Akihabara Station

How to get to Akihabara Station from Tokyo Station

If you’re taking the Shinkansen bullet trains from other Japanese cities, there’s a good chance you’ll be arriving at Tokyo Station. This major railway hub is where the vast majority of long-distance travelers arrive from Osaka, Kyoto, and beyond.

There are plenty of local connections to Tokyo neighborhoods like Akihabara, so it’s a very simple commute. You can hop on the JR Yamanote Line at Tokyo Station and take a five-minute ride to Akihabara Station. The JR Keihin-Tohoku takes about the same amount of time, as well. So see which train line will pick you up first (we promise you the timetables will be accurate). If you have the JR Rail Pass, both of these routes will be covered. If you want to use the Tokyo Metro, just take the Tokyo Metro Marunouchi Line to Otemachi Station and transfer to the Tokyo Metro Hanzomon Line. From there, it only takes about 10-15 minutes, so it’s less efficient but still pretty convenient.

How to get to Akihabara Station from Shinjuku Station

Shinjuku Station is easily one of the most important transportation hubs in Tokyo, especially for local traffic. With commuter rail lines and the Shinjuku Expressway Bus Terminal, you’ll doubtless end up traveling through Shinjuku Station if you’re staying in Tokyo for more than a few days.

Getting to Akihabara Station from Shinjuku is a breeze, as you can take the JR Chuo-Sobu Line or the JR Chuo Line. The JR Chuo-Sobu Line (towards Chiba or Tsudanuma) heads directly to Akihabara Station and takes about 25 minutes. The JR Chuo Line requires a transfer from Ochanomizu Station to the JR Sobu Line, but still only takes about 20 minutes to get to Akihabara Station. The bus or a taxi really won’t make much sense if you’re heading from Shinjuku to Akihabara. Unless you have cumbersome luggage or small children, you’ll save time by taking the train.

Luggage storage near Akihabara Station

Whether you’re passing through Akihabara or making a special trip to the otaku mecca, you won’t want to be lugging your bags around this buzzy neighborhood. Bounce has super convenient Akihabara Station luggage storage locations.

With useful search functions and the ability to book with the Bounce mobile app, finding the right storage spot is a breeze. Spending more time in Tokyo? There are dozens of storage locations in every corner of the city. So check out to see how Bounce can make your trip to the metropolis as seamless and enjoyable as possible! Just remember that Bounce not only has storage spots in Tokyo but also most travel destinations throughout Japan and around the globe.